Publication Date

Spring 4-29-2024

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Labatte, Jessica

Second Advisor

Obermeier, James

Third Advisor

VanValkenburg, Amanda

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Department

School of Art and Design

Abstract

Makeher is a multi-media work that grapples with the existential dilemma of creation within the context of our increasingly unreliable world. Anchored by a concern for the implications of childbirth, my art studies themes of life's genesis and the world we leave behind.

My subject matter, an amalgamation of mirrors, planets, silver, body parts, hair, and tights, are tools with which I explore these themes. Using silver fabric, I abstract the human form. By integrating disassembled body parts with mirrors, I reflect on the fragmented and multifaceted nature of the human existence. This process is not just about the creation of objects but extends into performance, wherein the act of collecting sci-fi props becomes a ritualistic preparation for entering the world I envision.

I challenge the conventional expectations placed upon people with a uterus, prompting a re-evaluation of our interconnectedness and our place in a future. Through this convergence of ideas and materials, I seek not just to create art but to provoke thought about our collective future, the essence of life, and the moral responsibilities of creation and existence in an uncertain world.

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