Where the Lines Shift
Installation, 2017
Context
2 months
Mason Gross School of the Arts
"Between Either & Or" BFA Design Exhibition
Goal
Where the Lines Shift is about the comparison of similar imagery. I created this piece by dividing two images into one-inch sections and alternating the two and then folding the merged photo, thus creating a lenticular image of the two. Each work is meant to be viewed from left to right. When I first started the piece, I was thinking about how oftentimes, people avoid serious, touchy topics and spend more time with various forms of entertainment. This inspired me to create a piece that first starts with a fun or light tone, and then becomes more serious in tone as the piece moves on. The photographs additionally change from color, sepia, and the finally black and white, complimenting the tone of the image.
Straight-on view where about 50% of each image can be seen
Set 1: Twins. Left: Usra // Right: Sarah
A common occurrence that my sister and I experience is that many times people don’t quite care to tell the two of us apart--sometimes even after years. The piece shows both similarities and differences between the two of us because you are able to see the two of us combined if you stand in front of the image, and then each of us separately on either side of the image.
Set 2: Pyramids. Left: Myan Pyramid (Mexico) // Right: Pyramid of Giza (Egypt)
When we think of pyramids, we often think of the Great Pyramids of Giza, although the Mayan pyramids are said to be created prior to the Pyramids of Giza. My aim for this piece was to show that all around the world, people think about similar things and develop similar ideas, regardless of their location, race, color, or ethnic background.
Set 3: Tribal. Left: Native American // Right: Victoria’s Secret Model
Two words: Cultural appropriation. We have become so senseless to the fact that Native Americans have been murdered on their own land, and that the United States is built on GENOCIDE. Taking their clothing out of their tribal context and wearing it down a red carpet looks wreckless. The 1% of Native Americans alive today are still living in the worst conditions that they were forced to live in.
Set 4: Protest. Left: 1968 Olympics // Right: Current NFL Kneel Down
During the 1968 Olympics, African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos held up their fists in black gloves as the national anthem played as a Black Power salute. Additionally, all three medalists including Peter Norman wore human rights badges on their jackets. Although Peter Norman did not hold up his fist, he was banned from playing in any Olympic games for his country, Australia, for the rest of his career and only received an apology 6 years AFTER his death. The second image on this set is the current football kneel-down protests, which also takes place during the national anthem. Here is a quote from Colin Kaepernick, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
