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OBrienSeamusLiam2004 mt.pdf (4.31 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Happiness

O'Brien, Seamus Liam
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407412388

Abstract Details

2004, Master of Fine Arts, Ohio State University, Art.
Throughout the years I have habitually collected a variety of rubber ducks from numerous stores and locations. I believe my initial attraction to the rubber duck stemmed from what the rubber duck represents to me: unadulterated entertainment. The object fulfills no practical needs. The object only offers a brief psychological reward to its recipient. The rubber duck is cute, simple, hygienic, asexual, submissive, but most importantly, happy. The emotions, thoughts, and ideas that are manifested within the object itself hold many similarities to my own life experiences growing up in the circus, and later when I worked for various theme parks in the Central Florida area. Those life experiences distilled into ideas, thoughts about show business and theme park “realities.” My memories of those experiences, and the feelings that those memories evoke, such as excitement, anxiety, desire, and boredom translate in the imagery that I have produced. The installation entitled “Happiness,” is a collection of twenty-one dry pastel drawings of rubber ducks. Each 6’x 5’ drawing is rendered naturalistically and positioned in the center of the sheet of white paper. Each individual rubber duck is facing forward at a three quarter viewpoint with its eyes staring out at the viewer. There is no background to these drawings. Each is simply a big drawing of a rubber duck, fastened to the wall using grommets and nails, much like a large event banner. My original intent for this installation was to recreate the atmosphere I grew up in by using an object that I feel exemplified that environment: Rubber ducks - big, colorful, loud, and happy. Yet the installation that I have created also feels cold, fake, and unsettling. The rubber duck drawings have certain sweetness on the surface; the smooth outer skin, the bright inviting colors, and the familiar formal language culminates with a kind of candy-coating that allows a viewer to swallow the bitter pill of reality a little more easily. I have made the rubber ducks big, and in doing so I have given the object monumentality and strength. By magnifying the rubber duck to such a degree, this not only allows the viewer to experience the intricate visual details of the object itself, but it also begins to reveal the objects hollow psychological effects.
Philip von Raabe (Advisor)
Charles Massey, Jr. (Committee Member)
Stephen Pentak (Committee Member)
49 p.
Art Criticism; Art Education; Art History

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • O'Brien, S. L. (2004). Happiness [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407412388

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • O'Brien, Seamus. Happiness. 2004. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407412388.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • O'Brien, Seamus. "Happiness." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2004. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1407412388

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2004, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.