purcc 2012 - University of the Pacific

Senior Art & Design Show – Artist Statements
TransParent
Amanda Zimmerman
Faculty Mentor: Jennifer Little and Monika Meler
All relationships are intertwined. The personal interactions people have shape their life experiences and
affect their actions in future relationships. As we mature, we recognize how much influence those
relationships have on our everyday lives. Memories surface and color many of our decisions. These ideas
led to the creation of a body of work in which I explore the correlation between my childhood relationship
with my father and my maternal relationship with my son.
This collection of images is autobiographical and is purposefully displayed in layers. Representing the
underlying influences my father has had on my decisions; the bottom layer depicts a landscape upon which
photographs of him as a young boy are strewn. A window placed over this layer represents me and serves
as the connection between my father and son. Finally, screen-printed images of my son on some of the
panels of glass are the final layer and demonstrate the passage of time.
This artwork represents the connection with my father and the strong influence he passed on in my life with
my son. As a parent I want to provide for my son, as my father had done for me and pass onto him the
characteristics I acquired from my father. After viewing this artwork, I hope that the audience gains insight
to my memories and actions as a parent, and possibly an internal look into their own relationships and what
inspires them to make decisions.
29