https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMYK5huYbyc&feature=youtu.be
Go check it out!
Three abstract shorts created for Dougs class, and for once I like my video!
A step in the right direction?
-Thomas
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
80s Website
My 80s website:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/186572183/pages/index.html
It's an 80s version of "The onion" satirical publication.
Enjoy!
-Thomas
P.S. The game of thrones video is really funny
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/186572183/pages/index.html
It's an 80s version of "The onion" satirical publication.
Enjoy!
-Thomas
P.S. The game of thrones video is really funny
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Roadmap for DTC Students - My personal thoughts
As the bane of Peter's existence, I've fallen behind as many on Blogs.
So this blog is on the reason for my absence here, because it relates to many DTC Students.
I've been working on my portfolio and desperately trying to seek out commissions and other work.
To be honest it has stretched me pretty thin, but the point of mentioning this is that, while it's not much, I've found ways to build my portfolio and begin to expand as a designer.
I want to write this blog as my personal opinion of how to make DTC work for you, and to try to garner attention to the foresight REQUIRED for success.
I'm not writing this as a "successful" person, I could very well finish my degree and be in an unrelated job in a year. But to the best of my ability (and from what I've tried to learn from others) I've reached the following conclusions about how to succeed.
This may get lengthy, so buckle in.
1. Look ahead. No, I mean twice that far.
This covers the bulk of my advice, and it's the most important aspect. All other points require you to use foresight, so it must be mentioned first.
I've always looked ahead (too far ahead according to several administrators who have had the pleasure of being my contacts academically/personally) at what I need to have done and when.
School has been no different, and since entering the DTC program I believe my often unnecessary and over-the-top personality quirk of planning too far ahead has almost become essential.
Here in DTC I'm witnessing most of the seniors express sudden fears of lacking design skills, portfolios, and the social skills required for successful design work/careers.
I'm having those fears too, but I'm having them as a junior (keeping in mind I entered DTC as a junior).
My solution, as many will tell you, is to plan far ahead. This isn't as helpful to hear if you're about to graduate in a month, but you simply have to condense the process.
Spend an afternoon looking at design portfolios, thinking through your design interests to find if you have a niche, start looking for internships, commissions, and volunteer work. As designers we're in a brilliant place as having an ability to aid small businesses in ways they can't help themselves. They want us, but they just don't know how to find us. So find them.
I've called in favors with friends, family, and my work. Heck, I've even gotten some work from a friend's family's friend's brother. People are excited to hear of an opportunity for help in design aspects. Maybe not for pay, but at this stage in our careers we're trying to place ourselves to get hired when we graduate. The pay comes then.
Essentially, make a plan now for a design portfolio that showcases you. Make it diverse and if you have an interest in something (such as web, video, or advertisements) make sure that you make that show in your portfolio.
In completing a portfolio you will hopefully of used your classes, volunteered for businesses, and maybe even found a commission or two. Just by having a portfolio ready to go, you've already got several lines on your resume showing that you're a serious designer and are ready to be hired.
Look ahead now, make a plan of where you want to be when you graduate, and ensure you'll have a stellar design portfolio when that time arrives. That's the most important thing to do to make DTC work for you.
2. Make your class projects work for you
For DTC students, it seems people feel they have little or no "real" work to show from their classes when graduation comes around. While it is true that it's difficult to spin some prompts to show something that looks "professional" (as in business not skill) a lot of prompts can.
When you start projects, don't just think about it as a school project.
Look at these two sentences:
-You have been given an assignment from your instructor that is due by April 1st and he wants it to be an 80s website.
-You've been commissioned by local business owner (and fruitcake) Peter Christensen to design a 80s themed website for his bakery to be completed by April 1st.
You've been given the same task in both sentences. A commissioned website for a business is by most people's standards an excellent portfolio piece. So why is the school assignment any less of an excellent portfolio opportunity?
True, some prompts seem too "strange" to be proudly shown as a portfolio piece. The way I look at the assignments is that either they'll make good portfolio pieces if I take it seriously, or that I may need to adjust the theme of the work after the due date to make it something "professional" looking.
It can't be ignored that there is a lack of design-focused DTC courses at the moment. While it would be immensely helpful to have courses focused on marketing your skills, WSU Tri-Cities lacks that right now. But we're enrolled right now, so we have to make it work. Complaining may change the program later, but not likely in time for you.
3. Extra time into the degree
We're busy people. Some people can barely manage the classes with the other things going on in their lives. However, like it or not, everybody is busy. And there are others who are finding extra time to get ahead in their skill-set to land that design job you want. I'm not in the field, but I can't doubt when every designer I know tells me that it's a highly competitive market.
Circumstances are different for everybody but the reality is that if you aren't pushing harder than required, I promise somebody else is. Find ways, even small ways, to put yourself above the minimum requirements of the degree (including yourself as a designer) and you'll find yourself ahead of all the people who didn't think to push further ahead then they were in school.
We're in a creative field, with creative people. That means (unfortunately) that to get ahead you'll have to present yourself in unique ways just to stand out. But we all can accomplish that!
4. Course selection in DTC
Another topic that is with merit and in dire need of restructure is the size of the DTC program in Tri-Cities.
There is no question that it should expand to include more teachers and more classrooms to meet the growing interest in the degree. And that's happening (so I'm told, and there is a new building going up for us)! However, that does no good for us who will be here at WSU during the expansion process.
My solution? Know your degree. Know your requirements. Your options. Your faculty.
By understanding the number of courses you need, the specific ones you need, you can place yourself in a position where you can go to the counselor with all the facts and have a comprehensive plan.
By knowing the faculty you can learn from them not only about WSU but about being a creative person in the real world.
I'm managing to get all the DTC courses done in 2 years. That's the shortest amount of time possible. So for people who have 2, 3, 4 years left in the program before graduation, looking ahead (from point 1) at your courses will allow you to make your way through just fine.
But it'll be a rough ride if you expect it to "just happen" with a short semesterly counselor visit.
It's a squeeze at the moment with the program's size, but it's because of people like us who are pushing through and getting the degree despite that, that will cause it to grow so many more DTC-ers can join our ranks!
5. Breathe Deep, have confidence, work hard
There's a ton of stuff I'm sure I've forgotten to mention in this long ramble, but I will close here.
DTC is an awesome degree (at least I think so).
I'm not successful, and like many I'm afraid for my own career when I graduate.
But by looking ahead, WAY AHEAD, I'm going to give it my best shot to be prepared.
If you've read this far, good job and thank-you.
I'm not an outspoken person, but I wanted to share my knowledge on DTC from my time here so far to people who may be struggling.
Just relax, keep your career in mind, and design/create your way through this program.
Go DTC!
-Thomas
So this blog is on the reason for my absence here, because it relates to many DTC Students.
I've been working on my portfolio and desperately trying to seek out commissions and other work.
To be honest it has stretched me pretty thin, but the point of mentioning this is that, while it's not much, I've found ways to build my portfolio and begin to expand as a designer.
I want to write this blog as my personal opinion of how to make DTC work for you, and to try to garner attention to the foresight REQUIRED for success.
I'm not writing this as a "successful" person, I could very well finish my degree and be in an unrelated job in a year. But to the best of my ability (and from what I've tried to learn from others) I've reached the following conclusions about how to succeed.
This may get lengthy, so buckle in.
1. Look ahead. No, I mean twice that far.
This covers the bulk of my advice, and it's the most important aspect. All other points require you to use foresight, so it must be mentioned first.
I've always looked ahead (too far ahead according to several administrators who have had the pleasure of being my contacts academically/personally) at what I need to have done and when.
School has been no different, and since entering the DTC program I believe my often unnecessary and over-the-top personality quirk of planning too far ahead has almost become essential.
Here in DTC I'm witnessing most of the seniors express sudden fears of lacking design skills, portfolios, and the social skills required for successful design work/careers.
I'm having those fears too, but I'm having them as a junior (keeping in mind I entered DTC as a junior).
My solution, as many will tell you, is to plan far ahead. This isn't as helpful to hear if you're about to graduate in a month, but you simply have to condense the process.
Spend an afternoon looking at design portfolios, thinking through your design interests to find if you have a niche, start looking for internships, commissions, and volunteer work. As designers we're in a brilliant place as having an ability to aid small businesses in ways they can't help themselves. They want us, but they just don't know how to find us. So find them.
I've called in favors with friends, family, and my work. Heck, I've even gotten some work from a friend's family's friend's brother. People are excited to hear of an opportunity for help in design aspects. Maybe not for pay, but at this stage in our careers we're trying to place ourselves to get hired when we graduate. The pay comes then.
Essentially, make a plan now for a design portfolio that showcases you. Make it diverse and if you have an interest in something (such as web, video, or advertisements) make sure that you make that show in your portfolio.
In completing a portfolio you will hopefully of used your classes, volunteered for businesses, and maybe even found a commission or two. Just by having a portfolio ready to go, you've already got several lines on your resume showing that you're a serious designer and are ready to be hired.
Look ahead now, make a plan of where you want to be when you graduate, and ensure you'll have a stellar design portfolio when that time arrives. That's the most important thing to do to make DTC work for you.
2. Make your class projects work for you
For DTC students, it seems people feel they have little or no "real" work to show from their classes when graduation comes around. While it is true that it's difficult to spin some prompts to show something that looks "professional" (as in business not skill) a lot of prompts can.
When you start projects, don't just think about it as a school project.
Look at these two sentences:
-You have been given an assignment from your instructor that is due by April 1st and he wants it to be an 80s website.
-You've been commissioned by local business owner (and fruitcake) Peter Christensen to design a 80s themed website for his bakery to be completed by April 1st.
You've been given the same task in both sentences. A commissioned website for a business is by most people's standards an excellent portfolio piece. So why is the school assignment any less of an excellent portfolio opportunity?
True, some prompts seem too "strange" to be proudly shown as a portfolio piece. The way I look at the assignments is that either they'll make good portfolio pieces if I take it seriously, or that I may need to adjust the theme of the work after the due date to make it something "professional" looking.
It can't be ignored that there is a lack of design-focused DTC courses at the moment. While it would be immensely helpful to have courses focused on marketing your skills, WSU Tri-Cities lacks that right now. But we're enrolled right now, so we have to make it work. Complaining may change the program later, but not likely in time for you.
3. Extra time into the degree
We're busy people. Some people can barely manage the classes with the other things going on in their lives. However, like it or not, everybody is busy. And there are others who are finding extra time to get ahead in their skill-set to land that design job you want. I'm not in the field, but I can't doubt when every designer I know tells me that it's a highly competitive market.
Circumstances are different for everybody but the reality is that if you aren't pushing harder than required, I promise somebody else is. Find ways, even small ways, to put yourself above the minimum requirements of the degree (including yourself as a designer) and you'll find yourself ahead of all the people who didn't think to push further ahead then they were in school.
We're in a creative field, with creative people. That means (unfortunately) that to get ahead you'll have to present yourself in unique ways just to stand out. But we all can accomplish that!
4. Course selection in DTC
Another topic that is with merit and in dire need of restructure is the size of the DTC program in Tri-Cities.
There is no question that it should expand to include more teachers and more classrooms to meet the growing interest in the degree. And that's happening (so I'm told, and there is a new building going up for us)! However, that does no good for us who will be here at WSU during the expansion process.
My solution? Know your degree. Know your requirements. Your options. Your faculty.
By understanding the number of courses you need, the specific ones you need, you can place yourself in a position where you can go to the counselor with all the facts and have a comprehensive plan.
By knowing the faculty you can learn from them not only about WSU but about being a creative person in the real world.
I'm managing to get all the DTC courses done in 2 years. That's the shortest amount of time possible. So for people who have 2, 3, 4 years left in the program before graduation, looking ahead (from point 1) at your courses will allow you to make your way through just fine.
But it'll be a rough ride if you expect it to "just happen" with a short semesterly counselor visit.
It's a squeeze at the moment with the program's size, but it's because of people like us who are pushing through and getting the degree despite that, that will cause it to grow so many more DTC-ers can join our ranks!
5. Breathe Deep, have confidence, work hard
There's a ton of stuff I'm sure I've forgotten to mention in this long ramble, but I will close here.
DTC is an awesome degree (at least I think so).
I'm not successful, and like many I'm afraid for my own career when I graduate.
But by looking ahead, WAY AHEAD, I'm going to give it my best shot to be prepared.
If you've read this far, good job and thank-you.
I'm not an outspoken person, but I wanted to share my knowledge on DTC from my time here so far to people who may be struggling.
Just relax, keep your career in mind, and design/create your way through this program.
Go DTC!
-Thomas
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Aoshima Chiho - Amazing!
I don't know why, but I really enjoy this artist's work.
His work is so simple and well illustrated, I can't help but be captivated.
I love the way that he includes some darker material (bondage of women) but makes the picture remain bright and cheery through the way he illustrates and colors it.
Thoughts?
-Thomas
His work is so simple and well illustrated, I can't help but be captivated.
I love the way that he includes some darker material (bondage of women) but makes the picture remain bright and cheery through the way he illustrates and colors it.
Thoughts?
-Thomas
Friday, March 7, 2014
Nothing like a little bit of sarcasm!
http://www.theonion.com/articles/national-endowment-for-the-arts-provides-80-millio,35464/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=LinkPreview:1:Default&recirc=lifestyle
The Onion has an article here on people providing large grants to get novice artists to either improve or quit making art!
If this were proper, I'd be insulted - yet that certainly wouldn't stop me applying for a grant!
What does that say about me as an artist? haha.
-Thomas
The Onion has an article here on people providing large grants to get novice artists to either improve or quit making art!
If this were proper, I'd be insulted - yet that certainly wouldn't stop me applying for a grant!
What does that say about me as an artist? haha.
-Thomas
Thursday, March 6, 2014
DTC 477 Public Intervention
My public intervention just went live on Youtube (youtube being the public forum of which the intervention is being done)!
Here's the video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm9Ab64-rMw
It's a commentary on binge watching and the use of technology by the masses.
People end up spending hours watching pointless videos, such as cute cat videos, compared to learning something lasting or important.
Leaving the cat video there with my commentary increases the chance of people remaining to watch the entire video.
The current generation, it seems, is disposed to this Binge watching as an innate trait, and through the personal experience of school people know there are more important things happening.
That's how this intervention connects to Nature vs. Nuture on the public forum of Youtube.
My complete artist statement for the piece:
My complete artist statement for the piece:
"My intervention is relatively straightforward. I'm intervening on the Binge watching of an individual on the public forum of Youtube (and Vimeo). I'm doing this by giving the viewer something they didn't expect. They click on a video called "Cute Cat Video!" and what they get isn't what they expected.
I left the video of the cats playing (for hope of keeping the unsuspecting watcher for a little longer) and overlayed the audio with 3 sections of 1 minute each where I talk about a subject.
These subjects are The invention of the Microwave, the Higgs field discovery, and PAC groups.
So as the people came to the video through a desire to have mind-numbing entertainment, I shake them to realizing (hopefully) that they're wasting time. That my generation is Binge-watching their lives away when there is so much to learn and interact with.
This is why the forum of the internet was crucial to this intervention. To reach the audience I was intervening with I had to be in the place where Binge-Watching is most prominent (Online including Netflix as well as Youtube).
I'm in the piece through my personal narration and my google account being the author of the video"
Enjoy!
-Thomas
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Shanken 193-202
In this section you get a bunch of the personal philosophies of artists.
I think that as an artist it's important to have an idea or an insight to a part of the world that is all your own. Artists are uniquely suited to make such claims without fear of much ramification.
If it's accepted widely it's good for your career, and if it is accepted badly, then it's also good for your career.
If you were in a different position however, you have your job to be afraid of losing, or reputation. However artists have the strange media protection at being able to say almost anything they like and get away with it. You can't lose your job as an artist because in many cases, you aren't being hired to do it.
Well-received or not, artists are making what they will and saying what they will. In contemporary culture it's almost preferred if, as an artist, you have controversial views or an outlandish personality.
That's both a blessing and a curse, but that's a different subject.
The good thing is that artists are some of the craziest people, as well as the people socially allowed to present that craziness.
-Thomas
Shanken 182-193
The opening phrases of Scientists beginning to welcome artists more for their ability to represent data and aid in creativity in the laboratory.
This idea is one that I welcome, and hope to see truth from in my lifetime. I am fond of the sciences and believe each of them has extreme importance to them. But I also am aware that people don't give enough attention and consideration to the things that are being found out each day.
If there was a major break-through in the world of science, say with the discovery of an element in physics that would make string theory obsolete, word would spread. But this knowledge wouldn't be spread as widely and rapidly as the winner of American Idol or the latest episode of Duck Dynasty.
And when this word gets out, it wouldn't be understood. People may be able to say they know the basic fact, but they wouldn't know anything beyond that. And most people don't actually care.
That's where artists can help. With data visualization artists and scientists together can get statistical data into the world in a way that people want to read, that people may understand better without getting them to read scientific textbooks.
It is my hope that scientific knowledge, more in depth than the basics of knowing that tectonic plates cause earthquakes or that stars can be dead while we still see their light, will one day be understood.
I can't help but wonder what it would be like for society if everybody understood the basic concepts of string theory or genetics. Personally, I think some amazing things could happen.
-Thomas
This idea is one that I welcome, and hope to see truth from in my lifetime. I am fond of the sciences and believe each of them has extreme importance to them. But I also am aware that people don't give enough attention and consideration to the things that are being found out each day.
If there was a major break-through in the world of science, say with the discovery of an element in physics that would make string theory obsolete, word would spread. But this knowledge wouldn't be spread as widely and rapidly as the winner of American Idol or the latest episode of Duck Dynasty.
And when this word gets out, it wouldn't be understood. People may be able to say they know the basic fact, but they wouldn't know anything beyond that. And most people don't actually care.
That's where artists can help. With data visualization artists and scientists together can get statistical data into the world in a way that people want to read, that people may understand better without getting them to read scientific textbooks.
It is my hope that scientific knowledge, more in depth than the basics of knowing that tectonic plates cause earthquakes or that stars can be dead while we still see their light, will one day be understood.
I can't help but wonder what it would be like for society if everybody understood the basic concepts of string theory or genetics. Personally, I think some amazing things could happen.
-Thomas
Shanken 166-182
The digital frontier, simulacra, and the blurred line between the real and unreal is a double edged sword for me.
On one hand it can see the demise of important cultural distinctions being replaced by an over-commercialized version. Think of Chinese food for instance. The american Chinese restaurant is not real Chinese culture, or Chinese food. It's a distorted symbol of Chinese food. But when these restaurants have been around so long, they become their own entity. Then there is your own country's food, Chinese food, and Fake Chinese food.
A simulation becomes the replacement of reality or an entity of itself separate from the real.
That in and of itself is a potentially destructive process, with the possibility for the Chinese to one day be having "Chinese Restaurants" in their own country instead of their true cultural foods (for example).
On the other hand, I believe that the virtual reality aspect of simulacrum can be an infinitely positive thing.
Things that have been lost can be recreated, things that cannot be can all of a sudden be.
Within the digital realm there is potential for anything and everything.
This in and of itself has potential for harm, with people preferring the unreal to real, ignoring some of the inconvenient realities of the world. However it does have the potential to offer so much to people, in whatever way people want.
-Thomas
On one hand it can see the demise of important cultural distinctions being replaced by an over-commercialized version. Think of Chinese food for instance. The american Chinese restaurant is not real Chinese culture, or Chinese food. It's a distorted symbol of Chinese food. But when these restaurants have been around so long, they become their own entity. Then there is your own country's food, Chinese food, and Fake Chinese food.
A simulation becomes the replacement of reality or an entity of itself separate from the real.
That in and of itself is a potentially destructive process, with the possibility for the Chinese to one day be having "Chinese Restaurants" in their own country instead of their true cultural foods (for example).
On the other hand, I believe that the virtual reality aspect of simulacrum can be an infinitely positive thing.
Things that have been lost can be recreated, things that cannot be can all of a sudden be.
Within the digital realm there is potential for anything and everything.
This in and of itself has potential for harm, with people preferring the unreal to real, ignoring some of the inconvenient realities of the world. However it does have the potential to offer so much to people, in whatever way people want.
-Thomas
Shanken 140-166
For this portion of the reading, the ending piece of "The Animal, Vegetable, Mineralness of Everything" by Ken Fiengold is what is sticking with me. Regardless of underpinnings, the aesthetic alone is good enough for me.
It's weird, it's unique, and a little bit creepy. Imagining these heads pivoting around having these vegetable "thoughts" about either their own things, their own fears, or the object in front of them, all could lead to some really strange conversations. The work itself seems to me to be a simplification of the human condition, taking IQ back to the bare minimum and seeing similarities between these contraptions and ourselves.
With such a low IQ they're still curious, they're still afraid, and they still have their own obsessions.
Love this sculpture.
-Thomas
It's weird, it's unique, and a little bit creepy. Imagining these heads pivoting around having these vegetable "thoughts" about either their own things, their own fears, or the object in front of them, all could lead to some really strange conversations. The work itself seems to me to be a simplification of the human condition, taking IQ back to the bare minimum and seeing similarities between these contraptions and ourselves.
With such a low IQ they're still curious, they're still afraid, and they still have their own obsessions.
Love this sculpture.
-Thomas
Shanken 120-140
Julia Scher's piece in this section is of interest to me, because through the DTC program I have heard a lot on the subject of surveillance and how pervasive and adjusted people have become to it.
In this piece I most enjoy the aspect of it that makes the viewer uncertain about who is being watched. Is it them, another person in the room, or somebody who isn't even in the room. This makes it a little different than other similar pieces that have been done because it adds in the less subtle aspect of not knowing who is and isn't being watched. Who we're watching is lost to obscurity as well.
This piece seems to be a very clear commentary on the concerns that people should have on the subject but perhaps don't.
-Thomas
In this piece I most enjoy the aspect of it that makes the viewer uncertain about who is being watched. Is it them, another person in the room, or somebody who isn't even in the room. This makes it a little different than other similar pieces that have been done because it adds in the less subtle aspect of not knowing who is and isn't being watched. Who we're watching is lost to obscurity as well.
This piece seems to be a very clear commentary on the concerns that people should have on the subject but perhaps don't.
-Thomas
Shanken 96-120
The piece that I enjoyed the most in this section was Tony
Oursler’s piece The influence Machine.
Ironically, what I like the most about the piece is the
visual, the face in the tree is relevant because there are many historical
accounts where people believe that they see apparitions and figures in things
such as smoke, toast, really anything. Some people give real weight to this
kind of imagery, so this piece is a good handle on that idea. It was done in
2000, which is ironic because in 2001 when 9/11 occurred, many videos were
posted showing concrete “proof” of the devil’s face in the smoke and
explosions.
Perhaps this piece helped popularize seeing faces and such
in strange things to help people see those things on 9/11.
I think it is also ironic that the piece says the materials
were smoke machines, video, and a sound system. It doesn't mention the tree
itself at all. Understandably, there was a lot more to the piece than just the
tree, but the tree grounded the sounds to the piece and gave the work a place.
It’s the same as an installation pretending that the
building and location wasn't important. It bothers me that the tree isn't
mentioned as a material, but the piece itself is very cool. It’s very
aesthetically pleasing.
-Thomas
Shanken 78-96
Back to the digital art discussion, and its effect on the
art world due to being reproducible and its potential loss of originals. This
area of art always opens up so much discourse, it’s easy to forget what started
the discussion. Digital art has its own place in the art world, and it can give
so much to the rest of the art world. It’s different, it’s controversial, and
that (in current context) practically makes it art in and of itself.
If it makes you think, if it can be art without being
beautiful, then the idea of an original is less important to me. If the piece
required a creative mind, a unique way of presenting an idea, then it is truly
the only “one” of that piece that will ever be. Original can exist regardless
of quantity of copies in circulation. There are thousands of copies of the mona
lesa on tons of merchandise. People understand however, that there is only one.
The Mona Lesa as an idea was one piece, one artpiece. That’s how digital art
should be viewed, and I think the data bending, distortion, software rendered
artwork all have potential to be so surreal and beautiful that it would be a
terrible loss to pretend that it isn’t art.
-Thomas
Shanken 54-78 Part 2
Immediately on the first page of this section I came across
a piece that works for what I posted about previously.
The work by
It makes it seem like the artist is saying this piece isn't about
them, it isn't about their work. It’s about the light and the way it behaves.
The piece seems humble by giving the credit to something other than the artist.
I like it!
-Thomas
Shanken 45-54 post #2
On page 47, the book mentions artwork that has been
commissioned by businesses and how some of those artworks have been important
in the art world.
Reading that makes me think of some of the seemingly-soulless
artworks that are made for corporate business. I’m thinking of the bland
sculptures which are supposed to convey messages such as “synergy” and “efficiency”
or the abstract artwork that seems to have no profound impact that is plastered
on the walls.
Artworks like that confuse me, because I can’t understand
how there can be some commissioned pieces that can be so profound where so many
are barely even art. The difference would be the parameters of the commission,
obviously a business seeking a large globe to go on their front lawn isn’t
going to hire somebody to paint their entire building bright orange for a
social commentary.
However it makes me feel like businesses should be more honest
about what they want.
They don’t want art, they want a politically correct,
neutral, and somewhat aesthetically pleasing piece of metal to ignore on the
way into their buildings. They seem to me to just be a P.R. movement, to be able
to claim that a company supports artists.
-Thomas
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
DTC 477 Shanken 54-78
For this part, I simply appreciated one of the works of art. the lit up cubes on page 67 were beautifully done.
"The Galonis Field" was the title, and you get two photographs of it.
In both it is quite beautiful, but I like the second photograph on the bottom the most.
It really transforms the piece into something else, it makes me think of a digitally created background.
When art crosses borders like that in the viewers mind, something good is happening.
In this case, it's the real reminding you of the unreal. That's a lovely surreal feeling and idea, which naturally tickles my aesthetic (as I'm a big fan of surrealism).
Nothing more here.
-Thomas
DTC 477 Shanken 45-54
In this section, I take the most away from the closing paragraph.
It speaks of hybrid artists really reshaping the way that art and design is viewed, and how it will force society to reevaluate its definitions of art.
This kind of thing makes me happy, because something as fluid and creative as the arts is really hindered, rather than helped, through classification. When a person can no longer pick up his preferred medium and be 'random' with it without creating an art piece which has a category, then as a society we've run into a problem.
When everything has a name, it becomes hard for an idea of originality to be tossed around. And regardless of whether things are ever actually original or not, in the art world I feel it is important that the idea of originality remains alive and healthy.
So, the idea that artists are forcing new definitions and reevaluations of art in the past makes me happy.
-Thomas
It speaks of hybrid artists really reshaping the way that art and design is viewed, and how it will force society to reevaluate its definitions of art.
This kind of thing makes me happy, because something as fluid and creative as the arts is really hindered, rather than helped, through classification. When a person can no longer pick up his preferred medium and be 'random' with it without creating an art piece which has a category, then as a society we've run into a problem.
When everything has a name, it becomes hard for an idea of originality to be tossed around. And regardless of whether things are ever actually original or not, in the art world I feel it is important that the idea of originality remains alive and healthy.
So, the idea that artists are forcing new definitions and reevaluations of art in the past makes me happy.
-Thomas
DTC 477 Shanken 30-45
Hello there, I've gotten a little behind on these blogs so here comes a cluster!
So from this section the only thing of particular interest I found was on page 35, where the "Telephonic Arm Wrestling" was brought up. I thought that the idea was clever and relevant, and really was an excellent commentary on the times.
With politician's flexing their weaponized muscles against each other, it seems apt to me to liken it to arm wrestling.
I personally would have enjoyed seeing some political figureheads such as presidents arm wrestling with other countries, I think it'd be quite amusing.
-Thomas
So from this section the only thing of particular interest I found was on page 35, where the "Telephonic Arm Wrestling" was brought up. I thought that the idea was clever and relevant, and really was an excellent commentary on the times.
With politician's flexing their weaponized muscles against each other, it seems apt to me to liken it to arm wrestling.
I personally would have enjoyed seeing some political figureheads such as presidents arm wrestling with other countries, I think it'd be quite amusing.
-Thomas
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
DTC 477 - Hand-out article
Upon finishing the article, there were several topics still running through my mind.
Firstly, the idea of art galleries being exclusionary in more ways than one.
The way they exclude so much vital art, the way they are run largely by whites even today, and how they attract only a more luxurious clientele.
It does make me sad to think of that, as it is a museum's founding principle to display historical data accurately and completely. Art museums, as described in this article, are failing miserably at that, pretending that only certain kinds of art has been made and in certain places through-out history.
Understandably, these museums are catering to what is popular, familiar, and easy to digest. But if all history books were to be changed to only these categories of facts, history itself would be much more different. There would be no large wars, genocides, and famines.
It is important to display all art in a public forum not just because it seems more fair to artists to get there work out there and for the public to be able to decide its value rather than some stuffed shirt behind a desk, but because the art world (like all other aspects of life) needs to be gauged with opposites.
There is no hot without an idea of cold, large without small, love without hate or, my point, Good without Bad.
Without all art forms having a fair forum of which to be judged and presented on, we're getting a pre-selected distortion of the art world, being told what is good and accepting that the public's opinion has no credibility or value in a art setting.
Art is for the people, it is creativity and sharing on a basic level, regardless of whether it is comfortable or beautiful. It is a shame to know that the most uncreative of people are in charge of so much of how the art world is percieved.
I agree with the author, why not change that today.
-Thomas
Firstly, the idea of art galleries being exclusionary in more ways than one.
The way they exclude so much vital art, the way they are run largely by whites even today, and how they attract only a more luxurious clientele.
It does make me sad to think of that, as it is a museum's founding principle to display historical data accurately and completely. Art museums, as described in this article, are failing miserably at that, pretending that only certain kinds of art has been made and in certain places through-out history.
Understandably, these museums are catering to what is popular, familiar, and easy to digest. But if all history books were to be changed to only these categories of facts, history itself would be much more different. There would be no large wars, genocides, and famines.
It is important to display all art in a public forum not just because it seems more fair to artists to get there work out there and for the public to be able to decide its value rather than some stuffed shirt behind a desk, but because the art world (like all other aspects of life) needs to be gauged with opposites.
There is no hot without an idea of cold, large without small, love without hate or, my point, Good without Bad.
Without all art forms having a fair forum of which to be judged and presented on, we're getting a pre-selected distortion of the art world, being told what is good and accepting that the public's opinion has no credibility or value in a art setting.
Art is for the people, it is creativity and sharing on a basic level, regardless of whether it is comfortable or beautiful. It is a shame to know that the most uncreative of people are in charge of so much of how the art world is percieved.
I agree with the author, why not change that today.
-Thomas
DTC 477 Recreation
My recreation is above, below is the original;
Salvador Dali - Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man
Mine is called "The Rebirth of Man" and comments on how the surreal and nonsensical in the past if adjusted a little bit could be symbolic of something we may desire and achieve in the future (artificial life).
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
A Sculpture, by me?
I'm awful at sculptures, and I've had several attempts to confirm this.
I find them interesting, but have always lacked the ability to take an idea from the two demensional drawing to the real world.
As a part of a different classes' project, I created this sculpture.
I find them interesting, but have always lacked the ability to take an idea from the two demensional drawing to the real world.
As a part of a different classes' project, I created this sculpture.
It's an elephant, if you're curious. It isn't supposed to be realistic, in fact I meant to add several more segments to the legs before calling it complete, but as a bad sculptor I feared for the structural integrity of it should I add more (it isn't the most stable thing).
It is a photograph/sculptural representation of my fondness of Salvador Dali, which I found ironic because of DTC 477 I am doing a recreation of a Dali piece.
This one is a homage to this Dali piece:
As you can see my legs were not nearly long enough!
Just posting for the enjoyment of others, I thought that this was an interesting way to combine two mediums (photography and sculpture) to express an admiration of an artist.
The sculpture is made out of empty plastic bottles, if you're interested. The paint on the board is supposed to be splotchy.
-Thomas
DTC 477 Shanken 15-30
I'm always interested in unique ways of using equipment and mediums.
I think there's something special about the kinds of work that can emerge from distorting, destroying, and confusing digital media.
There are many traditional works where people use their medium to realistically record a moment in time or a figment of their imagination. While I love that kind of work the most, there's definitely a unique and not entirely mutually exclusive set of people who are using mediums in a different way.
From the reading I'm thinking of page 22s paragraph on Mary Lucier's Dawn Burn and the recreation by Jochen Gerz in his Prometheus piece.
The idea of pushing a medium to its absolute limits to find out what happens is exciting to me, and honestly I believe that it is people who endeavor to create those kinds of works who really provide a blueprint to the expansion and refining of a medium for future inventors and thinkers.
Using the Dawn Burn example, we get an interesting work of art from the failure of a technology, but it also provides us with a goal for the video industry to perhaps one day create a lens capable of handling the sun in its entirety.
Works like this take a stroke of ingenuity, something I always admire.
-Thomas
Friday, January 17, 2014
DTC 477 Sharken 1-15
In this section I picked up mostly on the beginning statement about technology in the artistic culture.
The book says that electronic arts are slowly beginning to be pulled into the mainstream, but I still feel that such a movement is moving too slowly.
It would be fantastic if in ten years contemporary art galleries and museums were everywhere, but I feel as if it just won't happen.
I would love to live in a time where the electronic medium is widespread, but have the feeling that in most cases it's too far "out there" from what people expect art to be to be accepted in the masses.
Artists are in part to blame, stereotypes come to exist originally from a distorted truth. If artists create landscapes and portraits as realistically as possible a thousand times, people are going to expect it.
With the often slow-changing perceptions of society towards a creative movement and the stereotypes artists are forced under, I fear it will be past even my time before new medium artwork is truly accepted as mainstream.
(Though isn't part of being an artist going against the flow? In which case the entire desire of artists for contemporary artwork to be mainstream becomes flawed.)
In closing I want to say there is nothing wrong with the traditional mediums and techniques, I admire them. But I feel it places the artistic mind in such a narrow confine.
The artistic class has unlimited potential to change the way the world sees things, so it seems a shame to pretend that the world is the same as it has been for hundreds of years (with classic subjects such as scenery and portraits).
Hopefully I'm wrong and society proves to be more forward thinking than I anticipate. I'd like nothing more than to be a elderly guy walking through a museum and seeing some modern artwork with some real depth on the walls rather than another portrait of a cattle.
-Thomas
The book says that electronic arts are slowly beginning to be pulled into the mainstream, but I still feel that such a movement is moving too slowly.
It would be fantastic if in ten years contemporary art galleries and museums were everywhere, but I feel as if it just won't happen.
I would love to live in a time where the electronic medium is widespread, but have the feeling that in most cases it's too far "out there" from what people expect art to be to be accepted in the masses.
Artists are in part to blame, stereotypes come to exist originally from a distorted truth. If artists create landscapes and portraits as realistically as possible a thousand times, people are going to expect it.
With the often slow-changing perceptions of society towards a creative movement and the stereotypes artists are forced under, I fear it will be past even my time before new medium artwork is truly accepted as mainstream.
(Though isn't part of being an artist going against the flow? In which case the entire desire of artists for contemporary artwork to be mainstream becomes flawed.)
In closing I want to say there is nothing wrong with the traditional mediums and techniques, I admire them. But I feel it places the artistic mind in such a narrow confine.
The artistic class has unlimited potential to change the way the world sees things, so it seems a shame to pretend that the world is the same as it has been for hundreds of years (with classic subjects such as scenery and portraits).
Hopefully I'm wrong and society proves to be more forward thinking than I anticipate. I'd like nothing more than to be a elderly guy walking through a museum and seeing some modern artwork with some real depth on the walls rather than another portrait of a cattle.
-Thomas
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