My love for architecture inspired the body of works in this exhibition. Buildings can tell a story, and I like to learn from the buildings about the culture and time in which they were created. In my selected works, I utilized different art styles, media, and scales to illustrate the links and influences between collective or personal experiences and architecture. Architecture is a tangible art form that communicates and provokes certain messages and visual effects through various media. I, too, manipulated materials to entice the audience to experience my artworks through touch and sight. I am also interested in the interaction between architecture, its natural environment, and the audience which creates a cohesive coexistence while educating its audience about a certain culture. My artworks gather under the theme of architecture explored through the topics of purpose, values, and environment. One of the main ideas in my works was how purpose and environment came together to influence architecture. My project, In the Form of Lovely Madison, Wisconsin is a 3 dimensional take on a mural influenced by Jake Early’s and Quinn Murphy’s “It’s Another Beautiful Day in Downtown Phoenix” mural which reflected the social life in Phoenix. The bright colors symbolized the happy vibes while elements like nature and the city portrayed important components of Phoenix. Inspired by the style and use of elements, I incorporated the capitol, the lakes, and state street in my project, all elements of Madison, Wisconsin that make it unique. I used this technique in other works. Their Perfect City presents how urbanization and modernization of architecture has caused a sense of chaos and compression in cities. I organized the buildings close together with bright colors that feel unnatural. Alcohol based markers, pens and color pencils supported my idea, giving me a range of bright colors. The illusion of perfection is juxtaposed by the lack of nature and life. I used an opposing perspective in Their Actual City which showcases cities in a neutral light. I used collage to represent how messy society can come together. I wanted the audience to understand and recognize there are different perspectives. Building Blocks is a more abstract and analytical interpretation. The interactive project encourages audiences to create tiny structures out of origami cubes in a frame. I wanted the audience to feel inspired. The limitation of building with cubes represent limitations in architecture like building materials, structural support, and education while also being palatable for the audience to take charge and create their own buildings. The frame represents barriers caused by the environment and landscape.
Another theme was how purpose and culture influence the creation of architecture. Reconstruction is a structure directly influenced by the Royal Ontario museum’s architecture. The books represent how knowledge in different areas allows developments in areas like architecture. Together they fit like a puzzle, signifying how information comes together to create the world. The size represents how knowledge is available at our fingertips and museums make information accessible around the world. The idea of society being flawed is shown in Battered Homes, a direct representation of architecture present in low income areas in Brazil. In my own experience, Brazil isn’t the wealthiest country in terms of money but it is full of culture. The weary apartment that is made up of stackable clay cups reflects this. The cups symbolize how Brazil holds so much culture. The prosperity and social dynamic between people in Brazil is highlighted through the colorful graffiti on one cup that contrasts the country's rich art and condition of living. Overall, I wanted the audience to develop a deeper understanding of the influences on architecture. The arrangement of my exhibition focuses on making the audience feel like they have walked through and experienced the various aspects that work together with architecture to successfully portray its message. My artworks were placed in a succession, beginning with pieces that have abstract ideas, then representations of the world, and then personal connections, with Come on in, the only piece reflecting the interior.