One of the highlights in this experience was the unexpected but friendly visits from a couple of the other art grads. Daniela, a 2nd year was feeling winded one day and wanted to get her crit writing done. So we shared the desk space for the day and I enjoyed having an office buddy. We noticed a change in the dynamic of the gallery setting. It was quiet enough for us to work diligently, but the space was open for any visitor to walk in. The gallery sitters on the other end of room may have been confused about what was happening in our office space. Their homework, cell phones, and guestbook laid on the table in front of them in the other room of the gallery. It appeared that they took on the role of a gallery sitter and remained pretty quiet. For Daniela and me, we discussed out loud the procedure for adding classes, our 7B TA materials, coffee, taking turns watching each other's stuff as one of use went to grab coffee or run errands, etc. Rimas stopped by at one point to borrow my desk scissors. Bessie made a pit stop and we talked about class, more 7B TA notes. Fanny came by and she cut more business cards for me. The office space was a work space, but also a kind of catalyst for a type of social engagement within the context of the gallery space.
The shots are in. The first four photo credits go to my intern Jazmin. These photos are of one interview that I had with a student in my office space during the opening reception of Welcome to the Thunderdome. One of the faculty members Marko Peljhan also stepped in my office to speak. I squeezed in the remaining shots: my interns at work, my desk during a couple of my office days, and inevitably the trash can and move-out box. It was convenient, to a good degree, having that office space in the gallery. The location was comparable to my studio out in Harder Stadium, as well as my regularly posted office hours in the grad lounge in Building 434, as several students stopped by my office hours in the gallery. I was able to literally run to the other resources on campus to carry forward my various errands and commitments: Ellison Hall for my paperwork, Laurel's office/studio for our weekly TA meetings, mStudio down the hall for printing my maps, eStudio for my programming class, Troy's office to say "hi" and borrow a checkout laptop, FedEx Kinko's and the campus Post Office to photocopy and mail out my submission to a recent call for proposals, lunch, ...
One of the highlights in this experience was the unexpected but friendly visits from a couple of the other art grads. Daniela, a 2nd year was feeling winded one day and wanted to get her crit writing done. So we shared the desk space for the day and I enjoyed having an office buddy. We noticed a change in the dynamic of the gallery setting. It was quiet enough for us to work diligently, but the space was open for any visitor to walk in. The gallery sitters on the other end of room may have been confused about what was happening in our office space. Their homework, cell phones, and guestbook laid on the table in front of them in the other room of the gallery. It appeared that they took on the role of a gallery sitter and remained pretty quiet. For Daniela and me, we discussed out loud the procedure for adding classes, our 7B TA materials, coffee, taking turns watching each other's stuff as one of use went to grab coffee or run errands, etc. Rimas stopped by at one point to borrow my desk scissors. Bessie made a pit stop and we talked about class, more 7B TA notes. Fanny came by and she cut more business cards for me. The office space was a work space, but also a kind of catalyst for a type of social engagement within the context of the gallery space.
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Many thanks to our art department's Troy Small for photographing the MFA Exhibition. These photos, including a few of my office as well as my fellow colleagues' work can be found by clicking on the link below: More photos taken by my intern photographer Jazmin are also on their way. Today was the day to get more organized. I restocked my water bottles and brought in some office supplies, cleaned off the remnants from last night's reception (and what a sparkly clean tablecloth we have now. Almost good as new!) Some transcribing was done; I'll have to post my recent Q&A with artist Rimas Simaitis soon.
I had several different visitors today. A few of my section students stopped by to either sit, talk about upcoming projects, or past overdue ones. A few of my colleagues made an appearance to check in on the gallery space itself. Daniela, a 2nd year MFA student was so kind to let me borrow her tape recorder for the reception last night. She came in today and seemed stressed out about her current situation as she is also experiencing a lack of resources and is struggling with adding an independent study class before the filing deadline. I had tried to assist by utilizing my office computer to find information for her. Bessie, a 1st year MFA had expressed some heat about the lack of involvement from the rest of the grads in regards to coordinating gallery sitters for our show. What are our needs? I also managed to get another office chair as I had loaned one of mine to the gallery guide but needed another for my clients. It's been a semi-productive day. Later this afternoon I was (ironically) interviewed by a nice girl named Sharon, who writes for the university's publication of "The Bottom Line." She sat down in my office and we got to talk about my piece. She asked me how successful I was in expressing myself, and I wasn't sure how to respond as this "piece" (or office, I should say) is temporal and spatial and will constantly change throughout the show. Perhaps later down the road I'll be able to reflect some more and provide a better answer. Or maybe not. Stayed tuned for the full report on the interviews, photos, and some notes from my interns. I'll be clocking out soon. Tomorrow evening I will be interviewing different gallery-goers to get their impression of what a gallery means to them. I am re-purposing my spot in the gallery as an office and will use the remainder of the exhibition to follow-up on my reports. Come check out the show when you get the chance. It will be up for a couple of weeks, starting tomorrow through Friday the 22nd.
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Van (rhymes with "fun") C. Tran Archives
September 2018
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