#well viewer thats a very complex question but just know the answer involves the words “deviantArt magical horse roleplay”

[the-cooler-sidestep]

have work to do today but i just want everyone to know what sterling looks like

[katielang-basicsculpt-blog]

Introductory Questions

My name is Katie Lang; I am a sophomore sculpture major, former photo major, and I’m from Leesburg, VA, which is about two hours north of Richmond. I’m excited about sculpture for the freedom of expression that I can enjoy in this department. I’m also looking forward to making art that doesn't involve sitting in front of a computer for long hours while I edit photographs and export massive files for printing those photographs.  I didn’t realize I would miss getting my hands dirty quite this much. 

What is something in your life that you want to empower and why? - I suppose my drive to continue creating, because sometimes I question if my art is worth anyone’s time other than my own. But for myself I don’t know how I would exist without it. 

What is something in the world that you want to further empower and why? - My answer to the last question could probably be applied here as well. 

In what aspects of your work so far do you feel strongest? - I feel that the concepts and ideas behind my work are pretty strong. Also my drive to pursue ambitious projects. 

In what aspects of your work do you feel the weakest? - Communicating those concepts and ideas to an audience/viewer. The ideas behind my work are typically pretty complex, and sometimes during crit the class doesn’t quite catch all of it. At the same time, I like the idea of obscuring things from the viewer and communicating with what I don’t show them; I want them to do some work to get meaning out of the piece. I also like the idea of the meaning being different for every viewer; partially because it makes it more interesting and partially because it’s impossible for it not to mean something different to everyone. However, I have been criticized for not taking a rigid enough position on the meaning of my work. 

Who would you list as the five artists who interest you? - Joseph Beuys; I watched an interview of him being grilled by a panel of intellectuals who wanted him to explain to them the meaning behind his performance piece “How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare” with plain words. He told them in multiple different ways that if it could be explained with words then he would have just written about it instead. He went on to tell them that art is meant to be understood with our “sensory organs”, and not in the same way that we understand the meaning in words. I found this to be incredibly inspirational. Teiji Furuhashi; I recently saw one of his installation pieces at the MoMA and found it enchanting. I want to look for more of his work. Rene Magritte; His paintings make so much sense and don’t make any sense at the same time. Out of all surrealists I think he captures a dream the best. A couple of them I actually have trouble describing with words. Yayoi Kusama; I like the simplicity and chaos in her use of repetition. Somehow her work manages to be meditative while also being humorous. Shana Lutker; In her expansive sculpture installations, each part of them is its own piece with its own meaning, but put together they tell a story. I feel as though I need to quickly mention Agnes Martin and Brittany Nelson. 

Name two of the favorite artworks you have ever seen - “God” by Ragnar Kjartansson, and “The Seducer” by Rene Magritte

Are you indoorsy or outdoorsy? - Both without a doubt. Indoors wise, I take the composition of my space very seriously. Every object in my room and where it is in my room is considered with extreme care. Feng Shui is very important to me and I can’t stand when my room doesn’t feel right. Because of that my room is always neat. There are many ways in which I lean toward connecting my indoor space to outside. To me, windows are the most important feature of an indoor space. I have a lot of plants that I’m proud of and very attached to. I’m not sure how to explain how I’ve thrived outdoors, but I enjoy them. 

What subjects in the world outside of art most interest you? - Definitely sciences. I geek out about science. I’ve always loved biology; even though most of what I learned in AP Bio isn’t particularly useful in my life, I greatly value understanding how life works and knowing about the other living things on this planet. I’m also very into history in a similar way. My knowledge of world history isn’t used in my everyday life but I enjoy knowing about things I’ll never see or experience just because I can. 

Name three people that are no longer living and are not artists that interest you and why? - Rosalind Franklin, because she was one of those women who were successful before women were supposed to succeed. 

How is your work political? - I really can’t think of any way that my work is political. 

How do you use social media in your life? Do you want more or less? - I almost exclusively use instagram. I like the simplicity (although it becomes more complex with every update) and having something to do with all the pictures I take with my phone thats quick, easy, and free. My instagram page is a visual representation of myself that changes as I do without me having to put much of a conscious effort into it. It could be a way of getting myself out there but I dont think I take it seriously enough for that. It’s also a way to find new art and artists. I wouldn’t say I want more or less of it. Maybe less at times when I feel that it’s distracting. 

If everything goes the way you wish it would at this moment, what will you be doing two years after you graduate? - Living in New York, working with other artists in some way, showing at a gallery, and making something important. 

Does gender play a conscious role in your work? - Not often. I tend to stay away from making work about myself, and gender would be a difficult topic to make work about unless it’s about oneself.

How does your race and issues surrounding race influence your work? - The biggest effect being white has on my work is that I don’t make work about racial issues. I don’t see it as my work to make. 

What is a physical material that you have worked with that feels more powerful than your body? - Light

What is a social material that you have worked with that feels more powerful than your autobiographical experience? - I rarely work with my autobiographical experience but I don’t think I use very powerful social materials because I don’t feel that my work is particularly powerful yet. 

Is your sexual orientation something that figures into your work? - Almost not at all. I wouldn’t even bother labeling my sexual orientation, and I’ve never had a conflict with it or felt the need to show people work about it. 

How do current events affect the way you make art? - Conventional current events don’t factor into my work very much.  It’s funny that I avoid making work directly about myself, but my own current events have been inspiration for a project. My final for digital imaging last semester was a series of outdoor still lifes that I left out for days in an attempt to attract a possum that I had once accidentally attracted to our deck. 

Do you use art history as an ingredient in your work? - Yes, particularly in the still lifes I was making last semester. I often referenced the themes of classical painting still lifes. 

Does your lack of sleep make you feel stronger or weaker? - that mostly depends on what I’m doing and it goes through a bell curve. If I’m taking notes in a lecture class or doing something sedentary - weaker. While if I’m generating ideas or actively making a piece, I’ll start out feeling weaker but after a point feel great and then gradually decline into total exhaustion. 

What is your fantasy studio? - Big windows, high ceilings, spacious, and lots of plants. It would either have to be in a large city on a floor high enough to muffle some noise, or out in the mountains but not too far from a city. 

Do you want to make a lot of money in your life? - If I’m being honest, yes. Enough to travel, have nice things that aren’t essential, and not worry constantly. 

How do you think about your diet? - My diet is the way it is for convenience, effectiveness, and cost efficiency.  I have almost no time to cook and not enough money to get food that does much other than make me full. I’d consider these personal choices. That being said, it really isn't too bad. It’s also extremely irregular. I always eat breakfast and it’s the only part of my diet that isn’t unpredictable; it usually consists of some variation on a couple eggs and some toast. The rest of the day is comprised of things that keep for a long time and are fast. I don’t drink much other than water, coffee, tea, and an occasional red bull. I’m also a vegetarian, which is both a personal and social choice. 

Three specific experiences in your life that you would be curious to feed into an artwork? - Some recent experiences could be inspiration, like the one I mentioned with the possum. However I can’t name specific ones right now. 

Identify aspects of your past work that people have challenged that you want to confront this semester - I want to better communicate my concepts to the viewer while also balancing my interest in strategically hiding things from them. Another balance I want to strike is between allowing the viewer to make their own meaning out of the piece and holding true to what I intended it to mean. 

What general conversations about peers work have you felt lacking and want to pursue? - I am definitely interested in the conversation of materials and the process by which the work was made. 

Do future technological developments excite or scare you? Or both? How? - Both, I think countless and unimaginable good and bad can come technological developments. 

Name several artists that you have come across in the past year that you want to learn more about? - Teiji Furuhashi, Yayoi Kusama, Steve Reinke, Shana Lutker

What kinds of learning environments are/have been most exciting for you? - Lots of freedom but with an idea to push off from with project assignments. Honest feedback. Emphasis on concept development but learning new technical skills too. 

List five questions that you want to fuel your work? - I have a hard time answering this because I’m not sure of what kind of work I want to make. I’m stumped here. (to be answered at a later date)

If you were to conceive of one art assignment/prompt for yourself what would that be? - A full room installation that communicates through what the audience can’t see.