Semester 4

Arts TRYathlon #1: Choose Your Own Adventure

Watching a Movie (2/13/26, Title: Worth, Year: 2021, On Netflix)

#visualart #dialogue #acting

Prompt #1: In what ways did this event challenge and/or affirm your definitions of what counts as art?

Watching the movie Worth on Netflix challenged and affirmed my definition of what counts as art in more than one way. I initially thought it was straightforward and just about the legal drama regarding 9/11 compensation for the victims' families. However, as the film kept going, I came to see that it was doing much more than spewing the facts. Through Kenneth Feinberg's work and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, the movie delved into the emotional and monetary value of human life. It made me consider grief, justice, and the boundaries of reason during tragic events. It made me think more critically rather than watching on a surface level. My understanding of art is that it is usually colorful, flashy, and stands out. In this film, there were no dazzling visuals or spectacular action sequences. Rather, it depended on speech, techniques such as getting a closer view versus a farther one, and firsthand accounts. Hearing families talk about their loss was extremely difficult. Going more into the firsthand accounts and film in general, it was the simplicity of it that was compelling. It showed me that meaningful art does not necessarily have to be a great visual piece. Therefore, in many ways, this film affirmed my belief that art should encourage people to think critically about pressing problems. Similar to the capstone project that I am currently working on, I believe that this is so important. If an artwork does not bring up curiosity or thinking, it would make me question if it truly is considered meaningful art.

Arts TRYathlon #2: Choose Your Own Art-Venture

Watching a Film (3/15/26, Title: Canvas, Year: 2020, On Netflix)

#storytelling #speechless #animation

Prompt #4: How does this event illustrate the ways art can function as a mechanism for building community?

This film talks about a grandpa who has a love for painting. However, ever since his wife died, he abandoned painting for a long time. Gradually, his granddaughter developed the same love for painting he once had. His granddaughter found her grandpa's old stack of paintings, and he was initially extremely upset. Once he saw the painting again, his old memories flooded back in, and he smiled. This was significant because throughout the film, he is seen to be frowning. The grandpa rekindled his love for painting through his granddaughter. At the end, the grandpa and granddaughter are happily painting together. At exactly 1:47 minutes left, there is a scene that shows the family altogether through painting, which displays what the prompt asks. What once was a weak family connection was rekindled through a shared love for the arts. It is clear that the arts can function as a mechanism for building community, and this is evident in our society today as well. With people connecting through film watching, feeling shared emotions when viewing a painting, and being mesmerized by the beauty of an orchestra performance, the arts are what keep our momentum going and keep communities strong. I also think that the people watching this film, the audience, are reminded of the importance of art and its universal purpose of bringing individuals together.

Arts TRYathlon #3: Maker Mixer

Maker Mixer Event (3/27/26, Hornbake Library)

#visualart #history #artifacts

Prompt #1: In what ways did this event challenge and/or affirm your definitions of what counts as art?

The Maker Mixer event in Hornbake Library showcased a bunch of different artifacts that told a story about the history of UMD. This event challenged my definition of art as the artifacts could beautifully tell a story and communicate a theme without being limited to traditional paintings or drawings. There were artifacts like newspapers, photographs, and sculptures to each convey a powerful story. The event challenged my traditional views of art, and I learned that art is primarily about what it communicates and expresses, not just how it is made. Everything that goes into the event, like the layout, presentation, and colors used, plays an important role in contributing to the art of the event. For example, even the history of UMD throughout the 1900's wall was very interactive, with green-toned drawings. It kept me engaged even though it was just an informational text about UMD's milestones over the years. If it were just the text, I don't think I would have paid much attention to it. This connects with my capstone project currently, because my original idea was to do a piece with heavy writing. Through advice from my peers and personal experience, I realized that huge amounts of texts aren't what catching one's attention. It is the artistic piece that encapsulates us, which makes us want to read those huge texts. It was interesting seeing this directly applied in the maker mixer event. In conclusion, the event taught me that art is not just beautiful drawings or colors, but that it can also be beautiful stories told with artifacts that may not be significant alone. A collection of artifacts can add more detail to a story to help the audience grasp the purpose.

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