BFA: "As Is Life"

The identity of self, personified in gathered/recycled materials to create unique characteristics using motors, movement, and physical viewer interaction in each piece. Using recycled materials, the piece becomes a collection of the past, taught to be itself with the versions of others that were used to build it. Like the child being born into the world, it becomes a collection or a recycled version of the "others". The goal with my work is to allow the viewer to build their perspective of the pieces in the round during their interactions to build a temporary relationship with said pieces. Each piece is different in shape, size, and movement but all embody similarity in their ability to move with electricity/motors and express themselves differently using the viewers perspective and the relationship with the viewer. Similar to the human interaction, these pieces become themselves as they move in the world. Personas and archetypes of the human and their experience in this world.  -Christian Ard

"As Is Life"

Recycled Material, Wires, Wood, Buttons, Lights, Motors, Stress Ball, Metal wires, Fan, Glass

Time does not stop, though we can sit and do nothing, inaction is still action. This piece allows for human interaction via touch and sight. The switches on the side of the dome turns on/off a light and a fan. The wire arms sticking out from the sides with wooden handles act as an influence on the rotating stress ball within the dome. The viewer can influence the environment of the rotating ball in its enclosed dome, or not. Allowing the viewers interactions to affect the placement of the ball within the dome is reflective of the impact humans have on others. Even if the viewer chooses not to interact physically with the piece, the act of not interacting is still an intentional action. 

BFA: "The Duality"

The identity of self, personified in gathered/recycled materials to create unique characteristics using motors, movement, and physical viewer interaction in each piece. Using recycled materials, the piece becomes a collection of the past, taught to be itself with the versions of others that were used to build it. Like the child being born into the world, it becomes a collection or a recycled version of the "others". The goal with my work is to allow the viewer to build their perspective of the pieces in the round during their interactions to build a temporary relationship with said pieces. Each piece is different in shape, size, and movement but all embody similarity in their ability to move with electricity/motors and express themselves differently using the viewers perspective and the relationship with the viewer. Similar to the human interaction, these pieces become themselves as they move in the world. Personas and archetypes of the human and their experience in this world.  -Christian Ard

"The Duality"

Recycled Material, Metal bearings, Wood, Wires, Microwave Motor

The duality of the piece embodies the duality of life visualized. The metal bearings rotate around in a circle, while one rises the other falls in their journey and so on around and around. The viewer sees the bearings rotating while trading the ups and the downs of the rotation with the other bearing. Being as they are polished metal; the viewer is reflected to themselves within the bearings while viewing the piece in the round allowing the viewer to see themselves and the journey of the duality of their own passings of time. The spinning of the wheel only ends when the piece is unplugged. Allowing the viewer to ponder the eternal duality of life for it to be ended when their plug has become unplugged, death. 

BFA: "Eye am I"

The identity of self, personified in gathered/recycled materials to create unique characteristics using motors, movement, and physical viewer interaction in each piece. Using recycled materials, the piece becomes a collection of the past, taught to be itself with the versions of others that were used to build it. Like the child being born into the world, it becomes a collection or a recycled version of the "others". The goal with my work is to allow the viewer to build their perspective of the pieces in the round during their interactions to build a temporary relationship with said pieces. Each piece is different in shape, size, and movement but all embody similarity in their ability to move with electricity/motors and express themselves differently using the viewers perspective and the relationship with the viewer. Similar to the human interaction, these pieces become themselves as they move in the world. Personas and archetypes of the human and their experience in this world.  -Christian Ard

"Eye am I"

Recycled Materials, Mirrored Plexi glass, Microwave Motor, Recycled Wood, Wires, LED lights

The Eye sees all and creates the identity of the "I" which becomes all. The totem like tower of mirrored Plexi glass with a rotating bottom asks the viewer to peer through the tip top of the piece downward. In the act of doing so, the hole is only big enough for one eye to look, where the viewers eye becomes reflected on multiple mirrored surfaces back to the viewer viewing while being illuminated with color changing and sound influenced LED lights (Not pictured) along the edges of the inner top portion of the piece. The level of illumination and flickering of the light is dependent on the ambient noise of the room. The interaction with the piece changes per the noise allowing for intense or subtle interactions while internally viewing. The chance for underlying archetypal perspectives to be perceived.

"One will Glean what one will Glean, when one is ready to Glean what one is ready to Glean."

BFA: "Ruckus"

The identity of self, personified in gathered/recycled materials to create unique characteristics using motors, movement, and physical viewer interaction in each piece. Using recycled materials, the piece becomes a collection of the past, taught to be itself with the versions of others that were used to build it. Like the child being born into the world, it becomes a collection or a recycled version of the "others". The goal with my work is to allow the viewer to build their perspective of the pieces in the round during their interactions to build a temporary relationship with said pieces. Each piece is different in shape, size, and movement but all embody similarity in their ability to move with electricity/motors and express themselves differently using the viewers perspective and the relationship with the viewer. Similar to the human interaction, these pieces become themselves as they move in the world. Personas and archetypes of the human and their experience in this world.  -Christian Ard

"Ruckus"

Recycled Motors, Wires, Mirrored Plexi Glass, Horn, Button, Light

Ruckus, two pieces connected through hidden wiring. The tall post with a button on top asks the viewer to interact with it via a "Push Me" tag on the button (Not pictured). Once pressed, the motor, which is covered with mirrored Plexi glass (not pictured) to conceal the contents of the device that is separate and distant from the post with the button, the unit with a tumbling container of metal, a horn, and a light are activated all at once creating a ruckus of noise in the place and drawing the attention of viewers who were engaged as well as not engaged with it.