My thirty second animation for my Electronics Media and Culture class.
Technology vs. Nature November 5, 2008
This video is about human dependance on technology to fulfill everyday demands. But though people are so reliant on technology, nature also plays important roles in our lives.
“My Life in Fiction” by Kianga Ford October 22, 2008
I found this exhibit at the Contemporary Museum of Art to be enthralling. Visiting Kianga Ford’s display was a whole new experience for me because I did not just walk through a gallery and look at pieces of art, but I became one with her work.
I felt very connected with Ford’s piece titled The Story of this Place where I had to lay down on my back on an inflatable pristine white cushion and put on a pair of headphones. I closed my eyes and listened to each story concerning different parts of the world like Miami, Florida and Oslo, Norway. While experiencing this piece, I was disconnected from the real world, completely taken away from Baltimore, and thrown into this world the artist illustrated so beautifully through storytelling.
But what caught my attention was the little room that appeared to be a spa. When I walked in, the atmosphere seemed so relaxed with little dimmed lights, soft spa music, and very comfortable chairs. But it was not until I sat in one of the five cozy chairs that I noticed that the music was far from relaxing. Thrown into the soundtrack were a young lady sobbing heavily, a man screaming, hasty running, and nervous conversations spoken in foreign tongues. What I liked the most about this room was the soundtrack indicated there was a story that could only be conveyed by the listener.
I am delighted to have gone to this exhibit and discovered a whole new way to experience art.
Assignment 5 October 15, 2008
Here is a real moral dilemma: fur fashion.
What could be more cruel than killing an animal just because its coat is attractive looking?
Who needs that coat more? You decide.
Assignment #4 Blog (Part 2) October 8, 2008
My personal favorite work of art would have to be the masterful painting, “The Scream”, by Edvard Munch.
I have always absolutely adored the existential themes of chaos, fear, and uncertainty expressed through the aesthetic qualities of the painting and the body language of the figures.
The scratchy, rough lines in the piece add to the heightening turmoil illustrated in the painting. The color is so vibrant and in your face. And of course, the figure’s body language gives off the obvious message that something is wrong. Screaming in terror as the world goes topsy-turvy.
This painting has been an inspiration to my artwork and me for years because I want to invoke those powerful emotions only Edvard Munch can illustrate to my portfolio. If you explore “My Site,” you can see my concentration and Munch inspiration in my work.
Assignment #4 Blog (Part 1) October 7, 2008
I remember my first reaction when I saw “Fountain” by Marcel Duchamp:
Putting an upside down urinal on a pedestal is not art!
A manufacturing company created this toilet, not Duchamp.
He put no time or effort into this piece.
It looks like he woke up at two in the morning and decided he was going to use a piece of plumbing to be the next big breakthrough in art history.
How can this be commended?
That was my opinion until very recently. My Art Matters professor explained to the class how Duchamp actually created something completely new out of an ordinary object. By placing this urinal upside down, Duchamp changed the way the toilet works, and if one were to turn it on, it would act as a fountain and squirt water at the person.
Duchamp actually did do more to this toilet than I expected — he gave it a whole new purpose. But after learning how and why this mere piece of plumbing is art, I now question how I define art. I always believed art to be the outcome of the creative process of the artist; and the artist dedicated a lot of time and effort into creating something that he or she can proudly call their art. But I do not believe that turning a urinal upside down takes that laborious time and effort I used to believe was essential to art. If this is really art, I doubt my own logic and my artistic ways of thinking.
Faculty Exhibit October 1, 2008
“The Wait” by Howard Ehrenfeld
I found this one photograph on the first floor of Bunting Center to be particularly interesting because of the use of expressionism. My eyes have always been drawn to artwork that goes beyond a pretty picture hung up on the wall — a piece of art that makes the viewer think, feel, and try to understand what exactly is going on in the photograph.
Why is she wearing such a disheartened expression?
What is the importance of the dark room the figure is in?
What is the importance of the hanging picture?
Is the framed picture only there to emphasize the dreariness of the photograph, or does it act as a symbol?
Dismay, horror, panic — all very strong emotions beautifully illustrated on the figure’s face in “The Wait”. You can just feel the pain and uncertainty when gazing into her eyes. But what is so wonderful about this piece is that the viewer can make what he or she wants of it. The viewer can convey a narrative of his or her own creation just by looking at this piece. The possibilities are truly endless and the viewer cannot help but stand there in front of the picture and contemplate the intention of the piece, if only for a few extra moments.
