BFA Exhibition by Karl Vorndran
Artist Statement
We do not live in a void; rather, we live inside a set of relations between objects, spaces, and people that are separate and different from one another but influence the perception of the whole. The notion of the site/terminal as a place where relations between the body and objects intersect in the social realm is of particular interest to me. The body interacts with objects, which situate the body at particular points within a space while directing one's gaze. The dialogue created is then framed by the relation of other objects and people in the space.
For my show, "A Whole of Parts,” I am exploring some of the implications and relations between the body, the objects used by the body, and other people by using objects that act as sites/terminals for the body such as chairs, beds, desks, and other furniture. Also included are screens, monitors, computers, and projections that function as digital terminals amongst the other objects. Arranged in relation to each other and the space, the furniture creates an interconnected network of objects. The viewer uses the furniture in a non-hierarchical, non-linear manner, allowing each part to affect the perception of the other objects. What then becomes important is the way the interrelation of the parts frames the viewer's overall perception of the space.
In the exhibition space, chairs, couches, and other objects are used by the body to direct the viewer's gaze to the other objects and the architectural aspects that define the space. The furniture is placed in ways that direct the viewer's gaze to the angles, corners, lights, and particular features of the room. Sight-lines are also created which link to other objects and relations based on the viewer's position and the position of other people in the space. The furniture is physically altered by the addition of pieces from the other objects, subtraction of elements that reference the other objects in the space, and painting with colors derived from the other objects in the space. The alterations themselves create visual links between the different objects thus creating a more interesting whole.
The objects in “A Whole of Parts” are influenced by aspects of digital technology; especially the internet in its constant progression through a non-linear network of links. By using this model in the production of my art, the sites logically link to each other. However, they do not add up to a cohesive picture. The integration of digital technology in everyday American life affects the way we navigate and interpret information, digital or otherwise. According to art critic Nicholas Bourriaud, “Art creates an awareness about production methods and human relationships produced by the technologies of its day, and that by shifting these, it makes them more visible, enabling us to see them right down to the consequences they have on day-to-day life.”
“A Whole of Parts” builds on mid to late 20th century art ideas that deal with the social aspects of works of art. The notion that viewer becomes an active participant who completes the work comes from the ideas of participation and chance from the work of composer John Cage. Also important to the structure of my work are the events of Fluxus artist George Brecht where he deployed everyday objects within the matrix of time. “A Whole of Parts” also builds on the theatricality of minimalism. The relations in my work exist in a mutable way that relies on the viewer's experience of the work of art. In “Notes on Sculpture Part II” from 1966, Robert Morris argued “The major aesthetic terms are not in but dependent upon the objects and exist as unfixed variables that find their specific definition in the particular space, light, and physical viewpoint of the viewer.” The experiences and relations that the objects in my show create depend on the experiences of the user along with all the other people and the space itself.
The incorporation and emphasis on the body in my work stems from Vito Acconci's performance works and Bruce Nauman's corridor pieces. The viewers in “A Whole of Parts” not only complete the work, but become performers carrying out actions and decisions in an environment. The objects in my show, however, do not rely on the body of the artist: they rely on the body of the viewer. I use common household objects in my show that control the position and the gaze of the user. This method of using the readymade stems from the work of relational artists such as Rikirit Tiravanija. The original function of the readymade is reinstated but to different ends. The chairs in my show are used as chairs, but the function is no longer to sit and rest but to direct the gaze and position of the viewer amongst a complex set of relations.
For my show, "A Whole of Parts,” I am exploring some of the implications and relations between the body, the objects used by the body, and other people by using objects that act as sites/terminals for the body such as chairs, beds, desks, and other furniture. Also included are screens, monitors, computers, and projections that function as digital terminals amongst the other objects. Arranged in relation to each other and the space, the furniture creates an interconnected network of objects. The viewer uses the furniture in a non-hierarchical, non-linear manner, allowing each part to affect the perception of the other objects. What then becomes important is the way the interrelation of the parts frames the viewer's overall perception of the space.
In the exhibition space, chairs, couches, and other objects are used by the body to direct the viewer's gaze to the other objects and the architectural aspects that define the space. The furniture is placed in ways that direct the viewer's gaze to the angles, corners, lights, and particular features of the room. Sight-lines are also created which link to other objects and relations based on the viewer's position and the position of other people in the space. The furniture is physically altered by the addition of pieces from the other objects, subtraction of elements that reference the other objects in the space, and painting with colors derived from the other objects in the space. The alterations themselves create visual links between the different objects thus creating a more interesting whole.
The objects in “A Whole of Parts” are influenced by aspects of digital technology; especially the internet in its constant progression through a non-linear network of links. By using this model in the production of my art, the sites logically link to each other. However, they do not add up to a cohesive picture. The integration of digital technology in everyday American life affects the way we navigate and interpret information, digital or otherwise. According to art critic Nicholas Bourriaud, “Art creates an awareness about production methods and human relationships produced by the technologies of its day, and that by shifting these, it makes them more visible, enabling us to see them right down to the consequences they have on day-to-day life.”
“A Whole of Parts” builds on mid to late 20th century art ideas that deal with the social aspects of works of art. The notion that viewer becomes an active participant who completes the work comes from the ideas of participation and chance from the work of composer John Cage. Also important to the structure of my work are the events of Fluxus artist George Brecht where he deployed everyday objects within the matrix of time. “A Whole of Parts” also builds on the theatricality of minimalism. The relations in my work exist in a mutable way that relies on the viewer's experience of the work of art. In “Notes on Sculpture Part II” from 1966, Robert Morris argued “The major aesthetic terms are not in but dependent upon the objects and exist as unfixed variables that find their specific definition in the particular space, light, and physical viewpoint of the viewer.” The experiences and relations that the objects in my show create depend on the experiences of the user along with all the other people and the space itself.
The incorporation and emphasis on the body in my work stems from Vito Acconci's performance works and Bruce Nauman's corridor pieces. The viewers in “A Whole of Parts” not only complete the work, but become performers carrying out actions and decisions in an environment. The objects in my show, however, do not rely on the body of the artist: they rely on the body of the viewer. I use common household objects in my show that control the position and the gaze of the user. This method of using the readymade stems from the work of relational artists such as Rikirit Tiravanija. The original function of the readymade is reinstated but to different ends. The chairs in my show are used as chairs, but the function is no longer to sit and rest but to direct the gaze and position of the viewer amongst a complex set of relations.