ICUL CTION
C o n t e m p o r a r y A r t R e v i e w
Mark Franz
Special Issue
Zelda Deforested - and your work in general - conveys an effective criticism concerning the materialistically driven culture that saturates our contemporary age . But while artists from the contemporary scene , as Ai WeiWei or more recently Jennifer Linton , use to express open socio-political criticism in their works , you seem more interested to hint the direction , inviting the viewers to a process of self-reflection that may lead to subvert a variety of usual , almost stereotyped cultural categories . Do you consider that your works could be considered political in a certain sense or did you seek to maintain a more neutral approach ? And in particular , what could be in your opinion the role that an artist could play in contemporary society ?
I do consider some of my work to be political , including Zelda Deforested , as it does hint at stereotypes often associated with certain political factions , such as “ preppers .” This is not overt , and is open to interpretation , but I could see how these associations could be made , whether intentional or unintentional . In many ways , political work can be seen as synonymous with contemporary art . My last visit to one of the world ’ s most prominent collections of contemporary art was an immersion in politically charged art from artists around the world . This communicated to me that political art has immense cultural and economic value , and can even be seen as a form of entertainment , not unlike watching or listening to the news . But it also confirmed that art is a powerful venue for social change , as showing someone what his or her peers think is the most effective way to alter that person ’ s opinion .
Besides producing your stimualting works you hold the Chair of the Graphic Design area , in the School of Art + Design at Ohio University and you teach Graphic Design , New Media , Visual Systems , and Interaction
Design : how do these aspects of your work influence your practice ? In particular , have you ever been inspired from your students ' ideas ?
My teaching and research are completely symbiotic because I enjoy teaching the principles and methods used in my practice . I am inspired by my students ideas all the time , and in particular , inspired by how group dialogue can produce increasingly good ideas . We use three distinct methods to develop ideas , one is the critique process , which is dialogue , and helps to verbally express and refine projects and ideas . The second is image making , sketching , drawing , and creating iterations or work in order to efficiently work through options . The third is research , reading , and finding references , in order to be informed about what is out there already , and what we can add to what has already been done . All of these methods produce extraordinary results that are inspiring .
Over these years your works have been showcased in several occasions , including your recent participation at It Figures : The Body in Art at the ARC Gallery , Chicago . One of the hallmarks of your practice is the capability to create a direct involvement with the viewers , who are urged to evolve from a condition of mere spectatorship . So before leaving this conversation we would like to pose a question about the nature of the relationship of your art with your audience . Do you consider the issue of audience reception as being a crucial component of your decision-making process , in terms of what type of language is used in a particular context ?
The audience reception is a important part of my process as a designer , and this is where the psychological aspect becomes really essential . I see formal qualities as building
28