Date of Award
5-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Legacy Department
Ceramics
Committee Member
Valerie Zimany, Committee Chair
Committee Member
Kathleen Thum
Committee Member
Andrea Feeser
Abstract
My work investigates how I can influence and alter the experience of viewers who occupy space with my installation artworks. I have been working on semi-figurative large-scale coil built ceramic sculptures with layers of drawings. Inspirations of form, color, and subjects of drawings come from both American and Japanese historical and pop cultures, which surround my life. To utilize my expression of ceramic sculpture effectively, I employ the method of narrative/storytelling approaches in my work. For my thesis, I feature walk-in installations of large-scale ceramic sculptures and drawings, which explore interrelated themes of an epic journey in the post apocalyptic world. This story came from my own experience as an international ceramic artist. In particular, the Fukushima disaster changed everything in my life. It raised my awareness that there are invisible nuclear issues and complicated politics. To understand the space of my installation; I refer to traditional Japanese space creation. When I describe the space and scale in my works, I reference the Japanese philosophy of Ma. Ma implies meanings of distance, moment, space, relationship, and more. My work is about how I can communicate with people and alter their experiences despite different cultural backgrounds, regions, or time lines. I believe that continuing ceramic art at the international level allows me to be able to communicate with someone new, by finding something important and going somewhere/ far and away
Recommended Citation
Iwamura, En, "On the Way / Far and Away" (2016). All Theses. 2342.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/2342