Thesis Format
Integrated Article
Degree
Master of Fine Arts
Program
Visual Arts
Supervisor
Mahon, Patrick
Abstract
The following MFA thesis is an investigation into tendencies emphasizing permanency in both art, and to a lesser extent, daily living. By exploring ideas surrounding temporality, the ephemeral, and permanency in the studio and the gallery by working creatively with organic material and allowing it to decay naturally, I foreground ideas surrounding “life and death,” and the way they play out in art practices.
The thesis has been separated into three main chapters, the first one being an Extended Artist Statement where I elaborate on the research interests, artistic influences and material dedication that informed my project. Practice documentation is the focus of the next chapter, where I have compiled images of my work at various stages from the studio to the gallery. I also explain in some detail my decisions concerning experimentation and processes, and provide formal descriptions, titles, and dates. The final main chapter is an interview with Toronto-based artist Laurie Kang, where her practice, process, material choices, and her work that evolves within the gallery are the focus. These three components work alongside with my studio practice and MFA exhibition to question our desire for permanence, and how that desire influences our interactions with making and engaging with art.
Summary for Lay Audience
The following thesis chronicles my research that investigates why we desire permanence in the creation, and the engagement of art. The thesis has been separated into three main chapters, the first one being an Extended Artist Statement where I elaborate on my research interests, artistic influences and material dedication. In the second chapter, I have compiled images of my work at various stages from the studio to the gallery, and touch briefly on their creation process. The final chapter is an interview with Toronto-based artist Laurie Kang, where process and her work that evolves in the gallery is discussed.
Recommended Citation
Sutherland, Rebecca, "Fleet: Nuances of Time and Ephemera" (2021). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 7871.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/7871