Bread and Circuses
An Honors Thesis (Honors 499)
by
Emily C. Schaefer
Thesis Advisor
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Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
March 2012
Expected Date of Graduation
May 2012
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Abstract
-
Studying in another country has become a desired part of academia. Being
immersed in another culture while delving deeper into one's intended major of
study provides learning experiences that far surpass the classroom. Honoring the
value of study abroad programs within intended college degrees, the Ball State
University Art Department hosts a field study throughout Italy every other year.
The program focuses on exploring various art media such as watercolor and
drawing, while exposing students to some of the most influential works of art
throughout history. To capture the essence of how this adventure altered our
perceptions as artists, students, and simply humans, I created a booklet of our
trip. Bread and Circuses documents the work we created during and after the
travel program as well as each student's reflection of this life changing
opportunity .
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank professor Sam Minor for advising me through this project.
His guidance throughout the design process of this booklet illustrated his passion
for his profession as well as his passion to mentor thriving young students like
myself. The artistic growth I achieved during this thesis project was fueled by my
advisors enthusiasm, respect, and extensive knowledge of the field of Visual
Communication.
I would like to thank professor Scott Anderson and David Hannon for leading this
group O'f passionate students throughout the beautiful country of Italy. I will
cherish this experience forever.
Table of Contents
Abstract
Acknowledgments
Author's Statement
Supplements: Bread and Circuses Booklet
Supplements: Digital Version of Bread and Circuses Booklet
Permissions from Featured Artists
Bracken Library Permission Form
Honors Thesis: Emily Schaefer
Bread and Circuses
Each year around the beginning of November the Ball State University Art
Department reveals a hidden treasure that always thrives to impress. Months of
meticulous planning, dedicated work and reflection, and constant guidance by two
painting professors Jeads to a manifestation of a travel experience unlike any other.
From the clever name to the phenomenal work, this year's show left hundreds of
viewers pondering the question: "What magnificent adventures did these students
experience in the beautiful and awe-inspiring countries of Italy and Spain?"
Being one of these students, I felt a strong desire to articulate the impact of
this journey in a realm independent of the typical gallery motif. Utilizing my
education in the field of Visual Communication, I developed a project that would
transcend our passions, our growth, and our love of art long after our paintings and
drawings were removed from the walls of the Atrium gallery.
The 2011 Art in Italy field study, lead by professors Scott Anderson and
David Hannon, guided eighteen Ball State undergraduate students from the bustling
college town of Muncie, IN, to the picturesque streets of Italy and Spain. Our
checklist of cities to discover and digest was extensive. Florence, Venice, Rome,
Siena, Ravenna, Orvieto, and Madrid, just to name a few, became our playground and
our studios.
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The streets, people, and food became our muses, guiding us to an
understanding of all that is Italia. We walked where the masters walked . We
breathed the same sweet air, felt the same cobblestones beneath our feet, and tasted
the same succulent recipes our artistic mentors of the past once encountered. I often
found my peers asking, "Is this all real?"
The whirlwind of knowledge and artistic growth left many of us exhausted.
But our field study was not complete. The moment we stepped back onto our native
soil we faced our greatest challenge. Suddenly all those moments of language
barriers, being lost among labyrinths of foreign streets, and trying to convert Euros
to dollars seemed like cake, by comparison.
How does one express the sensation of all that we discovered while traveling
those thirty-six days? The artwork was the first step. After we had delved into the
depths of our cherished Art in Italy memories, it was time to create our show.
During our many bus rides to quaint, romantic towns, we discussed proposals of a
theme for our show. It was clear that only one encapsulated our Italia: Bread and
Circuses.
The basic Roman idea that public approval could develop from two basic
elements-bread and entertainment-related to the numerous experiences in
which we relished. We became lost in the sport of people watching from places like
the steps of the Siena Cathedral and the docks of the Grand Canal in Venice.
Everything was exciting and new. We made an adventure out of every excursion
and every museum visit. Stopping to consume copious amounts of delicious bread
and gelato, we fueled our enthusiasm throughout each day. Even among the most
2
stressful of situations we found a way to laugh. We had our bread, and we had our
circuses, a metaphor for a superficial means of appeasement. Like ancient societies
before us, we found pleasure in the immediate.
The appropriate name of our exposition was clear and inspired a drive to do
something innovative for the 2011 show. Books documenting the trip had been
created in the past. They were used to encourage others to attend future tours and
expressed reflections from the students. I took these foundations and ran. For the
months leading up to our opening I organized a group of Vis Com students and
designed a work not for the show or the department, but for us. My thesis was
about honoring an experience that I shared with this particular group of students
and professors. It was about honoring the relevance of Italy in our hearts.
I composed a cohesive design, utilizing the expressive sketches of my peers
along with watercolor paint splatters as backgrounds. I incorporated body copy of
each reflection and works from the gallery. Scans of various ticket stubs and maps
created separations throughout the book as visual dividers. After days of editing, the
book was ready to be shared. We knew we wanted some physical copies but I also
suggested a digital version that would be economical and interactive. The result was
a digital swf file on a screen that allowed viewers to click the edge of a page that
would then trigger an animated flip of a page.
The night of the gallery opening showcased my thesis. The walls were
covered with the varied media of my peers' works, each one as different as the
other. Every sketch, painting, drawing, etc., articulated the personal relationships
3
with Italy that had matured over our month of travel. My medium came to fruition in
the corner of the Atrium gallery that night.
I watched with pride as my peers flipped through a digital, 96-page homage
to our Italia displayed on a TV screen. They stopped and read their reflections and
gazed at the composite of their personal works. The watercolor pages I constructed
for backgrounds sparked memories of the splatters that we left on pavements of
streets and balconies of hotels-remnants of the passion of young artists.
I hope that my thesis will not only promote this academic experience at Ball
State University, but also promote all who encounter it to find value in the bread and
circuses of our every day lives. Students often get lost in the seriousness and
professionalism of academia, but as the paint splatters remind us, sometimes the
passion of life opens one's eyes to the beauty and value of experiences. With this
perspective, every city, every town, and every street can be Italia.
4
February 27, 2012
I give permission for the artist Emily C. Schaefer to utilize my original artwork in her
Honors Thesis.
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It is ok for you to use images of my artwork for your honors thesis.
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It's okay that my artwork is featured in Emily's honors thesis.
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Yes you may feature my artwork for the purposes of your honors thesis. Good lu ck.
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