Abstract

Artifacts of industry remain scattered throughout the American rustbelt. A region built and reliant upon manufacturing, destined to fail when companies found themselves in jeopardy. Jobs came and went, businesses folded. What remains in their place are vacant factories, warehouses, and the workforce itself. This area of the country is where my life began and where I have found myself once again. Growing up in Erie, Pennsylvania, part of a family that endured this cycle of ups and downs, I have a certain familiarity and fondness for this post-industrial landscape and its inherent struggles. "Hit the Lights on Your Way Out" is an examination of the volatile relationship between a region and the industry that supports it. The objects in this body of work investigate aspects of ritual, loyalty, and value – and the speed at which those things begin to lose meaning.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Wood sculpture--Themes, motives; Mixed media sculpture--Themes, motives; Furniture design; Deindustrialization--Lake States--Pictorial works

Publication Date

12-17-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Furniture Design (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School for American Crafts (CAD)

Advisor

Andy Buck

Advisor/Committee Member

Jane Shellenbarger

Advisor/Committee Member

Peter Pincus

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

WOOD-MFA

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