This artist statement discusses Shanna Ferris' conceptual interests which focus on facets of everyday life that seem unusual and subverting societal norms and culture. Her art aims to bring new perspectives and engage viewers in discussions about socially and culturally relevant topics. She summarizes several of her video and digital artwork projects which explore ideas of identity, conflict, and the nature of virtual versus physical experiences.

1. Shanna Ferris
Artwork Portfolio
shannaferrisphoto@gmail.com
Shanna Ferris Photographyf

2. Artist Statement
Throughout the Art + Technology program, my conceptual working
interests and development have focused on the general idea of
facets of everyday life, that seem preposterous or idiosyncratic, and
subverting them, or playing off of idiosyncrasies within our culture.
I often comment on how our society is, or what our society does,
and present it in a new or visually engaging way. This enlists the
potential in the viewer to take the time to notice said aspect, obtain
and critically evaluate a new perspective, and engage in a novel
dialogue about it.
Ultimately, my art making practice aims to bring about new
perspectives and engage viewers about socially and culturally
relevant topics, situations, and issues in contemporary society.

3. Boca Boulevard
Video installation with Sound
2015
As a large-scale video installation, this piece immerses the viewer into a 50 ft
long hallway made up entirely of reflective material. As viewers walk down the
hall, they are constantly confronted by themselves on both sides, and dead-
end at a video projection that spans a 12 x 8 ft screen. The video features a
glamorous young woman existing in the same reflective surroundings found in
the installation, thus digitally extending the physical space in which the viewers
are currently encapsulated. Through the experience of this piece, Boca Boulevard
aims to engage the viewer in concepts that stem from a highly constructed
presentation of self and appearance through the use of possessions, brands,
cosmetics, behavior, attitude, and style, which abounds within the typical way
of life in the South Florida area of Boca Raton. Some of these concepts include
the continuity of evaluating and reevaluating self at face value, relentless self-
perpetuated perfecting, and engaging in this behavior out of self-fulfillment and
enjoyment or out of a learned necessity to always present oneself in a certain way
in the public eye. Ultimately, with reflections and repetition within the video, audio,
and physical installation, the recurrence and inescapable nature of these concepts
aims to be conveyed to the viewer.
Installation Excerpt: https://vimeo.com/126547446
Video: https://vimeo.com/126547447

4. Fragmented Access
Video with Sound
2015
Many countries in the Middle East are not virtually navigable through
Google Street View, but rather only exist on Google’s server through civilian
uploaded documentation. This creates a very superficial, fragmented,
and restricted representation of these countries, as there is only ever
documentation of the outskirts, never of the hearts of their country’s culture
and infrastructure. Thus, using the available virtual navigations of Lebanon,
the country of my cultural heritage that I’ve yet to have been to, this piece
aims to explore these concepts and surrounding dialogue.
https://vimeo.com/125909653

5. Exploration
Video with Sound
2015
In today’s technologically-driven society, you can visit countless places
worldwide while sitting on your couch. This piece explores the juxtaposition
and underlying tensions between virtual and physical exploration of the
private Seahorse Key beach, where virtual is defined as navigating the
interface of Google Street View, and physical refers to my footage shot
physically at that site.
https://vimeo.com/122693903

6. I Love Thickburgers - Hardee’s Up Close and Personal
Video with Sound
2015
What happens when you take the sexy, tantalizing advertising tactic of a
fast food company and turn the visual focus from gorgeous women to the
actual food itself? Utilizing professional shooting techniques and equipment,
this piece aims to appropriate the tropes found in Hardee’s well-known
suggestive commercials with beautifully colored, intimate, and abstracted
suggestive shots of their Mile High Bacon Thickburger.
https://vimeo.com/122770449

7. Body by Victoria
Video with Sound
2014
This piece offers a novel visual representation and aesthetic for looking at
the commonplace idea of models starving themselves. With my composited
visuals and appropriated audio, I aim to bring out an uncanny, semi-
abstracted perspective on this notion of “drying yourself out” and offer
different corroded looks onto this marketed body.
https://vimeo.com/122790719

8. Grocery Shopping
Video with Sound
Installation within Forest Fire Tower
2013
This collaborative piece offers a novel perspective to compare where and
how we currently get food, to where we used to get food, with an emphasis
on the stark visual and conceptual differences between processed food and
the forest or natural foods. The viewer is invited to reflect on conventions
and habits that we have or experience when obtaining food in this current
day in age.
https://vimeo.com/79358444

9. Combined Spaces, Syria 2012
Digitally Manipulated Image Series
Prints on Paper
2012
With this piece, I explored the creation of illusionary spaces by appropriating
photojournalistic images of contemporary Syria. I feel that the layers, and
sometimes chaotic nature of the images, really reflect the essence of the
situation there and convey it in an innovative and visually intriguing way.

10. Released
Digitally Manipulated Image Series
Installation with Prints on Paper
2012
This installation features abstract photographic compositions created from
the digital isolation of scars and wounds on a Syrian man’s back. The viewer
is to take a card from the pedestal, which features the original photograph
of the man, and come to an intimate realization about the abstract forms for
themselves and reflect on the implications of the conflict.

11. I am Lebanese
Net Art
2013
Through the use of images, manipulations, and JavaScript coding nuances
within each webpage, I created representations of concrete events, as well
as more abstract ideations dealing with how I identify with my Middle Eastern
heritage. With relatable content and anonymity of subjects, I engage the
viewer’s own associations and ideas about these concepts.
Recorded navigation of the work https://vimeo.com/81468287