Adornment Discussion

Oct30

As I’m sitting at a cafe, I see this person on the other side of the room. He is a male, looking like about 55-60 years old. He has grown a thick, long white beard. He seems to have a tattoo on his right arm that I can see very little through the sleeves. He appears to not have any facial piercings. He is wearing a very old black jacket with button down shirt underneath. He is wearing short cargo pants. The shoes he is wearing are very much worn with brownish dirt all over them. From his facial structure, the beard, and the body structure I could tell this person was a male. He is a Caucasian. I think he is very old and unhealthy looking, by looking at his eyes and the way he moves. He would go outside to smoke several times. He seemed very unstable, because he was shaking while he was chain smoking. I think he would belong to a poor community that he cannot afford jeans or long pants in this cold weather. And personally, his beard looked like they were never trimmed. I am not sure if he intended to grow his beard for a styling purpose. I think he did not care about how he looked in public at all. I don’t want to be mean or anything, but I wish he could have saved money for his cigarettes to buy a pair of long pants.

I also see a person waiting in a line at a cafe to order coffee. It’s a Caucasian female, and I can tell by how she dressed up. She is wearing a red plaid button down shirt with a tank top underneath. She is wearing a pair of leggings with red Hunter rain boots. From that, I could tell that she follows the fashion trends, at least around here. She does not seem to have any facial piercings or tattoos. She is carrying a North Face backpack, so I think she is a UO student. Also She owns a Louis Vuitton wallet. Her hair is very tidy and her nails are very neatly done. The fact that she could afford the high end items makes me assume that she must come from a well off family background.

Now I’m observing a girl who has a septum piercing. She is an Asian, tall, and skinny. She has very dark and thick  eyebrows. I think she is a student, because she is carrying a backpack which looks pretty full with books and other items. It is interesting how I noticed her from her septum piercing. I think it is because it is quite rare to see septum piercings compared to having ears pierced.  I assume she would know how unique the piercing is making her look from others. I think it was very brave of her to get a septum piercing, based on her ethnicity. I come from Asian background so I know how conservative the culture is, with body piercings like that. And I have to admit that I also thought it was rebellious of her to get the septum piercing. I try very hard not to judge people by their appearances. But the thought I had about her being “different than others” was not avoided. Not only it makes me think how rebellious, courageous, and bold she might be, but also it makes me think of her to be artistic, unique, and creative.

 

Food As Art Reseach

Oct26

The author of an article ‘A Matter of Taste’ on The New York Times magazine explains that food is like art, for “the genuine passion that people like to share with their friends”.  But after all, food is not art. He thinks that food is not narrative and does not express emotion, although it can evoke emotions. And when it does, it does so roughly and within a very limited range. Furthermore, he says Americans are “confused with their palate with souls” (Deresieqicz).

Both articles raised a question to whether food can be art. This is the question that has been debated over the time in aesthetics as it was seen in the article written by Telfer. As Telfer required aesthetic response to experiencing art, William Deresieqicz required that art should give “insight into other people, allow you to see the world in a new way, or force you to take an inventory of your soul”. In other words, food could give you comfort and provoke nostalgia but It would not make you feel anger or sorrow, leading to the idea that “food is crude as a system of symbols”. Furthermore, Dassanyake described as was essential for “quite literally, for life’s sake” (Dssanayake 7). It draws parallel to Deresieqicz’s idea that food is “the path to salvation, for the self and humanity both”. Both authors explained how food is symbol of the value of energy, and almost meaning of life (Deresieqicz).

It makes me wonder whether food satisfies those “requirements” that Telfer has, in order to be called as art. Telfer defines the second definition of “work of art” that it is art if treated by the society “as primarily an object of aesthetic consideration” (Telfer 13). As it was pointed out by Dreseqiequicz, food has become “a cultural apparatus” that it has its awards and televised performances. We have a whole literature of journals, critiques, and appreciations for food, which is well-respected in our society.

However, food does not seem to quite satisfy Dresequiequicz’s point of view on art. Although food is representative and expresses emotions, food does not bring you any further than that. Food should be able to “allow you to see the world in a new way, or force you to take an inventory of your soul”. Furthermore, he stated that “not that food has led to art, but that it has replaced it”(Dresequiequicz). Foodism, a term coined by him, represents how food is deceiving humans and misleading how food and art are two different things. Tefler also mentions a difficulty about treating food as work of art by raising a question on how food can be a work of art when it Is essential to be destroyed by eating “for contemplating them”(Telfer 10).

Dresequiequicz said food requires “knowledge and connoisseurship, which are costly to develop”. Thus it requires you to have a higher education and social class to discuss about food. It reminds of Dessanayake’s explanation of modernism that was placed in 18th century. She stated that art in that time period was “appreciated by only few who were educated and could afford luxury leisure” (Dassanayake4), being called as high art by post modernists.

References:

Telfer, E. (2002). Food as art. In Neill, A. & Ridley, A (Eds.), Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates (2 ed., pp. 9-27). New York: Routledge.

Deresiewicz W. (2010, October 26). A Matter of Taste? Sunday Review The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/opinion/sunday/how-food-replaced-art-as-high-culture.html?_r=0

Dissanayake, E. (1991). What is art for? In K. C. Caroll (Ed.). Keynote adresses 1991 (NAEA Convention), (pp.15-26). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association.

 

Food As A Work of Art

Oct23

Throughout the reading, I had a difficulty to follow the author’s position on whether food is art or not. I did not quite agree with how some philosophers have reasons why they concluded that food is not a work of art, although you may have “aesthetic reaction”. However, Elizabeth Telfer mentions that food “as a simple and minor art” (45), and I agree with the statement. Then she mentions that “it is difficult to treat food as an art form, ” (19) .  Also She also explains that there is a difference between art and craft. The distinction is the difference between the aspect of their work, not between the different people. In my opinion, I see both creative food and its process as work of art. Simple as that, if there was any kind of intended creativity involved from a maker, the food should be an art form, at least to the maker’s mind. Elizabeth mentions that people gain aesthetic value from some food, even if they do consume it right afterwards. Also later in the article she says how some philosophers believe that the aesthetic value from taste is too “crude” to be art. I believe taste would be just like other sense that the philosophers would use to talk about aesthetic value from other art froms. Furthermore, without the taste of the food, food should still be viewed as art for how it appears. My idea supports  when Elizabeth noted that, “If something is a work of art, then its maker or exhibitor intended it to be looked and listened to it with intensity, for its own sake”(12).  Elizabeth also stated that great pieces of art yield aesthetic value from generation to generation. It ties back to the previous article “What Is Art For” by Dassanyake. The term ‘paleoanthropsychobiological’ characteristic of art described how food and human evolved together throughout the history. And food works as a means of comforting and soothing mechanisms for humans to ease their stress and maybe even to survive.

What is Art For? Essay

Oct20

1. Paleoanthropsychobiological’ is the term that Dassanyake used to describe her perspective of art. As she said, “the arts have always been with us” (11), the ‘paleoanthro-’ part of the term refers to how art started as early as human history. Also art involves the anthropological aspect as anthropology reflects biological and cultural diversity of human across the time and space. It ties back to Dissanyake’s statement, “art is universal trait of human species” (1). ‘-psychobiological’ refers to how art has an emotional and psychological effect on humans.

 

2. Humans have innate instinct and tendency to survive from environmental changes and to create new things for a more convenient life. Observed behaviors of humans inventing new tools and accepting new concepts to adapt and evolve indicate the propensity of human of “making special” (8). Disanayake related this to human survival by comparing humans to animals. Simply, humans have “intelligence, resourcefulness, emotional and mental complexity, the ability to plan ahead” (8) which were necessary to survive from possible danger. All of this may stem from humans propensity of making “ordinary to extra ordinary” (8), and it was crucial for humans to survive.

 

3. One of the theories Dissanayake introduced involves the necessity of art to human’s survival in pre-modern period. Ritual ceremonies in tribes universally included artistic aspect, such as rain dancing during drought, decorating, and piercing bodies, etc. Ritual ceremonies were universal and crucial to humans’ life. Dissanyake states that, “[Art is] essential for quite literally, for life’s sake” (7). Also, it gave them “survival bonding and survival value” (9). Humans used it as a means to ease stress by choosing art as a force to maintain their life livable.

Modernism placed in 18thcentury. Dissanayake pointed out that art “was universal”(4). Any viewers could appreciate art and now know the meaning the artist initially wanted to express from the art work. However, Dissanayake said, “as paintings became less and less like mirrors held up to nature, so that views could no longer decipher or naively admire..” (4). Art became a kind of ideology which its principals were appreciated by only few who were educated and could afford luxury leisure.

In post-modern period, which developed around 19th century, art has become further widespread and is more common. However, it is often viewed as an activity found in high elite society. “High” art, how Dassanyake calls it, expresses class interests and it is “molding them to one’s own standards while blatantly dismissing or ignoring the standards of their makers and users” (5). Dssanyake also pointed out that postmodernists’ arts are based on only truth and reality.

What is Art For? Discussion

Oct16

Interestingly, a question ” What is art? What is art really for?” made me ponder before I started reading the article by Dissanyake. To me, art is paintings, performances, and anything that includes meanings and messages the artists wanted to express. Dissanyake descrived art as “not just a piece of work, but it is rather activity of making the piece”. Also “Everyone is an artist”(7). I could not agree with her more that If It involves anything, such as performing and decorating to verify themselves while some others acknowledge the one’s skill and creativity, anybody can be an artist.

Dissanyake noted that art is not only a cultural phenomenon, but also it is ” biologically developed as they evolved, to help them [human] survive”(2). In premodern time, art was used and was necessary to ritual ceremonies. It was actually, “essential for quite literally, for life’s sake” (7). I found it almost shocking that Dissanyake used biological interpretations to describe art. I wonder, If there was no ritual ceremonies, no decorating bodies and no performing for wishing a family member’s health to be better, or rain dancing during drought,  could humans still have survived? Maybe, biologically, as product of evolution, humans needed to ease stress by choosing art as force to maintain their life livable.

Art is not only a means to express one’s self, but it also molds oneself. Arts were crucial for human beings to survive. Moreover, art transforms something ordinary to extraordinary. Therefore it should be “acknowledged and be encouraged to develop” (10).

Life Values Assessment

Oct13
  1. Family
  2. Wisdom
  3. Enjoyment
  4. Personal Accomplishment
  5. Friendship
  6. Health
  7. Loyalty
  8. Personal development
  9. Wealth
  10. Prestige
  11. Expertness
  12. Security
  13. Integrity
  14. Power
  15. Service
  16. Independence
  17. Community
  18. Leadership
  19. Creativity
  20. Location

Today’s activity showed 4 out of my top 5. Almost every morning, I start my day by calling my mom. My family is what I value the most. Also I usually have my headphones on, listening to music when walking from class to class. Music is the enjoyment that I cannot give up during the day. Having meals and studying with my friends represent how much I value both personal accomplishment and friendship.

My parents raised me without pressure about my grades in school. So I used to let things go pretty well even if I did not get an impressive grade. However, as I have decided to pursue my job in a medicine field, I realized that I needed the grades that graduate schools require for me to have in order to get in to their schools. I am grateful for how my parents raised me, but I cannot agree with their way of thinking about school anymore. As I am planning to graduate my undergrad soon and am going to pursue my dream of working in a medicine field, I have to do well in my classes. Because I need enjoyment in my life,  I often find it hard to juggle the two.

My Reflection on A Question of Values by Lewis H.

Oct9

Lewis H. points out six characteristics of the ways that can explain how individuals value one than others: sense experience, deductive logic, emotion, intuition, authority, and science. I agree with the fact that not solely one of the six analyzes and explains the formation of individual’s decision, but rather the mixture of the six  systems explain the individual’s favor on one than other. There will be a primary mode, but it is not directly led to the final decision. As it was shown in the example of Obie Wan Kenobie, even though emotion can be the primary mode, “opposing emotional values eventually lead” (14). I can definitely relate myself to this everyday. I become impulsive sometimes. But my “opposing emotional values” such as, sense experience and logic, contradict the previous emotion. Thus I don’t make decision primarily based on my emotional reason.

Welcome To My Blog! Would You Like to Know About Me?

Oct6

Hi everyone, thank you for stopping by to read my blog =).

My name is Jane Kim, and I’m a senior at UO, studying Human Physiology. I love my major, enjoying every classes that UO offers for Human Phys students. I’m currently taking Hypertension class, taught by Professor Jeff Gilbert. It is a very challenging class, but it fills my mind with wonder and awe, which augments my passion for medicine. Yeah, I think how human body works is mind blowing.

I hope I don’t make too many grammar errors that might confuse you guys while reading my posts. I moved from Korea just a few years ago, so English is not my first language. Because of my origin, I hope I will be able to bring something with a multi-cultural perspective into the table for class if I have a chance in the future.

Just a few more facts about me: I just started learning how to play a guitar! I love singing, dancing, and everything that has to do with music. I love cooking, although the taste is not always guaranteed. My specialtists are Korean dishes. One of my favorite dishes is called bibimbap. Here’s the recipe if you guys would like to know what it is or how to make it! Recipe

I’m an outdoor person, who loves hiking and camping. I have only been to the triangle lake, Mt.Pisgah, Spencer butte, and Skinner butte. If anybody also likes hiking and knows a great hiking place, please let me know! =)

Thank you for taking your precious time to read my first post! I’m looking forward to reading you guys’ blogs in the future.

Hello world!

Sep30

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