Title

TACIT MATTER

Author

Gillian Tobin, Washington University in St LouisFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-15-2014

Author's School

Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts

Author Department/Program

Graduate School of Art

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Art

Degree Type

Thesis

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Abstract

Physical objects act as the materialization of the insatiable longing that accompanies the human condition. This desire without end imprints the feeling of loss within the subject. As one continually searches for a sense of belonging, the quest for the ideal remains at an insurmountable distance. This utopic place is closely associated with home—an abstraction that exists only in reverie. The sheltering walls of the house are often mistaken for the stable sensation of belonging. However, it is the ontology of an object, particularly the fragment that acts as a physical manifestation of this ephemeral side of being. We contend with reality through the ordering of the things around us. By exploring philosophical territory concerning metaphysics, object- hood, and notions of home, this thesis seeks to contextualize object and form as a means to contend with the transient condition of unfulfilled , indefinable longing. Acting as a stand-in, the fragment concretizes the immaterial nature of longing, belonging, and home.

Language

English (en)

Program Director

Patricia Olynyk

Program Director's Department

Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts

Second Committee Member

Arny Nadler

Fourth Committee Member

Cheryl Wassenaar

Artist's Statement

Permanent URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.7936/K7J1012V