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Abstract

Inspired by my grandfather's problems with nursing homes and assisted living facilities, I am creating art to expose and discuss the neglect and abuse that occurs in such places. The scope of the problem is widespread, extending from the nurses to the administration of the homes, and even to those working for the government to correct the problem. My intentions, therefore, place my work in the category of activist art and social commentary. There have been many activist artists in the past and, in terms of subject matter, I align best with documentary photographers such as Mary Ellen Mark and Jim Goldberg. They both deal with the under imaged in our society, creating personal connections to those whose realities our culture would rather not face. As far as presentation of concepts is concerned however, I share commonalities with Krzysztof Wodiczko and Hans Haacke, in their use of materials and their integration of active viewer participation, each capturing the interest of a wide audience.

To arouse concern for the problem at hand, I involve the viewer in the work by playing on their sympathy, engaging them spatially, engaging them mentally, and appealing to their senses. First, I attach a name to the work, encouraging the viewer to consider the elderly as individuals while also emphasizing the documentary aspect of my work. I also situate the viewer in a small space, enabling a one-on-one interaction with each piece. Further, I attempt to reach a wide variety of people by working in a range of mediums and by appealing to the senses of smell, touch, sound, and sight. Finally, my work requires the viewer to think critically and make their own associations. Because I leave a certain amount of work up to the viewer, although the amount varies among the works, his or her interaction is crucial to fully understanding a piece.

Overall, by presenting both sides of the argument I allow for a conversational tone, as opposed to the more common approach used by the media of "informing" viewers of the negative aspects of the situation.