The artist that has influenced my project idea the most is Yayoi Kusama. Specifically, Kusama’s infinity mirrors installations. I was fortunate enough to visit “Infinity Mirrored Room-The Souls of millions of Light Years Away” twice at The Broad in LA. When in the infinity room I really connected with the feeling of oblivion and awe the space created for me. I personally enjoy looking up at the stars or across the horizon to marvel at how vast the world is and how we are only a speck of dust in a giant galaxy. Kusama’s work inspired me to work with installation as my medium for my project. Most of my work is 2-d and I have never built anything life size before which is why I am excited to test my limits with a new medium. With the use of mirrors Kusama is able to effectively make a small space seem like an infinite horizon. While I will not be working with mirrors I want to evoke the same sensation to my audience. I plan on utilizing paint chips in various sizes to create a sense of depth on the wall panels. If I still have time I would also like to incorporate paint chips hanging from the ceiling much like how Kusama has lightbulbs hanging in the Infinity Room, this will allow me to further push the sense of depth in my installation.
While Claude Monet is not a contemporary artist I feel that his color pallet heavily influences my artwork. His oil paintings inspire how I paint and extend to my other practices. While looking at his paintings of lily pads or landscapes I find myself lost in a world of color and memory. I personally stare into space a lot and lose focus, as a result I am not as focused or driven by shape or form. Rather I find my art proactive heavily influenced by color, specifically luminate pastel colors like a daydream. These same colors will be present in my installation. The memory I want to capture in my installation is the fading sunset of Gliderport. The image of a setting sun with all the colors mixing together to create an experience and sensation of reminiscence rather than just showing the audience that this is a sunset with clear harsh lines. Furthermore the absence of harsh lines will help create the illusion of distance since what is out on the horizon is never in focus.
Lastly, a work that is constantly in my mind and influences me is “Text Rain” by Romy Achituv & Camile Utterback. Participants are able to interact with a projection with letters falling down like rain, their reflection projected on the screen is able to catch the rain and form words of a poem. While I am not sure if I will be working with projection, I enjoy how interaction was created through this artwork. Participants are able to interact through a distance in order to be able to take in the entire artwork rather than enclosed in a corner. I also enjoy how this piece has a mesmerizing quality that I also found inspiration from in the two artists mentioned above. I love the idea of staring into space and becoming entranced by what we see in the world. I hope to take these ideas and inspirations and incorporate it into my final piece.
