currency project revisited

Remember this project? The photos in this post represent the end product. My Edward Cullen exhibit is still in the works...stay tuned.

Happy Thanksgiving!

currency project revisited

Exhibition in a Box: Edward Cullen

The subject of my Exhibition in a Box project is Edward Cullen, the main vampire character in the Twilight novel series by Stephanie Meyer. I chose Edward not because he is a character I particularly like, but because he is such a complex and intriguing character. Because he is a vampire, he is fictitious, and because he is such a major focus in the current phenomenon which Twilight has become, he is undoubtedly a character of popularity in this era.

The character of Edward Cullen has been compared with a number of male protagonists from classic literature, including Mr. Rochester from Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, Heathcliff from Bronte's Wuthering Heights, The Beast of Beauty and the Beast, and the infamous Stanley Kowalski from A Streetcar Named Desire.

Some items and images I am considering for my exhibit include:

• Grand piano - To depict Edward's love of music (he is an accomplished pianist)
• Trees - The vampire coven live in Forks, located in the Olympic Peninsula rain forests located in the state of Washington.
• Glass - To represent the Cullen's home in the forest, which is largely made of glass.
• Books - Edward has been well-educated in the 108 years of his suspended "life".
• Images of WWI - The period in which Edward lived as a human prior to his transformation.

I believe a chronological arrangement of items and images may suit this project best. I'm not sure yet as to how I will contain or transport the end result--I am still fleshing things out and considering possibilities for best dimensional arrangement.

Image via Wikipedia.org.

Exhibition in a Box: Edward Cullen

reader response: chapter 6 media & life

Last week I went off an older copy of our syllabus and as a result, I read the wrong chapter in our text. That being said, I did read chapter 6, and learned a number of things about media in general, the idea and origins of "mass media", and convergence of media forms with the advent of each new technology in the 20th-21st centuries. These, then, are my reflections on chapter 6.

The more technology grows and advances, the more exposure we have to media. This can be both a good thing, and a bad thing. Today's society has a more interactive experience with visual media which involves complex interconnecting networks. A shift has happened from mass-media consumers to niche markets, also known as contemporary media.



The "masses" was the term created in the late-19th century which refers to the structures of society during the industrial revolution, the emergence of the working class, and how that influenced social practices. The term, Mass Media was first used in the post-WWII era. The masses can be taken as a negative connotation equating to a passive audience of non-individualized, uncritical consumers. What was/is considered as mass society reaches into both private and public realms. Large companies with corporate boards versus small, locally owned businesses resulting in less personalized service. Urbanization versus rural towns contributing to population crowding, lack of personalization, alienation, assembly-line work, and boring, repetitive, often physical ("blue collar") type jobs.



The idea of mass society can also be thought of as a contribution to the erosion of family life. Again, this started around the era of industrial expansion due to the migration of families from rural areas into the cities. Their pursuit was for better housing, the promise of steady work, and access to modern goods, services and entertainment. Starting in the 1950s, and continuing today, what we know as the American Suburb, can be linked to a social alienation via "cheap" entertainment--films, TV, consumerism, and modernity are all used as replacements for connectivity with other people.



Mass media in the 1920s consisted of regularly scheduled programming, from a one-way (bias) broadcast model, at a central distribution source (newspaper, radio), which fostered a less critical audience. Mass media in the 1980s up to the present decade has increased our options for information with the invention and expansions of TV, cable TV, film, mobile devices, cell phones, Internet and satellite broadcasting. Along with these expansions has come more specific media catering to interests, tastes, and language groups. In addition, today's consumer is not just interacting but also producing much of the media in mainstream, everyday life.



While seeking images to include with this post, I discovered an interesting post on this blog. The author, Anne Helen Peterson of the University of Texas, makes some great observations about the modern equivalent of Mass Society--what she calls the "Minivan Majority".

It’s hard to define the minivan majority in a sentence, so I’ll start with some descriptors. Not all of these are necessary true of everyone in the minivan majority — and if some of them describe you, that does not necessarily mean you’re in the minivan majority (and I want to make it clear that I don’t dislike or disdain the minivan majority — but it’s important to know the identity of those quietly driving taste and entertainment in the country.)

Some traits of the minivan majority:

• You probably live in a non-urban space — either suburban or rural, but most likely suburban.
• You are probably white.
• You have no radical convictions. You are neither an arch conservative nor strong liberal. In other words, you are probably a self-described ‘moderate.’
• You love pictures of babies. Especially celebrity babies.
• You believe things that appear in print in the gossip magazines.
• You are not overtly racist, sexist, or homophobic, but you might subconsciously discriminate against people who are different than you or the people that you know and see on an everyday basis.
• You don’t like things that are too much: too gross, too sexual, too outrageously expensive.
• You might own something from Ikea. You definitely own things from Target or Wal-Mart.
• You style is a combination of Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Loft, Talbots, Coldwater Creek [and I'm adding Old Navy, Eddie Bauer, and if a Pacific NW dweller, Columbia Sportswear].
• You are a parent.
• You probably battle your weight, even if it’s just those pesky ten pounds.
• You may own a minivan — or if not, a similar SUV type vehicle.
• You believe that people of any race, color, creed or background can make something of themselves with hard work.
• You believe in a higher power — most likely God — even if you don’t necessarily go to church every week [you are likely to make an appearance at Christmas and Easter].
  
• You are not generally an early adopter — of a technology, a political candidate, a new fad, etc.
• You enjoy the reliability of moderately price, moderate quality chain restaurants, [hotels, cars, appliances, housewares, clothing] and all-inclusive vacations.
• You have a subscription to Cooking Light and/or may contribute recipes regularly to allrecipes.com

Good clean fun in Gap khakis.

Now, some media products favored by the minivan majority:

• Jennifer Aniston
• Julia Roberts
• Tom Cruise
• Michelle Obama
• Celebrities who hit their career pinnacle about 10-15 years ago
• National Treasure (and other Nicholas Cage movies)
• Marley and Me
• Reese Witherspoon
• Jennifer Garner
• Michael Buble/Josh Groban
• Norah Jones
• Dave Matthews Band
  
• Two and a Half Men
• Desperate Housewives
• [Ghost Whisperer, Medium, Heroes]
  
• Sex and the City (latecomers — started watching Season 3 or later)
• Network television in general
  
• Jay Leno
• Martha Stewart and/or Rachel Ray
• Oprah, Oprah, Oprah. Oprah’s Bookclub, Oprah’s magazine, things recommended by Oprah.
• Entertainment Tonight, [annual music/film/TV celebrity award shows/ceremonies]
  
• People especially, maybe Us magazines.
• Nicholas Sparks novels and film adaptations
• American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor/Bachelorette -- [Project Runway, America's Next Top Model, The Amazing Race, SURVIVOR, Big Brother, CSI, The Biggest Loser, Wife Swap, Extreme Makeover--any edition.]

[ ] = my additions.

reader response: chapter 6 media & life

icon tee: Billie Holiday ~ the 09 remix

Choose a well-known art work (any era) or cultural icon (pop or not)...



to copy (reproduce) and modify as a two-sided T-shirt...



(1) On the front of the shirt, make your copy as faithful to the original as possible, given the limitations of the printing method you choose.



(2) For the back, design some kind of visual "intervention" or alteration that not only changes the image but also changes the meaning.

No words, no text for this one--image only!

Due: Monday, 11.16.09

...See you in class!

icon tee: Billie Holiday ~ the 09 remix

camera work magazine (1903-1917)

"Dawn" by Alice Boughton, photograph circa 1909


"Spider-webs" by Alan Langdon Coburn, photography circa 1908


"Experiment in Three-Color Photography" by Edward Steichen, photograph circa 1906


"Black Bowl" by George Seeley, photograph circa 1907


"York Minster: 'In Sure and Certain Hope" by Frederick H. Evans, photograph circa 1903

Camera Work was a quarterly photographic journal published by Alfred Stieglitz from 1903 to 1917. It is known for its many high-quality photogravures by some of the most important photographers in the world and its editorial purpose to establish photography as a fine art. It has been called "consummately intellectual", "by far the most beautiful of all photographic magazines", and "a portrait of an age in which the artistic sensibility of the nineteenth century was transformed into the artistic awareness of the present day."

A collection of Camera Work was appraised in Philadelphia on a 2007 episode of Antiques Roadshow with an estimated worth of $60,000 to $90,000. As of 2008, individual issues routinely sell for $2,000 to $5,000 depending upon the number and quality of photogravures in the issue.

Images and info via.

camera work magazine (1903-1917)

project 3: culture of the copy ~ icon tees

Our current project has finally gelled in my mind. My quandary wasn't so much in finding an iconic image (narrowing it down, now that was a bit more challenging!) but in deciding how to tweak it for the back of the shirt.

Because I love Jazz, these are my final images of choice for this assignment. The amazing Lady Day, Ms. Billie Holiday, and Mr. Louis Armstrong--smokin' hot vintage trumpet man extraordinaire.

Oh, how I am wishing that my skills in Photoshop were much more developed, but so far, so good. Stay tuned to this space for photos of the finished product early next week!

project 3: culture of the copy ~ icon tees

animation: light + movement = magic

I've always been a fan of animation. I really enjoyed the section in our recent reading about the early studies of locomotion, primitive moving pictures and film animation techniques, including the creations of the Zoetrope, Praxinoscope, Phenakistoscope, and Stereoscope as precursors to the actual film projector.

As per usual, I went hunting for more information on these inventions via the Internet. These are just a few of the fascinating and beautiful examples I found...enjoy!

via YouTube.

animation: light + movement = magic

research week 7: creative commons

The Creative Commons project alters the way we understand ownership and copyright because it allows for a more open use of creative works. The copyright is not taken away, but instead refined and focused to the specific needs of each creator, and possibly even for each creation. A more open use of creative works can affect the subject(s) of the original work if the CC user alters (aka: "remixes") the original in any way; this would obviously change the meaning and intent of the original artist.

Creative Commons licensing would definitely have changed the works of Sherrie Levine and Michael Mandiberg in that it would have removed the perception of their works as "stolen" properties, and by that token, the "edgy-boldness" factor would also have been lessened with a permission for use.



Film is mentioned as a CC option for licensing but not the persona and use of persona of an actor/actress starring in a film. In my understanding of the Creative Commons project, the protection to the right of publicity (i.e.: the Bela Lugosi case--see Legacy) would not be within the scope of the license choices offered by the CC project.

research week 7: creative commons

movie poster: I am here

click image to enlarge

My final movie poster for I am here. I compiled a decent stack of images for this project and my original ideas were much more complex. I debated on use of color...or not. Black and white obviously won out. How much imagery to use to convey a message. The message of the film has underlying complexity {visit this post for a synopsis} but I decided to focus on the implied connections between the two main characters. After three designs it came down to, "keep it simple". I am glad I went with my gut on all choices, and I am pleased with the end result.

Leave me a comment, let me know, what do you think?

Looking forward to viewing all of my classmates projects and our discussion today!

movie poster: I am here

reader response: perspective

Ah, perspective. Most likely the key to art as we know it. Also the always-required-but-ever-dreaded lesson of introductory art courses. Perspective is the technique in art that forces the right brain to wrestle with the left. For art-minded folk that's usually a challenge. Understanding how perspective works (or doesn't) allows all the other techniques to fall into place. Last weeks reading covered much of the basic history of perspective, and provided some good examples of how it works when it's utilized well.



For my response this week I searched for images that I feel make fine use of perspective. Some are favorites from my studies in art history, some I just found while searching for this post.

Enjoy!



Images t 2 b:
School of Athens - Raphael Santi (painting)
Old Shanghai - Photopia (fine art photo)
Untitled - Paul Heaston (watercolor sketch)
Kitchen Servant - Jan Vermeer (painting)
Loop Walk - Brian Bleakley (painting)
I Still See You - My November (fine art photo)
The Last Supper - Leonardo Da Vinci (painting)
Path to the Gothic Choir - Raphael Locoste (digital painting)

reader response: perspective