Arts - Buffalo State College

32
Arts
Fashion of Interaction: An Exhibition of
Culture Behind the Mask
Kyrstin Wojda, FAR 343: Advanced Sculpture
Faculty Mentor: Professor Elena Lourenco, Fine Arts
Spiritual imbalance in present-day America greatly influences
the development of my artistic voice. I spend too much time defining
and redefining the boundary between what people consider ‘rational’
and ‘irrational’ and work to develop a body of work to reveal this
understanding. Through direct experience and interaction, my
goal for this exhibition is to create an environment that allows the
audience to perceive culture from a nonjudgmental standpoint while
exploring human sensation. With that, raw subject matter and simple
aesthetics will reflect the intimately complex role of human nature.
I want people to question themselves rather than readily questioning
others. Through the use of video documentation, performance,
and sculptural dimension, the viewer will focus on a reality with
little verbal communication. Culture behind the mask has been an
important subject in my life since everyone wears a mask no matter
how ordinary it may seem. It is important to understand the reality
of complex individuals all wearing these ‘masks’. With that, I will
emphasize this idea and expose viewers to a side of life that isn’t
make believe- but is happening within.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster VIII
The Female Form: Painted In Oil Before
Translating Into Sculpture
Alison Spongr, Painting and Sculpture
Faculty Mentor: Professor Elena Lourenco, Fine Arts
For my project I decided to focus on observing the female form
and creating paintings and sculptures based on that information.
While studying fine arts at Buffalo State College, I have discovered an
interest in the human form. In this project, I am pursing this further
by creating paintings on canvas of the female form painted from life.
I have been concentrating on the environment the model is set in as
well as the pose and gesture of the model. These paintings will give
me an experience of the whole process of painting from life using
elements of my own personal experiences and visions. During this
process I will create sculptures using the understanding I develop of
the environment and poses from the paintings. The sculptures will be
more abstract and I will be using specific elements of the paintings
in the sculptures. My project is meant to focus on the whole process
of painting from life and the use of multiple materials to convey the
abstraction of the female form painted from life.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster V
Finding Your Roots: Put That In Your
Bagpipe and Smoke It
Ariel Bauerlein and Brianna Corgel, MUS 440W:
Ethnomusicology
Faculty Mentor: Professor Carolyn Guzski, Music
Traditional Celtic music plays a significant role in Irish culture
and history because of the strong oral-musical tradition of the
country. It also provides an important link to those of Irish descent
with their roots, as Celtic music is tied to the importance of diaspora
in Irish history. Many different ethnic groups have been uprooted
and lost touch with their traditions; Celtic music can restore a
historical connection that was lost because of imperialism. Our
research findings are from scholarly journal articles and books, and
musical analysis. The use of a heptatonic (7-tone) pitch collection,
instruments such as the Celtic harp, bagpipes, fiddle, bodhran, and
tin whistle (chordophones, aerophones, and membranophones)
are familiar to lovers of this style. Modern Celtic music now links
the instrumental technology of today with the traditional musical
language, bringing its appeal to a wider audience, including people
in search of their roots. Our presentation will combine this historical
discussion with a musical transcription of a traditional Celtic song,
supplemented by visual materials that show the vibrant culture of
Ireland.
Presentation Type and Session: Poster III
Geisha’s Melody:
Traditional Music of Japan
Kevin McGrath, MUS 440W: Ethnomusicology
Faculty Mentor: Professor Carolyn Guzski, Music
Traditional folk music of Japan has had a major impact on
the musical world today, both globally and in Japan. Influenced
predominantly by Chinese music (similar to the ways in which
Japanese culture is born of Chinese influence), Japanese music
stands out even amongst Asian music as uniquely important. I will
examine the music for its influence on traditional Japanese culture,
in particular, the geisha tradition of shamisen music, as well as the
performance tradition of taiko drumming. My research sources are
scholarly books and articles, as well as my own musical analyses. My
presentation, targeted towards those with little or no formal musical
background, will include a cultural exploration of geisha culture,
its music, and its impact on both Japanese folk and modern music.
I will supplement my oral discussion with iconography, audio-video
examples, and an explanation of my musical transcription of a song
typical of the style.
Presentation Type and Session: Oral – Humanities III