Choice: Assignment 1 with Plaster
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My first project in Art 103 was a plaster molding and casting piece incorporating a personal object and a linking concept for the piece as a whole. I chose a pair of broken handcuffs to create a conceptual piece on choice, which is described in the following statement:
This project is all about choice. Choice can come in many varieties of situations—in virtually every action of life—and can have varied consequences depending on the options at hand. This outcome view of choice is the focus of the project, and a representative approach is given to address these facets of decision making. The base itself is in three parts, to allude to the common theme in humanity of being given three choices. Any number could have been chosen for the base, but the concept of three choices is such a basic, integral part of many human cultures, it seemed like an appropriate base for this project as well. The bottom of the base is dotted with small, nubby legs which are present to represent unconscious choice. Unconscious choice can be seen in life in the actions that one does not give conscious, choosing thought to but rather goes with immediately, without needing to debate. Even though it is without active choice, there is still a decision that is being made. For example, being invited to hang out with a friend. They might say “Yeah, come hang out for a bit,” and not even give a yes or no option in their wording, but you have a choice whether or not to go, and beneath that you are also choosing how your time and social life are about to be managed. On top of the base are three castings of my own left wrist, as well as a ball on top of that, cinched by a hand cuff, and some small cylinders and cones. The wrists go along with the supportive theme of threes again, but beyond that they represent choice that upon making the decision seems like there will be an easy out no matter the outcome, but when in reality once that choice is made one is stuck with it—note that the handcuff cannot simply slip off the top, despite there being no hand to hinder it. For an extreme example, recreational hard drug use could be given. One may set out thinking that they’ll just do it once or twice, or every now and again at a party, but wind up addicted and with this choice as an inescapable part of themselves for life. The ball on top represents those tough life decisions that one realizes they will be stuck with for life. For instance, deciding to have children. Or what career path to choose. This one is relevant to us young adults in college, where we feel stress of the impending life choices we need to make very soon. The little cylinders—some branched, some not—and cones scattered around the bases of the wrists represent the easy, minimal-impact choices in life. Things like, “Do I want the roast beef or turkey sandwich today?” One is not really stuck with major consequences with these choices, and there is usually a way out even after a decision has been made. Like buying a turkey sandwich, not loving it, and buying the roast beef one instead. All together, the aspects of this piece come together to encompass the spectrum of choices encountered in life. The hand cuffs illustrate how decisions can get you stuck with some choices, by whether or not they are physically able to be slipped off of the choice-representing object they are attached to. Their bright red color induces feelings of stress and urgency about making these choices, and this all boils down to the artist being a young adult in college trying to navigate a sea of choices—many small and insignificant, but several big ones as well. This piece represents what one very large aspect of my personal life is right now. |