Art and Design Commons^™

Feeling Analogue: Using Modular Synthesizers, Designing Synthesis Communities, Eliot Bates

Publications and Research

When Harald Bode nominally invented the modular synthesiser in 1960, it was not yet clear whether it was a musical instrument or a less-defined form of studio-sited audio technology (Subotnik 1970). Much of the technology, from the interface design to the specific parts, was shared with nonmusical test and measurement equipment. Sixty years later, hardware modular synthesis is used not just for musical creation but for noise, sound art and data sonification/visualization. Through an ethnographic study of the design and use of the Eurorack modular synthesis format, and of modular synthesis maker and user communities spread through North America, Europe …

Mindfulness As Art Education, Self-Inquiry, And Artmaking, Mark Graham, Rebecca Lewis

Faculty Publications

This article presents an overview and continuation of a study investigating how artist awareness and critical response might provide a better understanding of mindfulness and its practice within art education. While there are distinct advantages to mindfulness practices in education, these practices might also have problematic aspects, such as helping people conform to oppressive structures in education rather than questioning them. The pandemic of 2020–2021 accentuated student concerns with social, emotional, and mental health and illuminated possible benefits of mindfulness practice. Results show that preservice art education students used mindfulness and data visualization to connect art and self-inquiry. Important findings …

A Constructed Memoir: The History And Heritage Of The Baloch Community In Qatar, Somaia Nahang Dorzadeh

Theses and Dissertations

In the 1960s, when my father was only thirteen years old, he took a perilous journey on a boat alone from Sistan va Baluchestan, Iran, to Qatar, in the hopes of a better life. Like many long-term residents from Balochistan, my father has lived in Qatar for decades, predating the establishment of the modern state of Qatar itself in 1971. His legal position in the country today remains subject to the Kafala system, and his residency is subject to his employment status, which must be renewed each year. In other words, permanency is never guaranteed, nor is future planning.

In …

Half Of Two Hungers, Aida A. Lizalde Rios

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

half of two hungers is an extension of my sculptural practice; a weaving of the ambiguous borders of memory, trauma, disease, identity, assimilation, survival, spirituality, love, erotics, and desire. It is a psychological and sensorial landscape, where I travel consciously and subconsciously to pull shapes and material experiences out into the world of bodies and objects.

The Game Of Absolute, Rupeng Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

My thesis paper writing is a collection of short stories. Or it could be thought of as a small magazine or even an instruction manual for my work. There is a loose correspondence between its content and the symbols used in my installations. It is also realistically and physically presented in my exhibition as part of a "game box". The chaotic and contradictory narrative of this collection of short stories stems from my exhaustive pursuit of the elements that I try to approach in each story. This insatiable pattern of compulsive organization is also evident in the content of my …

From Silence To Forte: Developing An Inclusive Space For Persian Musicians To Flourish, Sholeh Salimi

Theses and Dissertations

Music serves as a reflection of culture and conveys various emotional and intellectual states, such as a nation's perspective, social attitudes, and historical background. However, the Iranian revolution in 1979 led to the ban of music by the new regime, limiting the output and audience for Iranian music. In addition, the emergence of Western music accessibility through technology posed challenges for traditional Persian music, and the government's restrictions on music further compounded the problem. To support and advance the preservation and dissemination of Iranian music, this study aims to explore how an interior designer can create a space that enables …

一To二To三, Yameng Wang

Theses and Dissertations

This work relates to an animated film focusing on iteration, simulacrum, and artificial intelligence. It is based on the traditional Tao concept: “One life two, two beget three, three beget all things.”

Frewayni's Garden: Preserving Tigrayan Culture During A Period Of Ethnocide, Gabrielle F. Tesfaye

Theses and Dissertations

The recent and ongoing genocidal war in Tigray, Ethiopia, has witnessed the destruction and looting of countless historical religious sites, ancient manuscripts, and artifacts, leaving Tigray’s remaining cultural heritage extremely vulnerable. Such cultural loss erases a shared understanding across generations, robbing them of their history and identity. My work contributes to the safeguarding of Tigray’s cultural heritage and collective memory, informed by literature on cultural preservation efforts in post-war societies, and a series of interviews with Tigrayans in the diaspora and in Ethiopia.

The outcome of this thesis is embodied in a series of distinct jebenas, traditional Tigrayan clay coffee …

Breaking Bread & Boundaries : Finding Home In Every Bite, Steffi Ann Braganza

Theses and Dissertations

Raised outside of their “passport” countries, Third Culture Individuals (TCIs) often experience a lack of rootedness and belonging, and home is often everywhere and nowhere. Childhood food memories can provide the sense of connection and identity TCIs crave. Four Qatar-raised TCIs, from very different backgrounds share memories of their childhood comfort foods, now hybridized dishes, that reflect their unique third culture experiences. Each dish, in turn, inspired the creation of a bespoke set of cooking /dining ware designed to trigger a specific sensory memory: the sight, smell, touch, or sound associated with the original comfort dish. This specialized cooking/dining ware …

Refashioning Style From The Outside-In: A Pakistani Diasporic Response, Sidra Sohail Khawaja

Theses and Dissertations

Pakistan’s traditionalists and modernists hold opposing political, religious, social and nationalist views creating a constant tension within the culture. This tension creates a fashion industry with two extremes, one side reflecting traditional influences and the other reflecting western trends. I address the tension by analysing the craft and context of traditional Pakistani men’s clothing and incorporating traditional construction techniques into garments that reflect aspects of both points of view. In a series of five looks, I extract from influences like Persian, North Indian, Afghani, Colonial and Neo-Colonial, to generate hybridized garments that offer a new perspective, blending traditional elements with …

The Living Legends Of Sholoukh – شلوخ الأساطير Facial Scarification In Sudan, Ayah S. Elnour

Theses and Dissertations

Sholoukh — ritual face scarring—is a dying art form in Sudan.

Used to distinguish members of one tribe from another,

Sholoukh reflects the tribal pride of an individual. In the past,

sholoukh was seen as important as having a passport for a tribe

member, however, it was not always applied by choice. Using

just a razor blade, the wisest, most senior tribal elder would scar

the face of a child, initiating them into the tribe for life.

As this tribal art form fades away, the dwindling Sholoukh-bearers

have become living legends in Sudan. To honor them, I create

a collage …

Introduction To Totality: Abstraction And Meaning In The Art Of Barnett Newman, Michael Schreyach

Art and Art History Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

A Peer Review Of Product Design Visualization, Ides 416|816, Aziza Cyamani

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

This portfolio explores a new course on product design visualization introduced in the product design minor program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Due to the nature of the diverse student group pursuing the minor program, this course adapts flexible teaching and assessment methods that foster inclusivity and enrichment.

Asterisms, Drew Leventhal, Valley Books, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

44 unnumbered pages : all black and white illustrations. Title from cover. "Printed in England"-- back cover. "Edition of 200"-- publisher. "Inspired by the use of astronomy in colonial surveying techniques, Asterisms takes the stars as its subjects. Using telescopes and projectors to create constellations bursting with movement, Leventhal examines humanity's relationship with the night sky, our quest for godhood, and the way love can fill even the deepest void."-- publisher's webpage. Stapled binding. RISD Alumnus, MFA Photo 2022

Feral, Sarah Nicholls

Artists' Books

2 unnumbered pages (1 folded) : color illustrations. "Brain washing from phone towers informational pamphlets" Series "June 2023" Letterpress and relief printed pages (one fold-out) bound with pamphlet stitch in printed paper covers. "Brain Washing From Phone Towers is a series of informative and entertaining Informational Pamphlets produced by hand on a seasonal basis. These small-scale publications combine text (handset in metal type) and image (carved in wood or linoleum) produced via obsolete technology in editioned works which are distributed at will to a chosen audience. The content of the series aims for historical interest, commemorative intent and a healthy …

Roots: Korean Diaspora, Andre Lee Bassuet, As220 Printshop, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

75 pages : color illustrations. Numbered edition of 100 copies. Date of publication from colophon. In clamshell box (25.5 x 20 x 3 cm). Box covered in brown velor fabric with tan stitching that looks like the stem of a plant. "Parts of the book .. printed at AS220, RISD, Brown University as well as Outlet, Staples, and Minuteman Press." -- colophon. Types and sizes of paper varies, some folded, mounted, tipped-in, etc. Stab binding with black thread. Bassuet also wrote the foreword, front cover calligraphy, illustrated the back cover, and served as the publication's art director. A collaborative artist …

Color File #3, Marciar. Cohen, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

1 rotary card file : all color illustrations. Title from book slip accompanying the book. Artists' book on Rolodex file cards. Housed in Rolodex box (13 x 18 x 17 cm). Unique work? Rolodex contains three projects: Books, signed and dated 2010 -- Glass House, 2019-2021 -- Saving Stamps, 2023. Saving stamps title on an older rolodex card stock. The three separate works are separated by index tab cards. "B" for books, "G" for Glass House, "XYZ" for Savings Stamps. "Invented in the 1950's the 'Rolodex' is a rotating index cardholder that was typically used to store business contact information. …

Don't Put Up My Thread And Needle, Laura Davidson, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

16 unnumbered pages : color illustrations (ink and wash drawings). Limited edition of 12 copies. The poem entitled "Don't put up my thread and needle" is by Emily Dickinson, circa 1846-47. The covers are variable and each is inspired by vintage sewing notions and needle books along with other domestic objects. The pages are lettered by hand with a pointed nib on Frankfurt paper using acrylic ink. Interior pages are bound to the cover using a saddle stitch and linen thread. The images of needle packs and nib pen are drawn in ink and glued to the pages. Some of …

Wak'a, Isabel Fernandez Echavarria, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations. Title from cover. Photography, text, and design by Isabel Fernandez Echavarria. "Wak'a is an observation journey on the territory I inhabit: the external, internal and cosmic. It attempts to portray the supernatural forces that manifest in Santiago de Chile, in the spot where cerro Manquehue and ̕ro Mapocho meet establishing a sacred space, a point of concentration of power and energy, a channel of connection with the ancestors who inhabited this place before me."-- artist's website. Inkjet printing. Accordion with pamphlet stitch. In cardboard folder with attached blue string tie. Text in Spanish and …

Can You See What I See?, Sandra Erbacher, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

90 unnumbered pages : illustrations. Edition of 25. "'Can You See What I See?' borrows from the format of the Children's Activity Book to explore themes of visibility and violence in warfare and education. Children's Activity Books are a popular genre of publication meant to be in equal parts educational and entertaining. Often thematic in nature and printed on cheap gray paper, they are filled with coloring pages, and well known games and puzzles such as Word Search and Spot the Difference. In 'Can You See What I See?', the coloring pages, rather than featuring popular cartoon characters or farm …

Venetron, Angela Lorenz, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

1 volume (unpaged) : map. 1 plastic envelope with zip closure holding 2 sheets of paper and 7 plastic sheets (each 28 x 44 cm) that include a map of Venice and index to locations of works of art; plastic stencil sheets have names of artists and pricked points for overlaying on map to discern locations of works. "VeneTron is a low-tech art-finding device that reveals locations of work by seven important Venetian artists. It addresses the complicated and confusing geography and history of Venice, Italy and is named for the Tron family, which rose to power in the 15th …

If You See Me, Weep, Vivian Sming, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

10 unnumbered pages : illustrations. Numbered edition of 100 copies. "Images and text by Vivian Sming. Production management by Chad Johnson."--page [3] of first folded sheet. "Unique suminagashi cover printed by Vivian Sming at San Francisco Center for the Book, CA." "Interior printed at Lightning Press, Santa Clara, CA." Ten single fold sheets laid in a folded cover. Title letterpress printed on cover. Two different types of paper used for the interiors. Library has copy no. 38. SEI.

Confiando : (Trusting), Luz Marina Ruiz, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

8 unnumbered pages : all color illustrations. Title from colophon. Numbered edition of 100. "Confiando (Trusting) was created as part of the Small Plates series at San Francisco Center for the Book, with Chad Johnson, in 2023. The book is based on a personal dream, written and designed by Luz Marina Ruiz, Lapis Lazuli Editions."--colophon.

"Linoleum cut, printed on Hahnemuhle paper, collaged boat; cover, Indigo Cave Paper embossed with a silver spiral"--colophon. Accordion fold mounted to front cover. Colophon printed on folded leaf inserted in pocket inside back cover. Inside spread of colophon includes a poem in Spanish and English, …

Above & Below, Kelly N. Munson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

“Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty. It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values yet uncaptured by language.” —Aldo Leopoldo

My work often finds itself in a lonely space. Is it science? Not really. Is it Art? Maybe. Is it Design? Sometimes. I have never fit neatly into any box. As a once want-to-be Chemist, I found the results of its study too tight and often detached. As I dove into the world of Fine Art, those efforts yielded work that was too loose—in many cases leaving me wanting a …

Wonderland, Mai Tran

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

“WONDERLAND” is a series of large-scale print and installation work created from 2021 to 2023. This body of work showcases dream-like landscapes, Vietnamese legends and customs blended with American culture to create unique visual narratives. Elements such as mythical animals, the Ly dynasty dragon and ceramics, and the Vietnamese Nom script speak to an almost forgotten culture. In contrast, the carno-lotus (cheeseburger) plant, Walleye, Bobcat, and winter scenery reference life in the Midwest. By combining elements from the two cultures, the artist builds parallel worlds where all living things can sustain and value each other’s differences — a place without …

Utility Lines, Carolyn Hartwell

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The paintings included in this Thesis Exhibition explore the theme of fragility that retains quiet strength. Combining delicacy with tenacity is how I arrived at the name of the exhibition, Utility Lines. A utility line transfers energy and is vulnerable to both weather and accident; the fragile materiality is the weakness inherent to functionality. In my work, I am deciding how much responsibility for the stability of a composition can be carried by the most tenuous elements. I test how much of the emotional and compositional load of a painting can be born by muted colors, awkward shapes and unsteady …

Fourpaintingsomedrawingsandaprintbehindapillar, Sam R. Brown

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

My work is about the interest of communication and visual story telling through the mediums of drawing and painting. This comes from my earliest artistic education through comics. My exposure to comics has informed my decisions on composition and visual language. The reason why I chose to work with this in mind is because I see a general lack of this sort of visual storytelling in contemporary art. The process of telling stories through visual media is something that had been done for millennia. Through my work I wish to take this issue and utilize it to a contemporary viewer. …

Above And Below, Kristen Brown

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

My recent graduate artwork uses abstraction of form to describe the intersection between humans and the environment while relating the landscape of our skin to the ever-changing qualities of the natural landscape surrounding us. The photographic material is stressed into three dimensional shapes, producing creasing and tears as it is being contorted by human impact. At the same time that I am creating something new, I am manipulating artifactual evidence of something that already exists in everyday life. This is akin to how our bodies are distorted by outer influence, as well as our own autonomy. Above and below the …

What Does A Rooster Say?, Kim Pfeffer

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

“What Does a Rooster Say?” Growing up in Vietnam’s K–12 public school system, I found the mandatory textbooks overwhelming, a sentiment shared by my peers. As an educator and designer, I noticed a need for improvement in Vietnam’s current textbooks. Despite numerous reforms, they still don’t effectively cater to their primary audience: the students. The newer textbooks, especially for first graders, are visually dense and complex, causing concern among researchers, parents, and educators. This led to the idea of creating an alternative. Reflecting on the older textbooks from the '80s and '90s, while not perfect, they were more user-friendly with …

Strange Creature, Dagny Walton

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Strange Creature is an exploration and renovation of the myth of the American West. I extract elements from the known and recognizable myth of the West and create my own rendition, focusing in particular on themes of transformation and violence. Here in this black mirror world, animals speak out loud, cowboys face down a wildland with eyes, and two suns light up the lonely sky. There is no continuous narrative thread, but each piece is a vignette that takes place in a single shared world. This world is at once familiar and completely alien. I intend to surprise the viewer …