Painting Thread and Baking Photographs

This assignment dives deep into the fusion of two distinct art mediums, urging students to push beyond conventional boundaries. Rather than merely mimicking the style of one medium with another, the true essence lies in merging them, resulting in a novel and explorative approach to art-making. By combining elements and techniques from both mediums, students are encouraged to discover uncharted territories in artistic expression. Drawing inspiration from masters like Cayce Zavaglia or Bruce Nauman, students will not only learn to appreciate the nuances of each medium but also how their intersection can lead to groundbreaking creations. Whether it's blending the textural quality of thread with the visual depth of paint or merging the tangibility of sculpture with the ethereality of photography, the ultimate objective is a harmonious blend that offers fresh perspectives. Through research, hands-on experimentation, presentation, and reflection, students will embark on an artistic journey that challenges, surprises, and redefines traditional art paradigms.

Assignment: Blurring the Lines/Painting Thread and Baking Photographs

Objective:
To challenge and expand the conventional perceptions of artistic mediums. By utilizing a chosen medium in innovative ways, students should create a piece that appears to belong to a different category of art altogether.

Instructions:

Research Phase:
a. Delve into the works of artists such as Cayce Zavaglia or Bruce Nauman. Understand how they masterfully utilize their mediums to imitate or give the illusion of another.
Conceptualization:
a. Decide on the primary medium you'd like to work with (e.g., thread, clay, metal).

b. Brainstorm ways in which you can manipulate this medium to resemble another form of art (e.g., making clay seem photographic, or thread appear as brush strokes). You want to merge the 2 mediums to create something new.

Creation Phase:
a. Develop your artwork, constantly keeping in mind the objective of creating illusion and transcending perceived medium boundaries.
b. Document your creative process, capturing both successes and challenges. This could be in the form of photographs, sketches, or journal entries.
Presentation:
a. Display your final artwork to your peers.
b. Prepare a short presentation elucidating your inspiration, the chosen medium, and the techniques employed to achieve the intended illusion.
Reflection:
a. Compose a reflection (300-400 words) regarding the experience.

Delve into:

1. The motivation behind your medium and art form selection.
2. The complexities and breakthroughs encountered.
3. Your insights on how this assignment may have shifted your perception of traditional art mediums.

Evaluation Criteria:

Innovation and Creativity: Did the student successfully manipulate the chosen medium to challenge its conventional perception?
Technique and Mastery: The skill and expertise demonstrated in executing the intended illusion.
Presentation: The ability to clearly communicate the thought process and techniques behind the artwork.
Reflection: Depth of introspection and the capacity to critically analyze the experience.

Submission Guidelines:

Include your research summary, process documentation, final artwork, presentation notes, and reflection within a compiled portfolio.
Ensure images are of high quality. If the artwork is three-dimensional or has depth, provide images from multiple perspectives.
Attach any supplementary material or references that influenced your creative journey.

This assignment encourages you to see beyond the apparent and question the status quo in artistic expression. Dive deep into your chosen medium and uncover its potential to deceive, surprise, and captivate.

Research a common art technique like painting and play with that as a concept for the work. For example, Cayce Zavaglia or Ricey Wright both "paint" with embroidery floss. We don't really call the pieces they construct embroidery anymore, we view them as paintings. What other things can be played with? Perhaps the idea of architecture that becomes sculpture. Bruce Nauman or Rachel Whiteread sculpt architecture. Whiteread makes buildings and bathtubs as sculptures and Nauman makes stair sculptures. How can food become a drawing? Geoff Mcfetridge toasts drawings, and Andi Pitcher Davis bakes photographs.

Think about processes that are traditionally not considered art. Baking, repairing, eating, soap

making, make-up, car fixing, etc. How can we disrupt standard narratives?

Ricey Wright