Project #2 Concept/Thesis

My second project consists of an interactive collage and an interactive painting. This concept was originally inspired by an interactive painting done by Jasper Johns', which was discussed Ken Feingold's article, The Interactive Art Gambit. In the article, Feingold describes Johns' work Target (a representation of this work can be seen to the left), in which the artist includes a brush and a paint tin, as if inviting the viewer to finish the work. However, Feingold says that the actual physical interaction of the piece was not important, it was merely the idea of interaction that was important. With my second project I am taking Johns' concept further by starting a work of art and then actually allowing the viewer to partcipate and thereby complete the work.

The first piece work of art that I have started is essentailly a collage, which is a reference to Jasper Johns' preference for the medium of collage in many of his pieces. This collage depicts a landscape similar to that of Colorado's frontrange, a reference to the fact that many people, from all across the frontrange, will come together to interact with the work of art that I have created. Also in this collage, in the upper left, is a representation of a target, an allusion to Johns' subject matter.

The second work of art that I have started is a painting similar to the painting by Johns that inspired my project. This painting consists of a large target in the center of the composition. The target, however, has been left blank, and therefore, the viewer is invited to fill in this blank white space. This target is sandwiched between two representations mountain ranges. Within these mountain ranges I have drawn a satellite dish, as well as telephone wires, an effort to reference the idea that the viewer is connecting or communicating with Jasper Johns' original work.

To make this project available to the public, I held an "Interactive Art Night" at a local tavern near my home, Cafe Cero. I displayed these two artworks with markers, crayons and colored pencils, inviting the patrons of Cafe Cero to interact with and thereby complete my works of art.