Visual StudiesAmanda Gittelman
OPTIMAL DISTINCTIVENESS
The title of my piece is "optimal distinctiveness." This is a social psychology theory that states individuals have a desire to gain a perfect balance between assimilation and distinction within social situations. My eight color photographs seek to display the multitude of visual identities within this overarching concept of assimilation and distinction. These individuals defined themselves within the utter liberty of this transitory circumstance, and give a collective look at human behavior in social situations as well as an individual look into the visual elements that serve as defining features of ones identity. My animation seeks to bring life to the festival experience and evoke this notion of collective consciousness. It also gives the viewer a more interactive view of the full perceptual experience of the festival.