Caleb Charland

Caleb Charland is a photographer based in Maine; his work delves into the world of scientific experimentation. This is an excerpt of Charland's artist statement:

Wonder is a state of mind somewhere between knowledge and uncertainty. It is the basis of my practice and results in images that are simultaneously familiar and strange. I utilize everyday objects and fundamental forces to illustrate experiences of wonder. Each photograph begins with a simple question “How would this look? Is that possible? What would happen if…?” and develops through a sculptural process of experimentation. As I explore the garage and search through the basement to solve these pictures, I find ways to exploit the mysterious qualities of these everyday objects and familiar materials.

I wish I had thought to do something like this while I was teaching art at Astrocamp. Perhaps I can pass it on to the next summer arts teacher. If you would like to see more of his work you can find it on his website here.

Yiting Cheng

Yiting Cheng might have the coolest thesis project I've seen in awhile; for her master degree in design she created eight objects that store secrets. In her words:

This project is about concealing valuables, secrets, bad habits and personal information in our workplaces. Here, hidden spaces/messages were created within 8 general objects such as wood boards, lamps and disposable coffee cups. How? By utilizing stereotypes and visual camouflage. We make judgments based mainly on our experiences and what we see. This dependency on visual information can create large blind spots. Thus, usual stereotypes of how we perceive solid, transparency and lighting are employed in this project to play with notions of "solid and void" and "true and false."