High-tech gadgets like phones, smart watches, and airpods are ubiquitous in today’s society. But as technology continues to evolve at an ever-increasing pace, its effect on users can often be overlooked. As an aspiring engineer with a background in software development and robotics, I wanted to investigate our relationship to our technology and how technology has both helped and hurt humanity. How have new technologies shaped the world around us? How does the internet and social media keep us connected but also isolated, overwhelmed, and imprisoned?
My sustained investigation began with broad depictions of technology usage in modern society (2, 3). I then examined specific relationships: social media addiction (4), media negativity (7), wasteful consumerism (9), the relationship between science and warfare (10), digital privacy (12), and AI art (15). I experimented with high saturation to portray the artificial highs and lows of modern consumption (3, 4, 9, 12), and contrast to highlight lighting, texture, and surfaces (2, 3, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15). I revise works to decrease visual clutter and better highlight my original ideas (7, 12).
Height: N/A
Width: N/A
Material(s): Markers, pens, pencils, color pencils
Process(es): Stages of sketching / experimentation behind my first piece.
(60 chars)
Height: 16”
Width: 12”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Warm marble (statue of David)=traditional human values. Cold metal covering=influence of technology.
(100 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 18”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Social media icons+harsh, warm colors=chaos in world. Green seedling=contrast hope for growth+change
(100 chars)
Height: 12”
Width: 16”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils, iPhone screen
Process(es): iPhone pill=high-tech addiction. Saturated colors+pasted icons=disingenuity of online connections
(97 chars)
Height: 12”
Width: 9”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils, Adobe Photoshop
Process(es): Draft; rushing waterfall+headlines=crushing exposure to modern news. Person struggles to break free
(99 chars)
Height: 12”
Width: 9”
Material(s): Pens
Process(es): Notes for the revision of my fourth piece.
(42 chars)
Height: 12”
Width: 9”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils, Adobe Photoshop, newspapers
Process(es): Headline collage=crushing constant exposure to modern news. Escaping person=struggle to break free.
(99 chars)
Height: N/A
Width: N/A
Material(s): Markers, pens, pencils, color pencils
Process(es): Stages of sketching / experimentation behind my fifth piece.
(60 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 18”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Saturated billboards+cityscape=allure of consumerism; drab, gray garbage heap/pollution=wastefulness
(100 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 18”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Beaker, tools=science/engineering misused for destruction. Stopwatch=humanity running out of time.
(98 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 18”
Material(s): Markers, pens
Process(es): Draft; censorship=difficulty of finding truth online. Pipes+VR goggles=manipulation of thought/views
(100 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 18”
Material(s): Markers, pens, collage
Process(es): iPhone data collection=lack of privacy online. Pipes+VR goggles=manipulation of thought/views
(93 chars)
Height: N/A
Width: N/A
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Stages of sketching / experimentation behind my eighth piece.
(61 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 18”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Particle collider=beauty of science. Hand reaching out=dream of humanity to explore the unknown.
(96 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 19”
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Landscape painting = idyllic, old-fashioned art. Robot arm = technological advancements (AI).
(93 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 18”
Idea(s): A seedling sprouts in a society overrun by capitalism, industrialization, and greed.
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Social media icons+harsh, warm colors=chaos in world. Green seedling=contrast hope for growth+change
(100 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 18”
Idea(s): Consumerism’s effect on the earth.
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Saturated billboards+cityscape=allure of consumerism; drab, gray garbage heap/pollution=wastefulness
(100 chars)
Height: 12”
Width: 16”
Idea(s): The addictive nature of smartphone notifications and social media.
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): iPhone pill=high-tech addiction. Saturated colors+pasted icons=disingenuity of online connections
(97 chars)
Height: 16”
Width: 12”
Idea(s): The augmentation of traditional values / ideas in a modern society.
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Warm marble (statue of David)=traditional human values. Cold metal covering=influence of technology.
(100 chars)
Height: 24”
Width: 19”
Idea(s): Creating art in an AI-permeated world.
Material(s): Markers, pens, color pencils
Process(es): Landscape painting = idyllic, old-fashioned art. Robot arm = technological advancements (AI).
(93 chars)