Senior Art Show Spotlight: Brandon Albertson’s ‘Mask’

Brandon Albertson, a senior visual arts major with a concentration in photography, displayed his senior art show, “Mask,” last week in the Keller Gallery. Albertson’s primary interest is in staged photography as well as art in the music industry. The Point recently conducted a Q&A with the aspiring artist regarding his senior exhibition.

The Point: Explain the process that went into creating your senior show.

Brandon Albertson: “My show consisted of photography, film, and sculpture. The show consisted of four different shoots at different spots in the desert. Those shoots usually consisted of two days. We would shoot all day, camp at night, and then shoot again in the morning. I had about twenty friends help out. Most of them were the actors.”

“Some of the props that I got were Chinese umbrellas, beach balls, bamboo and sheets, flags, and unique clothes. I also created a teepee out of PVC pipe and Mylar. Mylar is a reflective fabric that is used for agriculture. It is cool because it is reflective, but it is also see-through.”

TP: What was the inspiration behind “Mask”?

BA: “I saw some pictures that my friends took while they were out at the Glamis Sand Dunes. I was driving back to campus and was listening to the song, “Only Memories Remain” by My Morning Jacket. While listening I was inspired to film a video of some friends walking around out at the sand dunes.”

“A few days later was Halloween. On Halloween, everyone wears costumes and masks. I began looking for masks that I could use while wandering around on the sand dunes. I began to imagine a photoshoot/video shoot of people in cat masks (they were cheap) walking around the sand dunes in white shorts. I imagined buying a lot of props that we could mess around with. This is how the project initially came about.”

TP: How did you feel about the finished product?

BA: “I felt great about the final project. The process to create my show was so much fun. We were basically messing around in the desert and camping. Each trip helped build different friendships and create great memories. I had so much fun behind the camera as well. It was really exciting when images came out looking really good.”