I had an intense conversation with a friend last night after I came back to MICA. I mentioned the critique I had for this series. The first three I did earlier last semester in my Photo as Muse class, they were my first digital photos! I later added three more to continue the “Expectations” in life. The critique felt so long, students were arguing about what I was really trying to say. Art school upsets me sometimes because we are taught to make art about one thing-to say I am against or I am for something. Why cant art just be ambiguous, life is ambiguous! I am not trying to say I am against marriage or traditions, I’m not saying I’m for it. But I don’t want to feel hypocritical for wanting these things then making fun of it in my work. The truth is that all of these traditions: marriage, children, love and companionship makes people happy and all people want is to be happy, right? So this series is a way for me to figure myself out and put myself in the mind of a fish, is this a biological drive or are we just taught these things? Is this the ideal lifestyle? For some people, it doesn’t work out as planned. In conclusion, I learned from the critique that the viewer can look at these and reflect upon their feelings and ideas. I want to learn about myself therefore, I make work about myself. Someone said they were just hilarious and thats all he can see in them, thats ok too.