Defense Date

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts

Department

Painting and Printmaking

First Advisor

Noah Simblist

Abstract

As of late, my work has dealt with themes of collapse and comedy, pertaining specifically to faded ideals of individualism in art. My thesis installation, titled Pingbongbilladingdong, is a testament to this tension, portraying a reconstruction of the disheveled chaos of the artist’s studio. In this paper, I use this installation as a means to further explore the ways that abjection and comedy intersect in art, and how myself and others repurpose the faded glamor of Ab-Ex as a means to probe this overlap. Serving as an allegory for my experience with the studio, Pingbongbilladingdong presents an image of the artist that is wandering, ruminative, and doubtful. Within these circular meanderings, the studio is seen as a constantly overlapping palimpsest: endlessly revising, and leading nowhere.

Rights

© The Author

Is Part Of

VCU University Archives

Is Part Of

VCU Theses and Dissertations

Date of Submission

5-6-2026

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