Public art is not a topic I have ever previously researched or even read about. I figured that it simply meant art that is placed in a public place (such as a park or in the city center) and is publicly funded, but Erika Doss (2006) convinces me otherwise, when she uses a quote from the city of Blue Springs, MO, writing “Public art is artwork in the public realm, regardless of whether it is situated on public or private property, or whether it is acquired through public or private funding (p. 1)”. Basically, this is inclusive of every form of art I could think of (tapestry, photography, lighting, sculpture, etc.). Becker follows up with “Public art is a “multifaceted” cultural arena that is “open to artists of all stripes, without predetermined rules or a mutually agreed upon critical language” (p. 2). Both of these quotes guided me to viewing public art in a new light.

Public art is a hot topic and notorious for being criticized, such as the example given of FDR and his memorial. Several organizations such as the National Organization on Disability or animal rights groups wanted their connection to FDR to be promoted and were upset when it was not prominent in the sculpture. Public art is made to create and inspire conversations, as the reading keys on, but because of our societies difference of opinions and beliefs, there will never be a piece of public art that 100% of society will have mutual feelings on. Although I do not view that as a bad thing, it can create very passionate feelings when discussing it or why it was not placed/created the correct way (in their eyes).

The Runquist Project, consisting of two murals that are currently located in Knight Library, were both public works of art, and in modern day can also be viewed at with controversy. They were created in 1930, and the norms were certainly different than the present day. There were ideas on race and ethnicity that was considered acceptable at that time period, but no longer is. There is great controversy over whether they should remain mounted in a public setting, “depicting a history that we may no longer see as worth of celebration”. I think this topic ties back into the reading, and how public art is such a heavy topic of conversation. I think these murals do capture history, and can be appreciated from that aspect, as the controversial topics were not viewed that was 85 years ago. I could see how certain organizations or groups could be offended by the depiction on these murals, but in my opinion it can also be a reminder of how times have changed and remind us of how evolved our country has become.

My personal opinion about the role of public art is that it is important to have in our society. Art is such a great topic of conversation, especially when you are discussing with someone who has opposing views and can shed light into why they feel that particular way. There is also a fine line where too much controversy can cause a lack of production. Doss (2006) describes the relationship between Public Art Controversy and Civic Dialogue, and how “Public art often has to cater to multiple constituencies….you can’t please everyone…the key is to keep our public conversations meaningful and productive and to reclaim public culture as a forum for debate rather than an arena of hate” (p. 10). Overall, I believe that public art can remind us of our history (as with the Runquist Project), but also shape our community, as Doss writes, “public art can play a central role in shaping and directing community identity” (pg. 11).

Bibliography:

Doss, E. (2006, October). Public art controversy: Cultural expression and civic debate. Retrieved from http://www.americansforthearts.org/pdf/networks/pan/doss_controversy.pdf

Maruska, B. (2013). A response to the runquist murals. Retrieved from http://blogs.uoregon.edu/runquistmurals/

This is my google collage, and I do indeed believe that it should be viewed as art. I am not comparing myself to someone who creates art for a living, but there is a vast scale of art, and I think it fits into this broad category. One of the previous readings mentions creativity, and how it starts with inspiration, and I felt inspired by my choose of words, and then choosing an image for them. Dissanayake in her text says that “the ability not just to recognize that something is special, but deliberately to set out to make something special” (22). I had the intention to make something special, and so this back up my viewpoint that this should be viewed as art.

My 5 words:

Creativity

Self Expression

Inspiration

Discovery

Unique

READ ONLY vs. READ/WRITE

In the TED talk “Laws That Choke Creativity”, the differences between read only (RO) vs. read/write (RW) are discussed, along with examples of how copyright has affected our culture. Digital technology can be the revival of RW, and allow “ameutuer culture” where people produce for the love rather than the money.

In the article Remix Planet, the variety of “remixes” that now exist is extensive, ranging from music to movies to games and TV! An excerpt I thought was very powerful is “Who owns the words?” asked a disembodied but very persistent voice throughout much of Burroughs’ work. Who does own them now? Who owns the music and the rest of our culture? We do. All of us.”

This weeks reading stresses the importance of RW cultures, and how we need much more. A quote that describes copyright from Baker goes as follows, “Copyright is a trail lawyer’s dream – a regulatory program enforced by private lawsuits where the plaintiffs have all the advantages, from injury-free damages awards to liability doctrines that extract damages from anyone who was in the neighborhood when an infringement occurred”. Lessig believes that these “rights” and controversy over them are all caused by competition, and that that although protection from competition is important, it should not stop creative abilities and projects.

Copyrights are very important in modern society. There is now infinite social media outlets (blogs, websites, youtube, etc) where people express themselves, and occasionally involving incorporating works from original creators. Copyrights limit creativity because it puts barriers and other restrictions on people who just want to create something, but fear they may be penalized for their remix or mashup. I think that RW needs to be prioritized over RO (but read only should not be entirely eliminated). This will allow for people to express themselves in ways that help them grow as individuals, and is not based on profit, but self-expression.

Jones thesis in “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” is found on the first page of the text, “The effects of origins and prior practices in both technology and art on form, content, material, technique, meaning and purpose of computer graphics are explored”. Jones points out that “new forms of art and technology are frequently cast in the mode of old forms, just as other aspects of material and symbolic culture have been”.

To illustrate her thesis, Jones uses the example of ancient Egyptian architecture, and how the stone columns were based on “earlier bound papyrus columns” (pg. 21). A second example is when Jones describes oil paintings, “early oil paintings were similar in technique to egg tempera paintings and did not take advantage of oil’s mixing properties, slower drying and  resultant appearance of softer edges” (21). Both of these examples emphasize the idea of how current practices of art and technology lead to how we have created computer graphics and how it is all relating back to historical examples and innovations. Jones pushes readers to realize how important education on cultural backgrounds and significant historical events are because they shape the most current forms of art and technology today.

I think that computer graphics is a whole new element within the art field. It is so unlike traditional painting or sculpting, but both can express and evoke emotions all the same. An example of an illustration of Jones’ thesis at work in todays culture would be the concept of medicine, or “natural” cures. We use all sorts of man-made chemicals and things now for curing ailments, but at the same time, many natural ingredients stem from way back in time when these herbs were the only solutions available to cure someone. These concepts are still studied and utilized to this day, and without knowing history and the successes and failures, we would not be able to evolve the medicine further.

I found an article titled “The Marriage of Art and Technology”. It described the concept of “Beam, a new technology that allows users to interact with remote locations through video and audio”. This could create tremendous opportunities for those who are disabled, and allow them to experience art. These virtual experiences can alter the traditional forms of displaying art, and it all connects back to how these current ideas would not be possible without understanding the historical context and culture of those from the past. The article ends saying “In the diversity of life, people with disabilities are an essential part of the community and society. Beam will shrink the world…and provide greater accessibility to all.”

Bibliography:

Jones, B. J. (1990). Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins. LEONARDO: Digital Image – Digital Cinema Supplemental Issue, pp. 21-30.

Laskey, D. (2015, May 4). NPQ. Retrieved May 25, 2015, from https://nonprofitquarterly.org/policysocial-context/26066-the-marriage-of-art-and-technology.html

I decided to base this week’s discussion post on the TED talk by Jane McGonigal. I went into this video with a bias against video games. I currently see commercials for extremely violent games, and see people spending every spare second gaming. It makes me question if gamers are more focused on the fake world that is the video game than the real world.

McGonigal starts her talk by showing a picture of a boy, saying he is expressing “signs of optimism” which leads to an “epic win”. An epic win has been researched and is almost beyond the threshold of imagination. She argues that this is a face we need to see more often, and that video games can lead us to creating a more collaborative, problem-solving society.

The first question that immediately popped in my mind was “How many people actually apply the skills they learn in these video games into the real world?” Then, almost as if McGonigal read my mind, she leads into games that she has created, such as a game that gives real data and articles on oil shortages, and your job is to be as resourceful as possible with the fuel you have been given.

After she explained her games, my bias shifted. I can now agree with her that games such as those can be a powerful platform for change, although I still believe there are many toxic video games that should not be played. I have never spent more then 4-5 hours total of my life playing video games, but I can see how kids who are introverted or enjoy online games can really use applications such as those mentioned to learn valuable skills that can be applied to the real world.

“We can make any future we can imagine” (McGonigal 18:10).

How do you define “spirituality”?

To me, spirituality is a unseen thing, it is something that is felt. It is sort of like a personal transformation from real life, to this unknown place of contentment and joy. Spirituality can occur over whatever a person is passionate about, there is no boxes that the definition is put in, it is a term that can be used very broadly or specifically, depending on who you are.

Does spirituality differ from religion?

Religion is based on a specific belief, such as buddhism or christianity. These are specific categories of religion, that come with specific stories and beliefs that everyone who is religious believes in (Jesus for example, or buddha are both believed as the all mighty and powerful of those specific religions). People who are religious typically attend church or other ceremonies that join like people together to celebrate in their beliefs. Spirituality is more of an independent activity in my perspective. It is a feeling, and there aren’t specific stories or leaders that are connected to your own spiritual beliefs.

How do you define “creativity”?

I think creativity is the ability to create or imagine things that are different and made by new ideas and concepts. It is difficult to define, but I also think it is a type of personal expression that describes your unique approach to something, whether it be art, music, dance, etc. It starts with a person’s imagination, and taking a new idea and turning it into reality. Creativity is such a broad topic (as are the other terms), but creativity can range from a scientist finding a new cure to cancer, to a new form of art being created, or an amazing novel that changes the way society looks at a particular idea.

What is the source of creativity?

Creativity and spirituality go hand in hand. Just as the reading says, to find your true self and be at your most creative, you need to find your spiritual connection with your artwork. I think something that makes you feel emotions deep within and look at the bigger picture is the beginning source of creativity, and can lead to great outcomes.

Deeply Seeing was the title of the text for this week’s assignment. Grey lays out the steps of the creative process below:

1) formulation

2) saturation

3) incubation

4) inspiration

5) translation

6) integration

Although these are all integral in creating artwork, inspiration is the one that is most emphasized in this week’s discussion.

Grey says, “For artists, the goal is to reach a state of mind where art flows irresistably through them” (p. 80). Spirituality is something that is unseen, and extremely difficult to describe, but it is not difficult at all to feel or experience, you know when you have reach that deeper connection. Grey specifically focuses on inspiration, as it is experienced and developed in an infinite number of ways by artists.

“Inspiration is the most mysterious step in the creative process. The artist is possessed by a creative force, overtaken by a vision and driven to create. Inspiration is beyond reason” (p. 81).

Regarding creative spirituality, Grey gives an example of how many artist must physically draw a masterpiece that has previously been created by an artist themselves, so that they can fully and completely “see” it. It is difficult to wrap my head around interpreting creative spirituality from an artists perspective, simply because I think each individual has their own version of what that looks like. The main goal I think of creating art though, is as mentioned in the text, to fulfill your inspiration. That is the true goal in what constitutes ones art as successful. Money, fame, and friends approval are all other qualifications of success, but I think the most true and one that will mean the most to the artist is fulfilling your inspiration.

“To in-spire is to be in-spirit”. Inspiration means access to spirit” (p. 82).

Bibliography:

Grey, A. (2001). Art as Spiritual Practice. The Mission of Art (1st ed., pp. 205-233). Boston & London: Shambhala.

For this week’s research project, we were asked to find articles on horror relating to this week’s readings. The first article I chose is titled “Horror Movies: Why People Love Them”, by Leslie Fink, where she beings her article writing how “You choose your entertainment because you want it to affect you. That’s certainly true of people who go to entertainment products like horror films that have big effects. They want those effects”. The article continues by examining what is so enticing to viewers about horror movies, and her main opinion is that “people have the ability to pay attention as much or as little as they care to in order to control what effect it has on them, emotionally and otherwise.” This allows viewers to decide for themselves how frightened they want to be, as Fink states “If you have a good imagination, you can connect to your hardwired fears simply by thinking about a scary situation.” This article emphasizes that horrors are meant as entertainment filled with “big effects”, which is why people are so interested, plus the added ability to mentally build up an even more frightening scene in your mind.

The second article I found was titled “Why We Love Scary Movies”. I found this article off of WebMD, and it goes in depth on the science side of why people like scary movies. The article beings emphasizing males, saying “There’s a motivation males have in our culture to master threatening situations, it goes back to the initiation rites of our tribal ancestors, where the entrance to manhood was associated with hardship. We’ve lost that in modern society, and we may have found ways to replace it in our entertainment preferences.” Males enjoy conquering challenges (such as watching an entire scary movie without flinching, etc.). This plays a large role into society and how, especially amongst kids, there is a unspoken challenge for who has watched the most morbid/gory movies. Another theory mentioned in this article is that people enjoy them because it is a means of coping with their own actual fears. This articles DOES not take the stance that horror movies are good for us though. The article found that “60% reported that something they had watched before age 14 had caused disturbances in their sleep or waking life”. The brain stored memories that lingered when similar settings occurred (such as alone at night in bed, etc). The end of the article had a fascinating quote, writing “The further films go today, the more likely it will be that people will decide that the costs outweigh the benefits. Then they’ll say, ‘I don’t want to see that anymore.” The article is predicting a lowered interest in horror films in coming years.

These readings all tie into each other, for the obvious first reason that these are surrounded by the topic of horror. More specifically, as Carroll’s text is titled “Why Horror?”. Carroll emphasizes that the actual horror is not the main interest, it is how it is worked into the plot. Something Carroll brought up that was not mentioned in the other articles was the processes that attract viewers to these types of movies, such as “disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation” (pg. 279). Carroll also goes a new direction when she begins talking about art-horror, and our fasciation as a species of “anomalies”.

The quote that ties these articles together is when Carroll writes “One wants to gave upon the unusual, even when it is simultaneously repelling” (pg. 286). All three texts discuss the attraction or interest, and whether they argue that it is healthy or not, the fact remains that we find something intriguing about horror and frighting objects/sounds/videos. Also, the idea that the brain and mind creates a greater dramatic effect than the movie itself. Each text uses its own example of initiating horror, such as the lingering thoughts after one watches a horror movie, the smallest noises or occurrences trigger the sense of terror arisen from the horror that you watched or read.

From my personal perspective as someone who went through a phase of loving scary movies, I think the main reasons I enjoyed them so much a few years back was because of the challenge mainly. The challenge of watching the entire movie and then trying my hardest not to psych myself out and be frightened all night long. Then, after I realized that scaring myself was a waste of time, I now will dabble in horror films once in a while, but by no means frequently. I do agree with Carroll on how horror films have a series of processes, and once you start a horror film, you have to finish so you can see all of those processes through. Horror certainly adds an element of surprise and excitement, and I am glad I got to divulge more into the details of types and sounds and everything that one needs to know about the topic of horror in art.

Carroll, N. (2002). Why Horror?. In Neill, A. & Riley, A. (eds.) Arguing About Art: Contemporary Philosophical Debates (2nd ed., Chap. 17). New York, NY: Routledge.

Feature, R. (n.d.). Why We Love Scary Movies. Retrieved May 11, 2015, from http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/why-we-love-scary-movies

Fink, L. (2009, November 6). Horror Movies: Why People Love Them. Retrieved May 11, 2015, from http://www.livescience.com/7949-horror-movies-people-love.html

Non-Diegetic Example:

An example from the Buffy episode of non-diegetic sound (a sound that is not visible on screen) is beginning at 13:20, when the scene changes, and eery music begins playing. They show a clock, and then some hands opening a box. Next, whispers begin in the background of the music, and the camera continues panning around the room, with no commentary going on. This is an example of non-diegetic sound because no one was visibly seen playing the music, and the whispering was not coming from a particular character. It was setting the mood, giving the viewer a feeling of unrest, or that something creepy was soon about to happen. It was setting up the following scene using specific sounds. This example definitely contributed to the aesthetic of horror for this video. The sounds used made the environment seem dark and scary, and if the volume was up quite loud, it would be very frightening when the music and especially whispering began to play.

Diegetic Example:

Diegetic sound is the voices of characters seen on screen, or any sounds/music that you can physically see on the screen, otherwise known as “actual sound”. The entire episode consists of many examples of diegetic sound, but the scene I chose begins around 21:00, when all the characters realize they are unable to use their voice. It goes back to Riley, as he is working with a lady on a computer system to communicate how to fix the outbreak. The lady uses her computer, as you can hear her typing (the keyboard “clicking” noises), and the computer responding by reading out loud everything she types. This is an example of diegetic sound because you can clearly see where the sounds are coming from, this time my example is referring to the noises made by the objects (keyboard, computer, writing on paper, etc.). I think that this example did not necessarily contribute to the aesthetics of horror for this episode. The conversation was simply a necessary component of the plot, where the characters are trying to create a game plan for how they will get their voices back, and I wouldn’t say the way the diegetic sound was played is related to horror, it was more like a build up of the rest of the episode.

Mise-En-Scene Example:

An example of mise-en-scene (production designs, color, lighting, etc.) from the Buffy episode is right around 34:00, when Riley enters the house, carrying a gun, and then immediately after walking through the door, gets into a fight, and weapons are pulled out on both sides. This is an example of mise-en-scene because the props set up the scene to be a dramatic, and physical encounter. There is aggression displayed, as they both are fighting and purposefully trying to injure one another. I think this example of mise-en-scene contributes to the aesthetics of horror due to the lightening, props, and movements that occurred. The lighting is dim, and the camera shows only Riley as he slowly walks into a house, where there is hardly any lights on, and carrying a weapon.

My choices regarding my dress and how I “customize” myself, I would describe as circumstantial. When I am at work, I am required to dress in nicer clothes that cover myself more than what I would typically choose to wear. I choose to wear makeup and maintain high hygienic standards because I want to embody a professional appearance. When I am not at work, I would describe my style as casual, although I have been known to wear all varieties of clothing. I have never reflected on what I wear like this before, but some days I will dress simply, and other days I will feel like wearing something more elaborate. Regarding body adornment, besides a navel piercing, and two ear piercings, I have no other types of adornment (tattoos, other piercings, etc.).

My personal beliefs surrounding my appearances are not extremely correlated, although I do have a personal belief/value that in order to be taken as seriously and professionally as possible, having multiple facial piercings or easily exposed tattoos can be a detriment in the business world when trying to get a job. I chose to get my navel pierced because I think it looks good and was a purely personal decision. Going off of that though, I do believe I liked that particular piercing so much because of my personal value that it can easily be hidden, but I still am able to express myself. To answer the question “Why do you make the choices you do?” I would respond by saying it is a combination of personal expression, but yet still thinking realistically about my future and how my choices of expression may affect me later down the road. I make choices with myself in mind, but also the consideration of my family and other loved ones. When deciding to get my navel pierced, I did consider my grandmother, who is extremely traditional and does not understand the reasoning behind why I wanted it. But, I knew that no harm or damage would be done to her, it was just a minor conflict of personal expression differences.

I have absolutely nothing against tattoos whatsoever, but I do have a value or belief that when you choose to ink yourself, it should be something of meaning. I do not carry negative feelings or judgments towards people who recreationally tattoo themselves, but for myself I would never get a tattoo without serious consideration and consulting. Piercings can be taken out; tattoos are forever (for the most part).

My personal choices have changed drastically over the years. When I was in 6^th grade, I chose to get my nose pierced. I picked the biggest and shiniest stud available, and flaunted my new piercing to all of my peers. Reflecting back, the reasoning behind the choice I made was clearly based off of wanting to impress or “outdo” my friends, not because I truly wanted to express myself. I also did not consider my family’s opinion or the professional aspect when making this decision, which is now very high on my list.

My family’s core beliefs and values have definitely effected my own expression of body adornment and dress. They never emphasized a particular way of how I should dress, with the exception of pajamas never being worn outside of the house. They raised us to never critique or look down on the way a person dresses, so I think I have a very accepting and understanding view of people’s self expression because my family never commented on people with body adornment or made them seem like they made a terrible choice. With that being said, they also never fully supported my siblings or I when we wanted piercings, and would strongly convince us to seriously consider many factors before getting a tattoo. My mom has three tattoos, and they are all meaningful and symbolic of aspects of her life. She had demonstrated through example the reasons why I should choose to value and not be sporadic if I ever had the desire, but also that I would not be looked down upon would I ever choose to express myself in that way.

Amongst my peers, it is difficult to pinpoint core beliefs or values they hold. I have a vast spectrum of values that my friends hold, some being extremely religious and holding core values based off religion, and others holding family and friends above all else. My peers also express themselves through dress and body adornment in a variety of ways. Some of my friends that have lost loved ones have tattoos representing their memory, and hold that above all else. My best friend lost her uncle while he was overseas in Afghanistan, and she got a quote on her 18^th birthday of something that perfectly embodied him; this tattoo makes her feel connected to him at all times. Other friends on impulse chose to get tattooed, and now even a few (at just age 20) already regret their choice of tattoo.

Tattoos and body adornment can be used for self-expression in a powerful way, but I always go back to the thought that there are so many other ways of self-expression rather than how one dresses and tattoos or pierces themselves, and people should never forget that. Judgments and assumptions only go so far, but actually knowing the person and understanding why they dress or pierce themselves the way they do will completely change how you view them.