In this series of work I focused on the idea of utilizing materials that people do not consider art or does not appeal as art-like to people. First, I used illustrations of utilitarian objects such as kitchenware and mechanical tools. I chose these objects because people do not consider them art. People do not see utilitarian objects as art. But if people leave their preconception about what art is then they can see beauty in these forms. I used these objects because I see that beauty what people do not. They may be cold and lack artistic or visual aesthetics, but there is more than the aesthetics. Art is beyond aesthetics. These objects have interesting forms, subforms and quality to them.
In these pieces I magnified the objects because the details are interesting to see - at least to me. People tend to neglect details of these interesting forms because they just do not understand and grasp the concept. There is beauty in small things, and the details make those object more beautiful. Understanding and opening one's eye to many levels of aesthetic form is the key to seeing what art and beauty is.
The second step I took to make this series is by applying those object on another unart-like material. I chose a texted substrate. In this case I chose a dictionary page that is more than 40 years old. A dictionary page or any text related substrate is never considered as art-like material. It is uninteresting, monotonous and unart-like. This is another reason why I chose this material. I found a texted page interesting to work on while a lot do not. The visual appeal that I saw in text form added to the effect of the illustration. The overlaying of the illustration on the texted substrate defied the tradition of art making which made it visually interesting and logically challenging. Challenging the conventional is what I deem to make as an exploring artist.
Lastly, I adhered the illustrated substrate on a more uneasthetic material. The material is a compound recycled wood materials. I chose this material because I found the random patterning very exciting and beautiful. It is in its own natural state of randomness. Where I find beauty people do not. People consider this wood purely ugly. This is another confounding reason why I did this series. I wanted to challenge the 'norm' of what people think is beauty and art.
'Art is what you make of it'. This saying is very true. Everything and nothing can be art. This may seem ridiculous and circular but it is true. Once people leave their preconception behind and be open to everything visually and conceptually, then they will understand what beauty and art is.
(*Below are some example from this series - Common Object: Utilitarian)
(* for more samples: http://www.zhibit.org/paolomejia/objectified-utilitarian )
