I enjoyed the artist lecture on Monday. I found it inspirational and found myself writing down idea after idea during and after the lecture.I think her work is smart and in some ways playful. The progression from one idea and project to the next within different series in her work is particularly motivational. She talked about doing work because it works for the work that you are making, and not, working in a particular way because other people have done something similar. Umbrico talked about the idea of ownership and appropriation and how none of that should deter a person from creating work.
Umbrico's work deals with the subject of consumerism. Using Home Improvement magazines she creates multiple works that questions consumeristic ideals and practices. I found it very interesting when she spoke of the them as viruses or germs. They come into your home whether you let them in or not. Houndreds, thousands, everyday. Umbrico played with the focus of the camera, to create those bacterial, organic intrusive organisms.
Umbrico's work is connected by a fascination with the idea of voyeurism. Whether it be through home inprovement magazines or honeymoon brochures or online cites like Flickr, Ebay and Craig's List these things are a view into the lives of other people, real or not. The magazines and brochures are an unattainable idealized alternative lifestyle. The websites are a the view into peoples houses, clutter, and vacations.
I've already taken so much away from the lecture, that I am excited to work. I could relate a lot of thoughts and feelings I had about my work now to the work she was doing with the home improvement magazines. Although I was visually liked the work she did with the TV screens, conceptually it was very different from my own work.
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