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| Our exhibition poster |
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| Exhibition description |
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| My label |
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| My "room" - exhibition space |
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| Other half of my space |
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| Work in the round... |
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| Work in the round two... |
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| People viewing my work. |
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| People in our gallery, viewing after artist talks. |
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| Giving my artist talk! |
Monday, December 10, 2012
Redirection Exhibition
Held
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| "Despair" Shaina Sieh © 2012 |
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| "Fear" Shaina Sieh © 2012 |
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| "Inferior" Shaina Sieh © 2012 |
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| "Forsaken" Shaina Sieh © 2012 |
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"Shame" - Shaina Sieh © 2012
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Held
For this body of work, I sought words to create images based on a transcribed word and to treat the literal text in a photographic manner. Through layering and collage, I wanted to explore this age old relationship of text and image. The text is based off of certain words, the images are based on the text, and the words then title the image.
Five words were selected and given to five chosen writers. Each writer took their own interpretation of the word and the letter they then sent me. Depending on the word, their character, and experiences, I received very different responses and yet there were common themes to a lot of the expressions in these letters, a bit of an old-fashioned means of communication. Their intent, purpose and reason for writing what they did is still their secret.
In reading the letters, I allowed them to conjure images to collaborate the idea in the text as well as my overall theme in choosing the five words. The idea of a mummy, bound, held in death, restricted and unable to be free was the image that repeatedly came to mind when I read these letters. I used this symbol to pull the different threads and ideas together.
People tend to hold on to things in life. Sometimes these things are unpleasant words or ideas, such as depression, loneliness or not feeling significant. These images are meant to connect the text, the visual space and play of light to the experience of these issues all humans go through.
Everyone can recall a time or experience when they were affected by such ugly company as regret or terror of the unknown. Reading the text is not essential to viewing the work, but even skimming the text for key words changes the work as one enters different levels of participation with the images. By tying the images to the text, the proverbial voice of experience, it binds the verbal expression, and the image into one piece.
Shaina Sieh © 2012
For this body of work, I sought words to create images based on a transcribed word and to treat the literal text in a photographic manner. Through layering and collage, I wanted to explore this age old relationship of text and image. The text is based off of certain words, the images are based on the text, and the words then title the image.
Five words were selected and given to five chosen writers. Each writer took their own interpretation of the word and the letter they then sent me. Depending on the word, their character, and experiences, I received very different responses and yet there were common themes to a lot of the expressions in these letters, a bit of an old-fashioned means of communication. Their intent, purpose and reason for writing what they did is still their secret.
In reading the letters, I allowed them to conjure images to collaborate the idea in the text as well as my overall theme in choosing the five words. The idea of a mummy, bound, held in death, restricted and unable to be free was the image that repeatedly came to mind when I read these letters. I used this symbol to pull the different threads and ideas together.
People tend to hold on to things in life. Sometimes these things are unpleasant words or ideas, such as depression, loneliness or not feeling significant. These images are meant to connect the text, the visual space and play of light to the experience of these issues all humans go through.
Everyone can recall a time or experience when they were affected by such ugly company as regret or terror of the unknown. Reading the text is not essential to viewing the work, but even skimming the text for key words changes the work as one enters different levels of participation with the images. By tying the images to the text, the proverbial voice of experience, it binds the verbal expression, and the image into one piece.
Shaina Sieh © 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
Cherished No More
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Cherished No More
Every
year 3.3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States.
In 2010, Wisconsin had 26,452 investigated abuse reports. Minnesota
reports show that of the 4,742 actual abuse cases in 2009, 70% suffered
from neglect. The U.S. Department of Justice's National Crime
Victimization Survey averages 207,754 victims, ages 12 and older, of
rape and sexual assault each year. One in four women will experience
domestic violence in a lifetime, while 15% of domestic violence victims
are male.
My
interest in the issue of abuse started with volunteer work with
children in the Minnesota social system, as a camp counselor.
Repeatedly, the tragedy, the injustice and damage inflicted on humans by
other humans staggers me. This issue awakens within me an instinct to
protect, help and care for the unwanted in our society.
The
goal of this work is to meld portraiture with a psychological
representation of the effects of abuse upon men and women, young and
old, to create a visual experience of what abuse does to mankind. This
is represented in the posture, expression, negative space and the
emphasis on certain lines. This pictorial collage is one way to channel
my passion and heart for the mistreated and unwanted. In a very minor
way, it is my resistance to abuse and the complacent acceptance of it in
our society.
The
16 figures used for this project are models only and not actual abuse
victims. A special thanks to all of them for their collaboration and
assistance.
Shaina Sieh
University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Department of Art & Design Fall 2012 ©Shaina Sieh 2012
Statistic Resources: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Child Welfare League of America; Prevent Child Abuse, Minnesota; Domestic Violence Resource Center.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Redefining the Missing
Ann
Romney was attacked for being a homemaker. Hillary Clinton is often
made fun of for wearing pantsuits. Models are blasted for being anorexic
and the average woman criticized for being obese. Girls are told to be
princesses, but scolded for being divas. Adolescent girls are pushed to
grow up, and then society wonder why innocents does not last. Are these
things connected? Do they stem from the same thing?
I
believe women are once again in the midst of an unacknowledged
revolution, a counter-feminism, if you will. All women agree on
ownership, voting, individual rights, equal employment opportunity,
salary, work competition, etc. But for young women, the rest has become
secondary and is defined by each female as she grows and forms opinions.
I think subconsciously, many women are finding it is no longer
mandatory to be feminists, nor do they necessarily want the title with a
rather heavy history attached. This generation wants the basic ideals
and victories feminism won without the hard exterior, the anti-man
attitude and pressure to be the ultimate power-woman. The power of a
woman is known and acknowledged and it is time for something different.
Perhaps the Ann Romney situation shows us that women are still too
sensitive to gender roles, but also it is a sign we have more changing
to do.
These
images show the dress - the shell or shroud of a female. It is a symbol
of “woman”, of her emotions, spirit, potential, future, and her
identity or lack thereof. It waits or lives in all sorts of places, a
mere reflection, a symbol, of what we could be or of what we are now.
Hopefully, the dress connects with women, relatable or representational
of something in their lives. The light is very strong, often dramatic
and placed to inspire stories or ideas of what comes next. The lighting
either acts as a spotlight or as a contender for the dress and its fate.
The light is almost the opposite of the dress, but also reveals what
one needs to see about this image and about the dress.
The
“missing” women will redefine the “dress”, someday. I believe it will
be a change we all want and that it will be the definition of “woman”
and “feminism” we want and have been looking for all along.
"Growing Up" - Part of Independent Study
Growing Up
Here the heroes, colliding with the worlds of literature that I have devoured since a child and beyond. The humor and dream-like qualities make one question the image. One wants to challenge the absurdity, but also join in the odd adventure unfolding. Soldiers advance over the spines of old novels, as comic book characters become models of vanity, melodramatics, and fear. These iconic figures of the cinema are now laughable, but one would still join in the game for the fun of it. The light here is very dramatic and spooky, arranged to simulate the look when one turns on a single light while others are asleep. The toys enjoy their revelry while humans are unaware. The light is used to produce deep shadows, highlight the edges of the toys, and create a surreal mood.
These
images represent the things I hang on to as ways or reasons to remain a
child. All these things, and more, have caused me to behave immaturely
or have given people reason to question my sanity. The superheroes, the
cartoons, the dolls, the toys, extraterrestrials, the imagination and
fascination with magic are some of my favorite things in life. One
cannot leave those supremely important elements behind. One may leave
childhood, but the land of imagination must never be lost.
Here the heroes, colliding with the worlds of literature that I have devoured since a child and beyond. The humor and dream-like qualities make one question the image. One wants to challenge the absurdity, but also join in the odd adventure unfolding. Soldiers advance over the spines of old novels, as comic book characters become models of vanity, melodramatics, and fear. These iconic figures of the cinema are now laughable, but one would still join in the game for the fun of it. The light here is very dramatic and spooky, arranged to simulate the look when one turns on a single light while others are asleep. The toys enjoy their revelry while humans are unaware. The light is used to produce deep shadows, highlight the edges of the toys, and create a surreal mood.
Perhaps
the process of playing with the toys and creating these scenes made me
more of a child than these images declare childishness. Regardless, they
are reminders of what we use to enjoy and what we miss as sleeping
adults.
"Never Alone" video art class
A video influenced by the soundtrack - and loosely associated with the verse Job. 7:19. The idea is that we - humans - are never truly alone as the spirit world is constantly moving and battling around us. We just rarely see or hear it for the business and noise of our lives. I apologize for the poor quality required to upload on a PC.
Copyright Shaina Sieh 2012
Copyright Shaina Sieh 2012
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