Defending Defense: Circular Arguments About Artmaking

<p>This paper is a critical look at video and performance arts intrinsic relationship to culture. Investigations of storytelling, personal mythology, fear, and image saturation. Think-pieces on the nature of art in an entertainment society. Juggling a brief overview of various works and their relation to over arching themes of game theory, dark humor, and fascination with media. An in depth look at the process of the thesis show, "Defense is the Best Defense." Multiple takes on the thesis exhibit counterbalance the need for contemporary art to include description. This paper is a detailed look at the process of Ryan Mulligan's artwork and methods of materials. Ryan Mulligan's work takes the form of performance lectures, video, and installations. Here the intuitive is dismissed and a demystifying approach to describing production and theory bridges a gap in contemporary literature on art making. Anecdotal stories on process, desires, thrusts, and methods illuminate an any-means-necessary artistic approach.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Fine Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Painting and Printmaking

Year dc:date.available

2005

Author dc:creator

• Mulligan, Ryan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Richard Roth

• video
• new media
• theory
• performance art
• Art and Design
• Arts and Humanities

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/1370

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2369