Accumulation Project
So, this whole semester I've been collecting buttons. At first i wasn't too excited about the idea of having to collect something for an extended amount of time but as I collected them, I began to realize something. The buttons I had been collecting had started to acquire similarities to people. As each person is unique in their own way, so are buttons. They are varying in size, color, weight, texture, and etc. I honestly dont think I have two of the same kinds of buttons. Each one has a different past, a different story to tell of how it arrived to me. Initially I had no idea what to di with all the buttons once I was finished collecting them, but then I began to think about ways to build something out of them, and then connecting them with either string, glue or other means. For the longest time I wanted to make a sculpture, something large out of them, but I could never think of what to make.
I think we did this exercise because it largly relates with alot of the artists that we have learned about this semester. Concept artists take one thing, and completely change the meaning behind it and create something completely different. I notice that a lot of the artists that we had talked about/viewed in class had used some form of accumulation. A lot of artists used an abundance of one or more objects. That signifies that they had gone out and collected these objects over a period of time, no matter how short or long. I also think we did it becuase our professor enjoys collecting random items. I remember several times where she mentioned how she collects this, or collects that, such as tacks or dandelions, random items like that. With that in mind, I think that she was curious to see how we would handle a project which is based off of one of her hobbies/interests. To see if we are as interested and excited by it as her. That is just an idea...
It wasnt until the end of the semester where I thought of an idea. I took the concept that each button was like no other, unique. With that I decided to have them symbolize people. Now one issue that has existed since the beginning of time is equality/peace/harmony. It still struggles to succeed today but in reality, such a thing will never be achieved. IT just isnt in human nature for the most part. But, we could always improve for the good, make small gestures toward the impossible. My project will aim to do just that, try to push people towards equality and harmony.
First I will start off by collecting billions upon billions of buttons (talk about large scale, ftr, this is why im doing a proposal, I came no where close to even a million buttons, let alone a billion) Then I will have hundreds of copies large maps of the globe printed out. Half will be dull in color and the other half will be glossy. The scale of the maps will be around the size of the sides of ware house buildings. I will attach the maps to large iron walls, which is made from elements of the earth, which is where we ALL live, which further emphasizes equiality.
On the dull colored maps I will used the same technique used to lay down bricks.(the cement adhesive, which is also made from teh earth, same concept as the iron) I will use that cement adhesive to attach the buttons to the map. However, each country will be represented by a different color. I will cover the countries on the map with buttons, and then pile more buttons on top of that. When the buttons are piled on, we will be able to distinctly identify each country. This is not our goal. We should not be able to tell a difference since everyone is equal. So on the glossy colored maps, I will do the same porcess, but instead of different colors for each country, I will used a mix of colros for each country. This way on this map you will not be able to tell the difference between the countries once all the buttons are placed. In will simply looked like a collage of buttons, all types. This is what we want, equality and harmony, everyone getting along and no one being the majority, no one has more power.
Now that I have applied the billions of buttons to the hundreds of glossy and dull collered maps and then attached those to the iron walls, I will selectively place one of each type of map wall in every country in the world. They will be placed in the largest/busiest/most touristy city in each country, that way more people will see the maps. They will be placed in an open public space, for example, for the US I will place it in New York City and have it somewhere in central park. I will have it out in the air because out there it is not under any restraints, it is free to be seen by anyone and everyone, out in the open air, which is connected to every individual on earth. The dull colored maps will face west, where the sun sets. This way it will be cast in shadow in the morning, dawn of day which symbolizes the negativity of such inequality. The glossy colored maps will be facing East, where the sun rises so that way it will be cast in light in the morning. This will symbolize a new start for each day to try and make the world right, positivety.
