This project is the first art project I’ve conducted, which has provided novel understandings of Contemporary Art and has improved my self-awareness. My experiences in this course are beyond my imagination.

#1 My Biggest Learning of Contemporary Art:
Contemporary Art is Conceptual Art

The ideas or concept behind the work of art is more important than the actual technical skill or aesthetic. We can explore the possibilities of art-as-idea, using our imagination, knowledge, and personal experiences. I used to have trouble making artwork because as a non-art student, considering materials techniques, and different schools of art always blows my mind. However, when I try to change my perspective of making artwork to “what are the ideas that I try to convey” “what kinds of materials can contribute to the theme of my work” creating artwork becomes more interesting and meaningful to me.

#2 My Biggest Learning of Self-exploration:
Aimless artistic creation is a way of self-exploration

When about to make this project, I did not have a clear blueprint about what I am going to make; instead, I got a theme for this project, exploring my emotions. This theme came from a question that has puzzled me for semesters: why cannot I be so excited and emotional like my peers while encountering things both good and bad? There just no waves in my heart. While doing research and experiment for my project, I gradually discover that I am calm by nature. Being calm and sober-minded is my character. And I found that serenity is my most comfortable, relax, and delighted emotional state.

I tried to list all the moments that I felt serenity. By comparing and contrasting what I wrote in the list, I summarized the pattern of achieving serenity — interacting with nature and indulging myself in fantasy. One thing on my list that can get to the state of serenity the most is that “walking in the snow at night while shaking tree branches to let the snow falling down.”

Therefore, I decided to make my work to express this idea.

#3 My Challenge in Selecting Materials:
Selection of materials

I felt hard to prepare materials for my work. My mind just went blank when I considered what kinds of materials should I buy. Honestly, I do not like to use brand new materials to do my artwork. Maybe because I am not confident enough to use them properly instead of running them. That is why I prefer to reuse waste materials to do my work. Thus, I went to Makerspace and the art classroom to find wasted materials and tried to redesign them. (Design out waste is a method to achieve a circular economy, one of my favorite economic ideas.)

#4 Things to improve:
More Interaction with peers

While making my artwork I had some conversations with my classmates. Knowing about their work is very instructive to me. For example, maybe I would never think about using clay to make a book with auspicious cloud on the cover if I did not chat with Mandy. Therefore, I hope to have more interaction with my classmates next semester to share my work and listen to their thoughts.