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THIS CREATIVE PROJECT IS PRESENTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ART & ART HISTORY SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS SERAFIN PINEDO TUESDAY, MARCH 14 WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF BFA ADVISORY CRAIG HOBBS STEVE DURIE |
Artist Statement
Society has taught us to believe that the person one should strive to be, is that who is the life of the party; one should be outgoing and sociable. If one is not, then perhaps there is something wrong. Being the life of the party or even attending said party isn’t easy for many, especially for those dealing with social anxiety. This doesn’t mean that people who have social anxiety are anti-social, nor are they completely shy, but rather have an innate fear of embarrassing themselves when they are in social situations. This anxiety may follow them through out their daily lives, and can affect how they behave in those settings. Their anxiety is initiated when going anywhere new, having a conversation with a stranger, or being alone in a room full of people. All of these tasks can be daunting, as they feel like there is a spotlight constantly on them. Nevertheless, there are varying degrees, but most people that identify with these experiences may have social anxiety. For those reasons, I felt that it was important to showcase the concept of social anxiety in this manner. I believe that it helps individuals dealing with social phobia reflect, such as myself, while allowing others that are unfamiliar with this anxiety to better understand it.
“SoXiety” is an immersive audio and visual installation piece designed to underline the experiences of people dealing with social phobia. Each of the panels on the wall, including the heart in the center, are meant to be visual metaphors for this type of anxiety. As the content plays out, all of the panels respond accordingly. They are like television screens replaying a distant memory from a past event. This is similar to how a person with this phobia, often plays out certain events in their head after they have already occurred. Their recollection of an event is often distorted by their own perceived notions. While in those settings, their anxiety levels may rise, and their ability to think or speak clearly greatly diminishes. This this represented through the use of distortion and the analog static seen throughout the piece. The use of animated drawings also plays into this idea. The sketches signify those same distorted beliefs. They are interpretations of experiences, however, they are not the real thing.
“SoXiety” is an immersive audio and visual installation piece designed to underline the experiences of people dealing with social phobia. Each of the panels on the wall, including the heart in the center, are meant to be visual metaphors for this type of anxiety. As the content plays out, all of the panels respond accordingly. They are like television screens replaying a distant memory from a past event. This is similar to how a person with this phobia, often plays out certain events in their head after they have already occurred. Their recollection of an event is often distorted by their own perceived notions. While in those settings, their anxiety levels may rise, and their ability to think or speak clearly greatly diminishes. This this represented through the use of distortion and the analog static seen throughout the piece. The use of animated drawings also plays into this idea. The sketches signify those same distorted beliefs. They are interpretations of experiences, however, they are not the real thing.
