Ariana Fielding

Final Project:

some body calls this place home

This work is about what happens to human nature when it is left untouched by order. The created structure is meant to evoke a mysterious sense of solitude. Some of the imagery directly relates to death and deconstruction, while some relates to life and water. Where they meet is in water’s ability to both create and destroy. The structure I have created is an imaginary space based on images from real places in different European cities. In my process of constructing I focus mainly on how pieces work aesthetically. However, as a preliminary step I was careful about choosing photos that stood out for their architectural or mysterious qualities. The absence of a solid human figure but the suggestion of a human presence in this work is very important to the central idea and adds to the sense of mystery.

Mid-Term Project:

This was another project about my experience walking through Siena. I chose to use rocks because they directly connect to the surface of the ground in the city, and the objects around the path were things I collected on my walks because they stood out and I placed them around the places on my created path where I found them in real life. The shape of the path mimics the shape of my walk from my home-stay to school and the different colored newspapers were an attempt to both change the surface viewers walk on and emphasize the path more. The biggest challenge with this was resolving the business of the newspapers without overwhelming the piece. I hoped the sound (layered segments of recordings from walks) helped convey an experience of walking through a city.

Reading Response to “A New Type of Flaneur Strolls in Search of Humanity“

One of the parts that stood out most from Erin Lagner’s article about the work of Minoosh Zomorodinia was when she asked “can anyone, other than the most privileged, live at enough of a distance from pressing issues, like human rights violations, discrimination, and the planet’s heath, to saunter?” It is a good question because there is especially now a big place for artwork that addresses these issues. Zomoridinia’s process of working is also very interesting. The idea of turning her walks into tangible representations of finding one’s place is a powerful one.

Reading Response “Unstable Territories” and “Interstitial Space”

The part of these two readings that stood out most was the list of actions and words because it reminded me of Sol Lewitt and certain performance artists that set rules for their art. It makes for an interesting type of experimentation with the act of walking as a form of art. While reading about interstitial spaces, I kept thinking about the idea of liminal space and people I know who have used that as a sort of starting point for some projects. I am not sure if they are exactly the same thing but I think with both interstitial spaces and liminal spaces, the idea of crossing realities is very important. In both readings, there is a focus on “in-betweenness” that directly relates to being an outsider in a new place, as well as the physical action of walking. Walking is a mode of transportation but it can so be a meditative act, a performance, a mindless practice. Thus, in several contexts, it is an embodiment of “the inbetween.”

Reading Response: Rebecca Solnit: “The Shape of a Walk” and “The Blue of Distance”:

I responded much better to the “The Blue of Distance” reading because I had an easier time reading it. The other piece seemed a bit too didactic at times. Both are interesting, but “The Blue of Distance” is so beautifully written I found myself immediately drawn in. The writer touches on many interesting concepts – the idea of “lost light,” that the color blue is as inherent in nature as desire is in humans, that there is beauty in Distance and sometimes beauty exists because of that distance, etc. The part where she talks about walking on the beach is a wonderful physical description of a simple act performed to escape into one’s mind by becoming fully immersed in the practice. This resonates with some of what she talks about in the other excerpt. The way she describes herself walking is sort of like what other artists have done for performance pieces that involve the act of walking. In both pieces, the concept of distance in the form of time is very present. I am not sure I agree with all of the ideas in these two pieces, but they were very interesting to read and think about.

Intro Unit Project: Luoghi di Fuga booklet:

I wanted my book to physically reflect interactions with different places. In response to some things that stand out in my daily life on Siena (textures, patterns, sounds, smells, etc.), I used this book to capture some of the elements of how I have so far interacted with these places.

Intro Unit Project: Tempo Zulu

I wanted my stone to be something that at first glance might fit in with the rest but it actually made of a different material and appeals to the viewer’s curiosity. Upon opening wooden doors, there is a button that plays a sound piece similar to the one I made for the walk of destiny project. The play on words is meant to help the viewer understand that they are hearing a certain experience of walking through the city in a quieter area.

Intro Unit Project: Walk of Destiny

This piece was taken from a video I recorded during my walk around Siena. From a 17 minute video, I selected the sounds that stood out most and compiled them into a piece that is less than 3 minutes long, hoping to capture at least a portion of what this walk felt like to me.

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Ariana Fielding, USA

Bio statement:

I am in my third year at Mount Holyoke College and a Studio Art major with a Theatre Arts minor. I have so far done a lot of work in sculpture, but am hoping to broaden my understanding of digital artwork this semester. In the future, I might like to be a carpenter for a theater company.