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Pages
- Title
- Painting Things
- Date
- 2016
- Name
- M.E. Sparks (author), Emily Carr University of Art and Design Graduate Studies (Degree granting institution)
- Name
- Sparks, M.E.
- Subject
- Painting
- Description
- This essay traces the evolution of my practice-driven, reflexive investigation surrounding the iterative process of painting things. The body of work described in the essay follows the chronology of my studio production as I explore methods of observational painting. The accompanying historical and theoretical research revolves around contemporary painting discourse, object-hood and visual perception. Questions around painting as contemporary practice are approached through topics of still life, materialism, observation, repetition, abstraction, and painting’s material language. The object retains a central role in this research as my paintings are grounded within the context of the still life. Referencing critical theory surrounding human-object interactions, including the writing of Jane Bennett and Bill Brown, I consider how vibrant matter and thing theory inform my perception of still life objects, as well as the vitality and agency of the painting itself. Weaving together writing of WJT Mitchell, James Elkins and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, I propose that the practice of observational painting can reveal a transformational and reciprocal exchange between observer and observed from which dominant subject-object hierarchies are dispelled. Through the repetition, obstruction and the concept of afterimage, I intend for my work to move beyond observed depictions of objects to approach the questions of where an object ends, the subject begins, and how these dualisms mingle and coalesce within the space of painting. To further my awareness and understanding of what constitutes the work of a painting, this essay aims to interrogate the double nature and function of the medium: as a mimetic representation of things in the world, and as an autonomous, vibrant entity composed of its own material logic and language. From this logic, the potentials of representation give way to the immanent qualities of surface, colour, form and materiality. The complexities and limits of representational painting are further addressed through historical and contemporary artist references, including Paul Cézanne, Giorgio Morandi, Philip Guston and Amy Sillman.
- Collection
- info:fedora/ecuad:theses, info:fedora/ecuad:mdes
- Title
- Designing Shifts: Making Of Narratives
- Date
- 2018
- Name
- Eugenie Cheon (author), Emily Carr University of Art and Design Graduate Studies (Degree granting institution), Keith Doyle (thesis advisor)
- Name
- Cheon, Eugenie
- Subject
- Storytelling, Globalization, Self-perception
- Description
- Our self-identities are shaped by two things—introspection and external influences. Who we are in terms of our personalities, perspectives, and beliefs is largely determined by how we see ourselves and how we see the world. Globalization and technological advancement continue to provide us with unprecedented levels of access to this world. At its advent, globalization enriched us with other cultures and insights not previously available. It provided us with new opportunities in media, trade, and access to information and knowledge. Today there are concerns this may have been at the expense of our cultural diversity, which in turn has affected our sense and uniqueness of self. Whether in the form of mobile lifestyle or through the cultural convergence of mass media and exchange of goods, individuals around the globe are affected by the often overwhelming pace of change in their surrounding social contexts. In consequence, the concept of identity and the need for a sense of self are critical. This study addresses, in part, a concurrent cultural context within which loss of identity and loss of belongingness have occurred. For instance, as a self-identified transcultural person, early explorations of this thesis began within a specific segment of transcultural identities (1) —a cultural group that emerged due to the complex cultural exchanges of globalization leading to such loss of stable identity and belongingness. This phase not only afforded the initial context of this research but also provided an understanding of self as relational to other people and things. Responding to this new understanding, a series of case studies were conducted to explore how design can help shift our perspectives on the way we think about making and the interaction between persons and things. A generative approach provides new insights; in this type of inquiry, knowledge created from one study influences the development of subsequent research activities. The continuity of this responsive and reactive process led to the formation of Making of Narratives, a practice-led design framework delivered through model and practice. It is a conceptual framework in that it offers a context and conditions (scope/structure) for making meaning and sense of our relationship between persons and things. Within this framework, a set of guidelines are suggested to allow variations of models to be built through iterative and reflective practice. Modelling provides a site for narratives to be tangibly visualized, and practice affords space for introspection and co-creation. Together, model and practice constitute this framework as a tool to attain a deeper understanding of self and others; this, in turn, can lead to fostering a sense of belonging (2) and community. It emphasizes the value of gestural engagement—kinesthesia of the hand and body—in the simple making (3) process as a means to discover, impart and transfer embodied sensory-perceptual knowledge. Making of Narratives offers designers an alternative approach for generative design research and knowledge creation. This design research explores the potential of storytelling through material practice, specifically through acts of simple making, as a means to help shift our perspectives and deepen understanding of self and others in the midst of the rapid changes in the current era of globalization. (1) Transcultural identity: People who undergo a social and psychological transformation to create a different sense of self—identity as multiple—through experiencing the interweaving and exchange of human cultures (Nguyen & Benet-Martinez, 2010, p. 4). (2) A sense of belonging: Feeling connected or feeling that one belongs in a social milieu (Vallerand, 1997, p. 300); Feeling personally accepted, respected, included, and supported by others in a social environment. Failure to have a sense of belonging may lead to feelings of social isolation, alienation, and loneliness. (3) Simple making: The kind of making that is considered rudimentary and basic, such as ordering, sorting, assemblage, stacking, binding, and so forth. Simple making within this research allows for easy approachability for any person whether experienced or inexperienced in the creative practice of making.
- Collection
- info:fedora/ecuad:mdes, info:fedora/ecuad:theses
- Title
- Personalized Wayfinding System for Airport Navigation
- Date
- 2011
- Name
- Sirine Khalil Hawari (author), Emily Carr University of Art and Design Graduate Studies (Degree granting institution)
- Name
- Hawari, Sirine Khalil
- Subject
- Public spaces, Airports, Communication in architectural design, Airports, Space (Architecture), Information technology
- Description
- The objective of this thesis is to study people’s navigation flow throughout architectural spaces and to provide a further observation of how user’s notions and senses tend to guide their spontaneous movement within a space. This study explores the use of “smart”, self-personalized digital signage and wayfinding system using existing technologies (AGPS, RFID, Face Detection, QR codes, and Augmented Reality) to locate and navigate users through space to their intended destination without the interference of other misleading information. Specifically, the implementation focuses on assisting in travelers’ navigation to their required destination in international airports.
- Collection
- info:fedora/ecuad:mdes, info:fedora/ecuad:theses