Jake Carlson, Student Work

November 22nd, 1960
TV's, laptop, screen prints, table, flag.
Approx. 6 feet tall, 2.5 feet wide

 I have always been obsessed with the JFK assasination, so I wanted to commemorate it while using aspects of life in 2015, like overboard media coverage on every device possible. I created a stack of media related objects. I printed Kennedy's face as a pattern. I used a mirror like surface on the screens, which has significance to the overall event. Whenever I talk to people who were alive during this time, they always say it was a time of reflection. To look at yourself in the mirror and actually question what is going on, rather than soaking the information up like a sponge. 

Jake Carlson, Student Work

"TRUMPED"

Regardless of who you are, your political values or moral beliefs, you have to admit that Donald Trump is using discrimination, power, and fear to make a run for this 2016 election. This project pokes fun at a political candidate to depict a broken America. Before the industrial revolution, silver spoons were signs of extreme wealth and elegance, thus spawning the saying, "Born with a silver spoon in his mouth".  This is the ideology I wanted to evoke with this piece. These are photo transfers on spoons, hung up on divided flag where the stripes are intentionally not matching up. We are at a time when the 1% owns the majority the money in this country. We are experiencing racial acts of terrorism between citizens. I don't believe it is beneficial for a big business mogul, who supports shutting certain races out of our country, should occupy the White House. 

Jake Carlson, Student Work

"Documenting Injustice"

I chose seven victims of Police Brutality and/or the United States Justice System. They range from being shot 16 times by a police officer, to the Supreme Court taking away their First Amendment right. My goal for this project was to get this information public as much as possible. So I made them into flyers and placed them around campus and throughout the city. These are all the outlines of the actual victim's faces, while the barcodes symbolize that they are not individuals, just another object off the shelf.

Jake Carlson, Student Work

"I Refuse The Right To Be Silent"

The newspaper symbolizes the media. I created black silhouettes/cut outs of police officers. The faces are left blank to suggest that anyone can make poor decisions when put in a position of power. This piece is intended to communicate emotions that are graphic, controversial and powerful.

5' x 3'

Multiple Panel Assignment