Lisa Banks

MFA Thesis Abstract

I am fascinated by human psychology, specifically with the notion of the inevitable physical and psychological disconnection between self and other.  I see human behavior as being ultimately motivated by both a desire for closeness and a need for autonomy, and am most intrigued by the conflict that is generated by those two disparate psychological states.  My intention with the Suspended Motion Series is for viewers to consider their physical being in relation to others and ultimately seek connection through artistic expression.  My work pursues the belief that viewing other mediated bodies in motion initiates recognition of distance between self and other, which in turn promotes a desire for resolution through physical or psychological contact. 

 The Suspended Motion Series was developed through experimentation with RGBD toolkit, a 3D depth-mapping visualization system that calibrates a Kinect camera with a DSLR camera to capture simultaneous depth and motion footage. I use the system to record myself performing and generate 3D rendered frames that I compile into still images, effectively compressing the record of those actions on video into a single picture that seeks to capture the fleeting expression of human movement. The culmination of my research was presented at the Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) MFA exhibition in two forms, as a series of prints of the still image composites and as a video projection installation.  By executing the work in distinct mediums, I demonstrate the broad capacities of the imagery generated through my experimentation while emphasizing the conceptual intent of the series.