I created a DVD player, TV, and remote using foam, push pins, a silver paint marker, string, and construction paper. Initially, my project was a disc ladder showcasing the discs designed to depict the movie without giving away the title. However, I decided to present my installation in a different way to depict my indecisiveness and opinion on each film by placing certain discs in particular places.
Watching movies is a challenging task for me. Sometimes, when I watch a movie, I abandon it in the middle or toward the end of the film. Even trying to figure out what to watch is difficult. I wanted to keep track of the obstacles I face when trying to pick and watch films through my art. While trying to execute this, I had trouble locating and deciding on materials, but once I found some dark colored foam, I decided to use that to my advantage. I cut up the foam with sewing scissors and a butter knife, which made keeping the edges even a little tricky. However, I was able to touch them up once I found an exacto knife.
The push pins in the foam block represent buttons on the dvd player and I colored over them with a silver paint marker, except for two which are intended to indicate the power button, as well as the light that signals the operation of the DVD player. The TV is made out of black construction paper with silver detailing to make it more realistic. I cut a piece of string from a spool of thread to connect the player and the TV, which is my favorite feature of the installation. Finally, the remote is a leftover piece of foam with glue and silver paint to represent buttons.
The discs, which were the standalone aspects of my first installation, I used with materials around my house. I had a few scratched discs laying around that were too scratched to fix, so I painted over them and used materials to turn them into symbolic of the films they represent without using the title or any other information.
When I installed my project in the studio, I decided to place the discs strategically. The clear disc with “bloody” fingerprints is on top of the player because I didn’t finish watching the movie. The discs in the player and propped up are the movies I liked best, and the two discs off to the side are movies I found to be forgettable or boring.
This piece is an indication of how I embrace the struggle of deciding what movies to watch, and how to appreciate the value in watching something I may not enjoy or find memorable. I can find the joy in my indecisiveness and short attention span.
