Pecha Kucha

Latest photography assignment// 3 images in 3 minutes relating to your influences in your practice.

As you may have guessed after my first presentation, I'm not really sure what my practice will look like in the future, and it doesn't really look like anything right now. I don't know where I want to go with my art, and to be truthful I don't think I want to be a practicing artist. Actually, if I'm more honest, I think I am afraid of trying to be an artist for a long time and nothing ever coming of it, or not being that great but thinking that I am. Who knows what my influence will be by the time I reach fourth year, and who knows what my practice will look like at that point in my life. Right now I'm influenced by many things- everything is new. The city is overwhelming and hectic and there's so much to explore and experience, I don't know where to start or what my taste is for life here.

The first photo I chose is of Alice Glass from the group Crystal Castles. This isn't really like a One Direction crush I have, but I would call it a bit of a crush. I really appreciate their music but also the look and art made by them. Their videos, music, and Alice's style do inspire much of the way I aim to look but to an extreme. I like the way they're kind of screw the world . Alice Glass ran away from home at 14. I moved away at 17 which at that point isn't really running away, but I'm still young, and I sometimes feel too young to live on my own. I always go to say Alice Glass is my role model, but if you read up on her, I wouldn't want her life. They're pretty famous for having secret lives and nobody really knows much about them. I like her attitude. As I said, it's not just a crush, it actually does influence my work. I guess what I've gotten from Alice Glass is that I can make whatever the heck I want, and I don't owe anybody an explanation, and somebody out there will appreciate it for what it is.

The second image I chose is one taken by Richard Avedon. As you probably know, Avedon is a renowned photographer, and is well known for his portraits. You've probably seen his image of Marilyn Monroe, the one she isn't glamourous in. I didn't choose this image for a particular reason, simply that I find it beautiful and I was drawn to it immediately. I chose Richard Avedon because I am so drawn to portraits. I could see myself focusing on portraits for a time in my practice. Humans are so fascinating, and different. In a series of 7 billion portraits of different people, not a single one will be identical to another. This sort of leads into my next image.

This is a painting by painter Cecily Brown. I had the privelege of hearing her speak at a conference and have been so inspired by her work. I am so drawn to the human body, the figure. There's a limit to nudity in the real world. But there shouldn't be one in art. I've always been a subtle exhibitionist, and I suppose as many people are when they're viewing art with the naked human figure, a voyeur. I think anybody who argues otherwise is lying. There's something so beautiful and powerful in our own bodies, and the bodies of other humans. Nothing else in the world does what seeing naked bodies does to people. Bodies are so beautiful, so repulsive, so raw, and so human. I find it the most beautiful and intimate expression of humanity, and you can paint it, so in the future I would love to focus my practice on the figure.