Fine Arts Commons^™

New Commandments, Jacob Sussman

Masters Theses

I reach into the earth, pull out mud-encrusted objects, and recombine them to define new meanings. With every object transposed, the past breaks down; new potentials form. “New Commandments” recombines historical symbolism through an intuitive building, destroying, and merging to reimagine or re-establish meaning.

The work critiques rites of passage, masculinity, and stereotypes by deconstructing how histories, ideologies, and preconceptions form.

As a queer person raised in-between Judaism and Christianity, social preconceptions and religious expectations festered my formation. Our choice is taken away at this moment of conception. To take back autonomy, I reimagine historical, and religious symbolism and transmute …

A Presence Of P____ And W__Th, Riley Wilson

Masters Theses

This body of work examines the involvement of association as it relates to our cultural interpretations of natural phenomena. Flowers and animals, both real and imagined, have been used as symbols for human morality since the beginning of human history. Two sources with which I drew inspiration from are medieval bestiaries and the Victorian practice of flower language. By combining elements from these references, I aim to pair this idea about the human need for classification with my own considerations about my identity. In combination, I also aim to highlight the responsibility that is intrinsic to curiosity. When faced with …

Soul Furnace / فرن الأرواح, Isa Ghanayem

Masters Theses

“This is the good washing, this is (the washing) which separates the dirty body from the pure body. This is like silver mixed with lead, it is separated from it by this (process): one makes for it a cupel of bones, which is what is called the “head of the dog” and of which the common name is kūja-which is the crucible—and this must be made of burnt bones. One melts the silver in it, one gives it a strong fire: the cupel will absorb and receive the lead, the fire will make its subtle (part) fly away and extirpate …

Moretheless, Abdelghani Alnahawi

Masters Theses

material investigations becoming questions with interjections

Making Then Meaning, Ben Denzer

Masters Theses

This is an artist talk contained within a book. It is 816 pages and 49 minutes long. Closed captions run across the spreads. A video of this talk can be watched on bendenzer.com/making-then-meaning

At RISD, I’ve been prompted to expand the scope and tools of my practice and to reflect on questions of meaning in my work.

I spend my days making things, but I’ve never really had good answers to questions of why I make the things I make, or what their meaning is. I don’t think there are simple answers to these questions.

I think meaning comes from …

Creating Project Contrast: A Video Game Exploring Consciousness And Qualia, Pierce Papke

Honors Projects

Project Contrast is a video game that explores how the unique traits inherent to video games might engage reflective player responses to qualitative experience. Project Contrast does this through suspension of disbelief, avatar projection, presence, player agency in storytelling, visual perception, functional gameplay, and art. Considering the difficulty in researching qualitative experience due to its subjectivity and circular explanations, I created Project Contrast not to analyze qualia, though that was my original hope. I instead created Project Contrast as an avenue for player self-reflection and learning about qualitative experience. While video games might be just code and art on a …

Eco-Interoception: What Plants, Fungi And Protista Have Taught My Body, Sara Riley Dotterer

Art Theses and Dissertations

To me, ecology is the relational, full-body awareness that I am made up of and deeply connected to everything around me; and for better or worse, this is reciprocal. I form ecotones, an ecological transitional zone between two ecosystems, with the world around me. I use this ecotonal lens to blur binaries and dissolve boundaries between me and the world “outside my body.” During my Masters of Fine Arts at Southern Methodist University, I have continuously explored and represented the lives of various more-than-human species outside of my body, including plants, fungi and protista through an ecotonal lens. Although these …

Spit Brimming With Futures, Penny Molesso

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

SPIT BRIMMING WITH FUTURES is an immersive video and audio installation that uses ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) to investigate the intersection of transgender and neurodivergent identity, expressing an urgent need to imagine stories about transgender, autistic people that affirm our agency and autonomy amidst a political climate that weaponizes neurodivergence to delegitimize trans experiences. The American political right’s vilification of transgender people is used to uphold structures of white supremacy and heteropatriarchy that become destabilized when rigid binary gender categories are challenged. The political right has a vested interest in keeping trans people out of public view, thus weaponizing …

Confessions Of Crooks: An Analysis Of How Art Influences Society's View On Antiheroes And Redemption Through An Original Short Story Collection, Connor Thomas Wilkerson

Undergraduate Theses

The twenty-first century has successfully bred the notion that everyone who commits a morally reprehensible action is themselves a morally reprehensible individual with absolutely no redeeming factors. This notion, however, simply isn’t accurate as it is shown in not only some of the most popular media of the age but also some of the most famous crimes of the age that people who commit heinous actions aren’t always entirely heinous. With this thesis, I plan to make an argument that condemns judgement on the morality of individuals without knowing their full stories. Specifically, I plan to write a short story …

Heartlines Issue 1 (April 2023), Student Literary Magazine Creative Writing And Art

HeartLines

No abstract provided.

You Found Me (I Kept You), Alexandra M. Lens

be Still

This poem is about multiple people in my life who have mentored me and helped me grow up in a safe and loving environment. They taught me important values, skills, and life lessons that I will always carry with me. The older I become, the more grateful I am for them.

Pathos, Spring 2023, Portland State University. Student Publications Board

Pathos

Editor: Stephanie Gresham

The Teacher - Volume 7, Nova Southeastern University

be Still

No abstract provided.

From The Dean, Elaine M. Wallace

be Still

No abstract provided.

From The Editor, Janet L. Roseman

be Still

No abstract provided.

A Memorable Mentor, Sumaiya Haider

be Still

A person can come into your life for a moment, but make an impact that lasts a lifetime. This piece reflects my gratitude for my attending and all the teachers in my life who gave me the opportunity to learn and grow into the person I am today. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

She Whose Words Helped Me To See, Tara Mckenna

be Still

This paper is a reflection on the interconnectedness of teachers and physician healers. Still, it identifies lessons that physicians can learn from educators in our lives and the importance of integrating these tools into how we teach patients about medicine.

Beyond The Curriculum, Sydney Molenaar

be Still

No abstract provided.

Time For Change, Nimmi M. Mathews

be Still

No abstract provided.

The Unsung Torchbearers, Leona A. Ewan

be Still

No abstract provided.

Morphology Of Man, Arielle Friedman

be Still

Behind every creation is an artist.

Behind every student is a teacher.

This piece aims to highlight the cyclical, additive nature of generational knowledge, as well as the inherent plasticity involved in generating meaning across collectives.

A Physician's Most Important Teachers, Rachel Pray

be Still

I hope to never lose sight of the reasons why I became a physician: to make deep, real connections with patients while they may be going through one of the worst or most uncertain time of their lives - offering comfort and expertise to ease their worries - and to assist them in becoming the best, healthiest, happiest versions of themselves. Remembering my "why" has helped me overcome the struggles and trials of medical school, and I will continue to hold it close to me throughout my medical career.

Illuminating Minds: The Essence Of True Teaching, Tahreem F. Hussain

be Still

No abstract provided.

Teaching, Tough Love, Or Mean?, Jake Darbhanga

be Still

Nobody is born with the knowledge they have today; everything is learned as one lives their life. Teaching can take many forms and come from all types of people. Parents are generally the first teachers a child encounters from the first day of their lives. There is no one correct way of parenting, but there is a common desire to provide the best possible upbringing for one's child.

As I live my life, I find myself expressing the lessons I have learned and utilizing the knowledge I acquired from the people who have taught me. My personality often reflects the …

When In Doubt, Chaimae Oualid

be Still

In my painting titled "When In Doubt," I explore the concept of uncertainty and the importance of perseverance.

The painting depicts individuals using various transportation methods, each one symbolizing the different paths we take in life. It is a representation of the journey that we all embark upon, full of twists and turns, uncertainties and challenges. Despite the chaos of life, this painting is a reminder to never give up and to keep pushing forward.

For me, "The Teacher" in my life has been my own experiences. I have faced many challenges and obstacles, and each one has taught me …

Entropy, Chaimae Oualid

be Still

As an artist, I find myself constantly drawn to the theme of life's unpredictability and how it shapes us. My painting "Entropy" explores these ideas by presenting a complex web of interwoven threads that represent the randomness of life. The imagery of a single body with multiple dispersed people and things, along with the extra floating head, speaks to the chaos and unpredictability that we all experience.

For me, the painting also relates to the idea of "The Teacher" in my own life. I've often found that my greatest lessons have come from unexpected sources, and the randomness of life …

Enlightenment, Chaimae Oualid

be Still

In my painting titled "Enlightenment", I aim to capture the journey towards self-awareness and self-growth, which is often chaotic and filled with struggles.

The painting portrays the internal turmoil that we experience during this journey through a spectrum of colors. Each color represents a different phase of the journey, and the chaos and struggle are evident in the mixture of colors. However, as the journey progresses, the colors gradually shift towards a serene blue and blue hues, representing the final phase of enlightenment. This transformation is depicted in a pair of eyes that reflect a sense of clarity and understanding. …

Dissociation, Chaimae Oualid

be Still

"Dissociation," is a reflection of the world's struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it has affected us all in ways we never could have imagined.

Through this painting, I wanted to capture the gradual, yet drastic change in emotions, lifestyles, and perception of reality that we experienced during this time. The crowd of people depicted in the painting represents the collective struggle we faced, all facing towards the unknown and moving towards it. The different facial expressions convey the range of emotions we felt during this time, from fear and worry to resilience and hope.

For me, the pandemic …

Lessons From A Natural-Born Teacher: Reflections On Mentorship And Kindness In Medical Education, Chloe Hille, Brianna Wetmore

be Still

The transition from preclinical education to medical clerkships is an important period of medical school that challenges students to advance their clinical knowledge. The help of strong and inspirational mentors is crucial for students to not only gain proficiency in their clinical skills, but to also develop into confident and compassionate future physicians.

Teaching The Art Of Reaching, Veenah K. J. Francis

be Still

A short essay on the art of reaching students from the perspective of a mentor and coach.