Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
M.F.A. in Art
Department
Art and Art History
First Advisor
Matt Long
Second Advisor
Ernest Forward
Third Advisor
Kris Belden-Adams
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Roland Barthes wrote that only after removing all of the author's intentions and traces can a work of art truly be perceived by viewers fairly (Barthes). A viewer's perception of the world is influenced by his or her individual subjective history, which is the product of his or her own experiences. But as the author of ceramic work, my influence is ever-present. Clay records every push, pull, spank, squeeze, and poke. It fully records its physical history and as well as my actions upon it. This thesis exhibition asks the question: Can a viewer de-contextualize familiar-but-contentious subject matter and be persuaded to accept sculptural art works as such? Using various surface treatments, repetition of forms, and the play of scale, this thesis hopes to sway viewers to see past their preconceived notions about sex toys. This body of work questions whether form can transcend an object's function.
Recommended Citation
Cummings, John Howard, "Visual Phallacies" (2015). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 576.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/576
Concentration/Emphasis
Emphasis: Ceramics