Investigations into Social Game Theory is a document that describes my two-year exploration of the ritual encapsulated in our societal framework. It discusses the thoughts and processes that accompanied the three bodies of work that led to the creation of my final thesis exhibition.

This thesis explores the evolution of Alessandra Torres's work, from her early performances and installations, to her latest work with surrogate bodies, as she challenges the relationship between artist and their creation, body and object, and audience and art. Examining the work of artists such as Cindy Sherman, Rebecca Horn and Marina Abramovic, Torres explores the transformative capabilities of interactive sculpture and live performance. Join Ms. Torres as she transforms herself into everything from a paintbrush to a serpent, in her ongoing exploration of the body's ability to adapt and evolve.

I know it is my core, my purest nature to incessantly question myself and everything around me; as we pertain to the universe. As Robert Wilson suggests "I will always ask 'What is it?' before telling you what it is." My goal is to present you with some tools with which to approach your craft, your life, your uncertainties. And though I may not always be the best example, I still wish to encourage all that read this or spend time with me to see this craft/business and indeed your life as a great, happy adventure; guided by love. Because this will always lead to good and positive experiences, whatever path you find yourself on.In what I am doing now I am preparing to transition from a career in makeup into my next interest/phase/period with energy and excitement. Not disappointment, regret or rejection as I have seen over the years when this business is done with someone. And I think my timing is just about right, as I have done it while I am still in demand, while my phone is still ringing, while I am still at the top of my game, my craft.If this collection of thoughts is perceived a success or is widely read, discussed, or deliberated, because I have aimed it at, geared it toward or written it for success or sensationalism, then I have failed, and this amounts to little more than advertising or cheap unsatisfying tabloid television. But if this in any way grabs, challenges, informs, suspends you, makes you question or dream then like theatre when it is at its truest, most profound, rawest, absolutely undecorated, it serves its purpose: To move us forward to new debate, to new exploration of this/our condition.

How is nature conceived today, a generation into the environmental movement? Many contemporary artists grapple with how to reconcile our inheritance of both a precarious natural world and the culture that created it. My work investigates the subtle intricacies of our relationship with nature. I use photography to develop a way of seeing that points to the often-unnoticed nature in front of us. In particular, my work recognizes and re-imagines nature's deep connections in the context of our ecologically changed world.

My love of learning, teaching, and providing creative spaces for people to connect informs my work and my life. For me, art is like life: messy, physical, and, if done with intent, beautiful. It is more about the process than the result; it is about recognizing that although we make choices, there are many things we cannot control; it is about being so present in the moment that everything else fades away. How I live, what I do, what I believe, and my art are all the same.

This thesis follows the trajectory of my artistic practice over the past two years, which has led to the installation of my thesis exhibition titled, Double Zero. I hope to position the work among its art and cultural terms by exploring how I have expanded my research concerning Situationist and Marxist theory as well as developed a broader photographic studio practice driven by material experimentation, play, and an investigation into how we live and interact with commodities through media.

My mixed media paintings explore the concept of home. I showcase topics regarding what a home is and how it connects to one’s identity. My desire to find home, emotionally and literally, has always preoccupied my mind. I have never been able to set deep roots, and that is a very unsettling feeling. My obsession with homes focuses on abandoned houses. These dwellings that people once took so much pride in are now left to rot and decay. The dilapidated state makes me see them as symbolic lost souls. I find similarities between houses and the human experience; houses have a history in the same way that people do. My process begins by taking photographs of these homes and creating image transfers that I apply to old wooden planks. The wooden planks are salvaged from the home because they have a physical connection to the space. I layer my transfers onto the planks with paint, objects, dirt, and wallpaper from the homes. I seal the paintings with encaustic wax or resin to preserve the objects, as a tribute to the things that once held value. By using multiple media and objects, I create textured surfaces that help tell a story about the house. By telling a story, I want to create a second life for these places.

Artist Statement My photographs and paintings are reflective of a simpler and slower paced, rural life. This focus is in high contrast to what contemporary urban life often requires. I depict scenes of tranquil landscapes, farm animals, old barns, fields of grasses, and growing crops. I alter my digital photographic images with computer software. I use various filters that transform color, clarity, and value to give the photographs of nature an intentionally peaceful mood. These photographs are a basis for my paintings where I soften nature’s contours and emphasize tranquility. My desire is that viewers will look at my work and take a moment to stop, think, and breathe. Like myself, I want them to slow down and take in the simplicity and beauty of country life.

In my artwork, I merge nature with typography. I use macro-level photography to capture details of nature, such as the pistils of a flower or the sensory hairs of an insect. I print enlargements and transfer these photos onto pages of poetic text about nature, or collage them onto canvas. Once transferred, I use multiple media to alter and enhance features of the photos. I intentionally obscure much of the text which allows me to place focus on the overall layout and design. The arrangement of lines of text and spacing of words is used to create a visual rhythm. The poetic script acts as a foundation or platform for presenting the often unnoticed elements of nature. In developing a piece, I use a wet transfer which allows me to obtain subtle textures and imperfections that occur from the process. To add visual interest and complexity, I continue to manipulate the surfaces with various media and marks. This approach helps to create a blending of text and image. Similar to reading a poem or observing nature, I want to engage the viewer in an experience of visual poetry.

The digital photography is still trying to catch-up with its analogous counterpart and recording light direction is one of the most recent area of interest. The first and still the only one light-field camera for consumers, the Lytro camera, has reached market in 2011. This work introduces the light-field theory and recording with special emphasis on illustrating the principles in 2D, gives an overview of current hardware and ongoing research in the area and analyses the Lytro camera itself, describing the closed file formats and protocols it uses so that further research can be conducted. An important contribution of the work is a .NET portable library for developers, supplemented by a file editor as well as an application for wireless communication with the camera based on the library. Finally, the theory is used to discuss implications for light-field registration and linear panoramas. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)