Indexicality as Frottage

2x(18 x 23 in.) Charcoal and Graphite

The piece on the left uses Charcoal and Graphite and the one on the right uses just graphite. Both of these pieces were done sort of as a series where I was exploring how the concept of indexicality can be expressed visually. As I researched the topic, what stood out to me was how certain words or sounds can be prescribed a meaning beyond their objective existence, and I think so meanings can be universal or specific to a particular language or culture. For this piece I attempted to express the concept of music as more of an abstract representation. I used charcoal and Graphite to get the contours of various musical objects I had onto the page. I attempted to do so with little planning or thought to the process, in order to replicate the process or musical creation, it being a spontaneous and occasionally random process.

One thing I wanted to show here is how there are certain shapes and textures that may not seem to have any particular relevance on their own, but to me because I know where they come from they take on a meaning beyond how they exist on the page.