7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

1/12

Investigating

Viewpoints in

the Big BendArea of

Texas

MEANING &

MATERIALITY

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

2/12

THESIS

We can expand the

meanings of materials

based upon where

materials come from and

what meanings other

people ascribe to them.

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

3/12

A quality of art thatincludes both thephysical mass of

created objects andthe select materials used to create them

Distinct from content

and composition

WHAT IS MATERIALITY?

Now There Is Time for Everything, 2011, 48 x 50 inches

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

4/12

Daniel Bernard Gray

Visual artist

Materiality is a strongelement in work

Interest in why somematerials are more

meaningful Interest in Big Bend

border issues andmeanings

Billi London-Gray

Writer, photographer

Symbolism, metaphorstrong elements

Interest in aestheticsand art criticism

Interest in semioticsand assignation ofmeanings, especiallyin visual language

WHY MEANING & MATERIALITY?

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

5/12

We want to convey meaning through art (despite SusanSontags polemic against meaning in AgainstInterpretation, which we read for this project).

No academic work has specifically addressed themeanings of materials native to the Big Bend.

Related: Dario Robleto (Texas artist)

Related: Yukio Lippit (Harvard art historian)

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

6/12

This project contributes to the culture of the Big Bend.

Big Bend is peopled by a disparate spread of nativesand imported artists; we involved people of varyingbackgrounds in our research.

This project connects the native materials, theinhabitants of the area and the art world.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

7/12

Mattermaterial is just molecules until people giveit a name and a meaning, a significance, based on it spath through time and space.

Genesis 2.19: Out of the ground the Lord God formedevery beast of the field and every bird of the air, andbrought them to Adam to see what he would call them.

And whatever Adam called each living creature, that

was its name.

We humans are the only arbiters of meaning.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

8/12

1. Videos and

photos

2. I nterv iews

3. Col lecti ons

4. Synthesis

OUR

PROCESS:

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

9/12

OUR PRODUCT:A v ide o in s ta l l a t ion a nd e s sa y a b out e x p a nde d me a n ing s o f ma te r ia l s

Expanse | Elements | Existence | Effects

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

10/12

Materiality

Two categories ofmaterial meanings:

Symbols Artifacts

New materials

Expanse

Light

Expanded meanings

Sky

Creosote

Soil

WHAT WE DISCOVERED

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

11/12

Professionally

Interviews

Creative resources

Professional contacts

Collaboration

We can do it!

We still want to do it.

Others want to join.

Repeats

Big Bend

Grants

People outside art world

WHAT WE DISCOVERED

7/31/2019 SURF Presentation: Meaning and Materiality in the Big Bend of Texas

12/12

ONVIEW

SEPARATE AND JOIN TOGETHERUniversity Galleries

May 7-11, 2012

Public ReceptionThursday, May 10

5-7 p.m.

www.youtube.com/billilg