Music of Western Cultures II: A Brief History of Emo and Its Impact on Society

A Brief History Of Emo and Its Impact on Society

Snow and Dirty Rain: A Film Adaptation

Close your eyes. A lover is standing too close
to focus on. Leave me blurry and fall toward me
with your entire body. Lie under the covers, pretending
to sleep, while I’m in the other room. Imagine
my legs crossed, my hair combed, the shine of my boots
in the slatted light. I’m thinking My plant, his chair,

Surrealism & Satire

Surrealism & Satire from Danielle Roberts on Vimeo.

As far as we know, life is the longest experience we as people will ever have. Day in and day out, we live our lives, some of us experiencing extravagant events while others are left to face the more mundane. With the latter, we may end up feeling feel stuck or stagnant, all too often losing sight of the reality of life and what it has to offer. In a moment, one’s own life may seem uneventful, meaningless, or painful, but when looking at the bigger picture, we can see life is an ever-changing phenomenon, a flowing current that will inevitably bring change. It may not always come in the form of a waterfall; most of the time it’s a collection of minute rivulets. A single drop can make all the difference. Searching too hard to bring change and find meaning is futile and destructive. Life is an endless cycle that will carry on despite one’s own personal happiness, fear, pain, or apathy.

(In)Voluntary Memories: Alysia Kaplan

Alysia Kaplan is a contemporary artist based in Rochester, NY. In this exhibition, (In)Voluntary memories, she explores how memories differ from our experiences. I attended the gallery opening on February 23rd to hear her speak about her work. During her lecture, I was intrigued to see the way she utilized video and images such as found footage and photos from friends and family in order to invoke feelings or memories within the viewer. Kaplan looks into how our memories may become altered within our own minds and begin to effect us in a way completely different from the original experience that created the memory.

Kaplan explores how we apply our own memories – real or imagined – to objects and places. By using found footage and pictures, she illustrates how one can project their own meaning onto an image. Ultimately, the experiences we have with an image are all deeply personal and unique, influenced by countless factors unique to our own consciousness. Inspiration for these works came when Kaplan visited her hometown and felt alienated and dislocated. The reality of the place competed with her own memories, sparking discussion regarding the relationship between both, and how it affects her.

The usage of found footage and images to represent and explore these relationships causes the viewer to project their own thoughts and emotions on the pieces. The combination of preexisting pieces and the viewer’s experience creates a new, unique memory born from someone else’s; an “involuntary memory”.

Composite Photography 2.0: SENSE OF SELF

SENSE OF SELF. What do we think of when we consider our own identity? Most likely, a slew of elements automatically come to mind. Whether we think of our physical characteristics, our dreams, the ways we respond to pain, or the things that drive our passions, there are countless qualities that make up one’s identity. This work explores human identity; our own personal sense of self, the images we may put forth to the world, and the way others perceive us. Each one likely varies from the next in some way. Through composite photography, the conglomeration of contrasting shapes, colors, lines, and textures reveal the similar fashion in which our own personalities exist. The layout of the piece is designed to mimic zines, similar to those found in underground music or fashion culture. Music as well as fashion scenes can be a huge influence for many people on their sense of identity. The media we take in (music) and the images we put forth (fashion) both influence and advertise our identity. The use of photo editing software in itself mimics the way in which we oftentimes tailor our own personalities to fit certain spaces.

Composite image created from 20 photos, 15 of my own and 5 from the web. Numbered image below the cut. 

Typesetting: The Girl On The Train

Book typeset in InDesign. Actual PDF is 174 facing pages total. Book text is from The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins.

Composite Photography

Storytelling Through A Photograph

“Reality is fake. Dreams are for real.” -Tupac Shakur

Portrait Project

Name from Text / Objects

 

Full image below.