2008 Woodie Awards
MFA student creates open living space on campus for thesis
Niketa Reed
Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: Life & Style
Casual bystanders became instant voyeurs while viewing the housing structure in the middle of the Union Mall this week. The home without outside walls doubles as a thesis project for Master of Fine Art student Kelsey Felthousen, whose exhibition is titled "myspace."
"I deal with the re-occurring theme of sacred, private space and the loss of it in contemporary American culture," Felthousen said. "When thinking about private space, I chose to use a relatively universal symbol - the home."
Felthousen will live in the housing structure for the duration of the exhibit, which ends April 4th. Its function as a real abode, open in the center of campus, emphasizes the vulnerability and compromise of privacy in overexposure, illustrating how people become voyeurs without being aware or feeling guilty.
"I live in 'myspace' as I would my normal home. I go to class, teach, go to [the] gym as I normally do. And when I'm not doing those things, I'm usually at home/myspace," she said. "I think it's appropriate that it would be on a college campus - especially with the popularity of things like Facebook and myspace."
Inside the fine arts gallery, visitors are able to watch Felthousen inside "myspace" from a television screen, set up in the gallery for viewing. The irony of this situation is that the "viewer/voyeur" can also be watched, since the gallery is fronted with glass windows and doors, according to the a Fine Arts Center Gallery press release. Some people have mistaken her display items for public property by eating lunch on her couch, but "it's all part of the work," she said.
Felthousen initially considered constructing the home on the Old Main lawn, but thought the Union Mall was a more ideal location in light of power issues, preserving the grass, setting up the Webcam and other concerns.
"When building, we had torrential rain one day and wind gusts another, which made raising the walls a real pain," she said. "But as far as living there, it was about 24 degrees my first night out there, so it was cold, but I've got good blankets.
"Then there was the wind all last night and today. It's done some damage for sure, but I'm still waiting for rain. That will be the real test," she said.
Her exhibit follows the "Private Property" exhibit from UA art professors Tom Hapgood and Bethany Springer who also explored notions of privacy and overexposure in contemporary culture.
The opening reception for the exhibit will be held at 5 to 7 p.m. today in the Fine Arts Center Gallery.
"I deal with the re-occurring theme of sacred, private space and the loss of it in contemporary American culture," Felthousen said. "When thinking about private space, I chose to use a relatively universal symbol - the home."
Felthousen will live in the housing structure for the duration of the exhibit, which ends April 4th. Its function as a real abode, open in the center of campus, emphasizes the vulnerability and compromise of privacy in overexposure, illustrating how people become voyeurs without being aware or feeling guilty.
"I live in 'myspace' as I would my normal home. I go to class, teach, go to [the] gym as I normally do. And when I'm not doing those things, I'm usually at home/myspace," she said. "I think it's appropriate that it would be on a college campus - especially with the popularity of things like Facebook and myspace."
Inside the fine arts gallery, visitors are able to watch Felthousen inside "myspace" from a television screen, set up in the gallery for viewing. The irony of this situation is that the "viewer/voyeur" can also be watched, since the gallery is fronted with glass windows and doors, according to the a Fine Arts Center Gallery press release. Some people have mistaken her display items for public property by eating lunch on her couch, but "it's all part of the work," she said.
Felthousen initially considered constructing the home on the Old Main lawn, but thought the Union Mall was a more ideal location in light of power issues, preserving the grass, setting up the Webcam and other concerns.
"When building, we had torrential rain one day and wind gusts another, which made raising the walls a real pain," she said. "But as far as living there, it was about 24 degrees my first night out there, so it was cold, but I've got good blankets.
"Then there was the wind all last night and today. It's done some damage for sure, but I'm still waiting for rain. That will be the real test," she said.
Her exhibit follows the "Private Property" exhibit from UA art professors Tom Hapgood and Bethany Springer who also explored notions of privacy and overexposure in contemporary culture.
The opening reception for the exhibit will be held at 5 to 7 p.m. today in the Fine Arts Center Gallery.
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