Patrick Hutchinson

Describe the work you submitted for merits.

I drew from two bodies of photographic work for my submission. The first was a survey of detritus left behind in the first few weeks of the COVID lockdown, including discarded masks and empty disposable gloves. I wanted to show that sense of sudden, eerie absence using these objects that still held some shape of the people who'd worn them. The second series looked at the physical structure of my neighborhood following the George Floyd protests last summer. In one sense, I was interested in recording a radically altered landscape, but I was also fascinated by how having buildings literally turned inside out might stand in for how the events of 2020 forced people to see things they'd been avoiding. A personal breakthrough on this project was the idea of making a series of cyanotypes — activated with open flame instead of light — which were then stamped with impressions from the surfaces of these damaged buildings. There was something about the conversation between that violent abstraction and concrete connections to the physical world that felt really right to me.

Rounding out my submission were a video/soundtrack piece, two photo books, and some projection-based installations dealing with nostalgia, memory, and addiction.

Why did you decide to come to MCAD?

My choice to attend MCAD first required many years of denying that I needed to go to art school: I wasn't that good, I didn't have anything IMPORTANT to say, there isn't any money in art, and so forth. I was at a weird place in my life a couple of years ago, where I'd worked really hard to change careers but nothing was happening for me, and something just clicked. I knew from the first few minutes of the campus tour that this was exactly where I needed to be. There have been ups and downs since, but I haven't once regretted that decision.

What are your plans for your senior year? And beyond?

I am really excited about the opportunity to work more deeply on projects. I've loved many of the challenges so far but having that additional space for thought and reworking sounds great.

Favorite thing about college life (so far)?

I love sharing an orbit with other artists. It's easy to feel isolated in our society, and being creative can feel particularly lonely sometimes.

What's the best thing you've got from MCAD's free shelf?

There was some kind of polyester bag on there one day, when it was pouring rain, which helped me get a project safely home from school. Fond of you, bag!

What inspires you?

Hearing people describe what they are working on, or seeing a surprising approach to a problem.

Do you have a favorite piece you've made? Describe it!

I have some favorites from my "serious" body of work, but on a certain level, I think my favorite piece is a small bronze I made for my wife during Foundations 3D. She thinks my dumb big ears are cute, so I made her one to keep around. I had the enjoyment of hiding it away for months before giving it to her on Christmas, and hearing her laugh when she opened it. She uses it to hold rings.

Anything you're obsessed with at the moment?

I've been collecting low-to-midrange watches for many years now: weird Soviet-era Russian models, micro-brands, and Japanese/Chinese stuff. There's something satisfying about the different kinds of watch technology, and the way various design aesthetics support those mechanisms while communicating functionality or sophistication. Over the past year or so I've also gotten really into perfumes. (A perfectly-timed hobby, for an era where most people are walking around with masks over their noses.) If I can hit on a way to do it without being totally obnoxious, I would love to someday make a project that relies heavily on the evocative power of scent.

Distance Learning: Pros and Cons?

I miss being in the same room as my fellow students. I particularly feel like critiques have suffered from not being able to spend physical time with the work. And as someone who keeps a foot in 3D arts through installation, I can only imagine how hard this has been for people like sculpture or furniture majors.

On the other hand, I sure haven't missed trying to find a parking space in Whittier in the dead of winter.