UCSD Open Studios: Seth Augustine

Seth Augustine

Moral systems change and respond to social interactions and practices, charging objects and processes with meaning. A dynamic exists between the everyday experiences that shape human existence and how individuals generate meaning in their lives. As an artist, my intention is located within the affinities and gestures of specific human activities and the symbolic structures engendering them with significance. Being immersed within the codes and classifications of the cultural milieu of America is crucial to my developing practice. Because of this inclination towards an anti-art proclivity, my subsequent products are purposefully exoteric; however, maintaining a critical edge that underlies the apparent light-hearted subject matter is essential. My strategies resonate as a simulacrum of a distinct character or situation. By instigating these prevarications within my interventions, interactive performances, and installations, I force the viewer/participant to revise his or her preconceived notions.

Reciprocity between process and exhibition is a key component of my artistic exploration. Because I operate with absurdist tendencies, the devised parameters push the staged events and interactions to an extreme. Concentrating the engagement in this way intensifies my personal investment, heightens the risk of failure, and provokes a confrontation with unknown outcomes� three attributes that challenge my own preconceptions of these experiences. This modus allows space for discoveries and new ideas to flourish. In presentation, my goal is to address the particular conceptual underpinnings of my work through the most salient materials and techniques; therefore, the end results traverse a wide range of formats and media. In this manner a visceral seepage evolves, where the transference of information connects the various topical elements within my projects. This discursive method is imperative towards comprehending how the myriad artworks function in their separate contexts.

My prime objective is to search for understanding, subtlety, and relevance within my work; and to strive to make art that is thought provoking and visually engaging. Through focused research and intense curiosity, I allow for the discoveries achieved through my processes to motivate my artistic production. Being involved in a community of artists, where ideas can be developed and discussed, is vital to my professional goals as an artist.

Artist CV

Seth Augustine

Artists