I’VE (CLEARLY) BEEN SLACKING HARD IN THE BLOG WORLD. Why, you ask? I haven’t been off gallivanting throughout the country, or leisurely strolling along beaches. I’ve been in my garage/studio…cozying by the warmth of a fake electric fire, layered to the nines, and working my cold little fingers to finish what I started…my B.F.A. project.
Now, I’m a worrier. A big one. I’ve learned through lost time and energy that worrying gets you nowhere but, well, nowhere. So you can imagine what a RELIEF I’m feeling at the moment as the project that I’ve been worrying about since MAY (yes, May) has finally come to fruition and exists in physicality in the really real world (not just in my head). At times I was finding difficulty sleeping because the “to-do” list in my head would take over my mind!
Because the project is about consumption — or hyperconsumption, the excessive consumption that most employ in their lifestyles — it was quick to overwhelm and in a way, turn on me. The “simple” lifestyle that I insist upon became increasingly consumed by the collection of materials I’d accrued to get my message across. The project had done to me the very thing I wanted to bring awareness to others about: I had unreasonable amounts of resources at my disposal. I had to tell myself that at some point, all of my collecting would come together to make something transformed. Months later, I think I achieved what I set out to do.
While the project doesn’t go as in-depth as I would have liked (for sanity’s sake, you have to draw a line somewhere) I hope that the message and information presented is enough for viewers to desire to investigate further. I looked to Annie Leonard’s The Story of Stuff as a great source of information, inspiration and motivation for the project. Check it out at your local library and you will be amazed. It is tragic and fascinating how our systems operate, how our goods are made, and who is affected by what we buy and use. The stories and figures presented will make you think twice about what you buy — which, really, is what we should begin to do.
I’d invite you all to visit the gallery at MSUM’s Center for the Arts between today and 18 Nov to see the work of my fellow graphic designers and myself. We have all poured our days into making this show happen and the dedication shines through.
A little sneak peak for you:
Lastly, when I installed the project the other day, I told an onlooking professor that it was “just a little something that I whipped together over the weekend.” When he asked what I’d been doing with all my time, I told him “sleeping and eating my feelings.” (Which isn’t what I’ve been doing at all, but I decided it’s what I’m going to do now that I’m done with what I did.)
Take care everyone. Life feels good.
xo
j
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