I found the zip-tie project annoying, a manipulation of the word "collaboration" to get free labor out of art students, and a waste of perfectly good unused zip-ties (and, let's be honest, it does not look that awesome, either). However, after hearing his lecture and seeing his exhibition, I found that Jason Yi has some interesting ideas.
Piece from Jason's exhibition
I like how he draws his inspiration from his family and his childhood in a Korean household. Most of his work seems to connect back to that somehow. I think it is incredibly cool that his sculpture work is based off of his father's landscape photography (and other things about his family, like his heritage). I do not remember the name of the piece, but I like the one he showed us of the Korean mountains made out of packing peanuts. The idea that it would disappear if someone doused it with water would be terrifying to me as an artist. I would not want to make something so fragile, but at the same time, I understand that the fragility was a part of Jason's point.
Piece from Jason's exhibition
His work in the gallery was very intriguing to me; I like his use of everyday things, like wrapping folding chairs in saran-wrap, or covering wooden rods with colorful tape. It was definitely an aesthetically pleasing room, full of bright colors. It was fun to look at. I did not get much else out of it, though. It evoked less landscape imagery than the mountain range (and others from the lecture), even though he mentioned the landscape idea in his statement on the wall. Though perhaps that is just Jason expanding on his own ideas and getting more metaphorical. I liked the pieces in the gallery much more than the zip ties, that much is for sure (partially because I know that he actually made them himself).
I'm glad I was not the only one who did not understand the whole zip-tie project. I felt similarly in that the Wriston Gallery was fun to see but did not garner much personal connection. I think you summed it up perfectly with this: "Though perhaps that is just Jason expanding on his own ideas and getting more metaphorical."
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your honesty about the zip-tie project, especially your comment about him using it as a way to get free labor from students. I also liked the stories behind his works, like his heritage and upbringing, but I had trouble feeling anything as I looked at his exhibition works. I hope you continue to stay open and honest with your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI also understand your feelings, especially since the zip-tie project was so impersonal compared to his others. His "Terraform" exhibit definitely made much more sense to me as well, but I also felt differently about the teetering chairs wrapped in cellophane, which were suffocating for me.
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