Monday
Book Burning Audio
Inspired by the work of Paul De Marini, I have proposed to complete an installation which tells the story of the 1933 Book Burning Rally in Germany under the rule of Adolf Hitler. This is a photoshopped version of what I had in mind. The installation will incorporate the audio above, the smell of burning paper and an intense heat from around the room to give the viewer an intense interaction with an event of the past.
The piece is to commemorate the millions of people, thoughts and words lost to the Nazi Era. It is an incorporation of new media, the power of the wrath of nature and history all summed up into one.
OCAD Special Focus Nature: Claire Brunet.
See more under the tab “Her Projects”
Sunday
We are all biological ticking time clocks. The concept of this piece revolves around the idea of “lifespan” and preservation. A final assignment for Body and Object, you are to take a common object and make it into something other then what it is used for. I used the image of the syringe as the focal point to create the image of a tree which is symbolic for growth and existence. I wanted to make the tree into veins that were being injected by the needles. They act as branches in a space that is surreal. The space the isolated tree sits in is to suggest that in death you are alone and that in life, sometimes it is important to be just that: alone.
The concept goes further as it touches upon author Arundhati Roy’s quote from The God of Small Things, as she states, “We all know that one day we will die, but we live as though we won’t”. The mechanical contraption at the bottom acts as the roots or core of the tree’s existence, just like the human heart. The time is no longer ticking, which represents the loss of life or something that once kept you alive. The mechanics of the tree is almost cyborg like, which can relate to the life of a machine being made to work forever. We as humans are not built to live forever, yet we all work hard to hold onto every last breath of our lives. Life is sometimes cherished. Life is sometimes thrown away. When sickness or illness arises, we attempt to find a cure. We are always trying ways to hold onto this life we live. I believe that we have our time to be and exist and it is okay to say goodbye. It is okay to move on from the things we find comfortable and to bring in something new. I think that it is essential that we find refuge in the fact that we will not be here forever and to make the most of the gifts we have in front of us.
The material used for this piece consisted of the use of paper, thread ,nails, wires, syringes, watch leather straps, clear medical tubes, circuits and parts of batteries. The scale of the work is to be a one on one interaction with the viewer. I want the piece to stand isolated and alone with no sound and no movement. I want a minimalist reflection in regards to the message it will send out. The thought of having the numbers descend was something I thought about connecting with a battery. I wanted a formal presentation done in a simple frame. I want people to go up close to the image presented and look at the symbol of a tree as their lives.
I want people to just feel again.
Music of Influence:
Wednesday
So, do the stereotypes clearly label and define what it means to be queer?
I believe that there are multiple shades and hues of brilliant colours between simple butch and femme labels and dynamics.
These colours make our community vibrant. They give depth and life and individuality to the term “queer”.
The installation also comments on a personal level of what I feel comfortable in and to parts of the body that I chose not to expose due to levels of discomfort.
This piece was constructed for Body & Object and gives the viewer a glimpse into a world of assumption and how “assuming” is no longer good enough.
It was constructed by creating a mold of a classmates collarbone and casting it in wax in Claire Brunet’s mould making Class.
Not in love with mould making though, as I’m sure most of my classmates have come to realize.
There may be a switch in majors coming up for my next semester.

