Thesis
Foreign Body
Washington State University
Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Washington State University
01/2022
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000004514
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/124569
Abstract
Focusing on the human as subject, my thesis work, Foreign Body, is a series of oil paintings that depict concealed figures, various mechanical objects, drapery, and fragments of flesh. Teetering between realism and surrealism, these works create tension and uncertainty through close-ups, heavy distortions, and vague depictions of human figures. Juxtaposing outer and inner points of view, organic and synthetic material, and animate and inanimate forms, Foreign Body recalls correlations between exterior equipment designed to prolong human life and the interior organs that maintain it. These paintings also oscillate between depicting life-taking and life-sustaining situations, inviting consideration of the grey areas in-between. Furthermore, the relationships between each of these works also create an overarching yet subtle narrative about human self-preservation and mortality. The core of my work, however, exists behind its visible surface. Whether the viewer sees my painted subjects as being saved from or in the aftermath of a tragedy, the vivid color, texture, and details prompt them to look deeper.
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Details
- Title
- Foreign Body
- Creators
- Sarah Elizabeth Barnett
- Contributors
- Squeak Meisel (Advisor)Hallie G. Meredith (Committee Member)Marianne Kinkel (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Fine Arts, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Fine Arts (MFA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 27
- Identifiers
- 99900877240901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis