The Wry, Raw, Whimsical Wall

The Wry, Raw, Whimsical Wall Graphic Installation - On Display at Montserrat College of Art's 301 Gallery - 2011

When a person looks at an image,they subliminally come up with an identity for what it is they think of that image. But what would happen if this background process was brought to the surface? Also, what would happen if that thought or idea were to change, how would the image be read then?

The Wry, Raw, Whimsical Wall (abbreviated as the Wall from this point on) had several goals since it’s conception and creation. The first was to explore and research the idea an effects of interchangeable contexts to see just how different an image would be interpreted with one simple alteration. The second was to create an installation that was both interactive and entertaining for the viewers and get them to get involved with the creative process.

The simplistic images and the captions ripped out of their original context could be interchanged in any fashion, giving images the chance to be interpreted in a number of ways. 50 images were completed to be matched up with 100 different captions taken at random from a local newspaper.

The reason for doing this was to encourage diversity with the various captions. The images themselves were created to be simplistic, easily understandable to be better suited to the constant changes of context that they would undergo. But this process of changing captions required entirely relied solely on the inquisitive nature of its viewers.

It is my belief that art should have a sort of function, rather than be something that is completely aesthetic. Having people be able to enjoy the artwork while allowing them the chance to personalize the pieces with the captions of their choosing was the embodiment of my belief as both an artist and a designer. The Wall itself was a success because of how people enjoyed it while it was hanging.