Final Intervention Project

Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1691H3fcOrlvhm0QHJNFis-6MohZSZwYHS44rK0EHlWY/edit?usp=sharing

Writing:

My project is about women’s struggles and what they go through because they’re women. I chose this topic because of the inequality, hate, and discrimination that many women experience regularly. For my project, I went around asking women about a struggle or negative experience they had gone through because they were women. I asked them some questions, such as: “What is a struggle or negative experience they had gone through because they were a woman/girl?” and if they had no experiences, then I’d ask for an example they know or heard someone else has had. I gave them an index card to write down their struggle, and talked about them. After that, I went around asking men what they believed women go through, then showed them the index cards with real struggles and experiences to get their opinions on them. I asked the men two questions: “What do they believe women go through, and their opinion on an index card?” Then, I took those index cards and glued them into a notebook, under it I wrote the men’s opinions and thoughts. I also shared some facts and statistics to provide evidence of the inequality towards women. 

My target audience is men. The goal of my project is to show men, or anyone in general, the inequality and discrimination against women and girls. In our society, men hold more power than women and are treated differently. I want to show them how different women are treated; some may not even know just how different the treatment is. As well as show them what women go through regularly. I want more men to start fighting back alongside women, defending them, and demanding change and equality.

My message to men: be kind and respectful to women, stay informed about them, be the kind of man women want to be around and feel safe and heard with.

Two artists inspired me to talk about this topic: Yoko Ono and Diana Ocholla. Diana Ocholla’s performance, especially, is what made me want to fight for women’s equality and against discrimination. I loved the group performance she participated in, along with what she’s fighting for. Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece also made me want to fight for women’s equality. In this performance, a guy went up to her and cut a lot more than he should’ve, cutting up the clothes she had under her dress. My project was inspired by an artwork piece made by Maya Lin, her Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I loved how it’s a simple concept, yet so impactful. It doesn’t involve a performance like with Diana Ocholla, and that’s what I liked about it. I felt this was something I could do on a smaller scale.

Quotes:

“We can’t isolate ourselves from the very people we hope to persuade. We need a majority of people on our side if there is to be substantial and sustainable change.” Chapter 6, page 211

“It is very difficult to persuade most people to give up their old ways and try something new.” Chapter 6, page 211

“Style matters. People associate the message with the messenger, and how we appear in public communicates a message that is often more powerful than the words on the pamphlets we hand out.” Chapter 3, page 109

“If you want your students to remember the lesson and to integrate it into their lives, they need to puzzle through it, process it, and make it their own.” Chapter 3, 90

Resources

https://www.aamc.org/news/why-we-know-so-little-about-women-s-health

https://www.northwell.edu/katz-institute-for-womens-health/articles/medical-research

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399906002935

https://time.com/7171341/gender-gap-medical-research/

https://womensvoices.org/menstrual-care-products/chemicals-of-concern-in-feminine-care-products/

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/11/health/tampons-lead-arsenic-plastics-wellness

https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/facts-and-figures/facts-and-figures-ending-violence-against-women

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/commission-on-the-status-of-women-2012/facts-and-figures

https://www.mayalinstudio.com/memory-works/vietnam-veterans-memorial

https://youtu.be/E1iPX3eO3EA

https://youtu.be/bU4tCw2u_hg

Draft Final Project

My project is about women’s struggles and what they go through because they’re women. I chose this topic because of the inequality, hate, and discrimination that many women experience regularly. For my project, I went around asking women about a struggle or negative experience they had gone through because they were women. I asked them some questions, such as: “What is a struggle or negative experience they had gone through because they were a woman/girl?” and if they had no experiences, then I’d ask for an example they know or heard someone else has had. I gave them an index card to write down their struggle, and talked about them. Afterwards, I went around asking men what they believed women go through, then showed them the index cards with real struggles and experiences to get their opinions on them. I asked the men two questions: “What do they believe women go through, and what is their opinion on an index card?” I also shared some facts and statistics to provide evidence of the inequality towards women.

To create my project, I took all the index cards and organized and glued them in a notebook. Under each index card, I wrote the opinions of the men I asked for that specific card. For the first few pages of the book, I included some facts and statistics about inequality, listing the sources I used for these facts. The facts and statistics were a little bit of everything, some on the lack of research on women, some about healthcare. I plan on having at least 10 index cards with experiences and 10 opinions in total from the men I’d ask.

Resources

https://www.aamc.org/news/why-we-know-so-little-about-women-s-health

https://www.northwell.edu/katz-institute-for-womens-health/articles/medical-research

https://time.com/7171341/gender-gap-medical-research/

https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/facts-and-figures/facts-and-figures-ending-violence-against-women

https://www.mayalinstudio.com/memory-works/vietnam-veterans-memorial

https://youtu.be/E1iPX3eO3EA

https://youtu.be/bU4tCw2u_hg

Finals- Nishae Williams

 FINAL PROJECT PERFORMANCE INTERVENTION

Project Title: AI or HUMAN?

Project Description

My performance intervention project, AI or HUMAN?, explores how artificial intelligence blends into everyday information and how difficult it has become to distinguish real, verified facts from fabricated or misleading claims. I chose this topic because AI-generated content is now everywhere — in social media, news headlines, statistics, schoolwork, and personal conversations — yet many people trust information based on how convincing it sounds rather than whether it is accurate.

Instead of using a physical installation, I adapted the intervention into a tablet-based interactive experience, making it more accessible and flexible. Participants were shown a series of current-day social, political, and technological claims. Some statements were supported by real statistics and research, while others were completely fabricated but written to sound believable. Participants were asked to decide which statements they believed were real and which they believed were fake. Afterward, I revealed the answers and interviewed participants about their thought process, confidence level, and emotional reactions.

“Game board”

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ajVUPCxdpbTFxMpfGfW0dnnGzpVs0lUcMHdFVeG0jJM/edit?usp=drivesdk

Message for the Audience

The main message of this project is that believability is not the same as truth. AI-generated language can sound confident, neutral, and factual even when it is wrong. My project encourages viewers to slow down, question statistics, and recognize how easily misinformation can be accepted when it is framed convincingly… or read a book.

The project also highlights how responsibility does not only lie with technology itself, but with how humans consume, share, and trust information. If people cannot reliably tell what is real, the ethical consequences affect education, politics, activism, and everyday decision-making.

Connection to Class Readings (Quotes)

Chapter 8: Ethics

“The Nazis understood that style matters.”

“They also understood style.” (Duncombe & Lambert, Chapter 8)

These quotes emphasize that presentation and aesthetics can be powerful tools of influence, even when the message itself is harmful or unethical. This idea directly connects to my project because AI-generated content often relies on polished language, confident tone, and professional formatting to gain trust. Participants frequently admitted they believed statements because they “sounded official,” which demonstrates how style can override critical thinking.

Chapter 9: Utopia

“A creative utopian project has the ability to transport people into a radically alternate universe.”

“If it is well constructed, utopia is something that attracts people. It is a place that people want to visit, live within, and help to create.” (Duncombe & Lambert, Chapter 9)

These quotes relate to how my intervention creates a temporary space where participants experience uncertainty and curiosity. For a brief moment, they enter a world where facts and fiction exist side by side. By participating, they help create that space and reflect on the kind of information environment they want to live in, one based on trust, accountability, and awareness rather than manipulation.

Audience Engagement & Feedback

The project was conducted outside of class using my tablet, allowing me to reach peers in informal settings. Participants actively engaged with the guessing process and were often surprised by how many statements they misidentified. Many expressed discomfort or embarrassment after learning which claims were fake, which led to deeper conversations about AI, media literacy, and trust.

Several participants mentioned that the experience made them realize how often they accept statistics without checking sources. This feedback confirmed that the intervention successfully encouraged reflection rather than simply delivering information.

Interview: https://youtu.be/P9OkQgP3bRk?feature=shared 

Artistic Inspiration

Jenny Holzer — Inspired the text-based format and the use of short statements to provoke critical thinking in public or shared spaces.

Barbara Kruger — Influenced the direct, confrontational tone of the statements and the focus on power, truth, and media authority.

Suzanne Lacy — Her participatory performance work inspired the conversational, interview-based aspect of the project.

The Yes Men — Their use of believable misinformation to expose systems of power influenced my decision to include fake but realistic claims.

Professional Aspirations & Portfolio

This project connects to my interest in art, design, and social commentary. It reflects my ability to combine research, performance, audience interaction, and critical thinking into a single task. The project would fit well in my portfolio as an example of conceptual work that addresses contemporary issues through accessible design and participation

Research & Resources

1. Duncombe, Steve & Lambert, Steve — The Art of Activism
   
   
2. Pew Research Center — Public trust and misinformation studies
   
   
3. Coded Bias (documentary)
   
   
4. MIT Technology Review — AI and human-like language
   
   
5. The Atlantic — Articles on misinformation and belief systems

Final Intervention- Ramandeep Kaur

 PRESENTATION

My performance piece titled "Folded Voices" shows how silence can become a powerful form of communication, especially when people feel unable to express their true emotions. I am building on my original idea by researching how artists use participation, written text, and quiet actions to create emotional impact. I looked at performance artists like Yoko Ono, who often uses simple gestures to invite reflection. Sophie Calle, who works with hidden messages and personal secrets and Jenny Holzer. I also researched communication theory, specifically how “unspoken dialogue” can shape relationships, and how the act of withholding words can carry as much meaning as speaking them. 

The main message in my project is the folded paper, which represents protected feelings and the way people hide their emotions from the world. The clear jar symbolizes transparency we can see that these unspoken thoughts exist, even if we don’t know exactly what they say. The location of my performance will be a quiet corner of the classroom or gallery space, where people feel safe enough to participate without feeling watched or judged. My goal is to create an atmosphere where silence feels intentional instead of awkward or empty.

For materials, I used blank sheets of paper, pens, a clear jar labeled “Unspoken,” a black marker, small pieces of tape, and a board to display the altered messages. 

The performance was presented at  GSUB, Library and the gaming club.I invited audience members to write one sentence about something they have never said out loud a thought, a fear, or a wish. After they wrote it, I showed them how to fold the paper corner to corner into a small square, which symbolizes the act of tucking away a feeling. Then they placed their folded paper into the jar. When all the papers have been collected, I will carefully open a few of them and covered certain key words with tape, leaving behind incomplete sentences. These fragments then were posted on the board where everyone can walk around and read them. The missing words create space for imagination, interpretation, and empathy. The entire project becomes a quiet, shared reflection on how much we hide, how much we carry, and how meaning changes when pieces of our stories stay unspoken. 

One of the feedback that I received was "I didn't know I was going to get it off of my chest this way, it felt like putting away a heavy rock that i had been carrying for a while." - Emily A.

I chose this topic because many people struggle to express their emotions openly, especially in environments where vulnerability is discouraged. As Bell Hooks says in Understanding Patriarchy, “Patriarchy demands of men that they become and remain emotional cripples,” which shows how emotional suppression affects everyone, not just men. This project responds to that reality by creating a space where emotions are allowed, shared, and validated. By choosing an anonymous and accessible format, I wanted to remove fear and judgment, allowing honesty to exist freely while showing that personal struggles are rarely isolated experiences.

Also, This Is What I Know About Art by Kimberly Drew states "Small actions foster change. Our activism, like any other part of ourselves, develops into something bigger than a singular experience. Activism is a collective action and an investment in the lives of other people"(page 61). Writing a single sentence may feel small, but when collected and displayed, those small actions turn into a shared emotional experience.

Another quote from The Art of Activism by Steve Duncombe & Steve Lambert states "Art allows us to say things that can’t be said, to give form to abstract feelings and ideas and present them in such ways that they can be communicated with others"(page 25). This directly connects to Folded Voices because the project gives people a way to express feelings they cannot say out loud. Even when words are hidden or taped over, the emotion is still communicated.

This project fits into my portfolio because it shows my ability to design interactive experiences, work with conceptual ideas, and engage an audience emotionally. It shows that I can use simple materials to communicate complex ideas. This aligns with my interest in work that involves communication, observation, and understanding human behavior, all of which are important skills in my professional goals.

Sophie Calle – Take Care of Yourself - Sophie Calle created Take Care of Yourself after receiving a breakup email from her partner. Instead of keeping it private, she asked over 100 women from different backgrounds to read and respond to the message in their own ways. Some responses crossed out or changed parts of the text, showing how meaning can shift. By sharing the message with others, Calle turned a personal experience into a collective one that explores heartbreak, communication, and interpretation.

Yoko Ono – Wish Tree- Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree is a participatory art project where people are invited to write their wishes on small pieces of paper and tie them to a tree. The work focuses on hope and personal dreams, giving people a chance to quietly share something meaningful to them. Because anyone can participate, private wishes become part of a larger collective experience. The tree becomes a symbol of connection, showing how many individual hopes can exist together in one shared space.

Jenny Holzer - Truisms (1977–present) - Jenny Holzer created hundreds of short, direct statements such as “Abuse of power comes as no surprise” and “Protect me from what I want.” She displayed these phrases on posters, electronic LED signs, benches, and public walls. The statements are meant to be read quickly in everyday spaces, catching people off guard and making them stop and think. Her work connects to my project because both focus on short pieces of text, anonymity, and public reflection. Holzer’s words feel personal but are not tied to one person, just like the anonymous thoughts placed in my jar. Both projects use simple language and public space to turn private thoughts into shared experiences, allowing the audience to interpret meaning on their own.

Below are some Images and from my project:

Final Performance Piece - Dio Stanfill-Evans

 

Presentation

My Final Project is a continuation of Know Your Oligarch. It is a performance of violence, acceptance, and hope.

What I do is take a prop of a zebra leg, stab it, and read out the crimes of the oligarchs within them. I then tear apart the leg in a rage, then let the bliss of knowing that the meat is gone run all over me.

My project was a physical act of the peoples rage and desires. It was to inspire people to listen to the anger in their hearts towards injustice and to not let it be dampened down. I chose this topic because I am passionate about giving people a voice and want the rich and powerful to truly hear ours.

The message to the audience is "Listen to your rage. Tend to the flames, do not let them go out." I want people to stop dampening their anger to sound more 'agreeable' and meek to our oppressors.

I have regular contact with these punks and queers, so it was not hard to reach out to them and get their reactions. They didn't have a lot of feedback other than "you should use fake blood" as everyone I showed this to is an artist themselves. Some feedback I did receive was that I should be more clear about the specific crimes these oligarchs committed and not generalize too much. They also suggested that I use pictures of Elon with Gilaine Maxwell and Donald Trump with Epstein as 'they speak louder than words'.

I honestly don't know where this fits in my professional portfolio. Honestly, I would rather keep this away from any professional areas as I don't want to deal with people who insist on bootlicking billionaires. On the art side, I think I want this piece to show that I am able to put on a performance when needed.

Two artists that I connect to my project are Kathy Griffin and Olivier De Sagazan. Kathy's photo of holding Trump's severed head was loud and controversial, I still remember it going crazy viral back in the 2010's. It was what inspired the "Shocking and In your face" aspect of my project.

Olivier's art piece, transfiguration, is what inspired my movements towards the end of the project. I didn't go as wild as he did as I didn't want to make a mess, but the 'blissful' feel I get is from that performance.

John Brosio's painting was what inspired the look. I really loved the primalness of the dinosaurs and wanted to use that in my project.

The sources I used were the following: 

https://www.npr.org/2025/01/27/nx-s1-5276084/elon-musk-german-far-right-afd-holocaust 

https://futurism.com/the-byte/woman-meta-ai-data-center-tap-water-sediment

https://lionsroarnews.com/37839/opinion-massive-meta-ai-data-center-will-hurt-louisiana/opinion/

https://glaad.org/releases/meta-removes-anti-lgbtq-hate-speech-policies-ends-fact-checking/

Intervention Project - Jaden Bulatao 12/8/2025

My Project

My project talks about how can one part of anyone's happy memory could dictate change or improve upon the present or future, considering on how things have been going nowadays. From what I've been told is that some things around in the U.S. don't feel as much good as it used to be. For example, most corporations, like Disney, are becoming greedy to the point on where they don't care about the people anymore. Products are becoming more expensive due to the tariffs, the pandemic, and other bad stuff that has happened nowadays. This is where I will show my performance. My performance is where I have a conversation with other people, and share a pencil and paper for them to draw about one part of their fond memory. Then once they're finished, I asked them on how can one part of their fond memory could dictate change or improve onto the present or future. This project is much more like Art Therapy and it let's people talk about their story and even how can their happy memory make change to the present or future. This project is unique, and as part of the project, I did some research on the basics of interview techniques on how to conduct an interview, or I thought about what should I say to them to start an interview or conversation. I got inspired to do this project from my thoughts of reminiscing for change. It's more like Art Therapy and reminiscing for change, where I asked people on something that they remembered that is good and with a hope of using that part of their memory to bring about change, either in their lives, the way they do things now, or in the community. 

Topic

The topic of this project is talking about how can one part of your happy memory dictate change or improve the present or future, considering on how things are doing right now. It's much like an Art Therapy session for the person to talk about their happy moment in the past.

Demonstration

I have demonstrated with 3 classmates and my Dad. One of the classmates I've met came from my Book and Magazine Design class, and two came from the cafeteria. The intervention starts when I introduce myself to the person and instruct them on what they need to do. They have to draw out a part of their fond memory that they loved on a piece of paper with a pencil that I would share to them. Then after they're finished, I give them a chance to explain what is it about. Finally, I asked them on how can one good memory of their childhood, the one that they've drawn, could dictate change or improve upon the present or future, considering on how things are going on right now. Then, they answered on what could be improvements for the present and future, and how would it change the direction of this world for the better. Either it could be bringing something back from the past, or it could be something that could be a big change for the better. One of them talks about their time where he rode a roller coaster, and he told me that people shouldn't let fear control their lives often, because fear is what's preventing them from doing something, like riding a roller coaster. Another one, who is one of my classmates, talks about her first time getting a pet, like a ferret. She told me that having a bit of company with you, like a pet ferret, could help you get around in life much easier when you're feeling a bit lonely. The third classmate I interviewed is also from the cafeteria. He also drew about the time where he watched his favorite movies or shows on DVDs in his childhood, which one of them that he watched was Shrek. He told me that DVDs are much more cheaper than streaming services, and that DVDs should be much more common, where people should start buying DVDs of their favorite movies or shows, because it's much more cheaper than streaming services. The last one I have interviewed with is my dad. Different from the 3 previous people I've interviewed with, he drew two points of his childhood, which one consists of himself and his friends going outside and playing physical games, like where they have to jump over one another as it gets more challenging, and the other consists of him going to the United States of America for the first time. Two thing that he told me are that some kids need to disconnect from the internet and go outside some more to hangout or play along with their friends, so they can be physically active, and the government should bring back the joy of coming over to America, where there is more tolerance and less harassment, so that people, that come here legally, feel more welcomed.

Videos

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t0VCZMrECdymuIr5vc9AE9GZKzYqqSDZ/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15r_kOa54lMTWF6cL1XupEHzOUCrzW40r/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eHWO8PXOLBmjiYZTwzCv2_kg2kLZcHAR/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12InrRH49yZOA9kJCOFRrGgsvd663CRxG/view?usp=sharing 

Source:

https://www.ethostalent.com/blog/the-best-interviewing-techniques-and-practices-explained

Performance Intervention Project - Jayden Battle

 My project is about tying sports to how people of color have been chained for years. I mean this in a literal and a metaphorical sense, because in society people of color are so limited to what they can do without it being a risk. This ties into basketball as well, because certain black athletes don't have the freedom to speak their mind and are forced to follow a code. I was inspired by Hank Willis Thomas to do this project for my final since I had already showed his art for my midterm. Basketball and Chain was the art piece that caught my eye and really stuck with me, so my friend and I decided to reenact it in a performative aspect. I aimed to tell the audience that we can soar over any obstacle in life. Even though it may see hard in the moment, there will always be light at the end of the tunnel. I also used my friend to show the audience that many people go through the same issues and also have the societal shackles as well.

My friend engaged with me by having a band around his ankles that played the roles of shackles, and mine were off. Even though mine were off I still couldn't move, and it was like I also had the band around my ankles. This directly plays into how society is, for example say if a person of color gets out of prison. He may think he's free and life is amazing, but it unfortunately isn't like that for most people. His past mistakes will hover over his head and will create imaginary shackles. Even though you are "free", are you really free. This project really hit home to me because I'm a huge fan of basketball and I love watching Kyrie Irving, he has gone through the exact situation that Basketball and Chain speaks about. He had his dark times during his career but over time, he soared and never ever looked back.

Hank Willis Thomas was the main inspiration because he created the work that made me dive deep. Shaun Leonardo as well because he was really in depth about his performances and I took tips from his work. Yoko Ono was a huge inspiration as well, because she did what most people were scared to do. Kimberly Drew was also a huge impact because she's a black woman who overcame obstacles and soared.

I'm happy that we started learning about Kimberely Drew early in the semester, because I began to gravitate towards her, and her work. Also, Steve & Steve, they really showed me the true greatness of art activism. For example, Steve & Steve state, "Ideas and awareness are important. That’s how people change their minds and then take action." (Steve & Steve, 214). It's always good to be aware of what you're putting out, because this is how people will act on it with you. 

A quote from Kimberly Drew that stands out to me is, "As a former math major, I did the calculations: I was not confident enough, polished enough, or anything enough to have been selected. Everything I knew about myself reminded me that I was, if not an impostor, a fraud."-Drew, Page 16.  This shows how the societal shackles made her feel like she was less than even though she was enough. She majored in math and thought that was her purpose, but she was extremely wrong. Another powerful thing that she said was, "In my life, I have made a point of telling stories of triumph. I have had to fight so many battles to succeed that I want to maintain an agency with how my story is told."-Drew, Page 28. Wow, this quote goes hand and hand with my project, the whole purpose was telling a story of triumph and how we can overcome battles.

My main resources for this project were Hank Willis Thomas' Basketball and Chain, The Michael Jordan Documentary, Kyrie Irving's Antisemitic investigation, The Art of Activism by Steve & Steve. and This is What I Know About Art by Kimberly Drew.

https://youtube.com/shorts/wvMdnY8-IqQ?si=_jQqBklGOXxpIYd1

https://youtube.com/shorts/LI-3yK6P-BY?si=Gjw_QvlXcaA66rBf