High Art, Spray Paint on Canvas
My work is titled High Art as an ironic way of bringing light to the relationship between High Art and Low Art in the academic world. Academia prioritizes certain genres and mediums of art. The use of spray paint started in retaliation of the long process that fine arts possess. I used to produce drawings, but the specific technique took an excess amount of time.
Spray paint, on the other hand, is instant. It allowed for me to simply create without overthinking every move and forcing myself to live with the surplus of mistakes that came along the way. The use of street art styles, and mediums, on top of canvas is meant to demonstrate the overcoming of Low Art in my own work.
Growing up, I was enthralled by comics, graffiti, and coloring books. This resembled true art to me. After realizing how neglected they are in academia, I created my work to challenge the contemporary art world. I am influenced by creative minds like Marcel Duchamp and Banksy. Much of my work is inspired by the stencil, graffiti, and silhouette style of Banksy, while also taking aspects of Duchamp’s work in Dada, as well as both artists installation techniques. Duchamp’s, His Twine, and Banksy’s sense of public accessibility allowed me to foster my own ideas for installing my own exhibition.
I have chosen to rip the canvas from the wooden supports and place it upon the ground. This is meant to demonstrate the idea that Low Art, like this, would not often be found in academic galleries. The canvas is placed in the doorway to force spectators to deface my work. This is intended to make viewers uncomfortable while entering the gallery, furthering the idea that Low Art is walked upon while High Art is hung.
Special thanks to Kevin Tuttle, Kim Hoeckele, Frederick Wright Jones, Yangbin Park, and Raymond Barnes
