Ian Richling: capstone

Abstract

The artist's statement: Our capitalist system views labor as a means of adding value during production. This makes it easy to assume that time or labor has inherent value, but this is false. Time can be wasted, misused, or unfruitful. But where does this leave labor within art? The time devoted to a work of art does not directly add to its value or aesthetic beauty, but it is not entirely disconnected from the work. Labor is an expression of passion, a devotion to the craft. I can't make time spent valuable, but I can make it meaningful. I seek artmaking that is tedious and repetitive, and for this, I usually turn towards interlocking paper by folding pages together. This construction process is meditative and contemplative. Every fold of the paper provides a moment to breathe, a moment to live. All of these moments in aggregate become something more. Through my breath, through my passion, through my labor, the work lives.