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University of Mississippi

Visual Phallacies

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Roland Barthes wrote that only after removing all of the author's intentions and traces can a work of art truly be perceived by viewers fairly (Barthes). A viewer's perception of the world is influenced by his or her individual subjective history, which is the product of his or her own experiences. But as the author of ceramic work, my influence is ever-present. Clay records every push, pull, spank, squeeze, and poke. It fully records its physical history and as well as my actions upon it. This thesis exhibition asks the question: Can a viewer de-contextualize familiar-but-contentious subject matter and be persuaded to accept sculptural art works as such? Using various surface treatments, repetition of forms, and the play of scale, this thesis hopes to sway viewers to see past their preconceived notions about sex toys. This body of work questions whether form can transcend an object's function.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
M.F.A. in Art
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Art and Art History
Year dc:date.available
2015

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Cummings, John Howard
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Matt Long
  • Ernest Forward
  • Kris Belden-Adams

Subjects

dc:subject × 6

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/576
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:egrove.olemiss.edu:etd-1575

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Mississippi
Base URL
egrove.olemiss.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Cummings, John Howard. Visual Phallacies. Dissertation thesis, 2015. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/576