Artist statement:

I am drawn to contrasting entities. Whether this be light vs dark, or organic vs synthetic. In my work, I explore how images can create tension through opposition. I also look at the relationship between nature and the modern world. I am fascinated by the specific function of each species in a society, and how the world would be different in their absence. I investigate natural changes and cycles in relation to unnatural, human alterations.

Final Project statement: Via di Città Series

Via di Città Series focuses on one space in Siena. These paintings were created after observing this space during different times of the day over several weeks. I observe light at specific moments. I have always tried to capture quick snapshots of beauty, like the morning glow of a building, or the pink dusty sky just before sunset. I want to paint these ephemeral moments in order to make them last. Painting with oils is a slow process, which contrasts with the quick changes of light and movement within this area. I am interested in the contrast between architecture and nature in this particular space, as well as how these aspects of a location can change throughout the day.

What is art for you? What do artist do? What is the purpose of art?

In his article “What Art Is and What Artists Do”, Jerry Saltz interprets the meaning of art in a very unique way.  I really enjoyed how he talked about how every time you create a piece of art, you are adding to the “train” of history. This is a very interesting concept. I have never thought about my art as a contribution to history, but it is true that everyone has a unique result when creating a work of art, and that result is a creation of their own theory. This makes an individual’s work an important part of history. I also enjoyed how he talked about art as a result of experiences. This made me think about how certain objects can have multiple meanings for different people based on their own personal experiences with that object. This is why people may have different styles of painting or drawing that portray different feelings towards any specific object or concept. He describes how Bruce Nauman once said that your style “picks you” rather than you choosing a certain style. This goes back to different perspectives and how experiences completely alter our view of the world and our intentions to create. It also factors into how Nauman describes how “every opinion is interesting”, even when someone does not like your work, it is not necessarily bad, it may just evoke different feelings for them based on their experience. In my own opinion, art is important because it makes us feel something. It doesn’t have to be good or bad, but the power a piece of art contains is great because it can cause someone to have a very intimate and personal reaction, and that in itself is very beautiful. 

Mid-Term Project

For my midterm project, I decided to focus on the topics of relationships and space, specifically pertaining to the architecture in Siena. I have been intrigued by the way we are constantly forced to interact with others based on the layout of the space we are contained in. In upstate New York where I grew up, interaction is based off of convenience. Whenever you leave the house you drive, and every neighbor has a large yard completely separating them. I was interested in how Siena has a very strong community feel, and how relationships are very strong through family and cultural traditions. I wanted to show this through several drawings and cut outs displaying both the space and different kinds of relationships.
Feroza and I decided to work together as our ideas progressed. We realized that our ideas could productively interact with each other. We created an installation focusing on relationships (through entangled string) and journey, through the origami boats.

Luoghi di Fuga Booklet Project:

I decided to create a book based on my form of escape here which is my daily walk to school. I chose to collage materials with clippings from different kinds of paper and magazines. The book includes images from my walk along with flashbacks from Home that I think about often as I connect certain colors or scents with my hometown in upstate New York. Each page is connected by a cut out. I wanted to show the continuity of my walk by having a similarity on each page.  

Reading response: Rebecca Solnit: Shape of a Walk

I found the article “The Shape of a Walk” to be very interesting. The concept of considering walking to be its own medium is very intriguing to me because I have never imagined walking to be an artistic sort of action, but it makes a lot of sense why it is useful to perceive it that way. Walking an be a very useful source of inspiration, and I have found this to be true to me personally especially here in Siena. While we are walking we are forced to observe what is around us, because if we don’t pay attention, we could run into something or walk in the wrongs direction. We have to interact with our surrounding and I think we take in a lot more than we might think while we walk. Reading this article caused me to think a lot more as I walked to and from class today. I tried to take in the sounds and smells and people around me as much as I could. I tried to observe the seemingly endless roads that the author described. I could really identify with the authors description of language. The article states, “language is like a road. It cannot be perceived all at once because it unfolds in time, whether heard or read.” This quote really stood out to me as well, specifically because this can relate to my experience in Siena so far. As I walk I recognize words or sounds and discover more words that I have not heard yet in the Italian language. You are forced to discover things while you walk, both about yourself and the things surrounding you. When walking the same route multiple days in a row, new things begin to unfold and you discover something unique each time, similarly to the process of learning a language and practicing speaking to someone else. This article describes several different ways in which walking has been transformed by certain artists who have elevated its meaning and taken a much deeper look into such a seemingly mundane action. It has inspired me to be more attentive on my walks because we are forced to use our five senses and there is so much information we can gather that can be used in a very productive way, especially pertaining to art.

Intro Unit Project: Tempo Zulu

For my tempo Zulu project I decided to create 3 different installed quotes from St. Catherine of Siena, each located in a different spot relating to that quote. I decided to put the first quote about knowledge engraved on the wall of the archives because I think it is important to seek knowledge and understand the history of the place you are in, in order to truly fall in love with that place. For the second quote about fear I decided to place it in front of the synagogue considering there is a lot of history behind this space and the space surrounding it, especially pertaining to seeking the truth and trying to overcome different fears. I decided to put the third quote regarding great achievements on the wall if an archway that is an entrance to the city. I decided to place this quote here because I have thought a lot about my time in Siena and making the most of my surroundings. I chose the font because I wanted to to look clean and be legible. I have also thought about including duplicate bricks or stones in Italian for this installation. I included the S.C. in order to reference Saint Catherine without it being too blatantly obvious.

Intro Unit Project: Walk of Destiny

For my walk of destiny project, I was drawn to the bright colors of the hanging laundry as I passed through different neighborhoods. I decided to create a sketch emphasizing how the laundry caught my eye and drew me to a particular space. I used water color, colored pencil, and pen for this sketch.

Annie Elbadawi, USA

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