All too soon the term has ended with lots of wonderful and creative projects. Looking back to all the work and progress made this term, I would say I have learnt a lot. My project plan for the term was ;to produce a photobook with photos taken from two countries Ghana and USA comparing the visual culture consumerism through display. Using a cellphone I have created a series of photographs from Ghana and USA.
One of the requirement for my digital class was to produce a product from our project idea that would actually could generate some revenue or simple compensate our ideas best. With this requirement my final product ended up being a ''11x17'' calender which turned out to best describe my idea of display. The most amazing thing is that the can be customized. That is you can order this calender and have all your special dates and event you don't want to miss. !n this case you get the ART( photos from Ghana ans USA) as well you taking the place of the artist by adding your own special dates and event names.
Personally, am thinking of expanding more on this calender idea to see what I can come up with.
On the other hand, my mates from this class presented lots of interesting products as well. Ranging form books, prints, films and music videos my colleagues portrayed an array of talents some of which i hope they would explore because they all full of potentials. The whole process was a learning experience and as I work each time, I learn new things and my creativity expands.
Born in 1908, Henri-Cartier Bresson lived his entire life capturing moments and exploring the world near and far. We can understand his life better by how much work he produced. Just like Ray Johnson who lived his leave as a performance art till his death, Cartier Bresson spent his entire life capturing and documenting profound moments from around the globe. One quote that I relate to mostly when thinking of my project is one said by Cartier Bresson and I qoute
"To take a photograph means to recognize – simultaneously and within a fraction of a second– both the fact itself and the rigorous organisation of visually perceived forms that give it meaning...."
This to me makes perfect sense. It is with this same idea that I decided to expand more on my visual display project to see how visually people are made to engage actively in consumerism . It is very difficult to remember events long past the happening time but having and image in a print form helps to remember and to bring to life moments long lived especially those that are specific to specific time and place. Below are some photos by Henri-Cartier Bresson that I can relate to my own work even though I acknowledge that meanings varies among audiences.
These photographs carry strong visual messages and also shows the documentation of time even when it passes. The composition of each image may or may not have been intentionally positioned but one thing is obvious. That is it get the viewer thinking about the action or event, time and place, and lastly the reanson(s) for such profound images. Comparing these and other photographs by Cartier Bresson, I realized that even though my project All Displayed which is about comparing a visual culture of two countries Ghana and the USA on how things are strategically displayed to promote consumerism, the idea of visually appealing to viewer to stop and interact with whatever it is before them.
Henri-Cartier Bresson has created a library of history through his art work which is serving not only to his fame but also as a resource len through which the world an dthings around us can be viewed.
After a short but intense weekend at the11th Annual SEAconference in Lisle, Illinois I was left with nothing but to think of what I can do as an artist to make a leaving right out of college as I enter into the real world and particularly the art world. With these taught of life after graduation and then what? still lingering in my mind, I somehow found inspiration from Kristin Boehm an established young artist and an alumni class of 2009 from Lawrence University who has found her voice in the art world.
Much was said at the conference about having a web presence as an artist and presenting one's self as professional as possible. Speakers at this conference spent much time talking and discussing the need for a wed presence and the role it plays in getting our work out there and building a bigger audience, publicity and networking. It was not until Kristin got on campus to share her experiences that I realized the need for me not to take for granted all the resources i have now to make and keep my web presence alive.
Kristin Boehm talked a lot about her journey after Lawrence. As a young artist graduating right at the peak of the Recession, she took advantage of all possible means of getting her feet in the art world by concentrating more on her web presence as a means of getting her work recognized. Her interest which started from right on the LU campus where she took her first Digital Processes class where she just like what am doing now was encourage to keep a blog, self design a project and also create a product which introduced her to the idea of selling online using online markets like Esty among others.
The inspiration and advice I took from listening to older professional artist at the Self Employment in the Art conference and lecture from Kristin Boehm, it is very important that as young emerging artist we involve ourselves into the art community by collaborating with other artist in our own field of interest and sometimes volunteer time or donate some work to help build your resume for future job prospecting.
Ray Johnson, a contemporary artist of his time left behind a legacy. Known for his intricate and indulging collages, Ray Johnson is also known as one of if not the pioneer of mail artist. According to the documentary How to Draw a Bunny Ray Johnson had multiple personalities which made it very difficult for all who came into contact with him to truly define him as someone they knew very well. Nevertheless, he was very creative and passionate about art and lived all his life making art and sharing it with others. As and artist, Ray was very well connected with his fellow artist in one way or the other and collaborated with them directly or indirectly. I believe it is through this collaborative process that his unique works still leaves today.
I find its very inspiring as an upcoming artist, that in fact one can leave a life full of passion for one's profession as Ray Johnson did. He made more prints that anything considering the amount of art work found his house before he committed suicide. The irony of his death, the stories and memories he left in the minds and hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him in of its self can be seen as art. Ray Johnson's life was a performance art as explain by Stephen Perkins at his WC Gallery in De Pere, Wisconsin. Having had his fair share and experience with Ray, he believed his suicide should be seen as the last performing art of Ray Johnson. As sad as his death might have seemed we can all agree that it was well thought out and ended the way he had planned for himself. On one hand Ray Johnson was a strong self motivated artist who work carry with it strong thought provoking messages but yet very unique and somehow childish look whiles on the other hand he was a lonely, and unhappy man.
After listening to Mary Jane Jacob and her talk on collaboration, I couldn't help but think about my collaborative process as I work on my senior project. in she speech she did address four important points that helps or works in favor off a collaborative process especially if it involves and outside world. In order of importance she lists observation, co-generation, action, and integration. From personal experience dealing with people who consider you as an outsider, it is very important even if you are from there but leaving outside the country or town in this case to step aside and observe how things are done before jumping in to offer solution or advice. In such case there will be less of a resistance as you take time to reassess your approach.
I think co-generation, action and integration can works together since it all tends to address the issue of incorporation of one's audience in equally to achieve whatever it is that you as the artist works towards. As Mrs. Jacob talks about her project Places with a Past and how the had to engage the community to which in turn help them to successfully achieve their aim of making Charleston a place with history and painful emotions become a place of healing for the community and the artist themselves.
One thing I also noticed with Mrs. Jacob was how she relates her work closely with her religion. Her Buddhism beliefs are very much a part of even how she views art and curatorial work. It was all about faith and experience one encounters with an art work something I realized after several discussion forums with her. It was a privilege having someone very influential and experience to come talk to us as we seek career goals and aspirations
After listening to a real life experience from an art historian and her first hand encounter with Allan Kaprow,I realized that Kaprow did not only owned his work but he gave future generation of artists the chance to interpret it their own way by reinventing his work. If art is and can be anything and everything then it makes much sense why many famous artist of all times made fame doing what they did . When art becomes very interactive it gives meaning and create an aura that resides with it's audience for a lifetime.
After watching a series of videos on youTube on reinventions of Kaprow's "Happening" I realized that art can very much be a part of one's daily life not necessarily to make sense but to be a feeling and a state of being when in interaction with it. The idea behind his work, In my opinion Was to create art that changes with time,place and audience because only people around at time the art is being performed get the chance to witness the action which in deed makes the audiences participants rather than spectators. In of everything said about Kaprow' works and style, it's undeniable that he redefined performance art and it's future.
Werner Herzog's film Stroszek is indeed an incredible documentary/film that adds to all the other famous and daring films he has to his credit. After watching the ending to Stroszek, I couldn't differ but to agree with Dan Schneider's review, A voice in the wilderness describing Herzog's extraordinary approach to film-making.
Not only did Herzog leave his viewers/ audiences in suspense, he gave them the chance to read into the ending scene as they deems right. The irony of the whole ending scenes where Bruno S ends up in a native American neighborhood carrying with him a frozen turkey. Or leaving his truck running in circles with a fully dressed Native American right at the scene without but still isolated like nothing odd is going on around him.
One big connection I made with the "professional" dancing chicken, pianist chicken, and the fire rabbit were their environment and how that might have been in relation to Stroszek's personal experiences leaving in institutions. Even though Stroszek felt a sense freedom after his release from jail and new life in the United States which was the best either, his past experiences were constantly at play in his now life which lead to emotional flashbacks which I believe lead to suicide. But then again why would he come all the way to and animal recreational center to end his life? Did he feel like he has been treated like an animal all this while? Perhaps, he felt that way or maybe it was time for him to move on with his life hereafter with hope of finding a safer haven elsewhere. Hopes that were from "TheAmerican Dream".
Coming from a different country to America makes a person realize the importance to appreciates ones own culture and lifestyle to and extent and to let go the illusion of a safe haven or " The American Dream". One most important question that people fail to ask themselves before pursuing such dream is What really is the America Dream? How many Americans are living this dream? And what is the actual cost of living this dream?
Most a times, people get talked into believing that America is the place to be and that all is rosy and smooth running. We all know that is definitely not the case. Just like any other country in the world, America for that matter has its own flaws and forces to reckon with. Technology has and indeed to a greater deal created a global monster that is gradually eating us all up. As much as we are learning more about other parts of the world, we are actually not not receiving the right information.
In Bruno S case, he taught and believed strongly along with his friends that America was the safest and more free place to live. Initially this might have seemed like the case because they had jobs and were able to safe up something to buy a mobile house and all the little things that came with it that made it looked as if their illusions were becoming a reality but after a while when one gets to fully understand how things work in the "free country" then the reality sets in.
Yes America has wonderful things to offer but its actually not the best of place to be when you have a somethings else to compare with. There are the hidden truth that you only find out when you finally gets in. And due to preconceived notions about this place and the idea of the American Dream it is very difficult to prove otherwise to others on the fence. Maybe some day people on the other side would accept that there is nothing really like a free American Dream for all.
All too soon the term has ended our aim has been achieved. This video is our final project. Our aim for this project was to make a video that would in a critize the media about how Africa is portrayed in the West and vice versa. Our main resource was interviews of African Student studyind on Lawrence University campus and specifically American students who have had the opportunity to either visit or study in any west African country.
The our mission was to explore how their perception and expectations have changed after visiting these countries in relation what they thought off prior to their visit. For many years, the media have fed us with informations that have created in our minds a blurry way of viewing the world around us.
Interestingly, opinions and comments varied from one interviewee to the other even though they both share same experience. That is the difference between these people were not just what they media has fed them with but also how an individual decides to dive into the media believing very thing he or she is fed with. To enable a fair level palying ground, they media should learn to portray the all of a country or a continent for that matter. As one of the interviewee said " the media should show the good side of life". Yes there are poor people dying in Ghana, Sudan or Kenya and yes there homeless people leaving on the streets here in America but the best information to show is the balance. This project has not only thought me how to gather information but also how to create and educational forum for people to decide how much and what to take form the media. We have a choice to seek information but we also have and obligation tell the truth of situations as it is.
Well, thinking of the cultural rain one thing came to my mine. That is the ideal of sharing of cultures in a mutual way.Just as Picaso found inspiration in African art back then, so has our world today. We are all seeking to do a collaboration of some sort. Either as means of learning, sharing or even both.
In this video, students from University of Colorado did justice to taking devoting time and practice to making other culture their own. Nicholas Bourriaud did good in addressing the cultural globalization that exist in our time today. Not only did these student practice the song, they learned the lyric but also made it their own. I believe it is time to let go the old way of thinking and seeing art.And embrass what our world offers as well as interacting with other works from other parts of the globe.
It is very interesting to know how people take advantage of what we all disregard. James Danky journeyed a long way to making a name for himself. It also shows that our Librarian are important to us not only because they are a resourceful but also for reserving history.
I was not entirely, pleased with Danky's presentation. I was hoping he would have shown more of his work rather than the paintings he showed. Least to say that massages in the presentation was not entirely clear to me. But I found the few comics he show very interesting and controversial in it won way. I thing that interesting to know from him, was the idea of learning and seeking inspiration from other artists work. From his slide one can tell he has a wide range of artist he adnires from different generations and movements.
The second part of this book talks alot about philosophy and way art has to seen. Nicolas Bourriaud's The Radicant deals with concepts and further with an increase in discussion of philosophy and influential thinkers as well as the controversy it raises.
What is art? and who decides what art should be or look like? Bourriaud begins by elaboratiing on some famous artist like Joseph Cornell's surrealistis boxes and Marcel Duchamp's fountain. The idea of challenging traditional art is to prove that Art is dynamique. It changes with time and taste. Many art forms came about as the quest fo rseeing news things grow even stronger in people. Bourriaud argues Marceld Duchamp's ready made art to show the evolution in art and what used to be acceptable and creative in the art world centuries ago. Today the Computer has even taken art to the extreme. How would we see art inthe next tweenty years?
Lindsey and I had not thought of a mentor prior to starting our project but somehow it all fell in place when our questions sparked answers that evolved about mostly Western media perspective about the rest of the world especially in Africa. We hope to include this video clip in our final project to give our audience a better sense of media criticism.
Michael Jackson was a victim of the media. Just like many other celebraties, Micheal many public disgrace,rejections and many unanswered question about him through the media. This video is a good example of reactions to the media. Many misconceptions pass through to people from all angles and such is this video. We also chose this video because of its aesthetic beauty. During our presentation, we had a lot of great suggestions and comments which we are paying much attention to make our video great in terms of th einformation we are trying to put across and the idea of technological advancement.
After the comments and suggestions we received our presentation, we are thinking of probably incorporating a traditional Ghanaian dance video performed by a Lawrence student who has been to Ghana twice to learn the culture in performing arts. This is also to show how cultures are being shared in a harmonious way as technology advances to all parts of the world.
We also hope to work on especially our sound quality and transitioning. Finally, we are thinking of how to incorporate ourselves into the video. still playing around with what we have so far to make the best out of it.
Many things means different to different people. Culture is one strong and valuable element of human life that can unite or divide society. It also means people of different race and ethnicity eat differently. There is a saying that goes like this; one mans' meat is other mans' poison. This is true to this video.
As Professor Sedlock is spending enormous time studying these wonderful and distinct creature in the best way to preserve them, it is the soul food of other. This is not necessarily wrong because as it was said, they have grown up to know bats is part of their meal. One interesting thing i learnt about bats are that as at now there are about 198 different species of these unique creatures. The still believe that there are more things to the history and story of bats in terms of how they fly at night with that limited vision. This is something i hope to research on myself.
This Week on our Project Report:
Looking back to what we have so far, I can say Lindsey and I are doing great on our project.
We have all of our interviews done, edited interviews into sub clips , and finally we have done some logical arrangements of the clips as to how we want things to flow like the quick-time movie in our presentation. We have done through all the sub clips to make sure we have all the vital information and in sequence for our project.
Next Step... Our next plan of action is to do all the cool stuff to our video.
Artistic editing
Sound track: maybe have some music at the background
Transitioning: find a harmonious way to merge all clips together as one big piece
Organization and finally
Perfection: we hope ;to make our project at perfect and appealing as possible.
He took art from a traditional context or meaning and redefined it. He challenged how we view art and the question of what constitute and art piece or form. Andy Warhol was very obsessed with repetition and themes. His style was unique and personal and change the art world after World War2.
According to the media, Andy made more than 10,000 art works which has given him fame still after his death.Warhol was very creative and made a lot of experimentation with different kind of media including experimenting with urine to test for how oxidization can recreate new forms and produce interesting results. He gave meaning to abstract form of painting and action painting.
As a successful artist, Warhol was interested in new things and had a good sense to learn more. As much as he was interested in consumer culture and commercial form of advertisement, he was fascinated with the youth and how fast technology is helping to define these younger generation. Even though he was popular, he still engaged himself in social events as a form giving back to society. I think what makes an artist is not simply being great at painting, drawing or whatever interest you but being able to change and adapt make you even more stronger.
When one thinks of an artist so many things comes to mind. But in my case, when i think of artist especially an music i think of style, looks or appearance. I think of something that makes him or her unique. Klaus Nomi is no different in this sense. Indeed, he had a unique personality in terms of appearance.Like many artist, stars, celebrities or whatever name we choose to give them, has his own identity. Whether it was given or taken by the artist himself a distinction is made from who the artist really is and what he or her is known to be.
To some extent his artificial makeup look was a signature of himself but at the same time i think he did that to make himself feel better. Nevertheless, he was trying to fit in and find a common grounds on which he can fight his loneliness issues. His inability to find a permanent relationship. It is natural to feel lonely sometimes especially when you can get what you think would make you whole say, love. But in the case of artists or well known personalities, it would be extremely hard in a sense that, first and foremost you are in living in two separate worlds. That is the stardom, living a life where you feel loved, attention and in control and the second life where you feel like a cocoon, you go unnoticed. That is the reality.
Stereotypically speaking, what happens to most artists in the long run that either they die as paupers or of strange ailments. In Klaus' case, he died of the later and according to the media, he was the first publicly known artist to die of AIDS. In a sense Klaus contributed greatly on having an image something uniquely you in the artist world and there are artist today that one can easily say is influenced by Klaus Nomi. A typical examples could be Lady Gaga or even the late Micheal Jackson..
As of now we have been able to edit all our interview footage. I were very happy with the outcome even though there are other thing to add.Our video for the final project would be in a form of snippets and clippets. The questions being answered will be highlighted before each snippet and clippet, so it might make more sense for our viewers to follow. we could also pick random words and phrases randomly describing what the interviewee is putting across.
The next thing on our agenda is to decide on how to incorporate music to the video and also play with the background, as in choice of color. Its brightness and contrast.
Our Mentor: Initially, we hadn't taught of a person that would best qualify to be our mentor for this project. We were looking for someone in his/her own small we has address the issue of globalized world and had affect a lot of people with his ideas.Finally, along cam Micheal Jackson(MJ).
We choose MJ because is a typical example of one of the best artist whose ideas and work has affect the world through his music. Our project is focused on finding how technological advancement has influence the social and cultural behavior of especially Africa and the Western world. The link below is a video on how Africa received MJs' death.
Just as we showed a video of Obama in Ghana and the amount of excitement, so was MJ's death a blow to Africans. People tend to relate to Western Celebrities like a relative of theirs. One may ask why? because they grew up with all these technology that make people more aware of the international world than say it would have been in fifty years. This would be elaborated on more as our project progresses.
Progress Report:
Our progress for week was to start editing the videos we had from our interviews so far. We started with Nidal Kram, from Sudan and Mariah from America. It was very interesting how much time we had to spend on just these two video but then again we didn't have to do much sound editing because the locations for the interviews weresound controlled.We used Final Cut for all the editing.
We are still looking forward to interviewing Professors Skran and Vertinde to add another view to our students perspective.
Time Line:
We hope to edit at least half of the people we have interviewed so far.
