Month: May 2014

Hope         Creativity

Courage     Meaningful

Meticulous  Originality

Inspire        Special

Beauty          Referent

I watched the Larry Lessig’s TED talk “Laws That Choke Creativity” and found it is very interesting to explore the idea of remixing or content stealing. I believe he makes a great point that our society may not move forward if creativity is choked or killed. In his words, today’s younger generation has been labeled as “pirates”, but It is almost impossible not use someone else’s work as a reference point when endless amounts of resources at your fingers. The young generation uses the technology to embrace their creativity. For instance, today’s many styles of music are created in which technology plays a huge role in the creation process. Also, new advances may not be happen on the medicine if scientists do not think outside of the box. So I believe it is still can be called creativity if someone remix or sampling an artist’s work to compose something completely different by himself. Yet, he also mentioned that younger generations are obsessed with technology as an “age of prohibition”. Do you think it is good or bad that younger generations base so much of their lives around technology?

In the article “Computer Graphics: Effects of Origins” by Beverly J. Jones, she stated that she believes has evolved as time goes by. Her primary thesis is “to establish the relation of specific image, object, event or environment to conceptual frames, (which) exist within art and technology and are present in other forms of symbolic and material culture” ( Jones 21). Also, she explained that the effects of origins and practices exist in current art and technology, and prove that graphic design has become more advances than the past, but the new forms of art and technology are frequently cast in the mode of old forms.

Jones uses many examples to explain her thesis, one of the three historical examples Jones provides is computers were used to generate the earliest computer graphics and displayed on oscilloscopes in the 1940s. Ben F. Lapofsky and Herbert W. Franke were among the pineers creating there images, and their work continues to promote exploration in similar work (Jones 22). Then since computer graphics were made, the computer graphics was two-dimensional screen in the earlier years , and then more advanced technology to improve many aspects of computer imagery like in memory space and speed, which make the three dimensional images to appear on the computer screen. These evolution of technology are not only become more advanced, but it is gradually embedded in the art and culture.

One of the current examples about the technological advancement I found is about an article from The New York Times called “Scientists Uncover Invisible Motion in Video” by Erik Olsen. He introduces a new technology that focus on pixel in a video to identify changes. Originally, they developed the program is to monitor neonatal babies without making physical contact, and then they believe that the new technology will applied in manufacturing and oil exploration industries and improve the working efficiency like “a factory technician could film a machine to check for small movements in bolts that might indicate an impending breakdown” (Erik 1). From this example, the developments of computer graphics not only increase the quality of current video games that everyone knows, but also bring many benefits to the human’s life. Also, I believe the art and technology connect to each other tightly because the advanced technology could provide multiple approaches to create art works and gradually become one of the powers to help human beings solve the problems in the world.

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

Olsen, E. (2013). Scientists Uncover Invisible Motion in Video. Bits: The Business of Technology. Retrieved February 28 2013, from http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/27/scientists-uncover-invisible-motion-in-video/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

From this TED talk by Jane McGonigal, She explained why people become addicted to games and how the strategy games gives people a better problem solving skill which could benefit to our current world problems. Also, I felt it is interesting about her game like World without oil every week for 3 hours, from this game we can learn and be motivated to solve problem in the reality when this kind of situation happen. In video games, McGonigal said that “gamers are super-powerful hopeful individuals”, they are so determined to win and work hard to achieve their goals with their strategy and survival, and then they will be given positive rewards when they are succeeding. This is may be true that gamers can cultivate some problem solving skills from the video game, but I believe that happens when gamers are exposed to an unrealistic and virtual world. What will happen when an issue is presented in the real world for gamers? Do you think they can come out of the virtual world and make real life contribution to the real world?

1. How do you define “spirituality”?

I believe spirituality is beyond outer appearances and the five senses, and comes from deep within someone and actually it is found in everyone, which will make each individual different. From my perspective, spirituality is something that encourages me to explore something that I do not know. For instance, when I meet some challenges and think I have limited source with a small capacity. Spirituality will be as a divine light (or faith and believe) exists inside of me and tell me I am greater and more powerful than I have ever imaged. Also, when I am going through happy time, I think my joy come from my spirituality because it is a hope and help me to enjoy and understand from within myself.

2. Does spirituality differ from religion?

I believe spirituality does differ from religion. At first, from the definition, Religion is an institution established by man for various reasons like shared values, shared rituals, and mutual support. But spirituality is born and develops in a person and is about living life without a net. On another side, Religion is often the same for a group of person but spirituality is different and is from within oneself. That is, religion is often seems as a container in which spirituality are preserved and passed on. If someone find and know this container and found it is helpful or same with his or her spirituality, then he or she will choose to belong to a specific religion.

3. How do you define “creativity”?

Creativity is the behavior of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. This ability needs people to think outside of the box and it usually is original and different than someone else’s idea. But it is not just imagination and it should bring this idea into our life by producing the new thought or idea. I believe everyone has creativity because they come from in different sources. Most creativity is from our spirituality because they will influence many aspects of our life.

4. What is the source of creativity?

I believe the main source of creativity is from spirituality as I said before. Spirituality is a personal inside believes or faith, which often can inspire some artists to have a creative thinking and generate some new thoughts differ than others when they face a same topic. Also, to be a creative man, an individual need an open mind and open perspective, then they can absorb more information to lead inspiration, therefore creativity.

According this article “Deeply Seeing” by Grey, I found it is very interesting about the main concept of deeply seeing. He discussed about the importance and value of seeing, and there is vast difference between looking and seeing. For instance, we can look at many things during a day, but it is very superficial and just can be seem as looking not seeing. Grey pointed out that “seeing occurs when our attention is arrested by a person, object, or scene” (Grey, 71). Then, he used an example that people will see the both ways before crossing the road. Yes, I strongly agree with this point of view, you cannot find anything if you just look or glance at it. Yet, when you see the both ways deeply, you may see there is a car is quickly come, and you can see the danger and avoid the dangerous event through seeing. I believe this case reflects that a change for people from looking to seeing. In the reading, seeing is also the recognition of meaning as an art by Frederick Franck, “No wonder that once the art of seeing is lost, Meaning is lost, and all life seems ever more meaningless: They know not what they do, for they do not see what they look at” (Grey, 73). This quote reveals that the art of seeing is vital for everyone and the process in which being an artist encounters any subjects are meaningful and full of love and aesthetic pleasure. 

Then, Grey provided that there are three eyes of knowing, which are used to examine the spiritual beauty: integritas (wholeness), consonantia (harmony), and claritas (radiance) (Grey, 73).As the article goes on, Grey describes the process of creativity and spirituality in an artist, especially for inspiration, which has a significant influence on the artwork. Next, he said how to experience art fully, “viewers must go through a mini ego death by placing themselves in the inspired minds of the artists, who themselves are out of their minds and only act as channels of creativity spirit” (Grey, 74). I thought this is an interesting thought about how viewers appreciate other works of art, and perhaps we all need this creative pathway about the spirit of death to an ego to appreciate anything. But I still have a doubt that how do we express spirituality by inspiration in an artwork?

By the way, I found the picture called Transfiguration which is from a dream according to Grey’s words on the page 77 is interesting. A man is floating over the earth and partially covered by the light. From this situation, I believe this picture represents spirituality in a body through inspiration by an artist, and human beings should continue finding, knowing and understanding the inside of yourself through deeply seeing, and then to see and appreciate the world what we do not know, that is what I see from this painting.

The article “Why Some People love Horror Movies Whiles Others Hate Them” by Margarita Tartakovsky, explained why many people influenced by the horror movies. She discussed from different aspects of horror movie, which include the excitation transfer process, different wiring, novelty, gender socialization and other reasons. I enjoy watching horror movies so I will introduce some reasons why makes people enjoy horror movies about this article. At first, she discussed that the one reason is how you feel after watching the horror movie, which she called “the excitation transfer process”, according Sparks’s research; she found that “when people watch frightening films, their heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increases”. Then she included that viewers’ sense are heightened after they watched the movie, which makes them feel enjoyable. Another reason is because people enjoy the adrenaline rush, a hormone that strengthens your sensory reception. Then, the heightened senses will make people more interested the scenes in the horror movies even a dull movement. In the reading “Why Horror “by Noel Carroll, she presented that “the horror story is driven explicitly by curiosity. It engaged audience by being involved in processes of disclosure, discovery, proof, explanation, hypothesis, and confirmation” (Carroll, 279). This point of view is similar to the article by margarita, she said many people love to watch horror movies included myself because they make us to think, analyze and explore the different scenes and then hypothesize what will be happen at the end of the movie.

Another article “Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies”by Sharon Begley, She discussed that young audiences are more like to watch horror movies from the philosophical research, and many reason why people want to watch horror movies. A professor Fishoff explained that “there are people who have tremendous need for stimulation and excitement, and horror movies are the one of the better ways to get really excited “(Begley). Also, an expert John Edward Campbell said that younger audiences are more likely to look for experiences because the older people are become more sensitive to their own physiology (Begley). This is the main reason why teens seem the main target viewers for this genre. Then she introduced that despite of cathartic effect which offer peoples a chance on emotional release and escape from the real world, and a thrill –seeking feeling, the horror movies help young people learn how to manage terror, which is a useful skill when they face more than just horror situation in reality life. By the way, from Carroll points, she said we are attracted to “horror fictions of this sort despite the fact that they provoke disgust, because that disgust is required for the pleasure involved in engaging our curiosity in the unknown and drawing it into the processes of revelation, ratification, etc.” (Carroll 284). This is also the reason that young viewers have more interesting and curiosity, and they want to explore more the unknown world through the horror movies.

References

Begley, S.(2011, October). Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies. Retrieved February 15, 2014 from http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/25/why-our-brains-love-horror-movies-fear-catharsis-a-sense-of-doom.html

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

Tartakovsky, M. (2012). Why Some People Love Horror Movies While Others Hate Them. Psych Central. Retrieved on November 5, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/10/31/why-some-people-love-horror-movies-while-others-hate-them/

After watching the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, I found the sound effects have a great contribution on the aesthetic of horror, which also create a sense of tension for the viewer as a classic horror film.

Diegetic: at the beginning of the video, Buffy and Willow had a talk at the last few minutes of the class in her dream, and then a noise is being produces at this moment like a girl sing a song about the box, which is a dietetic sound. Also, after they pack up their backpacks, there still exists a sound within this scene. These kinds of sound build in a movie indicate that there is some horrible things will happen, and these diegetic sounds add aesthetic value of horror for this film.

Non-Diegetic: owing to there was no speaking throughout the most of episode. I remember when Buffy and her friend wake up in the morning after their voices are stolen, there is a slow and creep background music added in this scene. And also even the sound of wind was exaggerated by the director. These kinds of non-diegetic sound make viewer feel uneasy and haunted. Also the non-diegetic adds a dramatic effect in the horror movie and had a best use of aesthetic value of horror to appeal the audience’s mood.

Mise-en-scene: when the video begins at 13:32 minutes, the director created a scene that a mysterious hand slowly opens a small wooden box in a clock tower with eerie sound effects, which indicate that there is something unordinary will be happen. The mystery man does not reveal the face until after the voices were stolen. Then I was scared when the man closing the box and revealing his scary white face with deep dark eyes during this scene, which all contribute to the aesthetic of horror for the video. Also, I believe the way of vampire man use floating instead of walking and scary smile was designed very well for the horror video, which also has aesthetic value of horror.

         “Dressing is a way of life” said by Yves Saint Laurent–a famous clothes designer. This quote is my perspective of dressing. The way I dressed changed overtime greatly but there is a common feeling- trendy and comfortable. I remember when I was young, my mother always arrange my daily clothes because she has operated clothing business a several years ago and she know the trendy of each seasonal clothes. At that time, I am a little proud of my dressing because I always dressed the fashionable clothes before my peers do. However, basically, I do not have chance to decorate by myself, when I was in the middle school, I began to choose my cloth by myself. Owing to my mother always decorate me as a good and cute girl, I start to choose the opposite cloth style. For instance, I feel it is cool and more freedom to wear some sports or jeans like a boy. But my dressing style do not supported by my parents, because they still believe I should wear a beautiful dress and behave to be a girl. At the beginning, I do not agree with them, and some strange clothes always attract my eyes. But I feel not very comfortable when I wear them because the quality is not very comfortable and the strange design is not convenient for me to study like a oversized tee with no arms and just cover my body like a traditional Chinese rice-pudding. Gradually, I understand my parents’ words, and I change my strange style to a casual and comfortable style until now which also gets my parents’ support such as a simple white tee and a skirt or a pair of jeans. Through this change, I realized my families always do some good to me and I feel more confident when I take time to choose and prepare the daily life’s dressing.

         Besides, dressing has a strong influence on my emotions since I like the casual cloth style. For instance, dressing light color clothes always can keep me calm and confident, and wearing some tight with dark color always make me feel a little uncomfortable and impatient. Otherwise, I always like to wear a necklace and a bracelet, which both have a jade. These stuffs are from my grandparents because they are Buddhist and believe the jade can bring me lucky and health. The core values in my family would be self-expression and comfortable. My grandparents both like to wear the classic casual style—my grandpa likes to wear Chinese tunic suit and my grandma would like to choose some knee-length skirt because they are very traditional and their dressing style should be formality and conservativeness. And my parents would like to wear suits in the daily life because they are both running their business and the suits stands for their decency, leadership, formality and maturity. I like their styles, because they have their own believes about dressing styles and insist for a long time no matter what other people do.

        I do believe my dressing and body adornment can express my personality and beliefs. I do not have tattoos and any kind of ear holes. The main factor to choose my daily clothes is to express my feelings and reflect my personal values. In addition, my parental guidance influences my choice of dressing greatly and I choose respect and tradition through my dressing, besides, I like the casual style, and perhaps in the future, I want to be a professional business woman like my mom with a formal suits. Although I still like to wear fashionable clothes like my peers, it is not conflict to pursue a healthy and freedom dressing style. As I grew up, my peers often influence me the dressing choice, they will suggest me some new dressing trends. For example, there are many students in Oregon would like to wear sports brands like Nike shoes, t-shirt and North face rain jackets. I gradually adopted this new culture in Eugene and consume many Nike clothes, shoes and also wear the North Face rain jackets. I cannot ignore my peers have a strong influence on my dressing style and help me to adapt different and new cultures. Going along with time, independence become my core beliefs and values like my peer community, because this perhaps is the first time (includ myself) to study abroad and choose dress how we want and present what person we want to be. Currently, I feel good to customize myself in a trendy, comfortable and healthy way. Lastly, I know dressing is just appearance and normally cannot reflect the truly self-expression, but I believe we can become better and more confident if we insist our beliefs and fulfill our inside through knowledge like my parents.