Assignment 2 – Sunjana Kulkarni

For this exercise, I created three samples and focused on them being in a symbiotic relationship with the body. By symbiotic, however, I did not necessarily intend for the audience to think the human subject was completely in harmony with the samples. A couple of the examples are designed to be on the more unsettling side, while one is more playful.

While constructing these samples, I wanted to play around with the emotions they were meant to exude with the audience, as well as several different types of materials. Thus, in total I used cardboard, paper, a dowel, elastic, and tape to make my experiments. The “pinwheel” sample is more lighthearted: I wanted to experiment with the rigidity of the cardboard, and through combining the cardboard piece with the dowel, I discovered that the cardboard was ideal for creating the spinning effect because it would only yield somewhat to a hard force like a slap, as opposed to paper or fabric which would crumble. As for my “strange new visitor” sample, I wanted to see how I could make a simple design, creased (accordion-style) paper, seem sinister. So, while playing around with the two creased papers, I experimented with putting them in different places on my body where they’d be hidden from view, only to “peek” out with certain body motions. The acting in the video was more for fun, and trying to make the presentation more dynamic. Finally, with the “breaking from chains” experiment, I wanted to play around with using strings to bend paper, concealing the face, and using my pieces in a symbolic manner. In the video, I am shown with my hands in a restrained position behind my head, as if I am chained to something. The paper pieces are enveloping my face as if they are confining me. When I “break” the chains, 2 pieces come down, so part of my face is freed. The last piece comes down when I “put my foot down”, which would literally and figuratively (as in putting my foot down and demanding my rights) “free” me.