Chandelier [Multimedia Art]

For my third visual art project I decided to focus on multimedia art. When I first saw the word multimedia, I thought it meant incorporating technology into art. However, when I looked up the definition I found that it actually means incorporating more than one medium of art into your project. When I learned of this definition I knew exactly what I wanted to do! One of my favorite artist is Kara Walker who is best known for her “cut-paper silhouettes” that address “America's racial and gender tensions”. 

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I remember the first time I saw a video about her art. I was in awe of the simple, but moving, silhouettes she created. I noticed that in some of her art she incorporated her silhouettes with moving pictures that enhance her art work. 

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For my project I decided to make a cut silhouette and incorporate it with music. 

When I started this project I had just watched the Grammy’s and I fell in love with the artist Sia. I had heard her songs before but after I saw her perform, I looked up her story and found out for years she had been struggling with depression. This brought new light and a new appreciation to her artistry. I also have struggled with depression over the years and I found myself relating to her song chandelier especially the lyrics in the chorus of her song:

“I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist
Like it doesn't exist
I'm gonna fly like a bird through the night, feel my tears as they dry

I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier
But I'm holding on for dear life, won't look down won't open my eyes”

I wanted to depict that feeling in my artwork, that longing to live life on the edge. That adrenaline rush of living your life to the fullest.

I began my art piece by drawing a chandelier, free hand, on black construction paper. After drawing I began cutting out my work with scissors. After cutting out my work I glued it down to white paper, and to finish off my project, I traced and cut out images of my hand reaching for the chandelier and glued them on. If I were  to display my art piece I would have the song Chandelier playing with it.

One thing I would do differently is to cut out my work with an exacto knife. I feel that would give me more control over my cutting. Also I would use a different martial to draw with, something that would not be so noticeable in the end. I really enjoyed creating the silhouette. It has a sort of complex simplicity about it. If I were to introduce Kara Walker and silhouettes to my students I would have them to work together as a class to represent one of the events they were studying in history as a silhouette and incorporate another medium of art like acting, signing, or poetry to describe the piece they created.

Cool links about the artist I featured:

http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/kara-walker

http://learn.walkerart.org/karawalker