In universities, Visual Art shares a distinguished place in the area of Fine Arts, where creative research is the proper mission in the amalgam of activities that constantly renew the mind. The products of these creative undertakings continually surprise us with alternative ways of seeing the world. With a vision that is open, wise, and true to the creator’s purpose, a fully sanctioned realm of fancy and function comes into being. We continue recognizing an elusive bridge between mind and matter, with jumbles of energized commisions and products laying out newer and newer options for our gaze. If an observer can enter an exhibition of visual art with few expectations, they may encounter grandeur, and it may be meaningful and lasting.

We mounted an exhibition of the products from two sections of 3-D Fundamentals classes in the School of Art at Illinois State University. The work in this show addresses an assignment titled: The Affected body: from affect to effect and back again.

Students presented their ideas for extending a visual, or functional aspect of the human body through the manufacture of both functional, or fantasy objects. These works are designed to either attach to the body, or in some cases serve as remote prosthetics.

Matt Seibert, Untitled (device for spinning a Frisbee on your fingertip), wood, aluminum, rubber, Frisbee

Objects that extend, or enhance the normal functions of the body, either physically, or in theory suggest the idea of making survival easier. There is an obvious metaphor present as a subtext in this project when we consider the rise of electronic dependency in the present age. We find an obvious relationship between the powers we gain with technological intervention, and those functional attributes we are willing to give up.

“Every extension of mankind, especially technological extensions, has the effect of amputating or modifying some other extension… The extension of a technology like the automobile "amputates" the need for a highly developed walking culture, which in turn causes cities and countries to develop in different ways. The telephone extends the voice, but also amputates the art of penmanship gained through regular correspondence. These are a few examples, and almost everything we can think of is subject to similar observations…We have become people who regularly praise all extensions, and minimize all amputations.”

 “Understanding Media” by Marshall McLuhan

The amputation in the case of the student’s efforts to explore ideas for this project could most likely be identified as time itself in the six hours (or more) a week devoted to single classes. In an exceedingly natural way, with the breadth of classroom activity, its hours of triumphs and brilliant failures, there are precious historic moments in these class periods that becomes staunchly minimized with time.

These students are young, begining their difficult, yet illuminating creative journeys. Notwithstanding the minimizing processes of time and memory in classroom after classroom, their unique products remain, and all works in our exhibition are solidly fixed in the world, and undoubtedly praiseworthy.

Rhianna Brown, Untitled (spring shoes), steel, wood. Aluminum, pigment

  John Klein, Untitled (wearable outlets), wood, bondo, electrical hardware

Kelsey Kaiser, Untitled (back plate/w head unit), wood, aluminum, paint

Daniel Valencia, Untitled (self-shelf and slingshot), wood, steel, rubber, leather

Daniel Valencia, Untitled (self-shelf and slingshot), wood, steel, rubber, leather

Hannah Krajewski, Untitled (wearable heart lite), aluminum

Erika Paige, Untitled (unicorn as extension), Lucite, aluminum, feathers, paint

Samantha Golden, Untitled (fluid digestive system), aluminum, plumbing hardware, plastic sheeting

Ashley Koenig, Message ME, 2011, aluminum, paper, steel. This work is an explanation of the invasion of texting, and the rebellion of this new media as an extension of the body.

Thomas Pekovitch, Untitled (tree frog hand extention), aluminum, leather, fabric, elastic

  Seth Hodel,  Dead to the Law but Alive to God, plastic, steel, aluminum, leather. This body extension is a reverse marionette. The piece will perform in opposition with the users actions. Based on chapter 7 of Romans, written by the Apostle Paul.

Seth Hodel,  Dead to the Law but Alive to God, (in performance)plastic, steel, aluminum, leather. 

 Omar Khan, Untitled (wearable conscience), fabric, wood, clay, pigment

  Olivia Mlakar, Untitled, (metallic hair extension), aluminum. Beads, fabric

Trevor Dean, Untitled (periscope), Lucite, aluminum, mirrors

Karissa Kotovsky, Brain Activity, 2011, aluminum, fabric, sponge clay  

Ashlee Fears, Untitled (conjoined twin), plaster, aluminum, elastic

 Emily Aleshire, Untitled (spiked shoe covers), wood, lucite, pewter, galvanized steel

 Emily Aleshire, Untitled (spiked shoe covers, detail), wood, Lucite, pewter, galvanized steel

Emily Nee, Untitled (variable cup holder), aluminum, fabric, paper cup

Danielle Perganson, Untitled (wings), aluminum, down and feathers

Danielle Perganson, Untitled (wings), aluminum, down and feathers

Taylor Schuck, Idea Catcher, 2011, aluminum, pigment, fabric

Lance Savage, Untitled (adjustable, telescoping pointer), wood, lucite, aluminum, leather, fabric

Richard Barnes, Untitled (self-leveling thigh mounted fish bowl), aluminum, glass, bungee cord

Richard Barnes, Untitled (thigh mounted fish bowl demo), aluminum, glass, bungee cord

Extending the Body, poster, Illinois State University, School of Art

Exhibition runs December 7-December 17, 2011, hours: Friday, 12-3, Saturday 12-3

Special hours for Wednesday, December 14, 11-6pm

102 West North Street, Normal, Illinois  for information: gjustis@ilstu.edu

Photos by permission of the student artists

Exhibition poster by L.J. Douglas

all photos copyright © 2011 by Gary Justis

Thanks to the City of Normal, Illinois for their generous lease of this exhibition space, to the many generous merchants and members of the Uptown Normal community, to our Mayor of Normal, Chris Koos, who has provided support and encouragement,  to Joe Tulley, Uptown Marketing Manager of Normal, to Professor Tony Crowley, for his management and support of this exciting student exhibition venue, to Tyson Sones for his excellent job installing the new floor of the gallery, to Randy Reid for his valuable construction expertise in the early days of the gallery, to my Colleagues in the School of Art, who consistently support one-another in our many projects, to my dear wife and collaborator, L.J. Douglas, who brings her amazing skill set to bear upon the many seemingly insoluble problems associated with these projects and other creative processes, to Steven Arney, for his friendship,collaborative creative efforts, intelligence,  and wonderful sense of humor, and to the student artists who continually change the way we think about things....