genART Final

For the final we had the task of creating a moving image to go along with the sounds recorded by our class via an answering machine. In choosing videos to compile, I felt it was appropriate to find Youtube's best. While listening to the compilation of messages I reflected on the Youtube culture and what some of the most infamous videos in the past few years have been. The 5 people in the Film group all contributed different moving images and compiled a video with a great deal of subconscious social commentary. Concluding with a journey of seemingly unfamiliar places, and then the grand finale of Single Ladies. Combining these videos put a different twist on the audio compilation that I feel created an unanticipated product.

Self Destruction

With our third project, I wanted to play with the products of emotion and thought through a process using contrasting images and sounds. I put together a video that incorporates different themes and images people can relate to and how they survive on the edge of destruction daily. The video clips are all moving images from various wars and major disturbing events in history such as the execution of Saddam Hussein. In between these video clips is a flash of a photograph, 1/12 of a second to be exact, of different forms of life. Some of them are peaceful, some joyous. All have a positive connotation. Played along side the movie is a Meredith Monk music piece called Walking Song. I cut the silhouette of a body out of muslin and set a television up with two speakers on either side to simulate a head. These connected to my computer and I set the system in motion using a remote control. Sharpies were placed on the body and the class was asked to draw or write on the cut out. Most of what was drawn was in fun, such as a tie, but something was written to the extent of "It's amazing how long our race has survived with such destruction." Based on the reaction of the class, or more so, lack of reaction, I think the themes and goal weren't as obvious to a first time viewer like they were to me after watching it 30 times.
I wanted to create a process that leaned more towards interpretation than steps. I feel I achieved what I wanted to in my final product and I enjoyed putting it together.

And now for your viewing pleasure.....

Crazy Humanists!

The British Humanist Society launched a project simply called "The Bus Campaign"

"The Atheist Bus Campaign began when comedy writer Ariane Sherine wrote a Comment is Free article in June 2008Christian adverts running on London buses. These ads featured the URL of a website which said non-Christians would burn in hell for all eternity. Ariane suggested that atheists reading her article could each donate £5 to fund a reassuring counter-advert."

I am thoroughly amazed and entertained by this.

John Cage

John Cage has some of the most interesting concepts about music and sound. He's stated that when he hears "what we call music" he hears people talking. Talking about how they feel, what they think. But without the music, the natural sounds in one's environment, he sees as sound acting. Cage composed "4'33" which is a piece in which not one member of the orchestra plays a note. The sound produced in the concert hall is the piece. I can understand why some might find this atrocious and be offended by it, but I think these people are the same folks that don't stop to smell the flowers and curse the bird chirping outside their window at 7AM. To me, John Cage applies a process in generating art specific to him to produce a result that will enlighten, or inspire his audience in an unconventional way.

Mark Here

For our second project, we were asked to create a machine that produced a mark. After Lego Music, I wanted to present something that was more of an in class process than a personal process. Using a notepad with a massive Sharpie attached the class was instructed to "Mark On Me" and "Mark With Me". The notepad circulated around the class well and made its way back to me intact. Some of the marks were humorous, others were simply words. I intended for my project to be an idea that started in my brain and translated itself through others. In my opinion, the essence of art itself follows the same chain of events. An artist thinks, creates, and the audience translates that original thought into their own language. This language then goes on to possibly influence an action, another person, a future piece of art, or maybe it dies right after the viewer moves on. Regardless, the transfer of thought to interpretation is a process that can change fail or succeed and I'd like to work based on this in the future.

Raptors? For Realz?

In addition to Brook's highway signs.....

¡Cuidado!

I stumbled upon this site and it made me think how easy it is to make yourself the authority we questioned in class.

A question that intrigued me was, why does a sign "make it official"? Would Robert's caution tape project have been as effective if he stood at the door and told people they couldn't enter there? I think maybe the presence of a sign takes away the argumentative side of authority. You can't ask a sign "why not" but you can definitely ask a person "Why the hell can't I go this way". People don't question authority enough in my opinion and the result is the acceptance of rules that are unnecessary.