Pornography Installation

The research wall and the Love/Hate notes are a real world post and comment section that echo the social media posts that helped me find self-worth. My 'posts' are my paintings, sculpture, shallow research and invitations to engage. I provided paper and pencils for the viewer to physically write down their comments instead of typing them into their phone. I worried no one would respond because I've been told repeatedly viewers don't want to work. It made me happy so many people took the time to write down a response and engage with the opportunities to interact. I appreciate every response and wanted to make something with the notes. I turned the notes into tissue paper flowers. If I had the idea ahead of time I would have provided an easier paper to turn into a flower. The stiff card stock was awkward to incorporate into the soft tissue paper but I enjoyed figuring it out and their strangeness draws me in. I love to spread them open, reread them and squeeze them closed again.

The art world has changed. It hasn't settled into a new routine path to definitive 'success' as an artist but I am optimistic about the direction it is heading. When I was young gatekeepers had a tight grip on the ability for artists to show their work. People who wanted to make or see work that the gatekeepers didn't like had few options to find each other. Social media has changed art access. Some people see this change as a bad thing. They see the old way the art world worked as a way to percolate only the finest work to top. I see it as wealthy people controlling what is allowed to be represented as art in order to restrict access, limit availability to drive the price up and profit from the system. Art that did not fit the gatekeepers taste had the opportunity to be seen as art by being labeled as outsider art. Calling these artists outsiders is accurate but the label was only required because of the exclusive system. Exclusiveness is intended to control dissent and new ideas and create profit for people who don't do the work. I prefer the messy abundance social media provides.

Now the lines of what is art are blurred and I love it. I prefer to have an abundance of options from which to choose rather than having a few gatekeeper approved options. Since social media opened access I have seen a lot of wonderful artwork that the old system would have never allow me to access.

There are still issues with censorship and the ability for artists to consistently make a living wage. The old system had inconsistent censorship and didn't provide consistent income either. At least now it is up to individuals to find what they appreciate and build their own communities.

Crossing between social media and real world exhibitions, as two separate entities, can be challenging. Trying to include both as part of my research and artwork is requiring experimentation. I am want to make interactive work that can be equally appreciated online or in-person. I don't have control of either audience but the online audience is more likely to read warnings and be prepared for the unexpected.

During the installation exhibit an issue was brought up that my signage was not clear enough or big enough to warn people of the use of a web cam. During the development stage I thought about having people sign a consent form before entering but I was told the warning signs were sufficient. I added additional large obnoxious signs in response to the complaint but was not required to do so.

No one required me to post signs warning of the nudity.