Date of Award
Spring 5-9-2026
Author's Department
Graduate School of Art
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Art
Degree Type
Thesis
Abstract
This thesis explores how sculpture can reorganize the experience of viewing through material change and small scale. The research begins with a phenomenon I am curious about: viewers are often drawn to moments when objects undergo destruction or transformation. However, rather than focusing on these dramatic moments of collapse, this thesis turns its attention to processes of change that are slow, subtle, and not easily perceived. It argues that material transformation can make time visible, allowing processes that are otherwise difficult to grasp to leave recognizable and traceable clues within the work. At the same time, small scale is not understood here as a simple reduction in size, but as a condition of viewing that compels viewers to approach the work, slows down recognition, and makes it possible to sustain attention on subtle differences.
Language
English
Program Chair
Tiffany Calvert
Thesis Text Advisor
Arny Nadler
Thesis Text Advisor
Meghan Kirkwood
Faculty Mentor
Arny Nadler
Committee Member
Patricia Olynyk
Committee Member
Lynne Smith
Recommended Citation
Xu, Tianqing, "Quiet Change, Close Attention" (2026). MFA in Visual Art. 45.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mfa_visual_art/45