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factoronto · 6 years

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MEET THE FAC 2018 RESIDENCY ARTISTS: Katrissa Singer

What, from your life or experiences, has influenced your work most? What do you hope to achieve in your art?

I have always used my art as a means of dissecting and analyzing my experience, so whatever is going on in my life at any given moment is bound to be reflected in what I create.

For the past several years I’ve mainly been making art that speaks to navigating life with chronic illness. I’ve explored this subject from many different angles in a wide range of media. A zine poking fun at prescription medication labels, a large photographic series confronting the embodied experience of being at the mercy of medical institutions, assemblage sculptures out of prescription medicine bottles, t-shirt designs referencing the spoonie subculture, a community-based art project aiming to de-stigmatize prescription medication use, street art encouraging self-compassion, and many other smaller projects came out of this period of discovering, denying, exploring and finally accepting my limitations. I don’t think that “accepting limitations” is the same as “giving up”. It is more about finding different ways to do things, adjusting one’s expectations, reassessing priorities, or allowing oneself to grieve and move on.

Lately I’ve been going through many different transitions simultaneously, and I’m often finding myself in liminal spaces. Sometimes I am finding it hard to adapt to always being in flux, and I yearn for certainty. At other times, being-not-quite-here-but-not-there-yet-either feels perfectly natural and even a bit exciting. This is why right now I am inspired by change and growth. I want to reconcile myself with my past and let go of the baggage that’s been dragging me down. I’ve been reading a lot about the effect trauma has on our minds and bodies, and how it restricts one’s ability to think clearly, feel pleasure and bond with others. And now, more than ever, I am looking to find a way to heal and become whole. Part of this process involves exposing things that haunt me to light. There is something extremely validating in sharing a part of yourself that makes you feel alone and realizing that, in fact, many others can relate. Another part of healing, the one that I am still struggling with, is imagining a future where things are different. I am still very tentative when it comes to making plans, but I am slowly becoming more confident. I am, once again, in the in-between stage, not stuck in the past all the time yet not fully free of its burdens, still afraid to face the future, but planting seeds in the present that will hopefully thrive.

As for what I hope to achieve in my art… that’s a pretty complex question. I create for primarily selfish reasons; art makes me happy. It gives me a voice. It consoles me when nothing else can. It excites me. I am hoping that it will continue to do all these things for me, and also for others. I tell stories through my art, and if these stories help someone feel more present and connected, even for a moment, it brings me joy. I want my art to open minds, even if it sometimes means making someone feel a bit uncomfortable. Several of my projects exploit discomfort to deliver the message: Please Be Patient, for example, that will be featured in the Exposed exhibit at Scotiabank Festival involved getting my models out of their everyday clothes and into a thin paper hospital gown, making a statement about the depersonalization that occurs when individuals face institutions. I want my art to continue doing what it is doing right now, but to do it better. But most of all I wish to be able to continue creating art. I am worried that I won’t be able to afford my art practice for much longer. I am trying to “sneak” art into my future career, and I am hoping I succeed. This year, I joined Workman Arts, and they have been an amazing support. I got some training, exhibition opportunities, a few gigs, and my first grant through them, and I am incredibly grateful that this organization exists.

Can you speak to the variety of materials and methods you use in your art and why you have chosen them?

When I first imagined becoming an artist, I thought I would draw and paint. That’s pretty much what an average person asks me when I say I’m an artist: “What do you paint?” It was pretty heartbreaking for me to realize that while I am competent at both drawing and painting, I’m not in any way outstanding. At some point I gave up on art entirely because I’ve been taught that I will never be successful unless I’m absolutely amazing. I had a very limited view of what doing art can look like, and it took me a while to question where these assumptions came from, deconstruct them and shift my perspective.

Seeing art as a means of achievement rather than of expression was part of this toxic set of beliefs. Part of the process of embracing art as a way of life was discovering new media. You can use pretty much anything to make art. I have always looked up to artists who appear to effortlessly combine disparate elements and create something greater than the sum of its parts. I am drawn to contrast and reconciling the opposites.

When I am immersed in exploring new techniques and materials I get to reconnect with a sense of wonder I feared I’d lost. I allow myself to play. I feed my curiosity. I rediscover my zest for life. The downside to working in multiple media is that sometimes the learning curve is too steep and I can get frustrated and lose interest. The advantage is that I discover - often by chance - ways to transcend limitations of various media and make something that is needed. I am a synaestete, meaning that my sensory perceptions are sometimes blended: I can taste color, see sounds, etc., so engaging with new concepts and materials can be like cooking, except sometimes I set out to make a steak and discover a new flavour of ice cream.

I am also an avid collector of oddities. I found Jesus (a baby from a nativity scene) on the sidewalk once. I love beach combing, and going to thrift stores. I see worth in things others consider to be trash, and I am often inspired by things I find littering the sidewalks. I joke that I can relate to discarded objects, because I too am broken and not very useful. Humor makes it easier to cope with the fact that my existence as an artist is directly at odds with capitalist culture, since my art practice has very little commercial value. I tackle subjects that are often quite unpalatable to the general public, and the images I produce are not the kind you’d find displayed in people’s living rooms. The saying about how art should disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed resonated with me deeply, and I often do just that.

In “Message in a Bottle”, you use pill bottles with anecdotes from individuals living with illnesses or disabilities. Is there a significance to the title of this work? Why do you think these stories are important to tell?

Ever since I read about it as a child, I have been fascinated by the idea of putting a message in a sealed container and releasing it into a body of water, hoping that it would someday be found and read. I often daydreamed about being mired on a deserted island, and I would weave elaborate narratives about what I would do to survive and ultimately escape - a pastime many misunderstood loners could probably relate to.

When I was in the final year of my Bachelor of Fine Arts, I found myself feeling increasingly isolated - I was reeling from a cancer scare, a recent breakup, and the death of my cat. The results of the 2016 US Presidential election left me feeling absolutely hopeless: as an immigrant, a non-binary person assigned female at birth, a disabled person - I felt afraid and heartbroken for people south of the border whose lives would be negatively impacted by the change of government. I buried myself in schoolwork to cope, I wanted to feel numb but I just felt sore all over, all the time. One day I was cleaning and I came across a dozen of old medication bottles. They were mostly empty, and many were from medications I wish I hadn’t taken. I wanted to do something with them - make them part of a memorial to misdiagnosis, maybe. I didn’t have enough, so I hit up a few of my friends for empties. Then when someone dropped off an unfinished bottle of the same medication that gave me awful side effects, I wondered if they had experienced similar issues. I reached out to them and sure enough, their experience was similar to mine: the doctor had dismissed their concerns and told them to increase their dosage and come back in a few months. I felt angry. I needed to do something. As much as I felt like it, I couldn’t go yell at my doctor, because it wouldn’t change anything.

I remembered that my friend sounded relieved when I reached out to them and shared my own experience. I asked them if they would be comfortable sharing their experience with others, anonymously, via a handwritten note inside the bottle with a partially peeled off label. They said “yes”, and I put a call for submissions out of social media. I thought I would get maybe ten “bites” and use the bottles and the messages as part of my upcoming exhibit on chronic illness. I had an incredible initial response, however, and received about thirty entries in two months. I ended up scanning the bottles and their contents, and the “Message In a Bottle” series was the main work featured in my first solo exhibit titled “Spoonderland”. Throughout the duration of the exhibit, I had many people contact me, saying that they were profoundly affected by reading the messages. I decided I would continue to accept submissions, hoping to eventually exhibit again. Then I realized that if I were to confine my work to a physical space, many of the people who need to see this material the most would be unable to access it. I started Message in A Bottle Blog online, sharing one entry a week. I was aiming to keep it alive indefinitely; however, it has been difficult to collect submissions in the past six months. I have not shared my own story on the blog yet, because I was hoping to do so on its second anniversary, which is eleven months away. I’ve tried my best to solicit a diverse pool of respondents, but I found that the project had a few “blind spots”: voices of persons of color (especially men), cancer patients, HIV+ individuals and their partners, and people under eighteen and over sixty were conspicuously absent. I realize that there are many reasons for this, but I feel that the project is incomplete and has room to grow. I would like to continue with Message in A Bottle, but I need help. This project was created to break down stigma and give people a safe platform to share their experiences. I truly believe that sharing one’s stories of prescription medication use: the good the bad, and the ugly, can shift the existing power dynamics between doctors and patients by making people better informed about risks and benefits of certain medications and empowering individuals to advocate for themselves when they are in need of medical treatment.

You can find the Message In A Bottle Project Blog here: https://messageinabottleproject.tumblr.com

Message in A Bottle Project is still accepting submissions: https://messageinabottleproject.tumblr.com/guidelines2sub

#fac #facresidency #fac2018 #feministart #feminist art #loveletters #message in a bottle

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marriagebase · 6 years

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An Interview With Photographer Oscar Panelo, Whose Latest Project Tackles Digital Addiction

Oscar Panelo is a 29-year-old Spanish photographer currently based in Barcelona. Normally specializing in lifestyle and theatrical work, Mr. Panelo recently took on a new topic: social commentary. The resulting collection, “Low Battery,” is a group of images showcasing the human disconnect that can come from too much connection. I was lucky enough to speak to the young photographer about his choices, goals, and expectations for the project.

Resource Magazine: Your images are recreations of things we all see often in everyday life: people on their phones. By staging these scenarios instead of capturing them, what did you find you were able to reveal about them that isn’t maybe as noticeable to the naked eye?

Oscar Panelo: “Low Battery” puts the focus on the loneliness of the people. Seeing people without taking their eyes off their phones is a quotidian situation today, but if we go beyond what is seen by the naked eye we will observe an over-connected society, a society that needs to fill an internal void through the illuminated screens. In my photographs I try to express this anxious society of the connected, a very clear example is that of the girl in bed looking at the screen of the illuminated phone.

RM: Your images are striking, both in content and in style. For instance, the image of the man looking at his phone over his companion’s shoulder while they hug is a shocking example of the phenomenon you’re commenting on. Can you talk about your choice of employing these kinds of extremes both in narrative and form, rather than going for a more realistic, restrained look?

OP: The difference between shooting what really happens and recreating scenes is that with the second you can really express what you want. The use of exaggerations allows me to make the spectator question what is currently normalized. The fact that they seem [to be] exaggerations does not mean that they are exaggerations in their entirety. The scene of the hug is exaggerated at a compositional level but it is a very clear example of the priorities of social interactions in the present and the false identity that we form through the our screens.

RM: The points of view in all these images appear slightly skewed; we’re either uncomfortably close (as in the one with the woman in the bed), strangely raised up (as as in the one of the woman ironing) or placed seemingly on someone’s shoulder (as in the one with the man on the computer). Was this a conscious choice, and if so, what led you to take such unusual positions vis-a-vis your subjects?

OP: I am a lover of the technical side of the cinema and that is reflected in my photographs. All the shots, both at a compositional level and at the location of the camera, have a reason. When I prepare a photograph I imagine it as a scene from a movie and I try to situate the camera according to what I want to express. In “Low Battery” I always try to emphasize the device in front of the person, to humanize the device. The use of high angle shots is mainly to ridicule this concept, because with this we have a higher vision than the subject photographed. The back-shoulder shoot, [meanwhile] gives more importance to the device, to express a dialogue with it.

RM: Blankness seems to be a theme here, whether it’s on the screens themselves, or the subjects’ faces. Do you see this lack of emotion as one of the most disturbing effects of the phenomenon you’re shining a light on? And does it relate at all to your choice of title—”Low Battery?”

OP: Exactly! The lack of emotion in the characters symbolizes an absorption by the devices where the person is more humanized in “the other side”. All the images try to humanize the device more than the person itself, interchanging the roles between tool and person. This lets us see some faces without a battery for those who observe them from outside.

RM: You’re a Spanish photographer and we’re an American publication——is there anything about the technology use in Spain or Europe that maybe differs from what we’re used to here?

OP: I do not know the American situation but here there is a feeling of lack of control. The mobile has gone from being a tool to being a part of our body and society is not realizing it. The “disconnect” concept no longer exists.

For more on Oscar and his work, check out his website or his Instagram.

All images courtesy Oscar Panelo.

The post An Interview With Photographer Oscar Panelo, Whose Latest Project Tackles Digital Addiction appeared first on Resource.

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hairterminator · 6 years

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http://blog.hair-terminator.com/uncategorized/5-simple-ways-to-boost-status-intuitively-gain-respect-power/

5 Simple Ways To Boost Status | Intuitively Gain Respect & Power

The box…what is it? When people meet you they place you in a box in their mind. Is this person: Successful or unsuccessful? Polite or rude? Worth getting to know or not? So WHY does “the box” matter? The box = your status… • Imagine asking someone on a date…they reject

The box…what is it? When people meet you they place you in a box in their mind. Is this person:

Successful or unsuccessful?

Polite or rude?

Worth getting to know or not?

So WHY does “the box” matter? The box = your status… • Imagine asking someone on a date…they reject you…what box did they place you in? • Imagine going into an interview…they reject you…what box did they place you in? • Imagine pitching a group of investors…they reject you…what box…. See what I mean? Is the box fair? Not always – but it’s reality. But the good news is…you can control the box…if you know how. Today’s video gives 5 easy ways to boost your status (none of which requires you to be rich)… Click Here To Watch The Video – 5 Ways To Boost Status Click Here To Watch The Video – How To Gain Respect & Power This article was brought to you by Vincero watches for men. They offer high-quality watches at amazing prices…let people think they cost 5-10X more…and they’re extremely stylish. Just knowing the specs (scratch-resistant crystal glass, 316L stainless steel, Italian marble & leather for the strap) you can tell that Vincero watches are NOT the cookie-cutter type. They can be powerful status symbols. Use the code RMRS to get 15% OFF Click Here To Discover Vincero Collective

Status Tip #1: Smile & Be Stylish

You might be a little down. You’re about to interview for another job you probably won’t get. Or you’re going on a first date for the third time this month. LATEST VIDEOS Is it okay to feel defeated? Yes. But it’s not okay to ACT defeated. That’s how you lose the battle before it begins. So even if the odds of something working out aren’t great, act otherwise. Show everybody you’re a winner-to-be…by smiling. A smile (confident but not a cocky one) can level-up your status right off the bat. It’s a human thing. Studies reveal that smiling beats frowning – as well a neutral face – in terms of a person’s facial attractiveness. If you were to see two faces of the same subject (male or female) with one having a smile and the other being neutral…you’re more likely to rate the smiling face as more attractive. But it doesn’t stop there. The most “I’m an awesome guy” smile you can make won’t get you far if your clothing tells others “I’m worthless.” Does it mean people judge a book by its cover? Yes. That’s the world we live in…especially when it comes to first impressions. However, dressing up well isn’t about spending lots of money. Only the rich and famous would be showing status if that were the case. It’s about wearing clothes that conform to certain standards. Clothes that society associates with positive thoughts and feelings. That requires:

Nailing the fit (know your body type)

Dressing appropriately for your age

Looking your best for formal & casual settings

Choosing the right accessories (dress shoes, hats, necktie knots, pocket square folds, etc.)

What’s your best source for learning all these? You’re on it right now. Just browse RMRS to expand your knowledge and find all the answers to any questions about men’s style.

Bonus Tip: Wear A Nice Watch

You could try boosting your status and think you should make big changes. But that’s not to true at all. Your goal is to impress people and gain their respect through small, subtle details. And what better item to use than a stylish dress watch like the ones from Vincero? All these big brands sell watches for huge sums of money…but they’re not targeting young professionals or men who are working their way up the corporate ladder. Vincero is different. They offer quality dress watches for a fraction of the prices. They enhance your outfits for business or social functions. They can also help you start conversations with different people…maybe even future partners and colleagues.

Tip #2: Try Power Posing

You’ve got an interview today and you’re waiting in the office lobby. Your résumé is good, you know exactly what to say…but this is how you’re seated: • Your head is facing the floor • Your arms are folded up • Legs are stuck together Well…does that look like a guy who believes he’s the best candidate? No. That’s someone who thinks he’s worthless. You’d be much better off incorporating “power poses” before an interview or while you’re preparing for a presentation. You could do them for a minute in the restroom, or you could try them in your office when you’re alone. What’s important is you’re consciously giving your body power through these poses…which strengthens the mind. How true is all of this? Take it from researchers at UC-Berkeley, Harvard, and INSEAD in France who did a test on people doing a mock job interview. Participants had to do either a high-power or low-power stance before the interview (while coming up with a speech about their qualifications). It turned out that the high-power posers did the interview with better delivery, presentation…and were more hireable overall.

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Tip #3: Sit Down The Right Way

We don’t always realize it: the way we sit = a strong non-verbal cue. People tend to make quick judgments about others based on how they’re seated. Why? Unlike standing – your legs have more options to position themselves. You can keep them together with no space in between…but that’s similar to the “closed” nature of folding your arms. Not to mention it’s uncomfortable for men! What you want to do is either: A. Sit with both feet on the floor and legs 11-24 inches apart (with your body upright) B. Use the Figure-Four Leg Lock Position (see the image to the right)

Not only are both positions more comfortable to take…but they allow you to show a more open and less defensive attitude. They raise your confidence levels. You feel a sense of power transferring from the body to the mind (since people with power are often seen to take up more space). And these positions signal you’re actively listening to somebody else talking – which helps in meetings or networking events.

Tip #4: Master Good Handshakes & Eye Contact

We’re all taught to shake hands with people we just met, to look them in the eye during conversations…and these lessons become second nature. There’s just one problem: we’re not actually taught how and how much.

There’s sort of a scale from “not enough” to “too much” for both practices. To express trust and honesty you’ll have to find that middle ground. Otherwise…it’ll damage your status when people believe you’re not trustworthy the minute they meet you. What’s a good handshake? Don’t just touch the other person’s fingers without gripping their hand. The other extreme is gripping too tight (as in airtight) or going beyond two up-and-down motions. Those mess-ups can happen if you’re nervous. So you do want to find that midpoint, practice it with a friend, and make it a habit. It’s a similar issue for eye contact. Eye contact is crucial while shaking hands (for as long as the handshake is) or making requests. But it’s trickier with extended, less personal communication. The University of British Columbia did a study where students were made to listen to a speaker and look non-stop at either (A) his eyes or (B) his mouth. The result? The ones in category A felt less comfortable listening than the other group did. Those students thought the speaker was “aggressive” with the incessant eye contact…and he seemed less persuasive. So when you’re delivering a long speech or presentation, never make eye contact with any single person for more than 30-60% of the time.

Tip #5: Learn To Communicate Well

Just watching my videos, you can tell I love to talk. Actually…I do more than just talk. I communicate. What is good communication? It’s knowing your audience, sharing ideas they can relate to, so they feel a certain way about your speech at the end. You leave them feeling inspired, enlightened or even happier. And when you make people feel good by talking…your status skyrockets. How do you accomplish those things? The trick is to be a great storyteller. Good storytellers have a way of connecting with their listeners (helping the release of oxytocin) and keeping them all ears. There are three angles in storytelling you can take: professional, social, and romantic. To master them – it’s about practice and repetition.

Another good tactic is to use positive humor in conversations. Studies have shown that women are particularly more attracted to men who can be witty, use puns, and lighten the mood – as opposed to men who tease others or use self-deprecating jokes. It’s even better if you infuse this humor in your storytelling. Why do people appreciate good stories and positive, witty humor? It’s because those qualities tend to showcase one’s intelligence. And in general…intelligent people are perceived with more status. So don’t undervalue your communication skills.

We all need to present ourselves well. Sometimes we struggle with confidence. We feel like we don’t belong in the same room as everybody else. Or we’re too nervous about the occasion that we forget to be natural. But all you’ve got to remember are those 5 tips on body language and communication. Learn to control your body, your speech, your attitude (relax!) and you’ll always get off to a great start. Anyone you meet will listen, feel comfortable, and think highly of you. You’ll impress them…and everything else should follow smoothly. Small changes can boost your status. That’s exactly what I love about Vincero watches. They’re affordable (5-10X less expensive than people think) and help you appear more stylish, professional & trustworthy.

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