Soundwalk Assignment

I decided to spend my hour during the soundwalk at grand central. I took the 4 train to Grand Central 42nd St. As I stepped out the doors, the familiar train announcement of "Stand Clear of the Closing Doors" was the last thing I heard as I walked up the stairs. Walking into the station, I immediately heard the walkie talkies of the policemen there go off as usual. I sat on the steps and closed my eyes in order to hear the different sounds around me. This was slightly unusually for me since I'm usually in a rush whenever I take the trains and I like to listen to music instead of focusing on the sounds around me. While sitting down in grand central, I immediately noticed the sounds of conversations and intelligible chatter. These sounds seem to echo off the walls and meld together. I would also hear the train announcements as they start to pull out of the station to head northbound in other areas of the state. I would hear random laughter and the occasional baby crying. Another sound that I found myself surrounded with was the sound of footsteps as everyone rushed to their perspective destinations. The tapping of the soles of their feet ranged from a fast tempo, which was more common to a slow, languid gait. These sounds were expected since I was within the MTA system which is generally busy and crowded, especially around 5pm, which is when rush hour generally starts. I walked down to the food concourse, where more chatter could be heard along with the clatter of plates and forks as people ate their food which smelled great by the way. It wasn't as loud due to the absence of a high ceiling, which enhanced the acoustics of the station, but the area was just as crowded. I would also hear the wheels of the occasional custodian. There was a lot that was going on at this time which made it somewhat difficult to categorize all the sounds I was being submerged with, but it was a familiar soundtrack since I spend most of my life in the busy city of New York.

Assignment 1: Defining a Space (The Art Department)

Defining a Space from Yessenia Fabian` on Vimeo.

Creative Statement

I’m continuously trying to learn more about myself as an artist while also learning about the world around me. I like to think of myself as an avid doodler since much of my inspiration comes from cartoons and anime that I grew up with throughout my childhood. My interest in drawing stems from the animated worlds of my favorite characters such as Bugs Bunny, Pikachu, and Cardcaptor Sakura. However, I felt as though accompanying these characters on their journey every Saturday morning just wasn't enough and I wanted to try to create my own characters and landscapes on paper instead of simply watching them on my television screen from the living room floor.

The more I drew, the more I became interested in experimenting and exploring other mediums and drawing styles. Before I knew it, I found that I discovered a new way of expressing myself and gained a new perspective in the world I’m living in. Two years ago I participated in a summer program with Groundswell, a community organization that brings youth, artists, and organizations together by using art to promote social change. I spent the summer collaborating with other artists to help paint a mural that embodies the neighborhood within it was placed. This program opened my eyes to the possibilities of connecting with your audience through art, and how effectively messages can be conveyed in ways words just simply can not fully express. At first I didn't think I would be able to do anything with my art, but by working with other artists who share the same passion and interests, I learned that are countless possibilities in which I can do what I love.

I am hoping to learn how to express myself in mediums such as graphic art, film, and animation. Just like how I developed a connection with cartoons during my childhood, I am hoping to create a similar personal connection with my audience. I feel that images can capture meaning and emotion in a more effective way than words can try to express. I believe that art pieces that causes the viewer to pause and compels them to take an extra minute to think about the issue addressed are the most successful, and so I hope to be able to engage in compelling conversations with my future audience, with or without words.