Project 4

Homework 8

How to put this- when I watch a dance piece, I want to be inspired to dance, to create. Once I’m inspired, I get this full body itch to just find a studio and go wild and maybe even choreograph. It’s not something that can wait a day or two. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen right then and there. I’ve literally canceled prior engagements, no matter how important, just to scratch this itch. That’s how I feel when I look at zines. I see a zine and think to myself, “I HAVE to do that. Right now. This is me. This is MY thing.” 

Zines…they totally rock my socks. I am seriously in love with them. I’ve probably spent at least 3 or 4 hours looking through all the sites given and even longer on my own Google searches just admiring the artwork. The question “Why haven’t I discovered these yet???” keeps playing on repeat in my brain. They just draw me in. I think it has a lot to do with the raw and almost unpolished look to a lot of them. They seem so real and I appreciate the freedom that exists within them. I enjoy them even more so when there is poetry and/or prose involved (guess that’s the poet in me). I’m casually geeking out and I may or may not be hyperventilating. Kidding, of course. But I am super excited about zines and can’t wait to further explore them in class. J

Homework 7

(Nadeen's is on the right, and mine on the left) 

Project 3

Cool Gif found on Facebook

Project 2

"Human Nature"

Homework 6

Part One:

Christian Marclay, "The Clock"

In Marclay's work, he does a really amazing job of appropriating movie clips that all have a shot of a clock at 12:05. Honestly, I had never noticed that quite a few movies have a shot of a clock at 12:05, so Marclay's piece was really eye opening and made me wonder how many other movies had the same shot and why. What also intrigued me were the sound bits that he consciously decided to keep. There seemed to be a relationship between sound bits and video clips. For example, there was a sound and video clip that were originally together, but as the actor turned his head to look at the clock, the video clip changed to a woman looking at a clock in the same orientation while the sound bit resonated with the original scene. I found that to be a really effective and well done transition. I would say what drew me to discuss this piece is it left me with questions- something to think about. And that's why I find it successful.

Sondra Perry, "Young Women Sitting and Standing and Talking and Stuff (No, No, No)"

This is a very powerful piece that holds a significant amount of social weight. Here we are looking at three well educated young African American women having intellectual conversations, but they have video screens on their faces that replace their actual eyes with "rolled" eyes. I saw this as a stab at how society wrongly perceives African American women as "angry" or having an "attitude" and often dismisses their opinions on important social topics. Diving a little deeper, the participants' age also plays into the social misconception that this generation's youth "doesn't care" about current events and topics, such as the marriage equality movement mentioned in the women's conversation. And let's acknowlegde the fact that they are women. It is well known that women, and their opinions (for the most part), are still viewed secondary to men's. Sondra Perry did an outstanding job of representing many groups in her work, making it relatable to a wide range of individuals. The more I watch her piece, the more messages I get from it, which is why I find it successful. I hope the same messages I found in her work will reach others. Awareness is the first step towards making a change.


Part Two:

I commented on Hoon and Nadeen's second projects. :)

Homework 5

The artist I chose to research was Carter Mull. I find his work interesting because he seems to tastefully appropriate, or rather "Image Transfer". I like how he gives you just enough of the original image for you to recognize it, but then you can really appreciate and take in the alterations he has made to layer his own voice on top of it.

His conscious use of color and negative draws me in. Along with what appears (to me) to be a play with what's considered photo imperfections, like black spots on the film. 

Homework 4

            Hmmm… I wouldn’t go so far as to say Richard Prince is genius. But I do believe he is stirring the art world by pushing boundaries, and for that, I admire him. From what I’ve seen of his work, he really is just trying to see what he can get away with to make a point. It’s honestly quite exciting. In regards to his Instagram Paintings, I find them to be one of the best trolls of the decade. It’s almost a wake-up call to society. No, those images you post on social media don’t actually belong to you; so don’t be surprised if an artist features your latest selfie in an art show. As a response to Johnson’s article “Richard Prince Sucks”, I don’t find the Instagram images sexist, but rather a commentary. They play on an extreme to amplify the sexism that exists within our culture.

            For my own views on appropriation, I think it’s hard to establish a clear definition between what’s Fair Use and what’s not. I find it wonderful to live in a time where we can share artistic ideas and grow from different perspectives on any given piece of art. At the same time, I don’t think it’s cool to take someone else’s work, change something as small as the lighting, and call it your own. In the dance world, that would be a no-go. There’s a difference between sharing and exploring concepts/ movements and completely trying to pass off someone else’s work as your own. Intellectual property is something worth protecting. So in my book, if there is some sort of acknowledgement of the original creator or a discussion between the two artists, appropriation is okay.

            And now we come back to money, because everything always does. Would copyrighting be such an ordeal if it were not because of money? No. The answer is no. I mean, part of it is the right to intellectual property, but most of it is jealousy. In the case of Prince and Cariou, Cariou obviously was frustrated at the amount of money Prince was making. Heck, I would be too. Especially because of the way Prince appropriates- it’s like he is purposefully trying to push buttons.

4k Film Shot with New iPhone 6s

http://petapixel.com/2015/09/25/this-is-the-first-4k-film-shot-with-the-new-iphone-6s/#more-183263


So the link above is pretty sweet. It's a short film about a man who literally wants to "paint the town" in one of the largest slums in Haiti as an attempt to bring the community closer together. Seriously, the idea that color has the power to change a community is an amazing subject to talk about in itself- but what blew me away was the equipment used for the film. All RYOT used to make this film was the new iPhone 6s. An iPhone! The shots they got were amazing! Definitely a great couple of videos and an interesting read!

Actual Project 1

"Trans-fur-mation"

Homework 2

     The topic of whether GIFs are art or not boils down to the question everyone has been asking since the beginning of time: what constitutes art? Many people will give you a definition along the lines of “art is an expression of self perspective” or “art is created to leave an impact on the viewer”. Both of which are very plausible, but don’t really answer the question.

     It’s honestly so simple. Intention. All it takes is a conscious decision to make anything into art, by my standards anyway. So, yes. GIFs are art in my book, so long as there is artistic intent behind it. Let’s not fool ourselves though. There is a clear difference between a GIF of a movie star rolling their eyes and something more along the lines of a cinemagraph.

     I first learned GIFs as a way to send my friends an actual visual of how I was feeling/ reacting as opposed to just texting it. Those GIFs are what I would categorize as communicative. But after seeing cinemagraphs in class, I can honestly say GIFs have the potential for so much more.

**********************************************************************

     Two artists from the readings peaked my interest. The first of which is James Curran. I really enjoy the fluidity of his GIFs as well as the element of play. Anthony Samaniego also caught my eye. I’m drawn to the simplicity of his work, particularly the flowers on a blurred cityscape.

Actual Homework 1

            

Response to: “Screen Democracy” or Fascism of the Image? New Audiovisual Regimes in an Era of Indiscriminate Information Dissemination

By F. Javier Panera

             I agree with Panera on his thoughts about documentation. There seems to be a popular belief that “if you don’t post it, then it didn’t happen.” A train of thought that probably stems from insecurities, as well as the fragility of human memory. 

            Think about it. Everyone on social media wants to have the most friends, the most followers, the most likes, etc. Why? To cope with their own personal insecurities imposed on them by societal standards of beauty and/or way of life. There is a constant need for approval. Whether it comes from a prideful grade on a paper or eating a slice of delicious pizza, people are seeking approval because they want to be liked, or “cool”. It’s gotten to the point where auditory confirmation is not believable enough. We need a visual aid in order to process the reality of a person, place, or thing.

            Continuing that thought, it seems to be that we are relying on this need for a visual aid more and more. I know that I, personally, have a horrible memory. This is why I take lots of pictures and journal frequently- because I’m afraid there will be a day I will forget what I’m experiencing now.

            There isn’t a doubt in my mind that we, as a society, are losing memory retention and recall due to digital reliance. Remember the days when you had to have phone numbers memorized just to be able to contact someone? Now days we have caller ID. Why bother memorizing all those phone numbers when you can have your phone store them? Honestly, we are becoming mentally lazy.

 As Big Boi once said, “Life moves so fast. You gotta document the good times, man.”

Alchemy Resonance by Archan Nair

project 1

Homework 1

cats cats cats