Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

5-2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

M.F.A.

Department

Fine Arts

Degree Program

Studio Art and Design, MFA

Committee Chair

Carothers, Mary

Committee Member

Rhodes, Che

Committee Member

Stine, Courtney

Committee Member

Hagan, Michael

Author's Keywords

faith; human nature; ultimate desire; installation art; light; ceramic

Abstract

Alabaster Glory includes three installations in the gallery space: 望(wàng), 盛(chéng), and 余(yú). These components represent three stages of human life: the beginning, living on this earth, and the end. The core concept behind the three stages is the relationship between the creator (God) and creations, referring to humans that live in this broken world containing suffering, chaos, crime, conflict, or the personal experience of an inner void.

Alabaster Glory invites viewers to walk through the space first to encounter a magnitude of infant heart forms placed by a window, which intends to evoke curiosity about their quantity and symbolism. Once viewers have immersed themselves within the installation, they will experience light projected from broken vessels to reflect upon: Would you expect to see the light inside or outside the vessels? Would you expect the vessels to project light or cast only shadows? Finally, the last stage of Alabaster Glory consists of dust, ashes, and one alabaster heart on top. It is located on the opposite end of the gallery from the two thousand hearts, and compels the viewers to ponder: What is the ultimate desire and treasure that will not fade away and remain at the end of life?

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