Installing Art into the Real World
Our current senior student in Professional Photography Monica Luna Miranda, from Mexico City, is bringing her art into realms beyond the walls of a gallery or the pages of a website. She is taking her photography into the streets of Vancouver through a unique installation process.
Her concept began by taking photos of people she would normally see hanging out on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery on Robson Street, blowing them up onto foam core, adding some mixed-media elements of paint to them, cutting them out, and placing them on the steps themselves. For her and the subjects who became part of her project, it became a fascinating study in observation and looking at the world a little differently.
We asked her to share a little bit about the process: “I was inspired to share my art and involve people in the execution of the project, using their photos and placing them in an uncommon place where people can interact with it. My goal after finishing school is to return to Mexico and use my art installations to create conversations about different social issues facing my country. I want to raise public awareness through the interaction between art and society.
During this past year, I’ve developed my own mixed-media style using two of my passions: photography and painting. The Professional Photography program at VanArts has helped me develop in all kinds of different fields, and improve my observation skills.”
Monica made a short video to illustrate the whole process of putting the piece together:
Monica’s next phase of the project will involve photos of students in our Acting for Film & Television department, and displaying them on the beaches of English Bay, one of Vancouver’s best-known spots for recreation and scenic beauty (especially in the summer). If you spot her and her photos around town, say hello and ask her about her work!
