Duets: student and artist-mentor exchanges<\/h1><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\nOne of the two main components of a student\u2019s course of study in the MFA-VA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts is a semester-long studio project in which the student develops and\/or challenges specific aspects of their art practice under the guidance of an Artist-Mentor.<\/em><\/p>\nThe VCFA Artist-Mentor network is comprised of prominent contemporary artists who mentor students individually, during the semester. With over 1500 Artist-Mentors across the United States and Canada, VCFA students are ensured mentorship with a different Artist-Mentor each semester.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nStudent:<\/strong> Jessica Oleksy (S 23)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nArtist-Mentor:\u00a0<\/b>Ghazaleh Avarzamani<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n
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<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\nEd. note: The following interview was conducted in December 2021 during Jessica’s 1st semester in the VA Program.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nStudio and <\/strong>VC Project Title<\/strong> – <\/em>Exploration of Borders: Allocentric Enculturation of Ecological Systems<\/em><\/p>\nMy original Visual Culture research was based on the U.S.\/Mexico border in relation to immigration issues but then transitioned to identity in relation to the border. How is our identity defined by the place we live? Since I felt that I could not speak from my own perspective without really knowing who I am as an artist specifically, I incorporated a plant’s visual perspective of what a border looks like. By doing so the work became instantly more relatable to the average viewer vs. the projects I was working on prior to my first meeting with my Artist-Mentor.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n
\n\n\n\nGhazaleh Avarzamani<\/a> (born in 1979, Tehran; lives in Toronto, Canada) is a multidisciplinary artist with focus on dominant power structures; By considering a range of spaces and methodologies for interactivity and play she explores the opposing ideas about the purpose of education, these considerations include reflections on games and their pre-designed educational purposes. Her work investigates how official historical narratives are constructed, and the hierarchies behind the \u2018voice of authority\u2019. In her practice she is creating visual narratives that are a simultaneous deconstruction and reconstruction of time (history) and space (geography).<\/p>\nAvarzamani graduated from the Central Saint Martins in 2013. She has exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto, ; Aga Khan Museum, Toronto; Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium Museum, Norway and many more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n
<\/div>\nIs there a structure to your exchanges?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: There is a little bit of a structure. We usually start with me presenting what I am currently working on, where I am as far as each project goes. That\u2019s usually where the conversation starts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nG<\/strong>: There is a structure but it\u2019s organic. We started by trying to understand where Jessica is and narrowing down and articulating her thoughts and interests. Jessica has a very encyclopedic mind and she has a lot to say. I was trying to help her create a control system, not from me, but from herself, to prioritize things and understand what she wants to say exactly.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJessica, how have the conversations with Ghazaleh affected your process and thinking regarding your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: I thought I had planned and was well organized but when I presented at the meetings I realized I sounded disorganized and unprepared. From her perspective, Ghazaleh did not see things the way I was trying to portray them. Her feedback gave me clarification on what I wanted to say and where I wanted to go. That process took months to understand and apply to my thought process. It took months for me to actually implement and start to understand where the process was going.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nG<\/strong>: I give this example to Jessica and other students: I want to imagine their works in the context of an exhibition or in front of an audience and ask, does what they are saying and working on make sense? There is always a big gap between the statement and the work itself. We try to eliminate this gap by bringing the statement and the thoughts closer to each other.<\/p>\nJessica has a very poetic mind and has a lot to say but you don\u2019t really see all that in her work. So, we tried to get closer and see how we can visualize her thoughts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n
Can you describe a pivotal exchange or moment that helped shift something for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: I think a pivotal moment for me was when I went from working on several projects to one single big project. That allowed me to focus on one thing rather than work on several projects simultaneously.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nG<\/strong>: Tell us a little bit about the other works\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: I had been working on some other projects before starting with an Artist-Mentor because I wanted to have some studio projects going prior to my first Artist-Mentor meeting. And those works were not representative of what I was trying to say but forcing different thoughts on the viewer \u2013 they were aggressive and abrasive.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nWhat prompted the shift?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: A big part of the shift had to do with me trying to find my identity as an artist. I didn\u2019t have that in place. I\u2019m not saying I have that 100% currently, but I am in a better place at the moment. Eliminating that particular subject matter from my work allowed me to develop myself as an artist and truly understand what I was trying to say. It allowed me to bring what I am trying to say and what I am actually creating, together \u2013 to be more cohesive. That was definitely because of Ghazaleh\u2019s intervention and her feedback. She recommended several books and other artists for me to check out during that time.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nWhich books?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: Man and His Symbols<\/a> by Karl Jung and\u00a0On Photography<\/a> by Susan Sontag. Those are a couple of the books she recommended during the semester.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nG<\/strong>: I think one of Jessica\u2019s biggest achievements, and we worked hard to get there, is that she could develop consistency.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: Yes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nG<\/strong>: She had a lot of different approaches, different techniques, and different projects. There was no thread between any of them. They were more like interests. She was interested in a topic and she created one or two works and then jumped to another subject.<\/p>\nI was really trying to encourage her to focus on one thing, be consistent and then create a body of work.<\/p>\n
Maybe in another semester she can go back and open those files and investigate other subjects. Gradually I think we will be able to see the thread between all these projects.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n
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<\/div>Cascade 16\" x 20\" J. Oleksy 2021<\/small><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHow have you been challenged this semester?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: Oh my goodness. How much time do you have? I have been challenged from the very beginning of this semester. I believe the purpose of going to a grad program is to be challenged. I was completely open and ready for the opportunity to allow feedback and to implement that feedback, and to allow change to happen. Before I came into the program, I wasn\u2019t completely open and I didn\u2019t really have a structured approach to my creating at all. It was very unstructured. I really needed a decision making process, to really make a plan and implement it.<\/p>\nThe subject matter I\u2019ve chosen is extremely difficult to study: identity in relation to the U.S. and Mexico border. When I started incorporating the Visual Culture Research into the project it added a whole other element that really made me look at my identity as a person. And the studio work was something that challenged my identity as an artist. I was being challenged about who I am both as an artist and person. To be an artist you have to be defiant; you can\u2019t be wishy washy about what you want to say because the things you are saying are important.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n
What role did Ghazaleh play in challenging you?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: There are so many ways she challenged me. I think the hardest thing to understand for me was the process of elimination \u2013 eliminating the excess. For me it was extremely tough to let go of the things that weren\u2019t working and to really focus on the things that were working. Overall, I think that\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned throughout this entire semester. I\u2019m still learning how to implement these things in my decision making process.<\/p>\nWorking and focusing on the single 5\u2019 x 10\u2019 piece and putting aside the other things I had been working on allowed me<\/em> to focus too. It allowed me to develop my process and utilize that process on the additional work I did during the rest of the semester.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nG<\/strong>: So many times during our sessions we both agreed that our meetings were more like therapy sessions. It was a very personal journey to go through every aspect of her thoughts and personal aspirations. Jessica is not coming from an art background which in a way is a great thing because she was ready to absorb. What helped during this process as Jessica said: she was super open and very flexible. She is the mother of two and has a lot on her plate. However, \u00a0every session she had a lot of new works to show and discuss.<\/p>\nI was very concerned with the level of patience in her practice and that\u2019s why seeing her focusing on one project for six months is a big achievement. Eventually, she could focus on one material, one medium and one subject matter and work and work. Through that process she discovered a lot of other things. She went inward and did a lot of investigation into her work. She came a long way and where she is now standing is great. Of course there is a long way to go!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n
J<\/strong>: Thank you for that.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>Shifting 36\" x 48\" J. Oleksy 2021<\/small><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHow has the VCFA Student \u2013 Artist-Mentor model informed the way you approach your process?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\nJ<\/strong>: I wouldn\u2019t have made this much progress this rapidly without this type of program. I think a huge benefit is having someone pay attention to what I\u2019m doing, focusing on me. Because when you are in your thoughts it\u2019s very difficult sometimes to get a grasp on how you want to go about approaching something. Having Ghazaleh understand where I was coming from helped me learn how to articulate those ideas, which I\u2019m still learning. I know that throughout the program it\u2019s going to be the same, a continuous learning process. I am grateful I had Ghazaleh as my Artist-Mentor because I do feel she was a really good fit for me for this semester.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div><\/div><\/div>\nOne of the two main components of a student\u2019s course of study in the MFA-VA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts is a semester-long studio project in which the student develops and\/or challenges specific aspects of their art practice under the guidance of an Artist-Mentor.<\/em><\/p>\n The VCFA Artist-Mentor network is comprised of prominent contemporary artists who mentor students individually, during the semester. With over 1500 Artist-Mentors across the United States and Canada, VCFA students are ensured mentorship with a different Artist-Mentor each semester.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Student:<\/strong> Jessica Oleksy (S 23)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Artist-Mentor:\u00a0<\/b>Ghazaleh Avarzamani<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Ed. note: The following interview was conducted in December 2021 during Jessica’s 1st semester in the VA Program.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Studio and <\/strong>VC Project Title<\/strong> – <\/em>Exploration of Borders: Allocentric Enculturation of Ecological Systems<\/em><\/p>\n My original Visual Culture research was based on the U.S.\/Mexico border in relation to immigration issues but then transitioned to identity in relation to the border. How is our identity defined by the place we live? Since I felt that I could not speak from my own perspective without really knowing who I am as an artist specifically, I incorporated a plant’s visual perspective of what a border looks like. By doing so the work became instantly more relatable to the average viewer vs. the projects I was working on prior to my first meeting with my Artist-Mentor.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Ghazaleh Avarzamani<\/a> (born in 1979, Tehran; lives in Toronto, Canada) is a multidisciplinary artist with focus on dominant power structures; By considering a range of spaces and methodologies for interactivity and play she explores the opposing ideas about the purpose of education, these considerations include reflections on games and their pre-designed educational purposes. Her work investigates how official historical narratives are constructed, and the hierarchies behind the \u2018voice of authority\u2019. In her practice she is creating visual narratives that are a simultaneous deconstruction and reconstruction of time (history) and space (geography).<\/p>\n Avarzamani graduated from the Central Saint Martins in 2013. She has exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Toronto, ; Aga Khan Museum, Toronto; Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium Museum, Norway and many more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Is there a structure to your exchanges?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: There is a little bit of a structure. We usually start with me presenting what I am currently working on, where I am as far as each project goes. That\u2019s usually where the conversation starts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n G<\/strong>: There is a structure but it\u2019s organic. We started by trying to understand where Jessica is and narrowing down and articulating her thoughts and interests. Jessica has a very encyclopedic mind and she has a lot to say. I was trying to help her create a control system, not from me, but from herself, to prioritize things and understand what she wants to say exactly.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Jessica, how have the conversations with Ghazaleh affected your process and thinking regarding your work?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: I thought I had planned and was well organized but when I presented at the meetings I realized I sounded disorganized and unprepared. From her perspective, Ghazaleh did not see things the way I was trying to portray them. Her feedback gave me clarification on what I wanted to say and where I wanted to go. That process took months to understand and apply to my thought process. It took months for me to actually implement and start to understand where the process was going.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n G<\/strong>: I give this example to Jessica and other students: I want to imagine their works in the context of an exhibition or in front of an audience and ask, does what they are saying and working on make sense? There is always a big gap between the statement and the work itself. We try to eliminate this gap by bringing the statement and the thoughts closer to each other.<\/p>\n Jessica has a very poetic mind and has a lot to say but you don\u2019t really see all that in her work. So, we tried to get closer and see how we can visualize her thoughts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Can you describe a pivotal exchange or moment that helped shift something for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: I think a pivotal moment for me was when I went from working on several projects to one single big project. That allowed me to focus on one thing rather than work on several projects simultaneously.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n G<\/strong>: Tell us a little bit about the other works\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: I had been working on some other projects before starting with an Artist-Mentor because I wanted to have some studio projects going prior to my first Artist-Mentor meeting. And those works were not representative of what I was trying to say but forcing different thoughts on the viewer \u2013 they were aggressive and abrasive.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n What prompted the shift?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: A big part of the shift had to do with me trying to find my identity as an artist. I didn\u2019t have that in place. I\u2019m not saying I have that 100% currently, but I am in a better place at the moment. Eliminating that particular subject matter from my work allowed me to develop myself as an artist and truly understand what I was trying to say. It allowed me to bring what I am trying to say and what I am actually creating, together \u2013 to be more cohesive. That was definitely because of Ghazaleh\u2019s intervention and her feedback. She recommended several books and other artists for me to check out during that time.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n Which books?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: Man and His Symbols<\/a> by Karl Jung and\u00a0On Photography<\/a> by Susan Sontag. Those are a couple of the books she recommended during the semester.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n G<\/strong>: I think one of Jessica\u2019s biggest achievements, and we worked hard to get there, is that she could develop consistency.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: Yes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n G<\/strong>: She had a lot of different approaches, different techniques, and different projects. There was no thread between any of them. They were more like interests. She was interested in a topic and she created one or two works and then jumped to another subject.<\/p>\n I was really trying to encourage her to focus on one thing, be consistent and then create a body of work.<\/p>\n Maybe in another semester she can go back and open those files and investigate other subjects. Gradually I think we will be able to see the thread between all these projects.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n How have you been challenged this semester?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: Oh my goodness. How much time do you have? I have been challenged from the very beginning of this semester. I believe the purpose of going to a grad program is to be challenged. I was completely open and ready for the opportunity to allow feedback and to implement that feedback, and to allow change to happen. Before I came into the program, I wasn\u2019t completely open and I didn\u2019t really have a structured approach to my creating at all. It was very unstructured. I really needed a decision making process, to really make a plan and implement it.<\/p>\n The subject matter I\u2019ve chosen is extremely difficult to study: identity in relation to the U.S. and Mexico border. When I started incorporating the Visual Culture Research into the project it added a whole other element that really made me look at my identity as a person. And the studio work was something that challenged my identity as an artist. I was being challenged about who I am both as an artist and person. To be an artist you have to be defiant; you can\u2019t be wishy washy about what you want to say because the things you are saying are important.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n What role did Ghazaleh play in challenging you?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: There are so many ways she challenged me. I think the hardest thing to understand for me was the process of elimination \u2013 eliminating the excess. For me it was extremely tough to let go of the things that weren\u2019t working and to really focus on the things that were working. Overall, I think that\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned throughout this entire semester. I\u2019m still learning how to implement these things in my decision making process.<\/p>\n Working and focusing on the single 5\u2019 x 10\u2019 piece and putting aside the other things I had been working on allowed me<\/em> to focus too. It allowed me to develop my process and utilize that process on the additional work I did during the rest of the semester.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n G<\/strong>: So many times during our sessions we both agreed that our meetings were more like therapy sessions. It was a very personal journey to go through every aspect of her thoughts and personal aspirations. Jessica is not coming from an art background which in a way is a great thing because she was ready to absorb. What helped during this process as Jessica said: she was super open and very flexible. She is the mother of two and has a lot on her plate. However, \u00a0every session she had a lot of new works to show and discuss.<\/p>\n I was very concerned with the level of patience in her practice and that\u2019s why seeing her focusing on one project for six months is a big achievement. Eventually, she could focus on one material, one medium and one subject matter and work and work. Through that process she discovered a lot of other things. She went inward and did a lot of investigation into her work. She came a long way and where she is now standing is great. Of course there is a long way to go!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: Thank you for that.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n How has the VCFA Student \u2013 Artist-Mentor model informed the way you approach your process?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n J<\/strong>: I wouldn\u2019t have made this much progress this rapidly without this type of program. I think a huge benefit is having someone pay attention to what I\u2019m doing, focusing on me. Because when you are in your thoughts it\u2019s very difficult sometimes to get a grasp on how you want to go about approaching something. Having Ghazaleh understand where I was coming from helped me learn how to articulate those ideas, which I\u2019m still learning. I know that throughout the program it\u2019s going to be the same, a continuous learning process. I am grateful I had Ghazaleh as my Artist-Mentor because I do feel she was a really good fit for me for this semester.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>Cascade 16\" x 20\" J. Oleksy 2021<\/small><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>Shifting 36\" x 48\" J. Oleksy 2021<\/small><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n