Includes bibliographical references (p. 74-82). / Growing up, I used to have a book called The Unexplained, and inside it was a picture of the Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch. Bosch's paintings were full of weird and wonderful animals coupled with hundreds of naked men and women in what looked like a garden party of the most exotic kind. To imagine such a place was arousing; to imagine a place full of fruit and naked people should turn everyone on, regardless of sexual preference.

The Name is a Guest of the Substance brings together works of video, installation, live performance, sculpture, and print to investigate the constructions of kinship that organize us into the world as historical, ecological, and political subjects. Herter Gallery’s 1600 sq. ft space is utilized in full for this project. The work in both galleries evaluates systems of categorization in light of their power to foster or discourage kinship within overlapping local, global and ecological communities. While the West Gallery uses my own multi-racial American genealogy to challenge the authority of historical and autobiographical origins, the East gallery uses manipulations of scale to emphasize the overlooked and ungovernable ways non-human forms of life frustrate our constant attempts at establishing a stable hierarchy of biological relations.

When the Alligator Called to Elijah is a feature-length video conceptualized and constructed by Kate Shults in partial fulfillment of the requirements for earning a Master of Fine Arts in Entrepreneurial Digital Cinema from the University of Central Florida. The video is the result of an evolving exploration of the aesthetic capabilities of the digital image using Flip Video cameras, found footage and Final Cut Pro. Though originating as an experiment, When the Alligator Called to Elijah became a creation of motion collage with very specific production parameters. This thesis is a record of this video’s progression, from development to picture lock, taking it into preparation for exhibition and distribution.

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Plasticene is an alternative term for Anthropocene, the proposed epoch that follows the Holocene and designates the beginning of significant human impact on Earth. While this moniker carries numerous implications across a range of disciplines, the scholarship of this thesis project is motivated by the creation and exhibition of a body of work that investigates the materiality and physical presence of technological convenience. Plasticene is an exhibition of four looping, digital video animations alongside two interactive sculptural installations. The video-based pieces are explorations into the medium of digital video and how it functions as a carrier of visual information. They were created through iterative manipulations of how that information is digitally compressed, organized, archived, and revealed. The sculptural works are attempts to amplify the physical presence of technologies that can often be hard to see. They were built to perform simple gestures and rely on engaging multiple senses to call into question the routine way in which we interact with different technological devices. This paper examines the essay "The Question Concerning Technology" by Martin Heidegger as a philosophical influence for this investigation before discussing several works by other artists to frame the works in Plasticene within a contemporary context. The individual works from the exhibition are then discussed with regard to their intention, conceptual motivation, and the process of their creation. / Master of Fine Arts / Plasticene is an alternative term for Anthropocene, the proposed epoch that follows the Holocene and designates the beginning of significant human impact on Earth. While this moniker carries numerous implications across a range of disciplines, the scholarship of this thesis project is motivated by the creation and exhibition of a body of work that investigates the materiality and physical presence of technological convenience. Plasticene is an exhibition of four looping, digital video animations alongside two interactive sculptural installations. The video-based pieces are explorations into the medium of digital video and how it functions as a carrier of visual information. They were created through iterative manipulations of how that information is digitally compressed, organized, archived, and revealed. The sculptural works amplify the physical presence of technologies that can often be hard to see. They perform visually and aurally engaging gestures that prompt viewers to reconsider the routine way in which we interact with different technological devices.

Mending is a body of artwork created in response to ancestral trauma inherited between women. This paper discusses the exhibition of work, which consists of media installation, sculpture, and photography. Mending confronts Walter Benjamin’s patriarchal argument that one must intellectually excavate deep memory. Rather, the processes used to create the body of work engage a sensorial approach, and attempt to both reconstruct embodied memory and reconcile trauma. The act of mending is an historically feminine gesture appropriate for resolving the transgenerational trauma of the female body’s experience. Additionally, the media serves as witness, and has the potential to act as an impartial observer in the process of unraveling embodied trauma, allowing for reflexive self-witness. Overall, Mending rejects the thought-centric process of excavation, instead centering sensory-based spiritual practices in contemporary art related to nature immersion, meditative ritual, and collaboration between women working to heal handed-down victimization. / Mending is a body of artwork created in response to ancestral trauma inherited between women. This paper discusses the exhibition of work, which consists of media installation, sculpture, and photography. Mending confronts Walter Benjamin’s patriarchal argument that one must intellectually excavate deep memory. Rather, the processes used to create the body of work engage a sensorial approach, and attempt to both reconstruct embodied memory and reconcile trauma. The act of mending is an historically feminine gesture appropriate for resolving the transgenerational trauma of the female body’s experience. Additionally, the media serves as witness, and has the potential to act as an impartial observer in the process of unraveling embodied trauma, allowing for reflexive self-witness. Overall, Mending rejects the thought-centric process of excavation, instead centering sensory-based spiritual practices in contemporary art related to nature immersion, meditative ritual, and collaboration between women working to heal handed-down victimization.

[ES] El videoarte surge en la década de 1960 con la comercialización de los primeros equipos de video electrónico, ofreciendo a los artistas posibilidades estéticas ilimitadas en un momento clave para la desmaterialización de la obra de arte y el activismo social. En la actualidad, el video es uno de los medios más empleados en el arte contemporáneo, manteniendo el espíritu transformador que lo caracterizó en sus inicios, y tiene cada vez mayor presencia en las colecciones de los grandes museos. La presente Tesis Doctoral pretende estudiar el espíritu activista del video y sus transformaciones en relación con otros productos audiovisuales habitualmente presentes en las colecciones artísticas, así como realizar una clasificación desde el punto de vista de la conservación-restauración de los diferentes tipos de videoarte. Simultáneamente, conforme avanza la llamada Era Digital, la naturaleza del video se ve transformada, y las instituciones se enfrentan a nuevos retos en relación con la preservación y exhibición del video y los nuevos hábitos de los visitantes. En este marco, las plataformas online aparecen como una herramienta indispensable, ofreciendo acceso al patrimonio video artístico a las grandes audiencias y favoreciendo las transformaciones sociales pretendidas por los artistas. La transición de los formatos físicos a las plataformas digitales presentan una serie de problemáticas, especialmente en relación con la consideración de la autenticidad, la participación y los derechos de autor. La investigación también explora estos retos y propone una clasificación de los diferentes tipos de archivos de video online junto con un análisis comparativo de casos de estudio, con el objetivo de ofrecer una visión completa de los aspectos teóricos y prácticos de la conservación de videoarte y establecer un paradigma sostenible e inclusivo para el videoarte, que asegure su preservación en el futuro. / [CA] El videoart sorgeix en la dècada de 1960 amb la comercialització dels primers equips de vídeo electrònic, oferint als artistes possibilitats estètiques il·limitades en un moment clau per a la desmaterialització de l'obra d'art i l'activisme social. En l'actualitat, el vídeo és un dels mitjans més emprats en l'art contemporani, mantenint l'esperit transformador que el va caracteritzar en els seus inicis, i té cada vegada major presència en les col·leccions dels grans museus. La present Tesi Doctoral pretén estudiar l'esperit activista del vídeo i les seues transformacions en relació amb altres productes audiovisuals habitualment presents en les col·leccions artístiques, així com realitzar una classificació des del punt de vista de la conservació-restauració dels diferents tipus de videoart. Simultàniament, conforme avança l'anomenada Era Digital, la naturalesa del vídeo es veu transformada, i les institucions s'enfronten a nous reptes en relació amb la preservació i exhibició del vídeo i els nous hàbits dels visitants. En aquest marc, les plataformes en línia apareixen com una eina indispensable, oferint accés al patrimoni vídeo artístic a les grans audiències i afavorint les transformacions socials preteses pels artistes. La transició dels formats físics a les plataformes digitals presenten una sèrie de problemàtiques, especialment en relació amb la consideració de l'autenticitat, la participació i els drets d'autor. La investigació també explora aquests reptes i proposa una classificació dels diferents tipus d'arxius de vídeo en línia juntament amb una anàlisi comparativa de casos d'estudi, amb l'objectiu d'oferir una visió completa dels aspectes teòrics i pràctics de la conservació de vídeo art i establir un paradigma sostenible i inclusiu per al vídeo art, que assegure la seua preservació en el futur. / [EN] Video art emerged in the 1960s with the commercialisation of the first electronic video equipment, offering artists unlimited aesthetic possibilities at a critical moment for the dematerialisation of the work of art and social activism. Today, video is one of the most widely used media in contemporary art, maintaining the transformative spirit that characterised it in its beginnings, and it is increasingly present in the collections of major museums. This Doctoral Thesis aims to study the activistic spirit of video and its transformations concerning other audiovisual products usually present in art collections, as well as to carry out a classification from the point of view of conservation-restoration of the different types of video art. Simultaneously, as the so-called Digital Age advances, the nature of video is transformed, and institutions face new challenges in relation to video preservation and exhibition and visitors' new habits. In this framework, online platforms appear as an indispensable tool, offering access to video art heritage to large audiences and favouring the social transformations intended by artists. The transition from physical formats to digital platforms presents challenges, especially considering authenticity, participation and copyright. The research also explores these challenges and proposes a classification of different types of online video archives together with a comparative analysis of case studies, intending to provide a comprehensive overview of the theoretical and practical aspects of video art preservation and establish a sustainable and inclusive paradigm for video art, which will ensure its preservation in the future. / Agradecer las concurrencias competitivas y proyectos que me han permitido la realización de la investigación. En concreto, el Contrato Predoctoral para la Formación de Doctores dentro del Programa Propio de la Universitat Politècnica de València – Subprograma 1 (PAID-01- 20), del que he disfrutado entre 2020 y 2023; así como los proyectos asociados al Archivo ARES, el Proyecto MINECO de I+D+i ARES: Archivo y estudio crítico de las prácticas artísticas audiovisuales (vídeo expandido) en el arte español. Identidad y nuevos medios (2013-2017) y el Proyecto MCIN de I+D+i EShID: Estéticas híbridas de la imagen en movimiento. Videoarte español y dinámicas identitarias en el mapa global (2019- 2022), que me han permitido formar parte del grupo de investigación asociado a la colección. / Fernández Valdés, P. (2023). Pasado, presente y futuro del videoarte en España: nuevas posibilidades para su preservación mediante estrategias de distribución en red [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/200467

Soviet-era Communism was a project of emergence that failed to realise its Utopian ambition. Nevertheless, it created an unprecedented simulacrum whose visual language was appropriated by a number of artists as a readymade. This artistic response to everyday reality shaped an unofficial narrative of the Communist epoch. Operating beyond the official realm these artists were subject to varying degrees of censorship, and their activities led to what became known as ‘non-official’ art. Non-official artists suffered from inferior materials, lack of exposure, and were forced to radicalize their methods of production. Without official support the everyday domestic realm and a diverse range of outdoor sites became sites of production. The primary arena, however, and the one that would become the most politicized, was the artist's body that often acted as one or both material and surface. On the one hand the thesis takes the Communist context as a common platform from which to discuss time-based art practices in Eastern Europe while, on the other, it proposes that such a general view is worthless since it does not pay sufficient attention to the particular conditions within each bloc country. While the former serves as a reference for artistic response in a wide view, the latter provokes a deeper, more contextualised, understanding of the social, political, and cultural conditions that ultimately shaped non-official art. To understand fully the effect of the Communist past also involves analysing it through the lens of the present day. A number of works produced pre- and post-1989 are analysed that offer insights into the past, its disintegration, and the transition period. The theoretical and critical thrust is shaped from primary research material gathered from artists, intellectuals, and critics throughout the region, so as to most clearly reflect its own contemporaneous and unfolding discourse. It builds on these key sources and underscores the difficulties faced when trying to locate the works within existing art history canons. Together with this written element, a further two curatorial strands complete the form of the thesis. A website has been created that reflects the thesis enquiry, three re-enactments of historical works are undertaken as a strategy that allows for a more experiential understanding of context, and three new performances devised by the author in response to the contexts researched complete the work. The thesis was written throughout Eastern Europe, and primarily in Poland where the author lives and works.

This thesis is an overview of the source material, methodologies, artistic influences, and conceptual decisions that inform my artwork and characterize my art practice. Utilizing participation (audience, community, viewer), I engineer experiences and encounters for the general public. Whether through directed physical interaction or implicit reaction, I create open-ended situations or environments that I may influence, but not fully control. The democratic cede of authorial control, as well as the heightened risk and unpredictably in my work, instigates a more positive, non-hierarchical social model in which every viewer is an “author,” who produces content and communication signals, and has a voice and a presence in society.

This thesis is an attempt to expand upon the ideas that permeate the practice of art making that has developed over the past two years. Art criticism, theory, history, and practice are used to give definition to the boundaries of my ever-shifting body of work. Focusing on the elusive nature of communication in both public and private spheres, these projects range from installation and sculptural work, to web projects, photography, and drawing.