Textual Poaching

Artist Statement:

            I am part of Generation Y. It’s true. And while you can sit there pointing a judgmental finger because we are inherently lazy, narcissistic and entitled, I can take it because that’s not what this generation is about. To me, being part of Generation Y is being someone who can live in her surroundings, understand the world, and then change it. We are not among those who are only acted upon, but those who act. Being part of the most educated generation, the most passionate generation, and the most creative generation means that our world is not limited to the flat view around us.

            M. C. Escher understood this concept, even though he lived from 1898 to 1972, and experienced such a different world than I do; he also was part of the turn of a century and knew that the world can be so much more amazing than we know. He often drew impossible things like never ending stairs or buildings whose proportions are a little askew, but the beauty of Hand with Reflective Sphere speaks more to our common understanding of the world. This drawing relates to Generation Y, not just because it’s probably the first ‘selfie,’ but because it shows a normal room, with a normal man, but then it is modified to be something truly unique and beautiful. To me, this drawing represents those who are living in their surroundings, but at the same time, they are re-imagining them.

            In the book Television Fans, the author explores the way that normal books, TV shows or movies gain a cult following. In essence, he says that it’s not the art itself, but the interactions with it that makes it a cult object. When people read Harry Potter, then discuss it with others, re-read it, wait in lines at midnight to buy a copy, pay money to see adaptations to the screen, travel to other countries to visit filming sights and constantly chat about it with online friends they’ve never met, then it becomes something greater than just a few books and movies. My interaction with M. C. Escher’s Hand with Reflective Sphere may be seen by some as rude or defacing the art, but only once the edges of the page start fraying, and the colors start smudging, do you know that the art work is truly loved. So while I may not have my own reflective sphere to look into when I am contemplative, I do have my adaptations, my interactions and my reality (which includes the smart phone) that can provide the same reflective understanding and simultaneous re-invention of my world.