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Miranda July. “ To me that’s really alive, that kind of half nauseous, half beautiful feeling”. Presentation by: Megan DeLugas. Background Information.
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Miranda July “To me that’s really alive, that kind of half nauseous, half beautiful feeling” Presentation by: Megan DeLugas
Background Information Born Miranda Jennifer Grossinger, her parents were both successful writers. They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and this is the case with Miranda. The surname she works under, July, originated from one the characters she created as a young lady. While this presentation is about the unique art by Miranda July, she is not only a fabulous artist, but she is also a filmmaker and a writer. One of her most well-known films, which she wrote, directed, and starred in, is Me and You and Everyone We Know. As a writer, her book No One Belongs Here More Than You, won the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. Needless to say, July is well-versed and extremely talented.
The work of miranda July Miranda July brings a breath of fresh air to the realm of modern art. Some artists draw inspiration from personal tragedy or experience that may or may not relate to the viewer. The premise of July’s art is intimacy with people. Much of her art titles include “you” or “we” because she wants to make a connection with her viewers. The nature of humanity is that we all want to feel important, worthy, and like we are a part of something. July has broken down the wall between the artist and the viewer and replaced it with a bridge that connects the viewers with the artist and the art. In some instances, such as the website learningtoloveyoumore, her artwork would not hold importance without the participation from the public. She is that quirky, adorable, blue-eyed girl that is immediately captivating. I think that half of appreciating her work is in understanding that her art makes a connection with humanity; it draws out the often forgotten aspects of life and turns simple or seemingly mundane things into a work of art. In the interview with “Pretty Cool People Interviews,” she says that her favorite thing is “where I walk away feeling like, oh my god I have to do something…things are not the same anymore. I try to make work where you come away with that feeling…you feel able, you feel like kind of propelled.” Her art goes beyond aesthetically pleasing but reaches out and invokes a response. By combining her skills as a writer with her art, July creates a emotional response in her viewers.
The elements of Miranda July’s artwork vary from piece to piece. In her online project, Learning To Love You More, the participants post in response to an assignment. Some are audio tracks, movies, drawings, or photographs. The degree of freedom in what elements are used in the assignments allows the collaborative project to be distinctively human. July says that the project is about the truth and what she likes best is the “sort of complicated messed up truth…the one that is so imperfect, you know it’s true.” Rather than striving for perfection, July wants to explore the art and beauty of truth, imperfections and all. It functions as an interactive piece of art that is applicable to humanity as a whole. The assignment to make an inspirational sign has the potential to strike the heart of every person. Even the strongest person needs a little inspiration at times. In her exhibit entitled Eleven Heavy Things, July has eleven sculptures made from heavy material such as cast fiberglass and steel-lined pieces. The sculptures are interactive. Some are tall white boards with holes for body parts and a saying on the front, freestanding headdresses, and some were pedestals inscribed with a saying. In a way the eleven sculptures are photo opportunities where the person on the sculpture brings new meaning to the sculpture itself. One sculpture is inscribed: “This is my little girl. She is brave and clever and funny. She will have none of the problems that I have. Her heart will never be broken. She will never be humiliated. Self-doubt will not devour her dreams.” If a little girl is on the sculpture it is like a sweet and hopeful wish for her future, a prayer that she will be strong and not have to endure heartache. But when July herself is standing on the sculpture, it is almost a fulfilled promise; like, she is taking a stance and saying that there is no room for self-doubt in art. The interaction with the individual and the piece of art is unique but at the same time has a sense of relatablility to it.
Her words are part of her art. This is especially evident in her piece “The Hallway,” where the hallway is lined with one phrase after another. With two walls and paper attached to them, July masterfully creates an alternate reality, a dream-like state that has a cathartic effect. The hallways symbolizes one’s life, a linear walk through time, failed dreams, and lost hope that leaves the person who just walked through the hallway feeling the need to reevaluate their life. July aims to leave an impact on her viewers, to connect on the most basic levels through touching on basic human emotions. One of the messages July has in the hallway is “The hall isn’t so bad it’s lonely, but it’s safe.” This message acts on the basis of reverse psychology. Because the hallway is a metaphor for the assembly life, the message plays to the thought that in order to do anything great or fall in love, you have to fall out of line, step out of the hall way, risk something. And all of a sudden, in the hallway of life, there is a life changing decision that will affect the course of your life, a fork in the road. The idea of a life changing decision touches home to everyone. The hall way utilizes July’s gift of word to create a work of art.
July is without a doubt unique and talented. On one of her interactive websites that coincides with her book, No One Belongs Here More Than You, she expresses her humanity and originality by writing on the top of her stove and refrigerator with dry erase maker. Rather than a self-recording or even buying a dry erase board, she brings her message home, literally, and it is as if she is inviting her viewers into her life by doing so. As she introduces her book, she shows the two colors the cover was printed in, pink and yellow. She proposes that the readers match their outfit to the color of the book. It seems like a ridiculous idea; however, it is a prime example of her connection to the thoughts and emotions of people. People do have strange thoughts sometimes. Her thoughts stream across the top of her fridge and then her stove. By communicating her life it allows her audience to feel a personal connection to her. The seemingly unimportant details are actually centered on an emotional core. July’s work attempts to unite people through common human characteristics. She gives importance to the normal people and things. Katrina Onstad of the New York Times sums it up perfectly. July is “unrelentingly sincere, and maybe that sincerity makes her difficult to bear. It also might make her culturally essential.”
Assignment #36 “Make an encouraging banner” From: Learning To Love You More
Miranda July at her Eleven Heavy Things exhibit at Venice Biennale (2009)
Sources for Images http://www.mutanteggplant.com/vitro-nasu/2009/05/21/william-lamson-and-miranda-july/ http://weloveyouso.com/2009/05/miranda-july-venice-biennale/ http://mirandajuly.com/art/ http://www.learningtoloveyoumore.com/reports/63/robinson_holly.php
Sources for written work http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/magazine/the-make-believer.html?pagewanted=all http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UBtwWYY4uw http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/16111/miranda-july-eleven-heavy-things-at-moca.html
