My trace of a year
I made a histogram summarizing my traces of a first year in master’s study for my assessment on 26th June 2018.
Main works
The main works, which are related to the topic ‘electronic waste’, are shown as dark green squares on the graph, starting from research to several tryouts and making e-waste instrument.
Other tryouts
Besides my main works, I also had done several extra works during my studies, both for my classes and for my private tryouts. These are shown as light green squares on the graph.
Research topic
The main research topic of my master’s study is about ‘electronic waste’, which now I’m trying to find new value and fun ways to play with them by making as a musical instrument. But during last semester, I started to look into blockchain and art for a possible new research topic but in a way to combine it with my e-waste work. So I would leave this task to next semester, but after the assessment, I had to rethink about this blockchain research whether I should keep going on or give up and only focus on e-waste itself.
Exhibition and Performance
I got several chances to join local exhibitions and festivals in the past year. Not only as a part of my school’s courses but also with the recommendation of my tutor, I participated in 5 festivals - 2 for exhibitions, and 3 for performances. It was great that I could show my work in public spaces and meet people outside hearing feedback. I think this is part of a good system that my school has and my tutors do guide us well to get more adventures and be active and productive. Although I felt not very confident with my work from time to time, and sometimes it made me get too much burden consuming a lot of energy for participating festivals, but indeed I did like it, and it grew me up with my work.
Plan for upcoming semester
Firstly, I’ll keep working on e-waste instrument making for the upcoming semester. I think what I’ve made so far is still in a stage of the prototype. Thus I need to make them with better design. Also, I have to make more instruments using other e-waste parts and would like to make a variety of sounds and design. And for my thesis next year, I will do more theoretical research on e-waste, sound art, instrument making, and performance. (I put off blockchain and art research to combine it with e-waste work at this moment…).
Study trip
Although I didn’t put study trips on the histogram above, I had three official study trips in my 1st year. The first one was an introduction trip. I’ve been to ‘Kasel documenta’ in Germany with my tutors and colleagues at the beginning of my study last September. Though I wished to visit Ars Electronica, to be honest at the time, I couldn’t but following the curriculum as I’ve just got into a new college. The next trip was to ‘Transmediale 2018’ in Berlin, Germany. I could look around both transmediale and CTM festival at the time. And the last one was to Art Rotterdam on February this year. It was unique and helpful in that we could meet several artists in Rotterdam and get some practical information working as an artist in the Netherlands. Besides having a meeting with artists in there, my colleagues and I visited some art festivals and events during the time form Art fair, design festival and Tec art festival, etc.