Christopher McVicar
Professor Jung
Studio Research 1
05 February 2026
Influences in Art Practice
The five artists I chose consists of...
-Miranda July, a performance artist and writer, inspires me through her commitment to rituals and creative independence. Her habits, like insisting on writing at the same dinner table and protecting her private space, are a stubborn dedication to her process. She explores the human condition through costumes and alternate personas, using them as tools to express freedom and vulnerability. I also connect with the challenge she faces when others misunderstand her work and fail to see it as an act of personal liberation.
-Hadi Falapishi motivates me with the way he uses fantasy as a response to political tension. His combination of cartoon-like figures and realistic painting critiques the pressure society places on people to conform to high ideals. He frames visual art as a space for freedom, which resonates deeply with me. I also relate to his struggle with avoiding his artistic intentions out of fear of rejection.
-Trey Abdella’s surreal, multidimensional mixed-media paintings stand out to me for their emotional intensity. He intentionally weaves elements of “misery” into his work, transforming difficult experiences from his past into creative motives. That ability to turn discomfort into momentum is something I admire and hope to experiment with for my own practice.
-Hyeree Ro, a performance artist, connects her body directly to her work as a way of grounding meaning and presence. Her idea that art can communicate what words cannot feel especially powerful. I strongly relate to her belief that what remains unspoken often holds the most significance.
-Ilana Harris-Babou, a performance artist and filmmaker, draws inspiration from the staged identities of reality TV, particularly cooking shows. She exposes the illusion of perfection in advertising and entertainment by presenting uncomfortable truths within familiar, inviting formats, ultimately challenging social norms and expectations.
Reflecting on these artists has led me to critically reassess my own practice as a painter and future direction. I want to expand my techniques and mediums by incorporating found materials and pushing my visual language beyond familiar habits, while staying committed to finding my own creative identity. Admittedly, I feel a bit lost and restricted when trying to describe my work.
Yet these artists' willingness to begin without rigid plans challenges my structured understanding of art and encourages me to take more risks and allow experimentation to guide the process. Although I am drawn to sociopolitical themes and sometimes worry that personal subject matter is self-focused, I am learning that personal experience is inseparable from broader cultural realities. Moving forward, I aim to create work that merges my emotional perspective with larger social narratives, resulting in art that is both honest and socially engaged.
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