BriAnne Hoffman
BriAnne has always felt the need to create artwork in order to understand the world around her. She makes art to further the discussion and thought processes about an idea or issue that herself or others may be dealing with.
BriAnne is involved with art making to further her knowledge of ceramics as a medium. Her current research interests relate to making art that expresses how new technologies and architecture are becoming more biological in appearance. After viewing images submitted from architecture firms for MSU’s new modern art museum, she noticed how all the designs reminded her of biological systems or very natural forms. She believes that her work is important because it questions whether technology is pushing us forward. “Is it technology that is advancing human kind, or is it our growing understanding of nature?” In her art, BriAnne stamps clay with motherboards and computer parts and then arranges clay forms so that they look biological.
Advice BriAnne would give current undergraduates who want to get involved in research is to “go after what concerns them on a personal level as well as a worldly level.” With art, BriAnne has had the luxury of deciding what she wants to research. Through art making she decided to connect the work she makes with what concerns her about the world. She has learned a lot about herself, and what she wishes to understand about our world.
