Kristin Kyzer's Thesis in progress

AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ORIGINS

This thesis work, The Last Word, has been an explorations of my self-image and the foundations upon which it was built. In addition, I hoped to evoke introspect in viewers, or at the very least an unavoidable aesthetic response through some inner experience, stream of consciousness or some connect to their personal iconography. Sine qua non, I want to intrigue viewers and propel their thoughts.

Our self-image is created through our interactions and our analysis of those interactions with others, society, and through self-reflection.

“The process whereby individuals come to see themselves as

others see them is generally referred as the reflected appraisal

process or the “looking glasses self” (Cooley, 1902); Mead, 1934.

According to this process, significant others communicate their

appraisals of us, and change the way we view ourselves. Be-

cause we do not have monitors on our foreheads, we must rely

on the verbal and nonverbal communications that we receive from

others. (Felson, pg. 1 Psychological perspectives)

I often am very quick to form ideas of self-image and I find it very difficult to shed or change these notions once they have crossed the threshold of my mind.

The artworks in this body are informed by experiences, memories and relationships that have molded my self-esteem. In examining certain aspects of these building blocks, it is my hope to extract positive elements, disregard and move past negative ones and influence my viewing audience to examine their own selves because, “ it is possible that behaviors meant to maintain and enhance a positive sense of self are universal…”(pg. 3 Guindon).

“Writing and drawing are seen as separate disciplines, writers and artists as separate breeds….But just how different are they?” McCLoud 47 I do not contend that I am a writer but I find this question to be relevant to my artwork because my artwork does utilize text. Text along with my imagery falls right in line with icons and iconography. Words are icons that create ideas in our minds of certain things. For example, the letters D-O-G can stimulate a reader to generally think of a fuzzy mammal that barks and walks on all fours. Similarly the image of a dog would most probably elicit the same thoughts of the fuzzy barking mammal by most people. However, here is where I believe the similarities may end. For someone who has had a bad experience with a dog, the mention of the word could create a visceral reaction from the re-visitation of some psychologically scarring event. For someone who has a love for dogs or owns one of their own, it can be a symbol for love, loyalty and comfort. Even though everyone knows the basic definition of the word dog, I think when put into the context of a piece of artwork, it would evoke varying responses and emotions from different viewers. I propose that two individuals could produce a stream of consciousness something like this:Viewer 1- dog, neighbor, bite, hospital, fear, dislike. Viewer 2- dog, sweet, greet, pet, play, fun.For this reason, I contend that we will all approach a piece of artwork with our own set of preconceived notions and ideas that are based on personal experience. These will, no doubt, inform our interpretations.

The text in my artwork, while at times is intended to inform, I believe it will also color the way it is interpreted. W.J.T. Mitchell helps in merging this idea of image and text or ‘language’ together for me. “Mitchell claims that pictures have and have always been involved in an ‘inextricable weaving together’ and ‘imbrications’ with language (PT, p. 83) “ (pg 83 Costello)When viewers look at art, they cannot remove themselves from the picture, images and pictures are the source and target of love and desire, but also fear and hatred.”(pg 84-Costello). Regardless of what is portrayed, I think that our individuality and our suitcase of experience follow us wherever we go. McCloud uses the word icon as “any image used to represent a person, place, thing or idea. (pg 27)” The words “represent” and “idea” are the words I would like to give attention. You see, when looking at a piece of artwork and searching for some meaning, we are, in fact, persuaded by our ideas and what they represent to us, who we are, and all of our individual understandings, morals, preferences, cultures and generations.From these differences I believe we create our own iconography. Images are interpreted according to our own knowledge and familiarity.

I am acutely aware that when looking at my artwork, without an artist statement or perhaps no title, it may be difficult or impossible for viewers to realize the relationship they have with ideas of self-esteem. For this reason I seek out imagery that I believe can be acknowledged on some universal level. Specifically, imagery that can be understood or interpreted by many, “1 : including, covering, or affecting the whole without limit or exception:available or applying to everyone 2 : present or occurring everywhere 3 : used or for use among all 4: adaptable for various purposes” (Webster p786) It is at this point that I rely on a viewer’s stream of consciousness or inner experience to lead them to an aesthetic response and experience with the work.

Stream of consciousness is “the continuous unedited chronological flow of conscious experience through the mind.”(Webster) When I think about how one particular action or event can be seen by multiple people, and then registered and processed to interpret completely different inferences, I am amazed. I account this to our varied inner experiences,

“By “inner experience” I mean thoughts, feelings, sensations, anything that “appears before the footlights of consciousness.” Some would call it “experience,” “lived experience,” or “phenomenal consciousness.”…as long as we understand that by “inner experience” (or whatever) I mean what presents itself to you directly, in your conscious awareness as some particular given moment.” (12-hutlburt)

Although I cannot anticipate my viewer’s interpretations or past experiences with the images that I have chosen, I cannot shy away from my own personal arson of representations that is cathartic and effective for me to hash out my own resolve. I hope that I can create some way in for viewers who look at my work, whether it is a written word, a printed text, an image or an expressionistic mark. If they care to find a way in to experience the art, I hope that they can translate my musings into something personal from their own repertoire of experiences to make it valid and valuable for them. I attempt to fashion a dialogue within the imagery itself to generate some aesthetic exchange between viewer and artwork. At the very least, I hope they can question what I was thinking or even begin to make a story for me, be it true or not.Ultimately, I want my viewers to have that “hiccup” of a moment when they look at my work, one when they are drawn in to linger and consider the marks, words, images and possible meanings.

I create my artwork much in the same way we have an inner experience or execute a stream of consciousness without having to guide our psyche step by step. Just as the stream of consciousness or inner experience is set into mental motion by some catalyst, so are my artworks and the way they come about. I begin with some notion of what I would like an artwork to be about. After gathering imagery and putting ink to paper or paint to paper, my intuition takes over and I begin to work almost subconsciously. I intuitively respond to marks and images that come about in the work and place other elements in an effort to achieve some compositional balance. During this mechanical like process these memories and experiences auto play in my head adding to the artistic efforts that go into each piece. Of course, there are intervals where I have to shut down the intuitive art maker, and step back to take an objective look at my work. This dichotomous working relationship serves me to create pieces that are filled with my enthusiasm, yet balanced with compositional elements that create successful artworks.