What will you find in between the crevice of two dimensionality and three dimensionality? When the line is blurred, is it beauty that you see or something undefinable yet original?
Is it Marilyn Monroe or Norma Jeane?
Norma Jeane II is an experimental exploration into the future of art making, when emerging technology such as 3D printing and spotlighting blur and redefine the art itself, which in turn reshapes our perception.
I sometimes wonder how much of our perception will be and can be altered when the object in view no longer carries any markers that we identify as "art" or "beautiful." When it is no longer drawn, painted, and confined on a piece of flat paper, does it convey something entirely different to you even though the subject is as familiar as Marilyn Monroe?
When we change the method with which an object is made, it challenges long held view of what it is. When identity is no longer upheld by its manufacturing process, our mind needs to re-process from scratch leaving room for new perception to formulate.
I sculpted three separate layers of butterfly wings to visually raise the dimensionality, and spotlighted my own hand illustration of fine lines and Marilyn Monroe's face right on top of each layer of the wings.
The subsequent reaction from viewers were confusion and curiosity. Some said it is through and through a sculpture regardless whether it is 3D printed or molded. Others believe this is simply a mixed media objet d'art that perfectly illustrates the future of art, where emerging technology is slowly but surely changing and expanding the concept of what and how an object can be defined.
What I find most fascinating from the discussion is the altered perception of viewers when you change the way the viewed object is made. It begs the question how easily we can change, build, and re-build our relationship with an object by simply changing the way it is made. Now the real question is, is it possible to change this relationship based on design instead of chance. Can I steer the perception of the viewers to something more active and purposeful from passive observation?
Original artwork Norma Jeane II that inspired the 3D printed version.