Construct an experimental self-portrait inspired by the “voice portraits” created in A Counting, the work of conceptual artist Ekene Ijeoma and his group Poetic Justice at MIT Media Lab.
Materials
Pencil
Paper
Anything else you choose depending on your vision!
Instructions
01. GATHER INSPIRATION
Listen to the “voice portrait” for Houston (https://a-counting.us/hou/) and New York (https://a-counting.us/nyc/) created via A Counting. Take notes of your observations and inspirations of the artwork for your self portrait. How do you relate to the sound medium? Do you or family members speak more than one language? Do people have different accents? Add your voice to the conceptual artwork by calling 281-248-730 and share with a family member to contribute their voice as well.
02. SELECT A MEDIUM
Select a medium to experiment with that will showcase your connections to the “voice portrait” and gather tools you need. If you have a camera phone create a Tik Tok or instagram reel counting from 1 to 10 in different languages you know. If you are interested in makeup and fashion, use lipstick and adornment to highlight your mouth. Draw a self portrait with an uncommon drawing material or experiment with color to represent the diverse parts of your personality/appearance.
03. CREATE YOUR SELF PORTRAIT
Gather your tools and create your self portrait. Allow yourself to make mistakes. If you explore the webpage for A Counting you will see there is a place to transcribe the voice portraits submitted to the artwork and mistakes happen even when people are counting. If you have the time, transcribing these phone calls are just as important as the voice portrait.
Upload your creation to a social media platform of your choice and share it with the CAMH and the A Counting community using the hashtags #BeyondCAMH and #MuseumFromHome. We cannot wait to see how A Counting has influenced your experimentation.
About Virtual Drop-In Experiences
CAMH’s Virtual Drop-In Experiences feature instructions for pop-up activities you can do at home. Each hands-on activity provides creative opportunities to experience current exhibitions from a distance in a unique and meaningful way.
Led by our FAQ Team (Frequently Asked Questions), a group of artists and historians who assist with contextualizing CAMH’s dynamic exhibitions for diverse audiences. Virtual Drop-In Experiences are released on our website at 1PM every Saturday. All ages, always free.