To end the silence that has been seen over the last couple days I'd like to explain what's been going on. Apart from the engineering tests, and the many projects and homework assignments that I've completed--not to mention one or two minor home projects as a diversion from responsibility (laser scanner, and Emergency Party Button)-- I've been focusing on revamping my motives for this project. Why did I want to do this drawing? What do I want from this drawing? What makes this more than just a hobby or art project? Why legislation and laws? What message am I trying to convey? Why is that message important to me? How do I want to develop from doing this? What do I want the audience to get from it? I've been looking for the inspiration that is going to drive this project. To kill the suspense, here is what I've determined so far.
This artistic vision is an extension of an art expression I found enjoyable during my high school senior year. Micrography or microcalligraphy really interested me, and was enjoyable, but what won the project over was what I could express. I could show the beauty of a representation, with the ugliness described in the pictures. I could give a piece of art 2 faces to live. In my high school piece this took the form of a piece of a baseball glove (catchers mitt, the position that I played) and the shading was done with the Mitchell Report. The report details all the players who allegedly cheated by using steroids or HGH. The darkest hour of baseball (the cheating) was used to create the darkest shading throughout the glove. The areas of lighter shadings were comprised of my personal baseball stories. The binaries, dichotomies, and contradictions possible to portray are endless! The controversy is brilliant!
Why the statue of liberty and legislation? Just Politik was our first focus for honors humanities when I was a freshman. The idea emerged from the presidential debates which caused quite the stir of interest in politics. My interest was much less for the politics at the time, but the culture itself. The binary's from freedom and servitude along with justice and injustice came to mind. Lady liberty was the perfect candidate for my project for representing the positive of all American idealistic dichotomies.
I want this drawing to help me develop as a human. I don't want it to be some piece of art for a mindless audience. I want people to see below the surface. Hidden behind the ideals of this country are the governmental infrastructure that alienates and disseminates the people. I want to remind people that face value is laughable if it is not supported from the under workings. I want to decipher if we really are the land of freedom that the schools tell us we are, the hippies criticize us for not being, and the young hope we are.
Art project or hobby this is not. It is a means of expression and self discovery. An art project would be an empty picture. It would have no meaning, no context, no author and no motive. An art project is a doodle in a math class. It is a development of art talents. This project is not that. I will do a couple art projects in the process to lead up to the final work. The final work needs research. It has a depth, meaning, context, author, and motive. This project is exploring the phenomena of cultural ideals and their contrary laws.
But why legislation and government action. There is a clear difference to me in what the cultural ideals are and the reflection of culture in the law. Integrity is a huge foundation for moral code. I would like the country I live in, who claims to be so great, to live up to the promises it endows to all people. Government action is the framework of the country. As far as I'm concerned, the government will make the same mistakes and have the same failings if we forget the past and present failings.
As anyone else, I would like to convey many messages, especially one: dont be a sheep. However, this project will focus on one main message. We need to work harder for freedom and justice. If one looks close enough at the promises of freedom, then they may see that although they are not tyrannical, they may fall shy of freedom and justice. The message needs to be said, and I don't think people are aware of the amount of injustices and abridging of freedom that exists. The piece will not change the world, it will not change the laws, and it may not even change an individuals perspective, but if a viewer takes one extra second to think about American Ideals, then I've done my job.
My inspiration for this comes from the denial of entry to this country. It comes from the laws which make teenagers an awkward mix between minors and adults but gives grounds to be neither; It comes from the immigrants who work hard; It comes from the sheep people who vote for elections blindly; It comes from the prejudice, racism and hate from the congress; and it comes from the people who believe that this is the greatest country on the face of the earth--because it is.
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