DEGRADATION: RUST AS A FORM OF HUMAN REFLECTION OF THE ANTHROPOCENE PHENOMENON IN ABSTRACT ARTWORKS

• Main Author: Najmi Saepul Milah, Hilal
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/83923
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

The work in the Final Project "(De)gradation" departs from the observation of the Anthropocene phenomenon, a term referring to the current geological epoch whose main problem is caused by the destructive nature of humans that has a significant impact on the earth system. This Final Project uses qualitative and experimental methods to produce visual elements that will be applied to the work. The creation of this work aims to realise and visualise rust in the process of art creation, as well as a reflection of human impact on the Anthropocene phenomenon. Through a corrosive process, the material is treated by reducing the iron material (wire) to abstract traces of rust on the surface of the canvas. Implicitly, this emphasises the position of the artist (human) as an agent of destruction that has a significant impact. This process creates a metaphorical aspect of the relationship between the artist (subject) and the material (object) as well as the dialogue between materials. The result is a series of works that present the duality of the human-nature relationship: on the one hand, the destructive impact of human activities on the environment, and on the other hand, the vulnerability of humans to the forces of nature.