Abstract

Is trauma tangible? My thesis will examine my experiences with trauma and the influence it has on my practice as a visual artist. I define trauma as the reaction to physical and emotional experiences of distress, abuse, and neglect, that invaded mind and body. My traumatic memories remain subconsciously hidden, an instinctive 'survival instinct' failsafe ingrained into my psyche, that files away many unbearable experiences, only to be evoked and experienced in the present by a trigger. For me, domestic space is often that trigger. Throughout the reflective analysis of my childhood traumas, I showcase the allegorical stories, signifiers and themes of a broken home. My work brings material poetic forms to the intangible aspects of trauma, using materials and domestic references to bring a new coherence to traumatic memories. In doing so, I seek to exorcize the "negative" spaces of my past and produce a sculptural environment that evokes ideas about childhood, home, neglect and, ultimately, care. In this written thesis, I will discuss domestic and familial themes within social sciences, contemporary art and personal experiences; I will expound upon my creative process, influences and self-discoveries around trauma that inform my current practice as an artist.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2022

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Clercx, Byron

Degree

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

School of Visual Arts and Design

Degree Program

Emerging Media; Studio Art and Design

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0009055; DP0026388

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0026388

Language

English

Release Date

May 2022

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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