Ephemera
"Way"
Sand and Shells
60 in x 60 in
November 2016
Exhibition Text:
In Mayan script, Way means 'spirit', which is something that was crushed for many Latinos as well as other people of color at the results of the election. "Way" is ephemeral because the piece created in the sand will be blown away and destroyed.
Sand and Shells
60 in x 60 in
November 2016
Exhibition Text:
In Mayan script, Way means 'spirit', which is something that was crushed for many Latinos as well as other people of color at the results of the election. "Way" is ephemeral because the piece created in the sand will be blown away and destroyed.
Artist Inspiration
Process and Planning
Planning
For this piece, I had two planning sketches. The weekend I went to create the piece, I had forgotten my sketchbook at school, and so I made a new one, making slight changes to it. I brought many things with me to the beach, like a level, a bucket, my sketches, string and a ruler. I also brought with me shells that I have collected over my lifetime from trips to Mexico. Originally, I hadn't planned on using my shells, I was just going to use the small ones found at Bradford beach. It was difficult for me to let them go, because when I left for the day, I didn't take them with me. While planning for this piece, I originally had just thought of the calendar and was only going to relate it to my culture. Then the election happened, and Trump won, which I used as a deeper meaning to this. Bradford beach is a very busy place, and I knew that many people would see the piece I created. I don't want to have to hide my culture because of fear. |
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Process
To do this project, I went to Bradford beach, early in the morning to have good light, and I had my dad set up his camera and film the whole thing. In total, it took me 2.5 hours to create the Mayan symbol. When I finished, and uploaded the video to my computer, I edited it to be a time lapse video, because no one would watch a two hour video of me molding sand. First I chose an area near the water because I needed to keep bringing back and forth a bucket of water to get the sand wet, So that I could flatten it, and have an easier space to work with. Then, I formed a grid, like I had on my planning sketch so I could work section by section. I had to keep spraying the sand with water because it would dry up and crumble or blow away. After I had pressed down the sand and had the gird, I began molding the sand, starting at the larger triangles. |
Reflection
Overall, I am very pleased with the piece I created. I was worried about dogs coming and running through my piece, and there were a few dogs at the beach that day, but fortunately they stayed away. The planning portion of this piece was fine. I was constantly thinking about what I would be able to create in the sand without having the piece be more than five feet. I knew that having an immense amount of details like Mayan calendars do would be difficult to achieve, so I modified mine, and kept some of the parts that I saw in my inspiration pieces. One thing I knew would remain the same is the face in the center of the circle.
I do believe the piece could have been better had it been bigger. There were things that I had to leave out, especially in the center because there was just not enough room, that being said, I am very happy with how it turned out, the video in particular. I was unsure of how the video would turn out but I was pleased by it. Some successes of the project were using the grid method to section of the piece, it really helped keeping things symmetrical. A failure was that some things had to be left out. When I began molding in the sand, I knew that I would be molding upwards not digging down into the sand. For some parts, because the sand had to be raised up, there was less space to put in details. Had my grid been bigger, I would have been able to put in more details. It was definetly difficult to leave things out because I wanted to include everything, if I were to do it again, I would make the space bigger.
I really enjoyed this project and would definetly do it again, doing a different design. It was a good way to spend my morning and a very interesting medium for me. I really enjoyed working in the sand and being able to create something for two hours and then to just leave it behind for others to see or destroy is something I have never done.
I do believe the piece could have been better had it been bigger. There were things that I had to leave out, especially in the center because there was just not enough room, that being said, I am very happy with how it turned out, the video in particular. I was unsure of how the video would turn out but I was pleased by it. Some successes of the project were using the grid method to section of the piece, it really helped keeping things symmetrical. A failure was that some things had to be left out. When I began molding in the sand, I knew that I would be molding upwards not digging down into the sand. For some parts, because the sand had to be raised up, there was less space to put in details. Had my grid been bigger, I would have been able to put in more details. It was definetly difficult to leave things out because I wanted to include everything, if I were to do it again, I would make the space bigger.
I really enjoyed this project and would definetly do it again, doing a different design. It was a good way to spend my morning and a very interesting medium for me. I really enjoyed working in the sand and being able to create something for two hours and then to just leave it behind for others to see or destroy is something I have never done.
ACT Questions
Clearly explain how you are able to identify the cause effect relationship between your inspiration and its effect on your artwork.
I was wable to identify the effect my inpiration had on my piece because my piece was created with sand, and was eventually destroyed and blew away, and the only record of it happening is the video and photos I have, similar to the work Andy Goldsworthy creates.
What is the overall approach the author has taken regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Overall, the author has been very simple in the explinations of the Mayan Calendar, which is understandable because it is a very confusing thing to understand. The tone is educational because not many people know the symbol shown is a calendar.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Through my research, I have discovered that many people are very confused by the Mayan calendar and the fact that it has three different calendars, and why they had 18, 20 day months, and one 5 day month. I can relate to that because I still dont completly understand it.
What is the central theme or idea around your central research?
The central theme around my research was culture, specifically Mayan culture. The calender is significant and a well known thing when shown images from Mexico. I wanted to have something well known, and while some people may not know it is a calendar, it is still easy enough to know that it is from Mexico.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I was able to infer that certain cultures can easily be identified based on symbols, but they wont necessarily be understood.
I was wable to identify the effect my inpiration had on my piece because my piece was created with sand, and was eventually destroyed and blew away, and the only record of it happening is the video and photos I have, similar to the work Andy Goldsworthy creates.
What is the overall approach the author has taken regarding the topic of your inspiration?
Overall, the author has been very simple in the explinations of the Mayan Calendar, which is understandable because it is a very confusing thing to understand. The tone is educational because not many people know the symbol shown is a calendar.
What kind of generalizations and conclusions have you discovered about people, ideas, culture, etc. while you researched your inspiration?
Through my research, I have discovered that many people are very confused by the Mayan calendar and the fact that it has three different calendars, and why they had 18, 20 day months, and one 5 day month. I can relate to that because I still dont completly understand it.
What is the central theme or idea around your central research?
The central theme around my research was culture, specifically Mayan culture. The calender is significant and a well known thing when shown images from Mexico. I wanted to have something well known, and while some people may not know it is a calendar, it is still easy enough to know that it is from Mexico.
What kind of inferences did you make while reading your research?
I was able to infer that certain cultures can easily be identified based on symbols, but they wont necessarily be understood.