What Happens? (AR)

ive been exploring the same theory as in "The Rorschach test (German pronunciation: [ˈʁoːɐʃax]; also known as the Rorschach inkblot test, the Rorschach technique, or simply the inkblot test) is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both."

create mono-prints and then bring out, or render, the images that the ink provokes. im interested in questioning intelligence and what the attention/ perception phenonmenon that occurs when the eyes look at images. in doing so, there is a tension created between abstraction and figuration. also, the disconnect between language and image (Roland Barthes theory of linguistics and structuralism).

What Happens? (EB)

The idea for this image came to me when I was contemplating the fact of how we make sense of what we see and how this understanding of an image can change once we learn what we don't see. For example, to create this phonograph I made my girlfriend crawl into the bathtub and hide herself in there to support and place the sculpture in a particularly expressive manner. From our perspective, however, we can not observe her presence at all. Does that change anything when I tell you that there is another "hidden" person on that photograph? What we know is that either a miniature sculpture was put or maybe even abandoned within the realm of an empty bathtub or a gigantic bathtub is embracing the sculptural body of a life-size nude. A strong vertical rapture of the sculpture is contrasted with horizontal linearity if the bathtud, the floor, the wooden block, even the shape of the concrete bricks in the background making the overall dramatic and unstable effect. Also dark and light contrast of the colors in the bathroom and the brightness of the bathtub gives an image even more anxiety. David's "Death of Marat" and one of Francesca Goodman's works, (I'm attaching images above), this composition, in my opinion, has a very intense explosive yet somewhat melancholic allure to it. The ambiguity of what is depicted and the fact that there is another subject within the frame that is is not pictorially represented is what I find especially fascinating.

Is it important to see what went on during the process of making of the piece of art or the actual final result is what matters? Also is this a work has a universal reading, meaning can anyone relate to this in my opinion bizarre juxtaposition of a bathtub and a clay sculpture? What feeling does this combination awake? Since the rest of torso of the sculpture is not directly shown, do we assume it anyway? And if so, what is the position of the body? The sculpture is breaking out from the tub with its head expressively thrown behind, like in the moment of deep pleasure or perhaps sorrow or pain? Which one is it for the viewer and why? Also if we were to separate these two objects how could we think of them then? These are some of the questions I would like to bring up in our discussion.

What Happens? (AY)

The image and sound are each about a thing that happened this week.

The first thing was watching a movie by Roy Anderson, “Songs from the Second Floor”. In the movie, an unnamed town loses something, something essential, and they are trying hopelessly to recover it. The town is paralyzed by a traffic jam. Its inhabitants cannot communicate with each other. They are endlessly sitting naked in beds, unattractively, waiting for or listening to or ignoring their partners. Each scene is a moving tableau – static, still, it each tells one story, it is beautiful, it ends. The only constant is the traffic jam.

But it is clear that each picture is only such one sentence, not much more, not adding up. And this picture speaks of the town’s attempt to sacrifice a child to end the traffic jam. As she falls, in the movie, there is no sound.

The moment was grave, the silence was so still. But the movie was funny, I swear. In a weird way, messed up, but funny nonetheless. Everyone had white painted faces, they were acting their parts, they were masks. What had happened could not be real, and it could not have been that grave. It had not been a real girl.

What Happens? (RL)

The two things that I chose to put next to each other are two different landscape paintings that I’ve made. I keep these paintings in my dorm room instead of in my studio because they fit on my bookshelves, due to their small size, and add color to my otherwise institutional white room. “What happens” when I put them beside each other is that I think about my life in art (as it were) and why I continue to paint and make art.

I made the painting on the right during an approximately 3 year-long hiatus from anything related to making visual art. During that time I avoided the art department that was my reason for coming to Columbia in the first place and figured that I would set my sights on going to medical school for lack of better ideas. A friend of mine invited me to paint with him in Riverside Park and I accepted the offer, I suppose because I still missed the activity of painting that had been so important to me before. The painting was made in one sitting in winter or early spring and the cold colors convey the deadened landscape and the cold river. The forms in the painting are graceless and naive: it was the first painting I’d made in two years, and I wouldn’t make another for at least a year after. Nevertheless, finishing the painting and appreciating it afterwards gave me profound satisfaction and I still like it enough to keep it around. During that hiatus it kept hope alive that I still might return to making art.

I painted the image on the left in my great-aunt’s garden in northern Germany. I’d been accepted to study painting at an art school in Berlin and went to visit her before the semester started. I’d made 2 landscape paintings before this one since I’d arrived in Germany, and so the painting is technically stronger than the one on the right: the colors are stronger, the shapes more lively, and the sensation fresher. Being in art school for the following semester, I would made many canvasses following this one exploring landscape as well as abstraction, a practice that has continued to the present, about a year later.

Even though the paintings and their subjects are pedestrian, probably interesting only to me and my mom, their juxtapositon and the stories behind them remind me of where I’ve been, what I’ve done, and how I got to where I am. It makes me think about the persistence of my desire to make images (of any kind,) in accordance with the themes of this class. Though the paintings are technically different and made under different circumstances, I think they both reflect that desi

What Happens? (ES)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists "Fear of the Lord" or "Wonder and Awe of God" as one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. I first learned of this shortly before my Confirmation, and I can honestly say that the fear, and wonder, and awe have been hitting me less and less since then. Perhaps it's because I don't go to Church as often as I should. Or maybe it's because the wonder and awe that the Church had taught me to reserve for God, was being reserved for the God that the Church had taught me to believe in.


My understanding of God has evolved tremendously over the years, and the more I try to reconcile what I was taught to believe in with what I actually believe, the more frustrated I become –hence the falling out with the Church. However, recently it dawned on me that my current understanding of God is not incompatible with the religious teaching I had received. As I have broadened my understandings of existence and faith and ignorance and fear, so too have I broadened my belief in a "God" that surpasses comprehension. Thus, a revival of Wonder + Awe peeking around every corner and guiding me as I wander into greater appreciation for seemingly trivial things.


Most recently, I have developed a new appreciation for technology and the existence of a newer digital world that seems to be in competition with an older analog world. I think about the integration of the physical world, that one walks and breathes in, into a virtual world, that one typically only plays with from the surface. This is where the wonder + awe come in.


Each day I pack my bag with my notebook and laptop, while my pockets hold cash and credit cards, a pen and my phone.


My concern is not with nostalgia –for that era when the laptop, credit cards, and phone were things of the future. My concern is with the ritual of balancing my daily cargo with tools that bring the world to my finger tips and tools that never run out of batteries, or get declined, or don't have service. My pause is in wondering which of these tools are more reliable than the others, and which of these tools have I come to rely on too heavily.


I have spilled coffee on my notebook.
My laptop has crashed.
I have lost my wallet.
My credit cards have been frozen.
I have run out of ink.
My phone has died.


No tool is without its weaknesses, be it analog or digital. The awe is in realizing that with the passage of time, I rely more and more heavily on the digital world as it becomes increasingly convenient, reliable, and remarkably powerful. Yet, I am at the mercy of forces beyond myself to make sure that this digital world remains in tact. As technology advances and integrates greater convenience into my life, I find myself paying less attention to where this technology is coming from and simply adopt it into my life. The wonder is in realizing how little I know, as more information becomes available.


There is a subconscious conversation taking place between humanity and our creation, and I wonder if that conversation isn't wrought with divinity. I wonder what the future holds as the loop of influence between creator and creation spins faster and faster.

What Happens? (CS)

I have never considered myself to be a person who becomes interested in sport, any kind of sport. So while a ping pong ball does flip a switch in my mind that makes me recognize that, "Oh, this is related to ping pong," this is about the extent of my thoughts. Ping pong holds no real meaning for me, no enticing draw, and I would glance past a ping pong ball immediately. It would not hold my eye at all.

I am also not American, and until recently I had never even seen a solo cup, let alone realized what it was for. Seeing a red cup, I would think, "Oh, there's a plastic red cup," and that's about it. I might consider a picnic, or some kind of school event with cheap plastic cutlery, for a brief second, but then I would move on - because, really, who spends time dwelling on the topic of plastic cups? It would have never occurred to me that a solo cup isn't just a plastic cup - in American culture, this red plastic cup is much more meaningful, it's a glaring signifier of a PARTY.


Separately, I would barely spare a second thought on either of these two items. Together, though, I know immediately what their relationship comes to mean. I may not be American, but I still know what beer pong is, and seeing these two objects together creates an automatic and instantaneous reaction in my mind: beer pong. These two objects are entirely unrelated, and yet they come together for this sole reason, which is why the reaction is instant - because it is the only possible reaction, the only possible conclusion that you could draw from placing them together. (At least, the only reaction any college student would have!) The pairing seem unlikely and random, but they fit perfectly together. If I was a real frat bro, I might even consider it fate.

What Happens? (LK)

I started with the wire coil, then added the branch, and finally added the embossing of "becoming" which I coated in beeswax. The copper wire pieces are dipped in pigmented wax.

What Happens? (AA)

Take a thing and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and put it next to itself and put it next to flesti and get lost.

What Happens? (CR)

Photo, c.1991

Shirt, c.2008

I don't remember what I wear everyday, but I remember certain things that I've worn. I think the idea of clothing as a medium for memory is something really beautiful and really confusing. If you asked me what I wore last Tuesday, I couldn't in a million years answer that. But if you pull a shirt from my closet, and ask me to tell you something that happened while I was wearing that shirt, I could probably come up with at least one memory. More commonly, if you pulled a photo from my family photo album, I can almost definitely tell you when and where that was taken, and any relevant circumstances to the time. This shirt is one that I still wear because I really like it, but I also have a lot of uncomfortable memories tied to it. The dichotomy between this and my baby picture, I think, is something that only really comes into consciousness when they're place in adjacency.

Also, I find this pairing striking in reference to the importance our outward presentation has on the way we're received. The baby picture is one of those classic infant shots; in a photo studio, sitting on a blanket, ridiculous but really funny wallpaper with clowns and rubber ducks and whatnot. This is the way I'm perceived as a child. This is the way my parents wanted me perceived. The shirt here has bleach stains on it, is often wrinkled, and isn't the most refined of materials. How do these compare as tools for memory and as platforms for our social presentation?

What Happens? (HC)

I chose to pair these 2 images together because I think they aesthetically belong with one another. I like their shared softened, faded, mute, quiet feeling. Both seem extremely still and thoughtful almost. I think putting one next to the other makes them both much stronger as a result. To me, the exaggerated muted grey color of the face brings out the similar lack of contrast in the landscape, while the warm colors in the mountains help to bring out the few moments of warmth in the woman's features and hair. Together I think they begin to make the viewer curious as to what a third or fourth image would be, and how those additional images would continue to elaborate on a central story or aesthetic.

What Happens? (JT)

Same color and same brush size but each mark tells a very different story.
Each brings out the quality of the other because they are both so very different from each other.
One is violent and expressive-the other light and gentle.
They both need each other because one relates to the other.
The lightness of the watercolor makes the oil paint fleshier.
The heavy oil paint makes the watercolor a fleeting moment.
They make up the framework in which they live.
In between the empty page becomes filled with a dialog between the two marks.
Is it an oppositional fight ?
Or is the empty space a gradient that mediates between the two?

What Happens? (DP)

What happens?

A Necklace Put Next to a Red Delicious Apple

----the appearance of religion in the apple world

On Earth, there are thousands of different kinds of apple. And these apples have their own little world. In the human society, countries are differently developed, so fruits will have their different fate by transportation and purchasing. In the apple market, they are sold with different prices. According to this, they have their own classes. And certainly, the more pricing apple enjoys a higher status. And red delicious happen to be in the top.

One day, a red delicious is bought by a wealthy family in a developed country. It’s brought home and well settled. And somehow, a necklace of the mistress is placed just next to one big red delicious. The apple is so exited and delighted, the delicate necklace makes it look so different and even more respectful than before in the apple world. As time goes by, the apple wants to rule the world while the others are deeply worried about their being-eaten destiny and want to survive, so something about the super natural power spread out among the apples. They begin to believe that the decorated big red delicious is really something.

Then, the religion in the apple world appears.

What Happens? (MA)

Many things come to mind when I see an old technology next to a new one. I wonder if these things are mutually exclusive. Do they reflect the old adage “out with the old and in with the new?” Is newer always better? Is there ever a compromise that occurs between something considered nostalgic and something considered state of the art? I think about technology and how difficult it is to familiarize oneself with the necessary tools required in the modern age. I find the newest technologies fascinating; yet, I am comfortable with the technology I grew up with. I suppose I’m trying to find the middle ground between “too old” and “too new.” So, what happens when these things are put together? In my opinion, creativity is born.

What Happens? (BD)

While working on a project this week, I started thinking about the nature of Circus Peanuts. They are a very unusual food, but when placed next to actual peanuts one really begins to notice how strange they really are. Or, maybe it is the peanut that is actually strange. Either way, here is a list of questions raised by the enigmatic Circus Peanut.

If you crack a Circus Peanut open, what will the nut look like?

Why do Circus Peanuts taste like bananas instead of peanuts or peanut butter?

Why can?t real peanuts be the color of Orange Sherbet?

What kind of contraption would be used to crack open a Circus Peanut?

Do people have deadly Circus Peanut allergies?

If so, what would those people look like?

Which would really taste better on a sandwich? Which flavor of jelly would go best with each?

Elvis loved peanut butter and banana sandwiches, could the Circus Peanut be his perfect food?

Sometimes you get a burnt peanut, but have you ever seen a burnt Circus Peanut?

What would happen if you crushed Circus Peanuts and put them on an ice cream sundae?

What could George Washington Carver do with a Circus Peanut?

If you planted Circus Peanuts, would they grow?

Peanuts are better with salt on them. Are Circus Peanuts a low sodium alternative?

This isn't a question, but now I am picturing Charlie Brown in clown make-up. Peppermint Patty is the bearded lady.

What Happens? (LW)

I tried to create my "visual poem" by putting things next to other ones.
I can't describe what happens whithout being "cliché" because it's already "cliché".
I guess I'm just looking for one thing: to feel good. Safe. Warm.
I hope it inspires the same feeling to those who are looking at it.
Also I don't have a lot of things for the moment, only things I like, because I had to take the minimum in the airplane.
The first thing I did as I arrived here was this birds made of paper.
I live with them and need them to feel home.
I can't help thinking of Novalis and his Hymnen an die Nacht by seing this picture, and I remember the feeling of security and well-going I get before I go to sleep.
Now that I explained what happened, I realize I didn't take a lot of risks. But it's not always necessary to take risks. I mean, most of the time I think we have to try new things always and always but we also need landmarks? foundations? true anchors? Sorry I don't know the exact translation.
This picture "works" for me, I hope it inspires something for others too.

What Happens? (JW)

I'm thinking about consumer culture, working with and constructing receipts and combinations of products. I'm wondering, can mundane mass consumer goods be reanimated to say something else? What do they say about us? Can new meaning be imposed?

I was talking with a friend of mine about this and he mentioned that no matter what you buy with condoms it always comes out weird. Seemingly inane products mindlessly placed next to each other seem to draw expansive narratives.

What Happens? (ZK)

I tried to show the power of iconography. Although my photoshopping skills are limited, I hoped to prove that powerful iconography can allow us to make associations even when we have not seen a company logo more than 10 or 20 times. Here, we see Pixar's lamp character, without any text, next to an ordinary desk lamp. The shape and character in Pixar's logo is uniquely their own, especially when juxtaposed to an insignificant lamp which is very similar. I wanted to try to think about what other companies may have similar types of effective iconography, even those which haven't been viewed more than a couple of times. Maybe the class could discuss what makes something memorable? Why certain icons are more memorable than others? Does the physical movement of the lamp jumping around and squeezing out the "I" in Pixar make it memorable? Or is it simply the shape of the image?

What Happens? (JOW)

The Thing Gods

By Justin Walker

(Response to Objects)

Leaning on an aged Infiniti,

stoic,

impressed by the persistence of the moon,

I watched a June bug tear through the wings of a Monarch,

struck by the tragedy caused by merely shifting a base.

It’ll never fly again,

the same way.

Victory…they say is imminent.

I say things point to survival…still.

Search for Pharaohs.

Asked a dead king about the meaning of scarabs and wings…on tomb walls.

He said “It was nothing.”

Like it didn’t have a name.

Lady at work said it wasn’t complicated,

like she could see the pain glaring through a young and highly stylized smile.

And it hurt to know that she knew

About the bottle,

and the vicious thing,

and helpless thing,

who lay dying,

wondering why the thing Gods decided to wreck a life

already expected to end so soon,

…in butterfly time.

Ego & Hubris ~ The Tipping Point.