Graduate and undergraduate research
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Item Complicating Visibility: Celebrating Disabled and Transgender Identity Through Visual Art(2024-04) Blue, Rora; Fish, Tracy; Koh, Eunkang; Calkin-Low, Tyler; Cherney, JamesI live in a body with bones that ache, a heart that beats twice as fast as everyone else’s, and fingertips that go numb. Most of the time my body does not feel like mine. Gender dysphoria, coupled with conditions that impact my vision leave me looking down at my body as if it is someone else’s. This is not a tragedy; it is simply a fact of my existence. Queer and disabled people are often viewed as unnatural. I respond to this in my work through using natural materials and imagery of the outdoors. My sculptures, photography, and installations reposition the queer and disabled body as being synonymous with nature. Outdoor spaces can be inaccessible, and it is important for me to reclaim my body’s relationship to the environment. I introduce an alternate trans-disabled reality by utilizing transgender and disability-specific medical objects that are commonly disposed of or hidden away. Through the overlaying of photographs on top of hospital fluorescent lights, weaving flowers in between bandages, and suspending images of the sky within IV bags, I propose a world in which bodies like mine are cared for and celebrated.Item love you to death(2024-04-12) Maher, Camryn; Hinton, Scott; Scronce, Tamara; Hertel, Ahren; Forister, MattThis paper explores compassionate being and self-reflection as treatment tools for ecological distress through the lens of contemporary art. Grounded in the understanding of humans as Ecological, Social, and Personal beings, the paper emphasizes the unique positionality of artists in facilitating real responsibility and action in the face of the climate crisis. The paper is structured into five sections, introducing my research motivations and the interconnectedness of art and science. It also introduces the foundational concepts of my artistic practice, highlighting the significance of process, materials, and emotional connections in driving impactful change. Subsequent sections explore the themes of Ecological Being, Social Being, and Personal Being, drawing on key theories, concepts, and influences from scholars and artists. Through case studies and personal artwork references, the paper demonstrates how art can be a tool to foster ecological consciousness, challenge social constructs, and encourage compassionate action. The concluding reflections emphasize the importance of optimism, realism, and shared responsibility in addressing ecological distress. The paper asserts that art serves as a crucial beginning, opening doors to action and increasing recognition of our interconnectedness with the natural world.Item Un/Altered Rock(2024-05) Lee, Bobby; Hannan, Miya; Chorpening, Kelly; Fish, Tracy; Anushka, PeresUn/Altered Rock, an MFA thesis exhibition held at Student Gallery South, at the University of Nevada, Reno in May 2024, explores the lineage of our cultural conceptions of altered and unaltered rocks, questioning where and when the boundaries of different conceptions overlap and contradict each other. Through photography, paper sculptures, and an exploration between representations and reality, this exhibition presents questions about the cultural meanings of rocks in different contexts ranging from the innocent act of taking a small stone as a keepsake to the destruction of an entire landscape for the extraction of elements that make up our modern technology.Item Selling the Holy Grail(2024-03-24) Hargrave, Lily; Hinton, Scott; Fish, Tracy; Goin, Peter; Calkin-Low, Tyler; Gomez, PedroLarge corporations own most brands in drugstores and other major beauty retailers. Each brand is marketed uniquely without indicating its relationship to the parent company to extend its consumer reach. They produce marketing materials that appeal to their target demographic so that consumers view their product as authentic and exclusive despite having the same formulation as a product in its sister brand. Photographic advertisements are strategically placed so consumers are constantly considering their next purchase. Retail advertisements are often arranged near mirrors to remind customers that they could look like the model in the photograph. My photographs parody visual themes in advertisement placement and content, and many of them are directly influenced by actual advertising campaigns. Holy Grail represents how brands hide their true intentions and practices behind beautiful, seemingly authentic advertisements.