ART + DESIGN SENIOR EXHIBITION
Tessie Van Dyke
BFA Sculpture
Artist Website: tessievandyke.com
ARTIST STATEMENT: Euphoria is a funny thing. To yourself, it can feel like the most amazing experience. It feels intensely spiritual, cosmic, and never-ending. However, to the outside eye, it can appear horrific or pitiful. This feeling is what I wanted to capture in my performance. I unify the two sides of my work - textile art and performance - by creating a persona to represent what these intangible experiences are to me. I am inspired by masks crafted by peoples around the world and how important representing the face has been across cultures. Thematically, I hope my art can shed light onto the real experiences of people who are neurodivergent or have mental illness. As in Dada, I often use the absurd to disrupt the logic of the world and open minds to accepting new ideas. If I can shake people into listening, I will have achieved my goal.