Event #3: S.A.D SHOW

For my third event, I attended S.A.D. Show (Staring in the Age of Distraction Show). This was by far my favorite event I had attended because it was so interesting and eye-opening. I was introduced to a whole new perspective and outlook on art through some of the student's artworks.

Personally, I was very intrigued by a particular artwork created by a student named Louis Pham. Louis created an artwork called "Pain and Pleasure." I know what you're thinking, pain and pleasure are total opposites and how can you make an artwork about that? When I first passed by his artwork, truth be told, I didn't think much of it. I saw mini cacti so I immediately assumed it was just a garden, but I was completely wrong.

His artwork truly opened my eyes and helped me better understand the two culture topic we had learned during week one. The two cultures he correlated was pain and pleasure. Louis Pham says that throughout life, we experience conflicting states of well-being. We have to make sacrifices and choose what is the best option for us to suffer now or later.  His project juxtaposes the feeling of comfort and discomfort. While resting on the bench allows relaxation and comfort, the tightness of the spaces causes anxiety and discomfort. The tension is amplified with the interaction of this piece. By interesting with this piece, one experiences pain and pleasure. The pricking cactus inflicts pain, but the joy of creating sounds is pleasurable. His project also shows the advancement of technology. When you press on the cactus, it makes a noise!!

Funny story behind this picture: I was looking all around the place, looking for Louis Pham. My friend and I asked everyone who the artist of the cactus artwork was, but no one had a clue. Finally, we were given a description of how Louis looked from one of the staffs, but we were still struggling to find him. We decided to stay in the area and just wait and while waiting, we asked a random boy that was next to us if he was Louis Pham. The boy replied saying that it was his friend right next to him. Turns out Louis Pham was right next to me and I didn't even realize it. He was extremely nice and answered all my questions!! I truly had a great experience here!