My name is Valerie McKenna, and I am
a senior AVT major with a minor in environmental science. During Fall 2017 I
was able to have the opportunity to work with Professor Lynne Constantine on a
project entitled “Perceptions of a Town’s Development.” My research project investigates
how the public sees and understands change within their immediate environments.
I chose to examine my hometown Purcellville, Virginia, as it is the most
immediate environment I can both personally understand, and conduct interviews
with residents without invading their privacy.
This project resulted in a body of
work for a solo art exhibition consisting of photographs, video, and audio
installation. During the beginning of the semester I was researching archival images,
and then I would pair them with contemporary photographs I took from the same
location. Once eight of these pairings were selected, I began editing the
photos and preparing them for print. Mid semester I began recording interviews
with residents of the town, and then mid to late November I was editing the
audio files while printing, framing, and installing the work. I exhibited this
work on campus from November 28th through December 2nd,
and I plan on having another exhibition in Purcellville in 2018.
This research opportunity gave me
real life experience in my field, from installing my own work in a gallery space
to practicing how to conduct an interview. Through this research I was also
able to work with audio and video installations for the first time. I would like
to continue this project and conduct additional interviews with residents
before the 2018 exhibition. As a graduating senior who plans on applying to graduate
schools, this opportunity to conduct research further prepares me to pursue an
MFA.
