2014 MFA Applicants: Share your work and statement!

[agrobaby]

Thanks Kafralal and Erpnope for your input! 

The sketches are hard for me to lose in the application process, simply because they are so vital to my practice.

 

And I agree, "interested" is a weak word. 

 

:-)

[thepictureisstill]

www.ruthkburke.com

 

feedback much appreciated and will be returned.

[egregore]

This is my first post on Gradcafe.  However I've been perusing the forums for at least a year and a half.  I'm getting ready and psyched up for applying to MFA programs for 2014 so I figured that this topic could be a good starting point.  My work is here

 

www.tompazderka.com

 

the statement and everything else is there as well, including a link to my blog.  Any feedback is appreciated, especially if someone has any ideas which schools might be a good fit for my work.  My list of schools, which is incomplete, is below.  I'm really interested in small programs that focus on interdisciplinarity, research, criticism and philosophy of art.

 

University of Chicago

MIT

Cornell

Northwestern

Stanford

Boston University

UC Santa Barbara

Rutgers

CalArts

UCLA

[evd]

Just drafted these two project statements for the work on my new website. Unsure if I should post them both, or a more condensed single statement.

 

evandeuitch.weebly.com

 

Photographing arts facilities has been a way for me to create connections between my recent circumstances as an artist and my childhood living with parents who were also artists. My early experiences growing up in a converted studio/loft in a former factory in Brooklyn still influence my perception of the world today. Industrial architecture, exposed pipes, high ceilings, wooden floors, and the accumulation of artists’ materials are as present in the School of Visual Arts at Penn State as they were in my initial surroundings as a child. Despite their familiarity, the spaces belong entirely to the creative pursuits of others, and photographing the physical setting of their endeavors shifted my attention from my own experiences to a larger community. Universities allow immensely personal and private experiences to occur in areas that are both public and accessible.

 

The photographs in Walking Images were the result of a summer I had spent working and living near Penn State’s campus. Over the course of the summer, I began a process of visual note-taking through my photographs. While wandering both on and off campus, my response to the variety of surfaces, objects, and materials, all within walking distance, were recorded as images. The university setting often makes accessibility to any variety of locales by foot possible, a fact that has come to my full advantage as a photographer. The high concentration of seemingly urban, natural, academic, and residential scenery within a fairly small geographic area is identifiable to Penn State, often described as a city in and of itself.

[davidn]

Hi all,

 

First time posting. I'm thinking of applying this round for admission in fall of 2014, but I might wait it out a bit. I've only been out of school one year and was only really an art student for just over a year at school. I was transfer student to University of Chicago and wasn't planning on a visual arts BA (not BFA) but sort of fell into the program and realized how to sync my love of making with my love of ideas and call it contemporary art. Anyhow, my website is www.davidnasca.com. My statement is: 

 

"In our age of queer acceptance, when mainstream activism is focused on normativity and disidentification with the far left, I’ve found a particular locus of frustration with my own identity and biology. As a gay man, I am incapable of reproduction. I am trying, and will always be failing, in my art to affect this condition.  In some ways, I see my art as activist art fighting against the hegemony of science and biology, forces I see as great, unchallenged oppressors of queers today. We’ve gone from “explaining out” homosexuality via moral grounds, to ways of “explaining in” homosexuality via science. Society refuses to let sexuality just be. I believe that science cannot access our attractions, orgasms, and affective bonds, that a gene cannot explain homosexuality, that psychology can’t explain why we want to be tied up, and that while sexual reproduction can explain the process of evolution, evolution cannot explain the origins of sexuality. I want to stake the ground in this scientific lacuna, and make a new resting point for queer identities.

 

My making is my way of reproducing myself in the world. Each object I make is a physical and sensual act: I pierce, stitch, mold, and stuff myself into my work. I see my making as one side of a collaboration with fantasy. My objects are a way for me to realize fantasies, either my own or others’, in three dimensions. In this way they become fetish objects, ways of accessing what we normally cannot. Often, I seek to engage my audience in collaboration, inviting them to rest upon, use, or otherwise violate a work’s status as an art object. In these ways, my work becomes a site of not only contemplation, but bonding as well. I often work with leather because of its myriad cultural valences; it is a material often eroticized, coveted, and associated with particular uses, allowing me to draw in these connotations. Leather also quite literally contains the visceral; it is a material with the ability to both entice and disgust. This quality makes it especially suited to exploring sexuality: that inexplicable force that perpetuates us, drives us to sadness, love, creation, elation; that which vacillates between condemnation and celebration; that fundamental of humanity which science, society, and politics seek to explain, to regulate, to legislate, but not to engage."

 

I'd love any feedback! Like I said, I'm not sure if this is the year for me but I might apply to a few schools to feel it out. I just wish it all wasn't so damn expensive... Schools that I'm interested in are VCU (crafts-fiber), MICA (sculpture), Hunter, Yale (sculpture), and I am researching more. I'm trying to balance finding a program where student work has a high level of finish (VCU, MICA) with finding a program with very strong non-art academic offerings (ie Yale). I found I benefited tremendously in my art making from my academic classes as an undergrad (esp queer theory classes) and have been missing this sort of stimulation outside of school. That being said, I'm very invested in making objects, and making them well (I hope). I was pushed in directions to make my work sloppier in some ways at UChicago (pretty theory/concept heavy dept.) and I don't want to have to defend what I want to do in grad school. I'm worried a program like Yale might be similar. Any suggestions? 

 

Thanks in advance!

[kafralal]

Your statement is fantastic! I conquer that it is important for you to find the right place. I think your concerns about Yale are probably justified and I would choose a faculty member to contact (you can do this at other places of interest as well). I would tell them your concerns and that you are trying to make sure that your efforts are going in the right direction ie. the best fit. Share your statement, images and what you are looking for (it is probably a good idea to include: "I'm taking the liberty of sending you..., I hope that is ok") and ask them directly if Yale is the place for you? You've got everything together, statement, images and what you want, so I imagine it would be a pleasure, and easy for them to help you.

 

Good Luck!

[kafralal]

Of course, by "images" I mean send them the link you posted above.

[FAR]

Hi all,

 

I have no background in art, although hold Masters in Structural Engineering and Architecture… I am crossing the boundaries of art, and going to pursue a MFA. 

 

here is the list of schools so far ...

 

Yale

Bard

Columbia

USC

UCLA

 

some work: http://www.farlandscapes.com

 

Any thoughts ?

[kafralal]

Hi Far.

 

I'm curious...why are you pursuing an mfa? You've done some really interesting architectural/structural engineering work...what are you looking for with art?

[FAR]

Thanks kafralal,

 

My interests in architecture and engineering right now is about the process of thinking and the methodology of creating tools and solving problems. Specially, Architecture is not what we understand as Architecture anymore. It is expanding to another level. I am coming from SCI-Arc which I think is the only school of architecture alive... but It still need something else.

 

Art is the field that will resolve any questions.

 

Why I want to pursue an MFA? Because I want to pursue a personal practice in art with the mixture in engineering and architecture. 

[soapeater]

Apparently I posted this in the wrong place. Lets see if this gets a response here. 

 

My work can be seen here: http://jordansmithart.com

 

I'm applying for my MFA in sculpture at the following schools:

 

University of Cincinnati 

Alfred University

Michigan State

University of Michigan

Massachusetts College of Art & Design

University of Indiana at Bloomington 

University of Tennessee Knoxville

University of Maryland

 

I welcome critique of my work and recommendations for different schools to apply to or information on the schools listed above. 

 

Thanks,

J

[kafralal]

Your work seems to be quite accomplished. I like your home page piece (white plaster? in wooden cage) and the iron and glass ones the best. One less angle shot and one detail shot of at least one piece in each series, would be nice.

 

Not sure what your criteria are for the schools you have listed but, how about VCU?

[soapeater]

Your work seems to be quite accomplished. I like your home page piece (white plaster? in wooden cage) and the iron and glass ones the best. One less angle shot and one detail shot of at least one piece in each series, would be nice.

 

Not sure what your criteria are for the schools you have listed but, how about VCU?

 

Thank you very much for your comments.

 

At one point I was looking into VCU but I kinda backed off once I realized that it is the number one sculpture program in the country. Intimidation I guess is why. But i realize that's a silly reason. I should look into their program again. 

 

I'm looking a lot at faculty and student work. I want a program that has a strong foundation in materials but that will push me conceptually. I'm also looking for programs that encourage or require interdisciplinary work or research. Facilities and funding are also important. I'm very interested in teaching and would like to teach my own courses while earning my degree.

[kafralal]

What are your thoughts about location?

[soapeater]

I'm primarily looking for schools in more urban settings (other than Alfred). I come from a very small town and would like a change of environment. And I'm also only really looking at schools near the east, I haven't really considered any schools in the west.

[thekylemeyer]

Hello Everybody,

 

  I am still working on my statement but I would love some feedback on my work.  www.thekylemeyer.com

The schools I will be applying for all in photography are:

 

Yale

Columbia

SVA
Parsons

Hunter

NYU

 

Any feedback would be great!

 

Kyle

[kafralal]

I'm primarily looking for schools in more urban settings (other than Alfred). I come from a very small town and would like a change of environment. And I'm also only really looking at schools near the east, I haven't really considered any schools in the west.

Ok, I haven't really looked into schools on the east coast (there are so many!), but I'm sure others have, and could make some suggestions.

[kafralal]

Hi thekylemeyer!

Impressive photos! Gaining access seems to be one of your strengths (I'm not really a photo person, so please pardon my ignorance in advance). As you have probably already been told, I think you would make a great photojournalist (national geographic comes to mind), but the market is saturated, as you say...you're looking for other ways to use your images (I'm thinking/ writing here!)...stitching and weaving has 'entered the picture' (sorry!) in a pretty organic way...bleaching etc. Interesting....but maybe these techniques are all still a little too superficial as is, maybe they need to be pushed more? I'm wondering what you are thinking of in terms of photography, other than market saturation. The weaving, sitching is promising and potentially interesting, but we need more... It seems to me that photography, like other media, is pretty self-reflexive these days—photos and photography ask critcal questions of themselves, rather than just looking for, and stopping at, new techniques...maybe something to think about when writing your statement and thinking about the work you've done so far and where you are taking it...or maybe I'm not saying anything you haven't thought of already and/ or maybe you're headed in a totally different direction...

 

A couple of details showing the stiching might be good. That makes me think about how documenting stiched, woven or otherwise physically manipulated photos is quite different from digital documentation (not sure if your original photos are digital or film)—they are objects that require external lighting....anyway...

 

hope I've stumbled on something useful.

[Moonhart44]

I'm looking at 
UCLA

UC Berkley

SFAI (it's complicated)

CCA

SAIC

 

Really just want to get into the UCB Art Practice problem.  But Idk. I'm too young.  Doesn't hurt to try. 

Wrote my personal statement (for the most part).  I need 3 more paintings!

[bannedinbc]

Hello Everybody,

 

  I am still working on my statement but I would love some feedback on my work.  www.thekylemeyer.com

The schools I will be applying for all in photography are:

 

Yale

Columbia

SVA

Parsons

Hunter

NYU

 

Any feedback would be great!

 

Kyle

 

I'd be interested to see what you say about the turban series. Something about putting "turbans" on a white guy in a way that seems to be aestheticizing and using them almost as fashion accessories seems like it could be problematic. Just wondering how you think about that piece.

[tabbykiki]

Hello Everybody,

 

  I am still working on my statement but I would love some feedback on my work.  www.thekylemeyer.com

The schools I will be applying for all in photography are:

 

Yale

Columbia

SVA

Parsons

Hunter

NYU

 

Any feedback would be great!

 

Kyle

Wow Kyle, love your work.

[thekylemeyer]

Thank you for all the feedback.  I am having a hard time what I am going to say in my SOP its tough cause I work in a vast array of ways.  

 

The Turban series is this: After being entrenched in African culture the last couple years, I fell in love with a quintessential component of that culture: the wax print fabric. This Fabric is used by women to wrap around their waste, head and even their back to carry infants. Having spent quite a bit of time in a bus rank, I observed how frequently women uses this fabric to wrap around their heads as hats. I acquired my first few pieces of fabric and started experimenting on my own by wrapping, twisting and knotting it. I taught myself how to make a range of wraps, from simple waist wraps to extravagant bows and flower-shaped head pieces. Given homosexuality is Swaziland is illegal, as well as working on a documentary in a church I constantly had to hide my sexuality and suppress my feminine side. By making these hats and wraps, I was able to embrace my femininity and find my voice in the extremely masculine-dominated culture that I was living in.

[bannedinbc]

Nice! that's great. I think it also adds a lot to the piece to know that.

[kafralal]

Say all the things about your work that are important to you and how you make your work, point to both general and specific concerns or interests and find insightful ways (words) to connect or contrast them. Show what you have learned and how: what challenged previous assumptions and what pointed you in new, unexpected directions. Some of that is in the paragraph you just wrote.

[thekylemeyer]

Thanks!  Its really nice to hear your feedback!