Planning
The first thing I wanted to get across in this piece is that it was culturally inspired. The second thing I wanted to do in my piece was have it outdoors and be easily looked upon by passerby. With that criteria, I looked for something in my culture that I could use as an inspiration. However, nothing really interested me. I wanted something that would grab not just me and my culture but a majority in my neighborhood. The majority race in my neighborhood is Hispanic, and many things that happen around me are due to that cultural difference. For instance, from a young age, I've seen shoes with their laces tied together thrown over a telephone wire. Now, whether this is due to simply getting rid of old or uncomfortable shoes, to mark gang turf or related activities (The Latin Kings have been known to tag homes in my area) or even as commemoration. However, I choose to believe that here, it is a signal back to the heritage of bolas. I have grown up calling these hanging shoes boleros, which is very similar to the original word bolas. Bolas were a weapon used in South and Central America that consisted of rope with two weights that, if used successfully, effectively captured animals. Tossed shoes that are in that same design can be reasonably inferred to be a nod to that heritage, due to the large Mexican and Hispanic population in the area.
I chose a new artist named Pawel Kuczynski for my artist inspiration, because his artwork is very though provoking on how we interact with each other. There is definitely hidden meaning that one needs some background research on to understand in some of his works. My work relates to this in that the cultural background must be understood in order to really see what the work is about.
In the end, my work will attempt to convey the realities of many Mexican immigrants who come to the United States. This reality is that of deportation, and the "capture" that precedes it. |
To begin my project, I needed to buy a few supplies. The first one was parachute cord, so I could tie pairs of shoes together effectively in that they would work as a weight, and also so I could hang the shoes from it. Secondly, I needed red construction paper. I cut out letters and taped them to each side of the shoe (in case wind turns the shoes around so all letters will still be showing) so that they spell out "realidades". The meaning behind it is that the shoes are connecting the symbolism of the capture and entanglement of bolas to something so many average americans see every day. The hopefully effect in this is that people who would otherwise not be affected by deportation of "illegal immigrants" will see this and be able to connect it to their life.
Above are some planning sketches and/or previous ideas.
Process
To start, I drew out large letters on red construction paper for me to cut out. At home, I do not have very high quality scissors, and I had to cut through multiple layers of construction paper at once in order to get the same shaped letters. I had to make two of the same letter for each shoe, so if it turned in the wind or in the process of putting it up there would still be a letter on the other side. I counted and in the word "realidades" there are two Es, two As, and two Ds. Plus, when I bought the paper, I did not expect for me to make mistakes. I did, inevitably, and had to go out and buy more paper to make the letters balanced and similar. Taping the letters on was an easy feat at first, but the day was windy and the letters kept flying off; I had to continuously retape them on while creating the final piece.
I had my mother help me by standing on a ladder in the middle of the line in order to keep it from slouching too much in the middle. She caught the shoes as I slid them down the line and moved them over so I could have all of the shoes hanging and then I could get down and fine tune it myself.
By far the hardest part of completing this project was that I had to climb a ladder in my backyard and be careful actually putting the installation up; if I moved too roughly I would mess up the placement of the other shoes. I shifted between the rooftops of my house and my garage to slide individual shoes down and using the ladder for fine tuning the spacing. I chose to space each piece differently, with some really close and others a little further away. This act worked to add some asymmetrical balance.
My mother let me use her prized possession -- a really nice Nikon camera -- to take photos of the finished piece. I took photos from on the ground and on the third step of the ladder I was using. The best photo came out when I was on the ladder, and although it somewhat removes the sense of perspective, the aperture with the lens I was using really made my piece stand out but also look like it belonged in the area it was in.
I had my mother help me by standing on a ladder in the middle of the line in order to keep it from slouching too much in the middle. She caught the shoes as I slid them down the line and moved them over so I could have all of the shoes hanging and then I could get down and fine tune it myself.
By far the hardest part of completing this project was that I had to climb a ladder in my backyard and be careful actually putting the installation up; if I moved too roughly I would mess up the placement of the other shoes. I shifted between the rooftops of my house and my garage to slide individual shoes down and using the ladder for fine tuning the spacing. I chose to space each piece differently, with some really close and others a little further away. This act worked to add some asymmetrical balance.
My mother let me use her prized possession -- a really nice Nikon camera -- to take photos of the finished piece. I took photos from on the ground and on the third step of the ladder I was using. The best photo came out when I was on the ladder, and although it somewhat removes the sense of perspective, the aperture with the lens I was using really made my piece stand out but also look like it belonged in the area it was in.
Reflection
The most frustrating thing that I think I had to deal with was the fact that I did not take into account the weight of the shoes and how they would tilt one way or another, which left me constantly adjusting the tape and the paper on the sides of the shoes so the letters would not be sideways. Otherwise, I had a lot of fun doing this project. It was nice for me to get out of my typical headspace for once and actually try to do something related to my local community. I wanted to expand my horizons and explore a new culture to become inspired with different ideas than what I have been using prior to doing this project. Reflecting on the final piece itself, I believe it turned out better than I ever wanted it to. Attempting to hang ten pairs of shoes from a cord was very scary (although my mother reassured me that the line was sturdy) and I was afraid that some of the shoes would be too heavy and break the line, but nothing happened. It helped me grow as a person, to be less afraid and trust in myself and my ideas.
The most fun part of this project, for me, was the photo editing aspect. I have Photoshop on my computer, so I was able to take the photo with the best aperture and up the contrast, brightness, and the color balance to make the red letters really stand out and become the centerpiece of the project. The contrast between the geometric red letters and the blurry background make a strong statement about what is important in the piece. I also believe that having my neighborhood in the background adds another affect; it's culturally appropriate for the large Mexican immigrant population around me and just north of my neighborhood as well.
The most fun part of this project, for me, was the photo editing aspect. I have Photoshop on my computer, so I was able to take the photo with the best aperture and up the contrast, brightness, and the color balance to make the red letters really stand out and become the centerpiece of the project. The contrast between the geometric red letters and the blurry background make a strong statement about what is important in the piece. I also believe that having my neighborhood in the background adds another affect; it's culturally appropriate for the large Mexican immigrant population around me and just north of my neighborhood as well.