Community art event #3- 01 SJ Biennial

I was able to explore the 01 festival with my roommate who attends San Jose State University. When he told me that his class had the opportunity to visit the festival before it was open and talk to some of the artists about their pieces, I had to tag along. It was a good decision. There were many astounding and remarkable large scale pieces such as a giant robot that resembled a mix between a centipede and one of those squiggly air-puppets you see outside of car dealerships. This machine could be moved in any direction through the use of a computer interface and air pressure. My favorite piece however was the replication of a drive-in movie theater. This installation transformed 25 wrecked cars into a drive in movie set. the stereos in the cars were also renovated and played the audio from a movie that was playing on a large screen in from of the tent. The film was about the artist and their adventures creating working things such a rafts out of recycled materials. There was also a popcorn machine...BONUS!

Community art event #2- Illuminted Alchemy

I saw this performance art at a 3-dimensional art show in Oakland. While most of the art seemed a little...shallow to me, there was one performance piece that stole the show. A woman dressed in a very vivid gypsy clothes, for lack of a better description, danced to transient yet up-beat music while her husband used a computer drawing tablet to create live images that would sync both the music and the woman's beautiful choreography. At certain times it was as if technology, drawing and dance were woven together so perfectly that to recreate the effect seems impossible. you can see clips from the performance here : illuminated alchemy

A Monument to Neglegence: In Memory of the Kyoto Protocol

By nature humans are negligent beings. From leaving a dog in a car on a hot day for a little too long to choosing to forget about bigger problems in our world as a result of a stressful job or too much school work. It seems as though humans turn to neglect for comfort from our own stress and guilt. Understandable when thinking about genocide, deforestation and the death of hundreds of cute cuddly polar bears can turn even the most optimistic person into a 'glass-half-empty' type guy.  This, however, doesn't mean that the dog in hot car gets water any time sooner. The planet is in steady decline and if we aren't going to be around to remember where we went wrong, I propose we create a memorial to where we might be very soon.

Global warming is an issue we are all too familiar with. Does it exist? Some scientist say it doesn't? well then let's just forget...The Kyoto Protocol is a perfect example. On Dec. 11, 1997 the United Nations brought forth the Kyoto Protocol (named from the city in Japan where the campaign was first conceived) as a means to recognize that humans are doing things that contribute to the effects of global warming. This bill targeted 37 industrialized countries by limiting carbon emissions in the Earth's atmosphere. The US however, did not pass this bill in when it was proposed in 1997. When the bill came around again in 2001, it was again denied. There is still debate as to what the real reason for not signing the bill twice, however former president George W. Bush claimed that while global warming issues are important, but our nation’s energy shortage and economy are more important. The US is still  leading the race in the most Co2 emissions of any other country. While alterior motives are obvious in the situation, if this isn't a prime example of negligence then I don't know what is. This is why I chose to use the Kyoto protocol as a vessel in order to make this monument take flight since using the term "global warming" has lost any emotion response at this point.

The physical representation of my monument uses many different elements; The act of negligence slowly melting our planet and the effects that Global warming has on our bodies.  This monument will be abstracted human forms slowly and silently burning. The forms will be made of human fat so it as if they are not only forms but human candles that slowly melt away. The forms will also be floating to give the impression of ghosts. It will be as if this event (global warming) has already happened and we did nothing to stop it so now we are haunted by our past. I chose to put this monument in Buena Vista park in front of the main fountain. This park is a very transition place for many people to relax and enjoy the sun after or in between busy work shifts. It is a place to forget about the real world and soak up the suns rays. The perfect place to reflect on how we use our down time. Also the contrast between the fiery forms against a  flowing waterfall will give the impression that the solution is so close, yet none of the forms are willing to move into the cooling water. Furthermore, if this flaming sculpture was in the middle of a fountain, it would be much less accessible, eliminating the temptation to play with fire.  The method in which I would use to make these forms burn for centuries as well as float is what makes this monument improbable, and although I still haven't figured out the logistics of how to make something burn and then rejuvenate itself, through the use of a strong enough magnet, there would be potential to make these forms float. These magnets would have to be electrically charged in order to ensure that they could hold up the forms with atleast three feet between them and the water, which would mean more money to power the monument, however, after construction and maintenance, it seems as though this project would be pretty expensive anyways.  My main goal for this monument is to capture the silence found in both monuments as well as the silence of neglect in a way that triggers an emotion response from a issue that seems to have lost relevance in our daily lives.

monument proposal: The invention of sunscreen

mon·u·ment  (mny-mnt)

n.

1. A structure, such as a building or sculpture, erected as a memorial.

2. An inscribed marker placed at a grave; a tombstone.

3. Something venerated for its enduring historic significance or association with a notable past person or thing: the architectural monuments of ancient Rome; traditions that are monuments to an earlier era.

When I think of the word "monument" a certain stillness is brought to mind. Although monuments are usually put in place to commemorate an action, an idea, or an event, monuments carry with them a silence that seems to cut through the motions of everyday life. They remind us that, although we might get caught up with the day-to-day 9-to-5, these bronze sculptures, sky scrapers, or tombstones never forget as long as they are still standing. There is something poignant in the psychical manifestation of the act of forgetting. like tombstones, monuments signify death. However monuments are put in place to represent not only the death of a person, but the death of an idea or an even so that these memories can resonate long after they are printed in the history books and put away in the dusty shelves. In a way, monuments bring history into a public place almost as if it is warning us not to forget. Yet so often do we find ourselves so absorbed by our busy lives that we walk away from the boiling pot only to find, hours later, that the water is gone, the pot is ruined and the teabag sitting in the cup as a monument to how you will never have that tea. I am fascinated by they way humans are so easily distracted or even choose to ignore bigger encompassing problems until it is too late. Much of the time it seems as though a monument speaks volumes through a solid bronze mouth warning, ' its too late now, but you better not let this happen again.'

For my proposal, I would like to take a problem that the human race is currently facing and create a monument to it as if it had already happened. I think this will be much more affective because it will give us the opportunity to recognize the problem as it is happening so that we will never have to see this 'future monument' in years to come. I have playing around with many global issues to represent yet I am afraid that the bigger encompassing issues will loose all meaning because they have been thrown around so much that they loose emotional value. However in order to avoid this, I will make the idea vague so that the onlooker can create deductions. This is why I have chosen to take on the problem of the ozone layer in a monument to Sunscreen. Also I've been inspired by America's infatuation with bronze skin and the affects of continual sun exposure on the body in order to become attractive. These pictures have given me a lot to work with:

For my monument I would like to create a sculpture of a a melting sun bather with this resemblance. This sculpture would sit on a platform with a plaque that would give the directions on how to apply sunscreen. I would make the sculpture from paper mache and then cover it in latex paint to give it a fleshy quality. i would then cover her in bee's wax so that when set in the sun, it would give the appearance that she is melting. here are some preliminary sketches: 

Illustrator project I: "peanut Butter and Culture Jam

Responce: mark Dery "culture Jamming"

 
Having grown up in America during the technology boom, culture jamming has had a large impact on the way I see the media today. Although in the article "Culture Jamming" Dery makes it very clear that the media is calling the shots as far as what we buy, what music we like, and which type of cola to drink, I can't help but feel that since I have been around the media so long, I am getting use to their tricks. I know this is hard to say since the media has become as ubiquitous as God, but it seems as though culture jamming along with many warnings from the Internet, friends, family members, and college professors have helped me to take whatever I gather from the media with a grain of salt. This may However, have something to do with the fact that I live in San Francisco, the city where you can find Adbusters magazine in grocery stores and where culture jamming has made its way off the streets and into fine arts gallery space. Like most young adults who have grown up with a cell phone in their hand, it would be hard to imagine life without an electronic umbilical chord connecting me to my computer, yet due to this constant exposure, it has become easy for me to see how maniacal the media has become. I feel that the problem doesn't lie with our ability to recognize when we are being manipulated, its how to get the population off their couch and become more motivated and demanding. However, until the America can come to an agreement on what we want from out leaders and our news source, there will be no revolution where people stop buying useless items and start throwing their televisions into the tire fire.

Culture Jammin

I saw this image in Reno as I stepped out of the theater after watching The Dark Knight. After being affected by the movie, thoughts of Heath ledgers death and the up and coming elections, this image stirred up a lot of confusion. Although I was never able to make full sense of the poster since the joker isn't exactly known for his socialist ideals, the timing of this poster could not have been better. Although I don't necessarily agree with the image, I think that using the hype from an extremely popular movie to create anti-Obama propaganda was genius.

LUDO street art
  LUDO is a Paris based artist who uses real advertisements and then creates art over them to create a narrative which hits consumerism and nature head on. I like how he incorporates the brand names from the advertisements underneath the artwork. It makes it seem as though these companies are sponsoring anti-capitalistic commentary.

signs

  A 'sign' can mean many things. From a stop light to a facial expression or gesture, it is impossible to be devoid of signs in any culture. signs tell us when to go, when to stop, what to buy, and how we interacted with certain people. However, when I think of the word 'sign' I immediately think of advertisements. So much of what we perceive as basic ads are actually complex signs designed to get some sort of reaction, whether it be to buy a certain label or donate to a worthy foundation. They might be subtle, but they are still signs. When most people see a red hexagon, stop is their first reaction. This same method is used in advertisements but in a way that might be a little harder to notice at first. Beautiful women in designer clothes signs success, beauty, and sex appeal if you obey their rules. This is why it is important to understand all signs and how they can affect you on a very personal level.

Indeterminant art

Indeterminant art

Instructions:
1) buy a disposable camera
2) From 11am to 8pm locate the horizon (or where buildings, trees, etc meet sky) and take a picture every hour on the hour no matter where you are or what you are doing.

3) develop your 10 photos
4) attach you pictures together in order (from 11am to 8pm) by the horizon line so that there is one continuous thread connecting the pictures