Advanced Sculpture, 2014

Project 3: Interactivity

S. Natasha Mercado
ART308
Intention Statement: Interactivity

            The main difficulty I had with this assignment was trying to control the piece. I wanted to let the viewer, as the participant, lead the way of the piece although that too was interesting since the participants usually waited on me to guide or give instructions throughout the time of the piece. I intended to direct the beginning of the piece and start instructing the participants as to what they were supposed to do with the material given and with each other but I wanted the outcome to be lead by them which game me the opportunity to become part of the piece and to blend in with the camera as I recorded. It is as if the role of the artist was completely absent after the participants took charge.

            I am very fond of creating art that impacts or questions a specific socially constructed aspect of society and in this piece I wanted to find a way to let students express themselves and feel liberated from their roles as students and as strict members of an academic institution. We, as students are so strictly pressured to follow a certain path, a career path that leads to certain wealth and success such as the sciences instead of pursuing what we truly feel passionate towards. These ideals are created by society where careers such as being a doctor or a lawyer are deemed as stable and financially secure. I wanted students to be able to write their career goals or future accomplishments regardless of the pressures of society and even their families. The reason why I chose sky lanterns was because they were collaborative pieces that needed the help of a few to launch (this idea of togetherness) and because they flew into the open dark sky as if it became liberated or free. The burning light warmed the sky and symbolized a guide for each individual and the path they so dreamed to follow.

            To complete this interactive piece I created an event and gathered a group of 20 people in my SMCM suite. While I was familiar with these 20 people most of them were new to each other and the reason for that was because I wanted them to interact with one another in order to get to know each other better and to question each other’s career goals. We all have different dreams and goals, some might be simpler than others but in the end it helps reunite as a community to know that we are different what similar in the fact that we are striving to reach a certain place together. After inviting these people to come to my suite and getting a turn out of about 10 people I asked them each to write a career goal they plan or hope to achieve in their near future. They chose the lanterns based on their preferred colors and after writing I asked them to talk to someone they haven’t met before and discuss their goals with each other. My plan was to take all 10 people to Point Lookout to light the sky lanterns and set them free but exams and a lack of time led the group to end up with three people total as the rest left to carry out their own businesses. As I questioned myself what to do the group decided to take the lanterns to the campus center and ask random people to write their own dreams or goals on the lanterns. From then, I decided to let the participants lead the piece. I was no longer the director but part of the whole, a participant, and an outside viewer.

            I took pictures of the participants and their writings and then headed out to the campus center. After explaining the project the group asked random students to participate and write their career goals and then shared them with one another. The group took the lanterns all over the campus center and then we headed to Point Lookout to set them off. After arriving, we had difficulty lighting too of them because of the wind and had then had to move to various places to find less wind so the lanterns could gather enough hot air to fly into the sky. The reason why I chose Point Lookout was not only because it was away from campus and wouldn’t prove dangerous to anyone but also because it was in open air and away from the academic institution. After a couple of tries the sky lanterns finally lit off and flew into the sky. It was beautiful scenery. The participants each lighted the lanterns and each had a chance to let one go. It gave them the sensation of liberation and happiness to see these wishes and dreams fly into the night sky. What was interesting about the process is that the group didn’t only bring in random students as participants on campus but they also asked others, elderly people, and the maintenance staff to participate. It was a community piece to enhance the feeling of togetherness and at the same time involving spiritual liberation and a hope for the future.

            What I would have changed about the piece is maybe plan the space better and test it before actually going with the piece. The group ended up getting a personal violation warning from one of the officers because we were in fishing areas and because they were afraid someone was going to mistake the lighted lanterns for a danger warning. The other thing I would have changed is the planning of the event I made at the beginning of the week. I did not get the participant turn out I wanted to follow with the piece but I do think that letting the participants lead the piece was an interesting turn and actually made the piece more community-based.