Saturday, May 4, 2013

Klaus Obermeier + Gideon Obarzaneks + Kevin Warwick

Klaus Obermeier 

This performance (seen below) was so beautiful and creative. I absolutely loved how the lights, projections, the stage, sound, and the dancers bodies all worked together to create a very compelling and visually stimulating performance.



 Gideon Obarzaneks
Beautiful and creative. I love that this is created in real time, and that the performance is highly unique each time it is preformed. The angled stage is also an interesting choice, utilizing an old theater trick, to help the audience see what is going on on the stage. He took what already existed and made it that much more beautiful. I like that he admits that working with a team is what made him and his art stronger, not taking all the credit makes him admirable.  




Kevin Warwick
Cybernetics and human modification with technology. Not sure how I feel about that. While I understand the potential medical benefits, I have watched maybe a few too many science fiction movies to full trust a technology like this. If it gets too powerful, we could end up in a situation where people could control us a little too much. Now, for things like giving people the ability to walk again, or maybe even a way to cure cancer, I am on boar, but stay away from my brain personally. 








Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Josh Walton and Golan Levin

Josh Walton
Very interesting video! He defiantly is a creative and open minded thinker when it comes to interactive spaces. I love the way he says that technology and social interaction go together, because as a hopeful digital artist, I understand how much digital art can engage people. He utilizes social media as well in order to make spaces that much more interactive for people. Things like this really inspire me, and I am honestly excited about the future of this medium.



Josh Walton: Digital Storytelling Through Physical Space from Piers Fawkes on Vimeo.






Golan Levin
Creative way to film the interview! That sure is one way to get your point across. He has some really good suggestions for future digital artists, and ways to really expand your knowledge.  I would love to have a talk with someone like him, because he really does know his stuff. I want to follow a few of his tips, and have even begun talks with computer programmer friends about maybe doing projects together.



Golan Levin's AMA Video Uses Experimental 3D Cinema from FITC on Vimeo.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Die Antwoord

A very interesting group. They are a south african rap/rave group. Their members consist of Ninja
Yo-Landi Vi$$er, DJ Hi-Tek. Their lyrics are performed in Afrikaans, Xhosa, and English.  They produce numerous music videos, and video projects. I've heard that they are quite amazing live, but I have not had the chance to go to a show. They are very controversial, and often do things to get a shock value out of them. Famously, they have a controversy with American pop star, Lady Gaga, where in their video "Fatty Boom Boom" they made an obscene reference to her. (seen in the second video below). Also, the use of "black face" or what may be seen as that, has brought them alot of negative attention. They have countered by stating that they used full body white paint as well.

Seen in the 3rd video is their response to "Fatty Boom Boom"'s negative criticism.










Thursday, April 25, 2013

Performance Art

My performance piece was a statement against sexual abuse and sexual slavery. My costume I used to draw sexual attention to myself, but it was marked by the makeup that simulated bruises and cuts. The rope was the symbol of the restriction of the literal slavery, and how abusive relationships can be just as restrictive as slavery. The makeup was done with all of my own supplies collected from halloween and just what I have for everyday. I think the bruises were effective, and were harsh enough to communicate my message. I wanted to put sexual slavery and abuse in peoples faces, in a way where they could not ignore it, and it had to be confronted. I chose to stand and walk up and down that corner on Kennedy because I knew it was a highly visible place, and during rush-hour  people sitting in their cars would have a hard time ignoring me. People's reactions were interesting. They would openly gawk and stare, but no one seemed to be overly concerned. I even had one very creepy guy say hello. Numerous cops drove by, but none felt the need to stop. When walking back to campus I silenced quite a few conversations. I found this all very interesting. 

Friday, April 19, 2013

Video Art


This is a very well thought out and well executed stop motion. It is about a woman who sleeps with a  guy, who is famous, and then finds out about him being engaged. So she tries to forget about him and move on, but, she finds it difficult at first. Finally, she does move on, and shows him who is boss. This is video art because it uses video editing techniques, and stop motion animation though the capture of still and moving images to create a compelling narrative. The images are taken out of their original context and used to create an animation style video.







In this, a hand seemingly moves the cars and pedestrians around a parking lot. A film of a parking lot and a film of a hand following the movements in the parking lot are combined to create a new image, and thus video art.





Wherever the woman touches on the corner of the wall, a stream of ink is created and flows sideways across the wall. It is quite beautiful. Similar to the previous video, two films are combined to create a new image. The interesting part is that the ink is flowing in the wrong direction (hence the title "irregular flow"). This adds an visually interesting element to the composition, and its simple concept is partially why I like it.



Thursday, April 18, 2013

Magnetic Recording



Its amazing how much magnets, and magnetizing have contributed to electronics, especially with recording and playback. I had no idea about the wire magnetizing that started magnetic recording. It can be so incredible how simple things we take for granted in everyday life can be used for these advancements and technologies that progress so far in just a few hundred years.

Xerox Art Project

This was my xerox art project. I used about 3 glue sticks to make it. I love the way my hair turned out, it gives a very interesting effect. In alot of my art projects that involve my own image I love to use makeup and costumes to change my appearance. In this project I found this difficult, because even in the images that I used heavy makeup, it was difficult to see, and seemed to make little diference. I am happy with the way it turned out, minus the white spaces, where things refused to stick or I didn't fill with images. A funny thing happened on the way to the parking garage after we showed these projects in class. I was walking with this project, when a guy asked me what it was. I told him the basic premise of the project. He nodded his head and then commented "that one chick (in the center bottom of the sign) looks like she's eating someone out" I laughed and explained that that was not the intention, and he nodded but he held his opinion of it looking like a sex act. I thought this was interesting, and thought it would be good to share, because not everyone interprets art the way you intend.