"How I Came to Understand What Art Was" by Ilse Miller

Graduation Term

Spring 2025

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

School of Art

Committee Chair

Nathania Rubin

Committee Member

Elisabeth Friedman

Committee Member

Jason Dunda

Committee Member

Albion Stafford

Abstract

This thesis explores my multidisciplinary art practice through three specific types of work: mobiles, books, and boxes. Each type of artwork functions as a vessel used to preserve objects and fleeting moments. Rooted in Anna Kornbluth's "aesthetic regime of immediacy," the work balances preservation with loss and intuition with craft. Inspired by Rauschenberg and Abercrombie, it challenges artistic boundaries by using immediate, everyday materials. These mobiles, books, and boxes become conduits for memory and invite viewers to connect personal and collective experiences.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

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