Proposal for BFA Thesis

Jaime K. An-Wong

Proposal for BFA Thesis

I am concerned, as many people are, about the environment and the effect humans have had on it. We are the only species that can destroy all life on earth as we know it, and we are the only species that can save it. It is hard for me to express what art means to me. But, as I am working with my hands, I am thinking. Sometimes I am lost in deep contemplation and that is when I am closest to my soul. My other sanctuary is in the great outdoors. The more pristine the environment, the closer I feel to the truth. It is a place where I can gather my thoughts. At times, it arouses the subconscious bringing forth memories and emotional attachments associated with the past and present, but also, hope for the future.

In Aldo Leopold, we find a reverence for nature in the outdoors. Leopold gives you a sense that we have much to learn from observing nature and listening to it. Although we can learn most principles thru science, only thru contact with nature and contemplation do we gain that reverence toward it. And, then we gain the determination to preserve it. In doing so, we will be perpetuating our own existence. I believe that many of the principles we discover about life and behavior crosses most of the disciplines. In discovering these principles we are unifying all knowledge, called consilience. This is best described by Edward O. Wilson.

The earth beneath our feet or the land which we live on, has always had a special place in my heart. It is the well that I can continually go to for sustenance. It is always there for me, especially when I need it the most. Appealing to me in a different way is Land Art. Working in the wide open outdoors brings a very special setting and a complex set of environment factors to work with. One dilemma I have wrestled with is how to bring the same vitality and life to the indoors. However gradual and subtle the processes in nature are, I hopefully can bring a bit of it indoors. One very important aspect to Land Art is the need to “know the land” well through investigation of its physical forms and spiritually connect to the land beginning with its primordial stages. Whatever we do to destroy the environment we live in, the question is not whether the earth survives but whether we are on the land to enjoy it. I prefer to be present with my children or my children’s children.

Humans have battled against the elements from the very beginning of our history. We have survived all natural occurring obstacles thus far, but are we going to help ourselves from our own destruction? The photographer, Mary Mattingly, has a very specific but very dire prediction of the future. She is warning of the coming apocalypse. Mattingly is sure the land will be here, the only question is whether humans remain to enjoy it. Her photos and projects are attempts to bring attention and consideration of the inevitable. What are we going to do about it? With one scenario, climate change will bring a rise in sea levels inundating the coastal cities and lands.

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In certain regions, such as the Netherlands, they have been fighting back the sea waters and claiming further land to build upon. Perhaps there are lessons to be learned and appreciated. The land needs to be appreciated and treated as one of our precious resources. Living in a sustainable way requires us to understand it and to stand up for the “land,” to be stewards of the land. In addition to the land, the materials we consume are of limited quantities. Do we have a responsibility to future generations to conserve some of the resources for their enjoyment? After all, most of us have a direct interest to this end, since we are talking about our children and their future offspring. Are we that selfish or can we find alternatives or at least recycle our precious resources?

I want to investigate the relationship of my artwork to humanity. Am I doing good? Am I doing something to help improve the human situation? I want to think big, about the natural forces that we all contend with, whether they are violent and powerful like a hurricane or whether it is gradual and slow moving as geological forces may be. More importantly, I want to have people look inward toward their psyche. It would be wonderful to be able to stir up enough motivation to get people to commit to the grand ideas that are out there. There are shared commonalities among all of us, so we are really in the same boat. The most assured path to transformation within us, is through self-examination by each individual. This is where art fits in. Art has the ability to reach “the masses,” and if successful, art will get them to commit to the cause. Only through collective means are we going to solve some of the global problems. We owe that to the future generations.

There are alternative paths to a better future, than our present materialistic, consumer-driven society. Think of the scale of the problem. The newspapers or soda cans were collected over a short two to three months this summer by our family. What is the scale of the problem for a small town, a large city, the state, or the country? What becomes of all the garbage and are there any other alternatives? We can be more creative. We just have to get people to consider it important to find the right solutions. It starts by contemplating about the problem and getting the critical mass to consider it important enough to commit to make the situation right. This is where art can be effective and it may excel in this role.

I had an opportunity to learn about the works of Steven Siegel last semester. One particular sculpture, “Scale” at the Abington Art Center, I followed for several years. “Scale” is an outdoor sculpture composed of recycled newspapers. It was expected to survive 15 to 20 years before decaying. The sculpture actually collapsed earlier. The idea of trees arising from the soil to be subsequently made into newspapers, and finally, the sculpture of newspapers will eventually decay and become part of the soil for future trees was an interesting life cycle. Steven Siegel had been greatly influenced by “deep time” and the geologic processes that are always at work. This aspect is apparent in his work. The question is can this translate into better stewardship of the environment.

Finally, the story of Arshile Gorky is very tragic, yet interesting to me. He had mostly taught

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Jaime K. An-Wong

himself skills by studying the masters who came before him. Gorky’s own “distinctive art” comes only

when he re-discovers the memories and associated emotional overtones of his youth in Armenia. What aided this development was establishing his studio in rural Connecticut and also visiting a farm in Virginia. Being back in natural surroundings quickly brought out his creative abilities and inspired him to produce amazing art works. Although he came to a tragic end, I feel that nature and natural surroundings have a similar stimulus for me. But, more than anything else, it is being productive in art that sustains me. I am at peace with myself when I am in the studio. I have time to think and experiment. I want to make this a better place to be and this is where I find my piece of mind.

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Jaime K. An-Wong