Project 4 - Synthesis
"Synthesis Synthesis means to combine a number of different pieces into a whole. Synthesis is about concisely summarizing and linking different sources in order to review the literature on a topic, make recommendations, and connect your practice to the research."
https://umanitoba.ca/faculties/nursing/students/What_is_synthesis.pdf
https://umanitoba.ca/faculties/nursing/students/What_is_synthesis.pdf
This year of school has been an interesting but fun year especially in Apollo. I really wanted to end my last project on a good note so I had a bunch of bug ideas for my last project. Originally, my idea was to create a giant painting that every kid in Apollo could add to. I was going to synthesize their perspective on a topic and synthesize their art work together to create a final piece. However, after talking to the teachers that idea was scraped and I was instead asked to focus on a specific topic. So, I did some research and came up with the idea, how art can help lift people out of poverty in Africa and South America. I synthesized different groups and organizations and their poverty reduction plans to create my own reduction plan. I also synthesized African art aesthetics and South American street art to create a painting that represented my poverty reduction plan, and lastly I synthesized three different artists and their artists statements together to create my own artist statement to connect to my painting.
Social Studies
Social Studies is really were my idea for this project began. Like I mentioned before, I was asked to focus on one specific topic rather than a bunch of different perspectives and poverty is the topic that I choose. I have found out that this year I mostly stayed away from hard and emotionally challenging topics. Whether it is because of this past year? I don't know, but I tend to gravitate towards less deep ideas. However, poverty is a deep and challenging topic. It is no secret the challenges and hardships that people who live in poverty have to deal with. However, instead of focusing on the negative I choose to spin the project into a more positive light. I choose to focus on how art can help lift the people in these regions out of poverty and how art can help teach them so many things.
I started my research by looking at the reasons for poverty in these regions. That was going to be the first way I was going to use synthesis in my project, and the reason for poverty are going to be the backbone for my poverty reduction plan. I learned through research that government corruption and lack of education are the main reasons for poverty in these countries. Without education the people cannot get weell-paying jobs and they are less liekly to get thei children educated, repeating this vicous cuylce. Governtment corruption is just as bad, if not worst, becuase if the government is not fuctioning properly then the businesses, economy, and overall countiry cannot opperate. If the ogvnerment is taking the they are getting and only using the omeny for themselves, then the people are at a disavtage and are losing valuable resources. These tow go hand in hand, and I chosoe to syntheisze these two ideas together to create a pvoerty reduction plan that tarketing both of these issues. Addtionally, my plan focused on the women in these countires. When the woemn are able to provide for themsleves they can lift entore communities out of vperty. If the women are able to wokr owth the men, then that is even more money being put back into the economy and if the woemn are educated and able to be fincially independent then theye are more likely to lead their chldren down the same path. when ocming up owth my plan I choose to name it Project: Esperanza. Esperanza means hope in Spanish and creating a plan to help the women gain an education, and leanr how to become fincially independent is not only hope for them, but ho[e for their children, and hope for the country overall. My provject overall looked at Afirca and South America as whole regions but my pverty reduction plan focused on Nigeria and Venezuela specifically. However, my proverty reduction plan can be alied to almost any country.
Another major role that synthesis played in this project was in the structure of the poverty reduction plan. I did the research and now I just needed to bring all of my ideas together in to a foreseeable plan. When meant more research! I looked at more organizations and how they were choosing to use art to tackle poverty issues in different countries. One this that I noticed however was that a majority of these groups were only tackling one part of the problem. Like I mentioned before, education and governmental corruption are the two biggest causes of poverty. Focusing on improving just one side doesn't help the overall problem. So, I choose to synthesize all the groups that I researched and their ideas together to create one full idea that will target both sides of the problem. My poverty reduction plan a non-profit and wiil consist of a community outreach building in both Nigeria and Venezuela and a business fo rhte women to sell their art in America. The community building will be lmost like the YMCA here in America. This building will be an educational and workshop building. The womn will be able to recieve a well-rounded and expansive education. Along with that there will be a space for their children to play and to learn as well so that they will not have to worry about their children. The women will also have access to running water, food, resources, as so much more due to donations. The business that is in America will sell all of the artwork that the women make in the community building. All the money will go directly to the women that are making the art, and the world will be able to see the beautiful that these women can create and how art can help better these communities. While Proejct: Esperanza cannot over throuw the government, we cna work to educate the owmen and to hel them become finacially stable so that they will not have to rely on the governemnt.
This is just a breakdown of my pverty reduction plan. My real plan and notes (can access them with the buttons below), is much more detailed and descriptive about what my plan is and how I used synthesis in this project.
I started my research by looking at the reasons for poverty in these regions. That was going to be the first way I was going to use synthesis in my project, and the reason for poverty are going to be the backbone for my poverty reduction plan. I learned through research that government corruption and lack of education are the main reasons for poverty in these countries. Without education the people cannot get weell-paying jobs and they are less liekly to get thei children educated, repeating this vicous cuylce. Governtment corruption is just as bad, if not worst, becuase if the government is not fuctioning properly then the businesses, economy, and overall countiry cannot opperate. If the ogvnerment is taking the they are getting and only using the omeny for themselves, then the people are at a disavtage and are losing valuable resources. These tow go hand in hand, and I chosoe to syntheisze these two ideas together to create a pvoerty reduction plan that tarketing both of these issues. Addtionally, my plan focused on the women in these countires. When the woemn are able to provide for themsleves they can lift entore communities out of vperty. If the women are able to wokr owth the men, then that is even more money being put back into the economy and if the woemn are educated and able to be fincially independent then theye are more likely to lead their chldren down the same path. when ocming up owth my plan I choose to name it Project: Esperanza. Esperanza means hope in Spanish and creating a plan to help the women gain an education, and leanr how to become fincially independent is not only hope for them, but ho[e for their children, and hope for the country overall. My provject overall looked at Afirca and South America as whole regions but my pverty reduction plan focused on Nigeria and Venezuela specifically. However, my proverty reduction plan can be alied to almost any country.
Another major role that synthesis played in this project was in the structure of the poverty reduction plan. I did the research and now I just needed to bring all of my ideas together in to a foreseeable plan. When meant more research! I looked at more organizations and how they were choosing to use art to tackle poverty issues in different countries. One this that I noticed however was that a majority of these groups were only tackling one part of the problem. Like I mentioned before, education and governmental corruption are the two biggest causes of poverty. Focusing on improving just one side doesn't help the overall problem. So, I choose to synthesize all the groups that I researched and their ideas together to create one full idea that will target both sides of the problem. My poverty reduction plan a non-profit and wiil consist of a community outreach building in both Nigeria and Venezuela and a business fo rhte women to sell their art in America. The community building will be lmost like the YMCA here in America. This building will be an educational and workshop building. The womn will be able to recieve a well-rounded and expansive education. Along with that there will be a space for their children to play and to learn as well so that they will not have to worry about their children. The women will also have access to running water, food, resources, as so much more due to donations. The business that is in America will sell all of the artwork that the women make in the community building. All the money will go directly to the women that are making the art, and the world will be able to see the beautiful that these women can create and how art can help better these communities. While Proejct: Esperanza cannot over throuw the government, we cna work to educate the owmen and to hel them become finacially stable so that they will not have to rely on the governemnt.
This is just a breakdown of my pverty reduction plan. My real plan and notes (can access them with the buttons below), is much more detailed and descriptive about what my plan is and how I used synthesis in this project.
English
My English portion went hand in hand with my Art project. For English I wrote my own artist statement for my painting. In my artist statement I explained how i used synthesis in my artwork, and my overall process and research that went into the piece. However, I did have to do research and find a why to incorporate synthesis into my writing to connect this part of my project back into English.
I chose to synthesize different artist statements and the different styles that 3 artists used in writing their pieces to wrote my own artist statement. The three artists that I looked at were Micheal Rich, Fred Wilson, and Helen Frankenthaler. I choose not to look that each of their art work specifically because I really just wanted to analyze their writing. One thing that I realized was that there was some similarities between the three artist. Each of their statements were personal. They each shared their perspective and point of view either about their work or just how they think in their statement. Also neither one of them tried to sound too formal. Instead they used their statements to connect with their audience. You can tell that each artist cared about their work and about the reader or viewer that was see their work.
While those similarities were note-worthy, there were also some differences. Micheal Rich used his artist statement to give the reader an insight into his mental state. He was able to give the reader details into how she thinks and the mental state that he was in. In an interesting way, this helped the reader to understand to to see the passion that he had for his work. He was able to convey a very important message while also giving the reader something to think about and to ponder on.
Fred Wilson however, was more direct. He mentioned the cultural and conceptual themes that took place in his painting, and he used his explanations to help the reader understand the meaning behind his artwork. With some artists you have to almost read between the line to decipher the meanings behind the things that they are trying to say, but with Fred Wilson, he was more direct and precise.
Lastly, Helen Frankenthaler's statement was my favorite statement. It was the shortest of the three statements but I feel as though it had the most character and personality in it. She actually talked nothing about her actual work but, she spoke solely on how she feels. whether that is how she feels now, what she felt during. the process of her work, or how she has always felt is up for the reader to decide in my opinion, but she was precise, personal, and express in her writing.
All threes of these statements are good examples of how to wrote an artist statement but I choose to combine all three fo these examples together. I wanted to combine all fo these examples and my own writing together to create custom statement that full explained and broke down the painting that I created. there was a lot of research and ideas that wen t in to my painting and I was glad that I was able to have these statements as references to how to write my own.
I chose to synthesize different artist statements and the different styles that 3 artists used in writing their pieces to wrote my own artist statement. The three artists that I looked at were Micheal Rich, Fred Wilson, and Helen Frankenthaler. I choose not to look that each of their art work specifically because I really just wanted to analyze their writing. One thing that I realized was that there was some similarities between the three artist. Each of their statements were personal. They each shared their perspective and point of view either about their work or just how they think in their statement. Also neither one of them tried to sound too formal. Instead they used their statements to connect with their audience. You can tell that each artist cared about their work and about the reader or viewer that was see their work.
While those similarities were note-worthy, there were also some differences. Micheal Rich used his artist statement to give the reader an insight into his mental state. He was able to give the reader details into how she thinks and the mental state that he was in. In an interesting way, this helped the reader to understand to to see the passion that he had for his work. He was able to convey a very important message while also giving the reader something to think about and to ponder on.
Fred Wilson however, was more direct. He mentioned the cultural and conceptual themes that took place in his painting, and he used his explanations to help the reader understand the meaning behind his artwork. With some artists you have to almost read between the line to decipher the meanings behind the things that they are trying to say, but with Fred Wilson, he was more direct and precise.
Lastly, Helen Frankenthaler's statement was my favorite statement. It was the shortest of the three statements but I feel as though it had the most character and personality in it. She actually talked nothing about her actual work but, she spoke solely on how she feels. whether that is how she feels now, what she felt during. the process of her work, or how she has always felt is up for the reader to decide in my opinion, but she was precise, personal, and express in her writing.
All threes of these statements are good examples of how to wrote an artist statement but I choose to combine all three fo these examples together. I wanted to combine all fo these examples and my own writing together to create custom statement that full explained and broke down the painting that I created. there was a lot of research and ideas that wen t in to my painting and I was glad that I was able to have these statements as references to how to write my own.
Art
Lastly, I created a painting for my art project. My painting was a visual representation and accompaniment to/of my poverty reduction plan that I wrote for Social Studies. I synthesized my ideas for Social Studies and Art to create this painting, and I also synthesized African art aesthetics and South American street art together to create two different and unique styles in the painting. On the left side of the painting i choose to have that be the side that represented the South American street art. One thing that separated South American street art form the street at around the world is how they use their art to spread and communicate important messages. Often the street art in South America looks into the political, social, and economical issues that are present in the world. They do use traditional graffiti techniques in their work ,but mostly is the people of South America using their art to speak up for themselves and for the people who might not have a great of a voice. This is also why I choose the left side of the painting to represent the absence of government corruption and women rights. It is no surprise that women liberation is a controversial topic in some part of the world, but I wanted the South American street art to be the catalysis for these ideas because of how express it is.
On the right side if the painting I have African art aesthetics. African art often resembles humans and human features. The tree represents education but I choose to make the tree resemble an actual tree but not look exactly like a tree. African art is very expressive focuses more on idea and talent more that routine or having to have something look a certain way. Because of that I love African art and I used this style to painting the tree. The roots of the tree represent how different areas of education, English, math, reading, writing, ect., can lead and grow into so many beautiful things. Additionally each color in the background has a specific meaning. The blue and the yellow both have their own separate meanings and the green represents each of those ideas coming together. Lastly, the middle is a synthesis of both South American street art and African art aesthetics. it has the aspected of both styles of art and it shows both of those ideas coming together to create a new idea.
This is just a brief explanation of of two of the major ways I used synthesis in my painting, but there is so much more detail and explanation in the painting itself. Each piece of the painting has an important meaning and each symbol represents a part of my poverty reduction plan research. The artist statement breaks down everything else in the painting and gives a fuller view on my process and research.
On the right side if the painting I have African art aesthetics. African art often resembles humans and human features. The tree represents education but I choose to make the tree resemble an actual tree but not look exactly like a tree. African art is very expressive focuses more on idea and talent more that routine or having to have something look a certain way. Because of that I love African art and I used this style to painting the tree. The roots of the tree represent how different areas of education, English, math, reading, writing, ect., can lead and grow into so many beautiful things. Additionally each color in the background has a specific meaning. The blue and the yellow both have their own separate meanings and the green represents each of those ideas coming together. Lastly, the middle is a synthesis of both South American street art and African art aesthetics. it has the aspected of both styles of art and it shows both of those ideas coming together to create a new idea.
This is just a brief explanation of of two of the major ways I used synthesis in my painting, but there is so much more detail and explanation in the painting itself. Each piece of the painting has an important meaning and each symbol represents a part of my poverty reduction plan research. The artist statement breaks down everything else in the painting and gives a fuller view on my process and research.