CjB

The most interesting aspect of the website “Response to the Rundquist Murals” was its opening critique of themes illustrated in the paintings that send outdated and potentially offensive messages about the history of civilization.  The author of the website states, “The murals also portray notions from the 1930s we may no longer find acceptable…today, the messages in this artwork might not be found in pieces chosen for public spaces. The murals also depict figures and ideas about race and ethnicity that reflect the social norms of the time they were created”.

I chose to respond to this critique by creating a work that resembled the historically themed panels posed in the Rundquist brother’s works: Development of the Arts.  I recreated this mural in a way that challenges the stereotypes put in place by the panels on each of the eight levels and redefines each era through a more modern lens.  Please see my work below (click on image to enlarge).

Modern interpretation of Development of the Arts

My words that relate to the word “artist”:

edge

passion

skepticism

romance

critique

purity

dedication

In the Ted Talk “Laws that Choke Creativity”, Lawrence Lessig discusses three technologies (talking machine, planes, and broadcasting) that forced a new understanding of culture.  He defines this change as a “…culture where people participate in the creation and recreation of their culture”.  He goes on to argue that recreation or “remixing” of previously created content is a form of creativity.  This is especially true for the younger generation.  I believe that the millennial generation has redefined a looser guideline as to what constitutes plagiarism and piracy.  In your opinion, where is the line between a cultural recreation and the theft of intellectual property?

The primary thesis of Jones’ article “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” is that culture doesn’t die.  To support this thesis she states that these patterns of culture sustain themselves and that, “Only when these new forms become available to the larger population can they affect cultural patterns of maintenance and change” (21).

One historical example that Jones gives relates to computer graphics.  She recounts the beginnings of this technological discipline stating, “In the 1940s analogue computers were used to generate the earliest computer graphics and display them on oscilloscopes.  Ben F. lapofsky and Herbert W. Franke were amog the pioneers creating these images….[Lapofsky’s] work continues to explore similar forms” (52).

One form of performance art that exemplifies this cultural sustainability is in dance.  Jimmy Fallon has famously performed alongside guest appearances on his show different themes of the “evolution of dance”.  Most recently he teamed up with Will Smith in a performance of the evolution of hip hop dance.  While these shows are mostly for good fun, it clearly exemplifies the same themes discussed by jones.  For example, in the hip hop dance with Will Smith, they team up to show snippets of dances from over the years beginning with the origin of hip hop.  For example, a recent National Geographic article published goes on to explain the evolutionary and cultural value of both dance and music in humans and animals.  Lee (2014) states that the benefits of these two art forms for our well-being are what keeps them around and constantly changing and evolving.

Sources:

Jones, B. J. (1990). Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins. LEONARDO: Digital Image – Digital Cinema Supplemental Issue, pp. 51-60.

Lee, J. (2014, February 16). Dancing Animals Help Tell Us Why Music Evolved. National Geographic. Retrieved March 3, 2014, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/02/140216-sea-lion-parrot-music-animal-behavior-science/

Technology often appears to be more related to the sciences than the arts.  However, in some instances technology requires more creativity than other disciplines.  This is because developing something new in technology requires rewriting and rethinking all previous conceptual algorithms.  Jones (1990) discusses several examples where adherence to traditional thinking is illustrated stating that these instances show “…the tendency to set limits of ‘the possible’ based on previous experiences, knowledge and conceptual frames” (21).  Do thinking that the development of new technology requires more or less creativity than more traditional art forms like painting or music?

1. Spirituality is an intimate connection to anything in a way that transcends the tangible world.  This isn’t to say that someone cannot have a spiritual relationship with a physical person or thing.  Rather, it is the process by which that connection is made.  For example, the practice of yoga is something that can be both physical and spiritual.  It is physical because it is a form of instructed exercise.  It can also be spiritual if the individual practicing places a deeper meaning on it and develops a connection with the practice that transcends the physical act of it.
2. Spirituality differs from religion because there are no constraints on the belief system.  In religion, a deity is being worshipped.  However, in spirituality an individual or group can pay tribute to, and appreciate on a greater level, any person, thing or even feeling.  The connection is not defined by a specific god.  Further, spirituality tends to be more about the individual, rather than the person or thing being worshipped.  For example, in Grey’s account of Kundalini yoga it is stated that, “there are seven primary chakras or wheels of subtle energy located along the central axis of the body.  The chakras mediate the energies of the auric bodies that surround and interpenetrate the physical body” (94).
3. Creativity is the artistic process by which an individual generates an original concept.  The term “original” is used loosely in this sense.  The creation does not have to be completely without inspiration or recognizable resemblance to something else, however the process by which it is conceived has to be unique.  Grey frames the first step of the creative process as identifying an issue, stating, “The first stage is the discovery of a problem.  This is the most important question for an artist, ‘What is my subject?’” (76).  For example, the creativity and ingenuity of Steve Jobs came from his recognition of the lack of a user-friendly personal computer.
4. The source of creativity is unique to each person.  As I mentioned in my comment on Autzen Student’s blog, some people have a vision of the end product, while others start the creative process without any direction.  Grey’s belief that the first step of creativity comes from an individual’s recognition of a problem reflects the first source of creativity.  The second source of creativity that I argue for reflects a more innate state of being.  This type of creativity comes from a desire to create something because of an internal drive.  It doesn’t necessitate that a problem be solved, rather it is more concerned with the individual’s relationship with aesthetic beauty.

http://donnaquesada.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/are-zen-and-kundalini-yoga-compatible/

In the video Art in the 21^st Century, my favorite spiritual artist was Ann Hamilton.  Her medium of textiles is something of interest to me.  While I am not a very good seamstress, I am passionate about style, fabric, and clothing as art.  She connects writing and textiles in an interesting way, stating that the threads of the fabric are like the continuous line of a story.  I like to take this relationship one step further by stating that the look of a textile or of a work of fashion tells a related story.  Rachel Zoe, a Los Angles based fashion designer, once said, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak”.  This often includes a deeper analysis beyond noting that someone wearing athletic shorts might play basketball.  The complied aesthetic of the clothing tells a story about the person.

Grey (2001) discusses how an artists eye sees the outer beauty, the symbolic beauty, and the relationship between the two stating, “The artist’s three eyes of knowing are inspired by the radiant spiritual beauty of the subject, fascinated by the subject’s harmonic structure” (74).  This idea relates to Hamilton’s use of textiles and clothing in the way they have practical beauty, symbolic beauty, and an interaction between the two.

Holland, N. (2010). Psychology Today. Retrieved February 12, 2010, from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/is-your-brain-culture/201001/why-are-there-horror-movies

Holland authored the Psychology Today article titled: “Why Are There Horror Movies?”  The article delves into the question posed in our assigned reading by Carroll: why do people get enjoyment from experiencing negative emotions?  He mentions that the question is an ancient one that was originally discussed by Aristotle.

During a course I took on Ancient Greek literature while abroad in Athens this last term we discussed Greek tragedy.  Greeks were very fond of tragic plays and could often be seen crying and laughing along with the actors in them.  Aristotle called this catharsis.  People allowed themselves to experience an emotion through someone or something, especially sadness.  This gives the viewer an overwhelming feeling of relief.  This article states that there is cognitive meaning behind negative emotions.  Holland believes it give people an opportunity to learn something from another person’s emotional experience.

Holland explains a difference between fiction and reality that is created by the elements of a horror movie stating that functionality is, “non-acting in response to an emotional stimulus” (2010) and it leads to pleasure.   However, reality is, “having to decide about acting in response to an emotional stimulus” and leads not to pleasure but to motor activity.  This is the distinction between enduring a horrific event and witnessing one.

Derbyshire, D. (2010). Ever Wondered Why the Music in Horror Films Scares Us?  The Harsh Sounds tap into Instinctive fears. Mail Online: Science and Tech. Retrieved February 11, 2014, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1281385/Ever-wondered-music-horror-films-scares-The-harsh-sounds-tap-instinctive-fears.html

David Derbyshire delves deeper into the topic of music as it relates to creating a scene of horror.  The article focuses mainly on non-diegetic sounds as opposed to the sounds created by actors in the film itself.  He uses examples from well-known horror movies and their infamous use of non-diegetic sounds to instill fear in the audience.  For instance, the piano cords played when the shark approaches in Jaws and the high pitched violin sounds in Psycho are both non-diegetic sounds that add to the horrific scenes.

Derbyshire argues that these sounds instinctively make people scared.  He goes further claiming that scientists have recently linked the pattern of sound to the natural noises made by animals in pain.  Derbyshire states, “BY peppering chillers with these noises, movie makers are tapping into deep instinctive fears”.  These sounds are called ‘non-linear’ and vary from one another just as much as they deviate from a normal range of sounds.  For example, the screech of a trumpet and the low chords made famous by Jaws are both instances of these non-diegetic sounds.

According to Derbyshire, these sounds have a pattern and pitch that resembles the sound of injured animals.  He states “Horror films also had a higher than expected number of abrupt shifts up and down in pitch”.  This use of non-linear, non-diegetic, is intentional and film creators utilize it to incite the audience and evoke feelings of tension, fear, and anxiety.   The sounds were also more prevalent when animals were shown on screen in a compromising situation.  The sounds are made to mimic the sound made by vocal chords in mammals when too much air is pushed through the larynx.  These sounds target instinctual fear in the audience, and allows them to experience a more real array of emotions.

Diegetic:

One instance of diegetic sound in “Hush” the episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is when Buffy and her friend Willow pack up after class.  First of all, Buffy and Willow are engaging in a dialogue about the last few minutes of class.  This noise is being produced within the scene between the two actors and it is not voiced over after production, making it diegetic noise.  Further, the lecture hall behind these two leading characters is packing up their backpacks and books.  The sound of these extras ruffling is also audible and noise produced within the scene.  This is the scene after Buffy dreams about the demons.  It is the calm that is very characteristic of horror movies that exists inbetween scenes of horror.

Non-Diegetic:

The example of non-diegetic sound is when Buffy and Wendy first wake up in the morning after their voices have been stolen and they try to say “good morning” to one another.  The slow and creepy instrumental music is playing in the background as build up to the eerie experience they are both facing.  However, there is no noise at that moment being made by the actions taking place on the set because both of them have lost their voices.  Wendy is confused by her inability to hear and mouths “am I deaf?” to Buffy.  However, she does not produce any noise.  Further at this point both women are standing still and there is no noise being made by the movements they are making on set.  The lack of noise produced by the actions taking place on the set and the presence of music makes this non-diegetic noise.

Mise-en-scene:

The most unique representation of mise-en-scene is the shot of the voice-stealing demons when they are gliding down the dark hallway.  This is generated imagery that is central to the plot of the episode.  The camera angle is shot in a way that allows the viewer to see the demons hovering over the ground, by way of their shadows.  The makeup of these creatures is also very notable, as they no longer resemble human faces.  Further, during the scenes with the demons there is a change in the way the coloring is shot, making everything slightly more dull and dark including the faces and clothing of the other actors in the show.  This unique display of setting and scene is what characterizes the mise-en-scene.

I am someone who takes a good deal of care with how I adorn my body, specifically based in how I dress.  I have always had a love of clothing because I feel it is a very important form of art as expression.  I am interested in unique designs, styles and fits.  I often even alter and adorn clothing I buy from second-hand stores to create unique looks.  However, I do not have a consistent style from day to day, rather, I treat every different occasion in my life like an opportunity to wear a costume.  I am very cautious that I am respectfully and appropriately dressed for every occasion, but I like to do so in a way that also illustrates my personal style.

I developed my value of appropriate dress from my mother.  In her first job out of college, she was working for the Forest Service in Alaska.  She was young and did not have much work experience.  She was the lowest level of government employee in an office dominated by males and was trying to work her way up.  One day, she and her close girlfriend were sharing their frustrations with some of the gender discrimination they faced in the workplace.  They decided that day to use some of their savings to order two suits each from a Talbots catalog.  My mother still insists this was one of the best investments in her life.  She and her female friend and colleague showed up the day after the suits arrived in professional attire in an office full of men in muck boots and jeans.  After people got over the initial shock of their immediate outfit changes, they were treated with much more regard and respect.  My mom and her friend climbed the levels of government employment very quickly and both ended up leaving the office to go to graduate school.  This investment in herself and the way she presents herself to the world showed people that my mom valued her work and wanted to be taken seriously.

She told me this story a lot growing up and explained the importance of donating to the nonprofit Dress for Success.  Now, because of this, my mother still insists that it is always best to be overdressed than underdressed.  For events like weddings, funerals, and even things like job interviews it can be difficult to always determine what the appropriate attire is.  However, one thing you can be sure is that overdressing for the occasion will always be less uncomfortable and send a better message than underdressing.  This is because dress and appearance is integrated deeply into our culture, and the way people present themselves sends a message to other people.  By dressing in an appropriate and respectful way you can say, without words, that you respect other people, value your personal wellbeing, and that you take things seriously.

However, all that being said, its important for me to also have fun with what I wear on occasions where it is appropriate.  For example, Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays because it is an opportunity to be creative and show people another side of you.  I have always preferred homemade costumes with a funny twist to ones that are “cute”.  For example, last year I was Moes Shrute, the beet farmer brother of Dwight Shrute from The Office.  I choose costumes like this because it gives me a chance to make connections with other people who understand the joke.

Another aspect of using creativity in dress is my hobby of altering and adorning clothes.  My best friend and I have very similar values whe it comes to body adornment and clothing, specifically.  We buy a lot of our clothes from second hand stores because we both value being fiscally responsible, especially at this point in life when we have very limited financial resources.  However, just because my clothes are not new does not mean they cannot be interesting or beautiful.  I also value creativity and art and love the opportunity to integrate it into my daily wardrobe.  Together we have designed and created my own jewelry from craft supplies around our houses.  I have purchased sweaters and embellished them with different buttons and decorative trimming to make them unique and more interesting, and I have even painted old pairs of shoes to create new looks.  One snow day in high school we got together with pairs of old white Ked’s shoes and used a dye kit to create a tie dye pattern covering the shoes.  We wore them to homecoming and even created pairs of our dates.  Because we love the craft of clothing as adornment, my friends and I want that to be the focal point of our creativity and thus do not wear much makeup and often do not even paint our nails or do other typical feminine body adornments.

My style has changed over the years and has been inspired from a variety of influences from my mother’s fashion, to magazines, to old music videos.  However, the one thing that has remained constant is my love of clothing as a creative outlet and the value I place on dressing appropriately for each occasion.