Game Piece Reflection:
The two “games” I chose, were racism, and lying/manipulation. I chose to explore the path of mind games rather than go down the traditional road of board games. Since I never really felt board games significantly impacted my learning, I thought that mind games were the next best thing. I chose to use two found objects within my pieces, to signify the connection to the world that mind games have. I chose a mirror to base my racism piece off of because racism reflects who we are as people at times, we all have to look at ourselves and examine to truly understand why we discriminate and put others down. I continues this piece with layers of plaster and gesso, showing how racial emotions can build up on one another. I finished the piece with mechanical stamps which spelled out the prologue to the Invisible Man. This piece of text tells how many feel invisible to racism and often feel like they do not exist because of it, contradicting the mirror in the piece.
For the Lying/Manipulation piece I used a frame as a background. For we often frame ourselves and others into what we wish to be true. We suspend ourselves into these false worlds often fooling everyone including ourselves of reality. This game we play is an attempt to hide from the truth, often because we fear the consequences. We play this game until we are caught and are forced to start over. I used dyed canvas in various shades of grays, blues, and purples, to depict the various severities in which these lies can occur. I then used pen and ink to convey text that cannot be read easily to represent how when we lie others cannot always read what we are trying to say. Also I incorporated newspaper text because we often hide form the media.
What two games have contributed to who I am and what might say to one another?
When I think of games I automatically think of innocence, and childhood. However, when asked to make a text piece about games, innocence and childhood are the last things that come to mind. I feel as though the games that mold a person are not the board games, and video games that you play for entertainment, but the games you play subconsciously in everyday life. Mind games, lying, and manipulation are all games that we play on a daily basis. Playing the race card, and other issues can be thought of as games as well. Because of the rashness of these games we play in daily life, the conversations would be often controversial. Possibly even interrogations would take place such as Why did you betray me? or Why are you taunting me? These questions and questions like these teach us how to overcome our problems and grow as individuals. They give us a taste of the cold real world.
Overall Reflection on Card Project
The card project was a challenge. Never had I concentrated themes into multiple pieces nor have I ever made 50 sequential small works. Nevertheless I felt inspired, this project taught me more than I could ever imagine. First looking into the project I thought it would be easy to create the set of cards, with only ten for each topic the task seemed manageable. However, as I got deeper into the various sets i found it hard. After the sixth or seventh card I would hit a mental block, feeling unable to continue new ideas. Yet by the end of the project I learned how to overcome this. I reached deep into my thoughts and emotions to produce the last few cards, making them significant. The most interesting aspect of the project was thinking about myself in relation to the world. I did not want this project to reflect myself; I wanted it to reflect more of my thoughts and ideas, and how they connected with society. I feel as though I accomplished this task, and I wouldn’t change much about what I have created. What I would change though is how I approached the project. I looked at it as segments, never really connecting the topics. If I connected all of them together I think my project would have had more of an impact.
How do you view yourself as a hero?
I’d like to consider myself as a hero of everyday life, battling the stresses of school while dealing with running, art, family, and friends. However, I have a hard time convincing myself as this, for I don’t think I do anything extraordinary. I go through the motions and try to provide a good example as I go. Negative actions won’t get you anywhere and I see them as unnecessary. In the future I aspire to make a profound impact on the medical world, and to save as many lives as possible, along with making as many people as happy as possible. This dream can be thought of as heroic, but all of it to me seems like everyday life, for its something I’ve always assumed I would just do. Maybe I think of hero’s differently than others for I often look up to the homeless and starving not the rich and successful. I don’t see any heroic quality in people who have everything, for example Bono: Bono has an infinite amount of money and has started numerous organizations and has donated much of the same. Although these are heroic qualities, he takes away from it by flaunting how much he has donated at every chance he can, something I view as incredibly ignorant. While a homeless man lying on the side of the street I view as hero, for everyday he must deal with the stressors of life, along with finding his next meal. These constant worries along with survival must include a large amount of strength and personal motivation, something I would consider a heroic quality.
When do you view yourself as an other?
The feeling of being an other is a common one for all. Although we may associate being an other in a situation in which we dont feel comfortable, you can dissect being an other in a completely different meaning. Everyone is an other, because everyone has an individual culture and identity. Therefore, no one can be the same, thus making everyone an other. There are obvious situations where one may feel like an other, such as a socially awkward student at a large gathering. Yet if one really looks into when he or she may believe themselves to be an other it occurs on a daily basis. When one talks with one’s friend group and disagrees, isnt that one person an other? When one dresses differently from the group at a party isnt one an other? The slight differences that bring us together simultaneously make us others. The common definition of other needs to be redefined.
How do you think others view you?
I have honestly no idea how others view me, and I think answering this question would be incredibly selfish. When someone asks you how do you think so and so sees you, by answering it wouldn’t you be putting thoughts into others heads? Also, others opinions change on a daily basis, and people opinions differ with how they are feeling about themselves. For example if someone is self conscious, they most likely will form a bad opinion of you in order to make themselves feel better. Ideally I’d like people to think I’m a nice productive person, but there’s no way to ensure this or assume this because we simply do not know how others think. It is true some people don’t let their emotions get in the way of their opinions of others but to be able to pick out these people is nearly impossible. People lie often, this is something we cannot predict or help, it is a fact that we must work around. So essentially this question is asking how do you view yourself, because it is simply impossible and selfish to assume what others think of you.
How are you positioned within your family dynamic and how does this influence your identity?
My family is certainly a collage of ideas and values. On my moms side I feel as though the members are more refined and proper, contrasting with my dad’s members. On my father’s side is a culture of its own, with artists and doctors alike, all with a humanitarian background. These differences of ideas pulled these two families together in a unique way that I am grateful to have been able to witness. However, I feel a lack of connection some members of my family, especially my mother and her family.
There is a large age gap with my family and me, the closest members being in their early 30′s or first few months. This has put me into an interesting position. It has taught me to rely on myself seeing as though I am not comfortable with my immediate relatives. Because of contrasting beliefs and motives, becoming somewhat close with these members has taught me a valuable lesson: to accept and appreciate everyone’s opinion, no matter how wild it may be because in the end they are family. This has drawn me closer to my dad’s side; which taught me to pursue my dreams and go after what I believed was right. This position has also given me insight to other families and their dynamics. I am always curious of the function of other families seeing as though every family is different, thus making every member unique.
9/10/2009
How do you define culture and how does culture define you?
Culture plays an active role in American lives today. Daily, culture defines us in ways we may or may not realize. Some define culture as the ethnicity of someone, however, I define culture as the definition of people, simply because of the fact that people are shaped by culture. People are constantly moved by other’s ideas and motives, in other words; their culture. We don’t even realize how much culture affects our lives. Not only are international cultures shaping us through food and traditional clothing but modern cultures, such as: technology cultures and music cultures are shaping us as well. They reach us through magazines, radio, internet, and television. We live in a world of constant culture.
Culture defines me by shaping my ideas ad inspiration. No longer do I have one culture but I have many, mixed together as if I were a giant melting pot. I am defined as a runner, an artist, and at times a total nerd. All three of these stereotypes have specific cultures behind them. In addition to these stereotypical cultures I have my ethnic cultures and religious cultures. I feel as though these cultures are currents through me, surfacing one at a time like waves in the ocean. All of these cultures combined influence my life and my motives. They also encourage me to explore the cultures of others to see and understand other ways of living and thinking.
