Flash mobs

The idea of flash mobs exploded in 2003 when a man, "Bill" encouraged people in New York City to come together to create random acts of fun with the purpose of confusing the general population. Technology was implemented to get the flash mobs to come together. The first few flash mobs were so entertaining that it became a new phenomenon. People everywhere began to create these fun random acts for the public. Some were just because, but others had a cause driving them. "Bill" stopped while he was ahead and the idea of flash mobs were still burring in people's minds. He didn't want to be a part of the phase when it died. When the media began doing stories on flash mobs the idea spread around the nation. However, anti-mobs were also formed which lead to the popularity downfall. Now flash mobs are not a big thing. They still occur on college campus and in communities, however, the media attention is very little. The idea of a flash mob is now only kept alive through youtube and the internet.

I feel that the main drive behind flash mobs was that people felt they needed to be apart of something. They wanted to get out of the normalcy of their lives so they joined a mob. They also wanted other people to be able to stop and actually see what was going on in the world. The whole idea was to bring a short amount of fun and happiness to the lives of the people that happened to be in the location that the mob would be in. Flash mobs came during a time that people needed to get their minds off of the bad events occurring in the world. They needed a short amount of time to just forget all of that and enjoy the day at hand.

Golan Levin

Golan Levin is an artist but also has a background in engineering. He combines his talents to create fascinating interactive works of art. He claims to focus more on the behavior behind the piece rather than its ascetic qualities. In his interview Levin is talking about his moving eye sculpture and how he used it to create a different relationship between spectators. Not only is the person viewing the piece a spectator, but the piece itself is also one. Levin engineered the eye in such a way that it seems as though it has a personality. The eye follows the spectators every move and is programed to blink a split second after them. Levin works primarily with the behavior and tries to create pieces that allow interaction with the spectator. He wants to trigger behaviors and be able to study the relationship between a created behavior and the reaction with a natural behavior. I find Golan Levin's work interesting. It is not what I think about when someone says art, however, I can still see it as that. I like how he is interested in the reaction of the spectators. I found that with my performance art I became more interested in people's reactions to me rather than the original message behind the piece. I can appreciate where Golan Levin is coming from and I would love to get to experience his work in person one day.

Reaction to "A Scientist Predicts the Future" by Michio Kaku

Michio Kaku predicts that the future will be full of new technologies. The untransformed human body will be obsolete. Technology will be so ingrained into our generation that people will not know how to react with out it. It will silently slip into our everyday lives. He predicts that college students will be the first to be fully ingrained under technology once it becomes a cheaper commodity. It will be common place for them. Technology will advance so rapidly that computers will essentially hold no more use in society. College students would instead have digital contacts that are capable of surfing the web and holding massive memory. He says robots will be an everyday instillation in society in order to answer questions rapidly. While this society sounds like one of perfection, is it really? I feel that a society run more by technology than human interaction becomes one in where the population is susceptible to being blinded from reality. This new step in our future could be an amazing success or our ultimate end. There are very high expectations in the technology of the future. However, I feel that if society as a whole becomes dependent on technology it will eventually collapse. This collapse would end up in a reversal of knowledge and society would go back to the ideas of decades earlier.

Kick'n it Old School

Breakdancing emerged around the same time as disco music. The reason is due to the new music style that was becoming widely popular. DJs were mixing short one minute song clips with beats to create music perfect for dancing to. The DJs that were more geared to hip-hop music took this idea of mixing beats and created songs that were just that. This exploration is what started the breakdancing movement. These new songs were perfect to show off fast foot work and athletic floor moves. Breakdancing started off as a street dance and was mainly used by gangs as a way to solve problems with rival gangs instead of fighting. Breakdancing emerged during an era that big on dance battles. Those who danced in this style were called "B-boys" or "breakers." The gangs implemented breakdancing in their dance battles to show their superior athletic abilities. The winner of the battle was essentially the winner of the "fight" and the problem was normally solved. Breakdancing moved from the streets and into main stream media by performers such as James Brown.

Breakdancing incorporates quick foot work, floor work, and upper body strength. Moves like the head spin or the windmill. Break dancers will also perform moves where they will freeze in mid air in what is a seemingly uncomfortable position.

Performance Art

For my performance art project I decided to try and give people a judge free moment to share their opinions. I did this by dressing in an outfit that would draw attention and standing still in the middle of the WestShore Mall. I had a Post-It note sign that read, "What would you say if you wouldn't be judged?" I also held a stack of Post-It notes and a Sharpie for people to write their feelings and stick on me. The performance did not go as I expected it would. There were more people who looked on from afar and would not participate than people that did. I was hoping to get some profound opinions from people, but there were very few. I noticed that when one person stepped out to participate, more followed suit. It was as if they were worried what others would think of them if they wrote anything.
I still feel that my performance raised awareness in the people who stopped to see what was going on. There is so much judgement in the world that people are afraid to be themselves and speak their minds.

Here are the results:

Xerox Project

I have to say I had a lot of fun making this one.

I used the Xerox machine in outside the Vaughn computer lab to scan myself as well as my friend. I found it rather humorous because there were people working on papers in the computer lab who kept looking at us like we were crazy. This staring was the most obvious when i had my friend copy her stomach. The machine was too tall for her to just lean over it so she had to climb on a box next to the copier and actually lie on top of it. I think for all the effort it turned out really well.

Archetype vs. Stereotype

There is a thin line between and archetype and a stereotype. It seems that the main difference between the two is that an archetype is an unconscious generalization everyone is born with while a stereotype is a generalization built into us by society. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of an archetype is "a perfect example of something," or "the original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies." In turn, the definition of a stereotype is "to believe unfairly that all people or things with a particular characteristic are the same." So while an archetype is just the quintessence of something a stereotype is a harsh and unfair grouping given by society. It seems that through both of these words we, as a society, tend to have to group things together to give a greater understanding. Not only this, but we also have to have a quintessential object or idea that defines the others as "not so good." As a society we build up perceptions and strive to be the archetype of that perception. However, when you stop to think about it, it is just as unfair as a stereotype. In a way we are putting ourselves in a position to be stereotyped. We don't realize it at first but the archetype that society makes is near impossible and we rip ourselves apart with the realization that we will never be there. Instead we need to put these groupings aside and just strive to be who we truly are. Being true to yourself is the only way to be happy in a society that feeds off of the misery of its own people. If you are not striving for the archetype you cant really be stereotyped because you are your own person. You wont be a "perfect" fit in any stereotypical group and will never truly be able to be placed there. 

Thoughts on Sheryl Oring's "I Wish to Say"

Sheryl Oring's performance art entitled "I Wish to Say" gives people who would not usually speak up a voice that will be heard. Oring sets up a table with a typewriter, sits down, and waits for people to come to her. In this performance she types letters verbatim for the people who participate and sends them to the President. In this way she gets to learn a little bit about each individual who sits down across from her. She also gets to help them in a way, although minute, that leaves a huge impression on the participant. They get to see that there are good people in the world; people that really do care. Sometimes it means everything just to know that a complete stranger wants to help you. Oring may have just come up with the idea as an unusual situation for an art piece, but she really is changing the perceptions of those she helps along with how they feel. She is making a huge statement by creating a collective voice of the people, similar to that of the Presidency. (or at least how it should work) Oring as one person gathers the thoughts of a community and presents them by sending them to the White House in order to make a larger impact. One voice may be strong but more than one collectively working together is stronger.

Brion Gysin

Brion Gysin grew up in a home of a single mother. His father died not too long after he was born in the war. Gysin was drawn to the art movement of surrealism and worked with it for sometime. However, he was kicked out by Andre Breton on the day of his first exhibition. He later went to join the cause and fight in the War. When the War ended he had his major break through producing the art of cut-ups by accident. He was cutting newspaper and found that when jumbled up the strips made interesting combinations of words. His method began to be used by many artists in the Beat generation. However, this wasn't his biggest contribution. That came with the production of the Dream Machine. The dream machine was in a sense a way to hallucinate without actually getting high. The Dream Machine became  to be what Gysin would be known for. The dream machine really change the context of art because it was meant to be viewed with closed eyes. It became less about beauty and looks and more about the experience itself.

Thoughts on Emak Bakia a film by Man Ray

Emak Bakia seems to be more of a way to explore what can be done with film than a film itself. Man Ray begins his film with his iconic photography put in motion. He used nails and salt which he placed on the film to create a positive image. These images in motion create a very confusing and almost trance like effect. However, this is not the whole film. The "scene" switches to one of a car and a woman. It seems as though he is playing with special effects within the film because the woman will all the sudden disappear and reappear. He is able to change her opacity until she is almost a ghost-like figure. He also plays with the speed of which actions are happening. This is seen with the banjo player and the girl dancing. Man Ray is exploring the differences between perceived reality and what is actually real. The most iconic is his use of a girl with eyes painted on her eyelids. In this way her eyes always appear to be open. In addition to this he is creating scenes and rewinding them so it is as if it has never even happened. His film is more like a playground for him. He is playing with the film to see how far he can push the medium. In my opinion when it is all put together, it doesn't really flow very well so there is a state of confusion. However, once I realized what he was actually trying to accomplish this flow was not really necessary. Although the film was showed as a completed work of art it was really an experimentation for Man Ray.

Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Speech

Steve Jobs made a very inspiring speech at Stanford's 2005 Commencement. He used his life story to make a point to inspire others. Everyone has heard the saying "everything happens for a reason," but Steve Jobs took this to a new level. Even though situations may seem disastrous when they occur, eventually it will all make sense why it happened. According to Steve one can only "connect the dots when looking back." It seems as though this is due to all of the overwhelming emotions that come along with the realization that you have failed. You may have let someone down or just completely screwed up, but once the initial shock is gone you can focus on a new path. This path is normally one that you were meant to take in the first place. Steve Jobs also mentioned that one should not waste his time doing something he hates. He should think for himself and find something he is truly passionate in. This is the only way to true happiness. Also, once that passion is found, risk everything to keep it alive. Without that passion we are nothing. Steve ended his speech basically saying live everyday as if it was your last. I feel like Steve's advice is the way to true happiness. One must not regret their actions or get stuck in a rut because something went wrong. One must seize the day and do what inspires them. This is the only way to true happiness in life and a fulfilling future. The people that are remembered in history did not become historical figures by sitting around doing things that did not interest them. They were called crazy and they failed a time or two, but they kept trying and succeeded. That is what they are remembered for and that is why they are considered to be great. They followed their passions and didn't listen when others tried to bring them down. They were their own person and they believed in themselves.

grid art project

To create this piece I used a total of 2200 white pushpins. Unfortunately, I ran out and had to improvise by placing them to get the main parts of the photo. I bought all the pushpins I could find from three different Walmarts. Turns out everyone really likes these white pushpins. I used sharpie to color the tops of the pins. I feel that if i was able to get ahold of more pushpins the resolution of the picture would be better and the photo would come more to life in the recreation.  

Alan Turing

Alan Turing was a very influential part in the history of early computers. He went to Cambridge to study mathematics and it is from here he strived to make a machine that would be able to solve mathematical problems. He created a machine which he called the Turning Machine and would have looked similar to this modern day model.

The machine could compute just about any problem given to it by using binary symbols written on an infinite roll of paper. Turing claimed that any mathematical problem could be solved by the Turing machine. For the mathematical method to be effective it just needed to have a list of instructions that could be mindlessly followed by a clerk. 

Turing went on to create machines that were able to decode messages. These machines helped greatly during WWII. He was a key member of a team that built decoding machines based off of earlier blueprints. After the war Turing went on to create a concrete model of his Turing machine. He came up with a design for a digital computer that would have had the same memory capacity as the early Macintosh computers. He called his invention the ACE. However, it was never actually produced; instead a smaller version was created. He went on to help design one of the first commercially available computing machine. 

Unfortunately for Turing, it became known that he was gay. During his life it was illegal to be homosexual in Britain. When it was found that he was gay he was horribly persecuted. He was forced to go through hormone therapy and committed suicide not long after. He was a great mind that contributed greatly to the world of computers and technology. In fact many of the computers that were to be built after his death were based off of his Turing machines. He was persecuted by his own country he strived to save for an act that was then considered taboo. 

War of the Worlds radio broadcast

Orson Welles radio broadcast, War of the Worlds, was met with such shock and panic that the next day he had to make a public apology. The fact that Welles used the radio to produce his show aided in the panic that it ensued. The listeners had to use their imagination directed by the very detailed voices of the actors. As far as the listeners knew the show was just a news broadcast. This idea came from the fact that the show began as informative news about new discoveries on Mars and Earth as well. However, not far into the show disaster occurred. The staged disaster was so convincing that people really thought the world was ending and aliens were attacking. Suddenly the news broadcast was interrupted by descriptions of seemingly unplanned events that even the news announcer had trouble explaining. This was also intertwined with screaming by the crowds surrounding the "events." The absence of video for real proof of the situations occurring made it all the more possible for the events to be true. For all the listeners knew just outside their doorstep could be a meteor holding an alien planning to destroy their livelihood. The incredibly detailed descriptions that went along with the horror made it seem all the more real. In today's modern society, or even after the introduction of the television, such a show would not be able to strike such a widespread fear in viewers. With video people began to use less and less of their imagination to interact with shows. This was not true for the radio era. The people's active imaginations is what really stirred the terror in reaction to Welles broadcast. Such an event would not be possible to produce any more. Welles' broadcast was really a pivotal moment in technological history.

A Small Invention With a Large Impact

In today's world of electronics we would be completely lost without the battery. Batteries run just about every valuable object we own from cell phones to computers. It is hard to imagine that the idea for a battery was being put to the test as early as 2500 BCE. These ancient batteries were no more than clay pots with iron rods surrounded by a copper tube and filled with vinegar.

Multiple pots would be connected together to create a powerful enough charge to complete tasks such as gold plating silver. Unfortunately, this early blueprint for the battery was lost and such an item was not thought of again until the 1700's. Many brilliant minds worked together over the years to produce a battery capable of producing enough power to run new products. It is Alessandro Volta whom we credit with producing the blueprints for the modern battery in the 1800's. In honor of his discovery, the batteries power is expressed in volts. 

Of course as with any invention it can be improved upon and it was discovered that Volta's battery was not capable of producing a charge for long periods of time. Eventually mercury was added to batteries to create a greater reaction. This element did not last too long after the discovery of mercury's harmful tendencies. It was Samuel Ruben who invented the battery we know today as the Duracell battery. 

Flip book animation

A Clockwork Orange and the use of Nadsat

A Clockwork Orange is a deeply disturbing yet inspirational film based off of a novel. The author, Anthony Burgess, even went as far as to create a new language for the characters in his novel called Nadsat. It is controversial as to why Burgess went through the trouble to make up a new language for his characters. The reader and/or viewer must make a conscious effort to understand the language to fully comprehend the action taking place. Usually such an addition would be seen as a hassle and turn potential customers away. However, Burgess's addition of the new language in the context of the plot is a brilliant way to get across the message intended.

Burgess wanted a way to alienate the main characters of his story especially the leader of the gang, Alex. The use of a strange made up language did just that to the viewers and readers. Since it took some getting used to, the audience would feel alienated from the characters until the language became more familiar. This alienation goes in hand with what the gang would have felt from the society they lived in. Their choice was to be the scum of the community and they enjoyed every minute of it. With in their group the boys were gods, but to everyone else they chose the path extreme opposite to the social norm. To regular people the boy's actions were the most horrifying and wrong; society cast them out for this reason. The language barrier Burgess creates emphasizes this idea.

What Burgess expected was the audience to be familiar with the new terms toward the end of the movie. By this time the plot has moved along and Alex has been introduced to government correction practices. He has had his spirit taken from him. He no longer has a choice to do bad or good. After being subjected to the harsh program Alex can only do what society deems as correct. Alex is no longer and individual, but a puppet.

Society can no longer alienate him because he can do no wrong now. He is the poster child for the treatment therapy to cure people from being able to chose to do wrong. In this way Burgess created a way to end the alienation. The audience is more familiar with the vernacular as well as Alex as a person. I believe the main reason to create a new language for the story was to allow the audience to become more one with the characters. Throughout the story line the audience learns more and more and eventually Burgess's ideas of choice making an individual get clearer. 

Stop Motion Animation

What I find most intriguing about stop motion animation is the variety of creative transitions available to go between scenes. For example, in the video above some transitions are made using pictures that start moving and become a portal to the next scene. I feel that this transition gives off the feel of time passing excellently. I also really enjoy how stop motion combines both real world objects with animated ones. In this video Lascano uses human hands to hold the drawings and pictures used for some of the scene changes. The addition of real world objects, such as the hands, makes the viewer focus more closely on what is occurring in the video. It also opens up more possibilities for interesting mediums used to create characters, such as in the video below. Many of the elements of the scenes are created by using pages of books. 

Stop motion animation has a very artistic feel to it since it contains drawings and modelings. It has a raw feel to it because of the choppiness due to longer space between the frames used to create the video. I feel that a very creative process must take place for a stop motion animation to come together and tell an interesting, entertaining story.

Film's Big Break

It is not hard to realize why film became so popular so fast. To experience such a novel idea as documented reality was awe-inspiring and quickly became popular entertainment. The very first films ever made were mainly experiments and had real people doing everyday tasks. These films were short, but with increased knowledge soon became longer. With the introduction of short films such as "Trip to the Moon" and "The Great Train Robbery" a more imaginative approach to film came alive. These films did not have to do with everyday events, but were staged from the mind of the producer. "Trip to the Moon" was a completely fictions account of a group of wizards who take a rocket to the moon and meet with the life forms present there. I find it rather comical that so many years ago the idea of other life forms was present as well. "Trip to the Moon" could easily be argued to be the precursor of the science fiction genre. Decades later we are still using the same general ideas, but with new technology. I got the same feeling from watching "The Great Train Robbery." While pertaining more to the "real" world, "The Great Train Robbery" was still a staged rendition. However, its subject matter was one of bad guys holding up a train. It was like watching the very first making of a Western movie. The plot is like a cookie cutter, it was used over and over again to make many different films. All one had to add was a few tweaks here and there and a whole new Western movie was born. It is very interesting to see that the movies today are based off of such age old ideas that came with the emergence of film.

The use of blackface in todays media

I have found that many people who hear the musical group Die Antwoord either love them or hate them. They seem to have no fan base of people who somewhat like them, and it is partly because of this that they are the center of much controversy. One of the major controversies springs from their use of blackface in their music videos. 

The use of blackface used to be popular entertainment when racial segregation was prominent. Many performers used this technique to give everyone some reason to feel connected with the act. In their eyes, as long as an ethnic group is portrayed, that group will be happy, even if it is in a bad light. Today the blackface is considered to be racially offensive. Since Die Antwoord, a white group, originates from South Africa, where racial segregation runs rampant, it is hard to deny that the use of blackface is not meant to be racially condescending. 

As seen in the photo above, the group has stretched the traditional blackface by painting Yolandi's whole body black. The drummer does not help matters due to his use of a costume similar to the ones used by the Ku Klux Klan. However, Ninja throws off this "racial pun" by being painted head to toe in white and red. Ninja's paint job throws off the racist vibe and makes the use of blackface a question of pure coincidence. Yolandi also changes her look throughout the music video, keeping with the theme of red and white. 

It is possible that the group just happened to think the different body paints would be and interesting element for their videos. The group is known to be one who participates heavily in abusing illegal substances, as well as, drinking. These altered states of mind could be an easy explanation to why the group found it appropriate to incorporate blackface into their videos. At the time of production, it could have just been seen as an interesting idea with a great potential for adding variety to their  already bizarre music videos. 

The true reason for the use of blackface by the group is masked by them for their fear of losing a large fan base. It is, however, a great example of how blackface is still in existence. The use may be controversial now, but it has lasted throughout the decades and continues to draw audiences attention. 

Opera in the Modern World

Many people think that opera is extinct. However, it is used all the time in modern advertising. For example this video is an ad to get kids to watch Nickelodeon. The video has very strong Rococo characteristics. The orange wig worn by the woman is outrageously huge. She is also adorned in a large beaded necklace. The whole video is over the top to entertain the targeted audience.

Madama Butterfly animation

The short animation of Madama Butterfly is based off of the full version written by Pjotr Sapegin. The animation takes the necessary basics from the full story line and puts it into an animation making more understandable for those who speak only English. The animation has no words, however, the plot is continuously acted out by dolls giving a visual effect that true opera cannot. In the animation the music from Madama Butterfly is played through a record player brought by the sailor who Madama Butterfly foolishly falls for. I found the animation very helpful to get a full understanding of the story line. I did feel that the animation became a little too graphic in some parts just for the fact that dolls were acting out the scenes. For example the scene where Madama Butterfly and the sailor take part in coitis in a field. On the other hand, some scenes did effectively portray the strong emotion that would be felt if watching the actual opera. The ending scene where Madama Butterfly destroys herself because she has nothing left to live for becomes very emotional. The animators chose to have Madama Butterfly rip her skin off until all that was left was her man-made skeleton. She continues to take a tool and rip herself limb from limb showing her extreme hopelessness. I feel that this was a very good way to get the concept across instead of having her jump off of the cliff or other various ways to commit suicide.

Interview with Raul Cuero

Raul Cuero was a very driven individual from the start of his life. As a child he was very poor and tried to fill his time with meaningful experiences. Due to his background he focused on increasing his knowledge of the world. Cuero turned his situation around and made something from it. He continued to do so in college when faced with prejudice. While most people would take it to heart that others were constantly bringing them down, Cuero became more motivated in his studies. He wanted to prove that he was capable of retaining knowledge and exceeding in his studies. Cuero's story is very motivating because he transformed his hopeless situation into one of great success and content. Cuero bettered himself the more that people tried to bring him down. He didn't dwell on what others were saying, but instead focused on himself. This is very pertinent to today's world because so many people dwell on what others think of them. They become hopeless and mope around instead of strive to prove them wrong. If you were able to turn all the bad situations around 180 degrees in order to motivate yourself, think of all the possibilities that would open up. Cuero made it to where he is today by doing exactly that. Cuero's message of staying motivated and creative is one that every one should take to heart. Not only would it bring about a higher level of happiness, but also success in whatever you strive to accomplish.

Juan Carlos Delgado's multimedia design

Without considering the instillation, created by Juan Carlos Delgado, as a whole, it wouldn't be considered multimedia. Delgado would have just created a superb bust of a girl, a statue of giving hands, and some metal bars. However, Delgado did not stop there, he decided to connect a refrigerator to both the bust and the bars. In this way he connected the two pieces. Another important factor that Delgado added was a gas flame in the middle of the hand statue. This constant change created by the gas flame and the buildup of ice crystals on the bust and bars is what made this instillation as a whole multimedia. The element of fire and also the formation and melting of ice crystals put the piece into a constant cycle of change. The bust especially began to grow and become a new piece of art with the addition of the ice crystals. While it still kept it's initial shape, the busts features began to change every time the ice would build up and/or melt. It is this constant changing that gives Delgado's instillation the title of multimedia. The piece is never exactly the same from moment to moment, it is more like a living work of art. Delgado's decision to add refrigeration and fire made the instillation much more intriguing. The ice crystals seem to connect the beauty of the natural world with that of man-made art.

I Don't Blog

Hey Ya'll,

My name is Valerie and I don't blog. I was born and raised in Panama City, Fl, or as we like to call it Lower Alabama (LA). I decided to come to the University of Tampa in order to study studio art with a concentration in photography. I hope to one day own a photography studio where I plan to shoot fashion photography. Now that my background is covered, I bet you're wondering why someone who doesn't blog is making a blog. There is a very logical answer, my professor for Intro to Art and Technology said it was required for the class. Other than the blogging aspect of the course, I feel that I will gain a large amount of insight into art as its come to be today. With a brief taste of the course, I feel that the subject matter will not only be entertaining, but be interesting as well. I hope to gain a greater knowledge of what the art world has become today through the introduction of such advanced technology. I also want to have hands-on experiences with combining art with the technology of today in order to create a piece that would still be appealing in the modern art world of today.