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Viral Interventions: Final Artifact

The artifact for our piece was the piece itself, as it was very simple to transport and move. As we were moving the piece around to display it for our final, we noticed that it was also quite lightweight, but not light enough to be balanced on the metal wire. Something that we observed from photographing our artifact was that, while in a more neutral setting, we see more of the industrial aesthetics pop out, seeing as how we can fully see the roughness and ridgedness of the cardboard and its texture. We are also more clearly able to see the wire peeking out from the cardboard, adding to this rough feel.

Materials: Cardboard, wire, tape, glue, clay

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Viral Interventions: Identify

"We're in a dead-end society that is so controlling and non-traditional; we all need therapy."

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Viral Interventions: Final Documentation

"The Projection"

For this piece, the four of us wanted to explore themes of hopelessness and isolation, especially in our increasingly industrialized society. More often than not, we are forced to participate in agents of capitalism, such as working a job to afford basic needs. Initially, we wanted to lead more toward the "therapy" aspect of the piece, simulating a therapist's desk out of cardboard and wire. However, we found it difficult to make it so that the structure would stay in place and not fall, so we opted for a cardboard sign. We felt as if this was much more effective, as it could evoke emotions often associated with protests and protest signs.

Materials: Cardboard, wire, tape, glue, clay

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Viral Interventions: Process

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Viral Interventions: Tasks

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Viral Interventions: Timeline

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Viral Interventions: Budget

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Viral Interventions: Final Proposal

"The Projection"

As per our sentence, we wanted to have it so our projection would be in the form of a desk you would typically see in a therapist's office. However, the roughness of the cardboard and wire evokes feelings of dread and hopelessness, symbolizing how we do not seek help, even when we clearly need it. This could be for many reasons, but mainly to not jeopardize our careers, which we often depend on to provide us with basic necessities like food, water, and shelter. The light will come from a makeshift lamp using either a phone or an electric candle, which will then be covered in cardboard.

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Viral Interventions: Propose

The brain maze explores the feeling of hopelessness that we feel in depressive states, we feel trapped and like there is no escaping this constant dread. The piece will be made of wire, a material that is easily bent and allows someone to shape it to their will. This choice of material not only reflects the theme of the piece but is also a material that adds to a more industrial aesthetic, showcasing the feeling of being trapped those struggling with mental health feel. Also, the fact that it is a maze, albeit a complicated one, shows that there is still hope, even in dark times.

For this project, the idea, the main emphasis of this piece is to show how society is hindering us by essentially locking us up. The birdcage is supposed to be symbolism because usually birds are kept inside the cage, and they are a symbol of freedom due to their ability to fly. We are being kept from our full potential and freedom by societal norms. The hanging words inside the birdcage are supposed to symbolize the swarming thoughts a person has, so the inside of the birdcage is supposed to exhibit what we truly feel inside. The birdcage is locked but the key that is in the keyhole has a tag on it that says therapy to symbolize that therapy is the key to our release because after a while of being conditioned to certain things, we tend to adopt those same mannerisms ourselves and continue the chain of abuse. Therapy is the way to release this chain system and successful free ourselves from that cycle.

This proposal is a cardboard desk. Our sentence is carved out into the desk so when light is shining, whether through sun or through the lamp on top, the words project onto the wall through shadows. Our target audience is anybody who may be stressed out by the world today. A good venue would be somewhere outdoors near a populated area. A psychology building may be a good spot because of the mention of therapy in the sentence, or  building with government or social science classes. 

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QCQ Part of the Discourse: Barbara Kruger

1. QUOTE -

"Well, if my work is developing this commodity status, I had to address it." 03:49

2. COMMENT (50 - 100 words) -

This quote is one that resonates a lot with me and many other artists, especially in this world filled with such unapologetically awful amounts of capitalistic greed. As we live in this world where we are defined by our careers and how we make out income, artists especially are not too keen on falling into the rabbithole of working to the bone so you can barely afford groceries. We as artists look directly into the eyes of things like consumerism and capitalism and question it.

3. QUESTION (50 - 100 words) - Artists are inherently counterculture and do not fit into preconceived societal norms. We create art that pleases us and are not ashamed of that fact. However, art is becoming increasingly commercialized, especially due to the rise of A.I generated images made to cut labor costs and increase profit. If you were able to make a significant profit from your art, what would you do? Would you become a "sell-out" and embrace this wealth, collaborating with multi-billion dollar companies and products, or reject your newfound wealth and fight against it?

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Viral Interventions: Present

For this project, we aimed to make it fun, yet thought-provoking. We came up with the sentence, "We live in a dead-end society that is so controlling and non-traditional; we all need therapy", and for it, we wanted to print it out on simple pamphlets to put up around our campus, spreading awareness to our message while also spreading positivity through little affirmations we also wrote on the pamphlet. This idea was based on tear-off pamphlets you would typically see advertising a job opportunity of some sort, but instead, we wanted to play around with this idea of wanting a job and swapping it out for small affirmations that will hopefully make people's days just a little bit brighter.

Materials: Paper, sissors, printer

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Viral Interventions: Compose

"We're in a dead-end society that is so controlling and non-traditional; we all need therapy."

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Viral Interventions: See

"We're in a dead-end society that is so controlling and non-traditional; we all need therapy."

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Emotion (Final)

"Michael, The Archangel"

This piece explores the feeling of hope. I chose the subject of an archangel, specifically the archangel Michael due to him being seen as a protector of the innocent and the one who will defeat the Antichrist according to Christian tradition. I'm not religious but I find a lot to admire about Judeo-Christian theology, specifically the ways spiritual beings such as angels are depicted. I also find that learning more about these beings helps me connect a little bit to my upbringing growing up in a very religious Evangelical household. I especially find the concept of archangels to be fascinating, as they are some of the few angels that have direct contact to humans and are often tasked to guide them by God. I also specifically wanted to use a biblical figure as a response to the rise of Christian Nationalism in the United States. Michael, being a strong warrior, representing the fact that those affected by the false prophets Evangelicals love to worship will still persist and continue to fight for the right to exist, even when the whole world is against them.

As for the sound, I attached a speaker to the back of the piece and played the song "Nearer My God to Thee", a classic Christian hymn associated with the 1997 Titanic film. The song was played during the tragic sinking of the ship by the ship's orchestra as a way to calm down the passengers during evacuation. This song was chosen not only for it being a Christian hymn, but because I believe it represents finding hope in a dark situation.

Materials used: cardboard, fabric, acrylic paint, recycled paper, trinkets

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Emotion (Research)

The feeling I want to evoke is the feeling of strength. I want to showcase feelings of courage in times of hardship and hopelessness. The installation will be in a small corner of my house and will feature a cardboard cut out of the Archangel Michael, protector of the innocent, also known as the warrior angel. To me, he represents justice in a nation that sorely lacks it. If we all stay together and have the strength to carry on, we can make a difference.

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Emotion (Ideas)

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Perception (Final)