Reflecting on the Blog

In looking back on this semester's work on this blog, I'm wondering if I got through all the ideas and questions that I had when I first came in. And I don't believe I did, but I'm not sure if it was necessarily detrimental to the blog as a whole - especially because I ended up discussing more of other ideas that came up as I explored the topic.

I had intended to talk a lot more about Adobe products and how they have infiltrated the art world and seemingly, changed the face of art today. Honestly, I feel as if I exhausted the topic at one point and decided to move on, because I didn't want to repeat myself anymore. However, in the process of doing my research, I realized I felt that since I was thrown into an intro to computer graphics class, as well as working on this blog, that I forgot about the importance of the fine arts. When I did the interview with one of my friends, I think she reminded me how, though graphics and fine arts are interconnected in some ways, they are still two different disciplines.

Moving away from graphics though, there are still so many other ways that technology is brought into the art world. Sometimes technology is the inspiration (or the changing of society as a result, like Andy Warhol's works). Sometimes it was the use of photography or videography, like Shirin Neshat's work as well as Juan Rojo's - the two artist spotlights I did. Sometimes it came into play in installations or other kinds of videos, such as the light installation in the National Gallery of Art, or the stop-motion videos.

I think what I ended up covering, in my opinion, was more interesting and more relevant to the topics, rather than stagnantly discussing Adobe and its effects on the graphic design world. I'm glad that I moved the discussion towards all kinds of art. It wasn't only meant to be educational for the readers - I learned a lot as well. As I mentioned before, it changed my view of what I believed was the predominance of graphics over traditional arts. Just because graphics has made "art" become prevalent around us (even subtly so), doesn't mean that traditional arts are now null and void. There is still a place for them.

And let's sure hope so because that's what I truly want to do for the rest of my life. On that note, I think that this blog has actually helped to alleviate my fears about not having a place for the kind of art that I do - instead of making me more nerve-wracked. I used to feel very pressured to learn graphics - and to make myself enjoy it. But the more I went through this blog and learned about how I can still synthesize technology some ways into the art that I truly enjoy, then I won't need to feel pressured anymore. I know I'm not a designer. My mind doesn't think that way, and I can't force myself to think in that light. However, I am open to learning different types of art. Specifically, I'm really curious to learn more about photography. And I think I was hindered by trying to depict my subject matter when we did a photography assignment for the blog - because I just didn't feel like I was able to express it well enough, or even abstractly. So we'll see where that next journey will take me.

With that, I want to discuss some of my favorite discussions on this here blog that I posted. Honestly, the spotlights were fun for me to do, as well as allowing me to learn more about certain artists and different kinds of techniques. Firstly, I really enjoyed watching all the stop-motion videos - and if you ever get a chance, go to YouTube and just search "stop motion" and you will get thousands of results. They really are phenomenal. And in discussing Shirin Neshat, I became an even bigger fan of her. Being Persian and a woman, her work really struck me from the beginning. Her strength to express herself, even in a society that tries to diminish freedom of expression for everyone, but even unimaginably so for the women, is truly inspiring. And what's amazing is that her work becomes a voice for others who are too scared or are unable to speak out. This is the true meaning of art. You are a voice for what you may not be able to put into words - and you can become a voice for others. No matter what media of art you look at, this is the common thread throughout it.

With that, I want to say thank you for reading! I hope you learned as much as I did in the process.

Also, if you are in the DC-area this Friday, there is a great opportunity to see Shirin Neshat's film "Women Without Men" AND hear her speak beforehand -

The Iranian-American Youth (IAY) is pleased to bring you the premiere of
Shirin Neshat's highly-anticipated film, "WOMEN WITHOUT MEN", to Washington, DC!

Please join the Iranian-American Youth on opening night, along with special guests:
- Shirin Neshat , Director
- Arita Shahrzad , Starring Actress

"WOMEN WITHOUT MEN"
Friday, April 30, 2010 - 7:00PM
Bethesda Row Cinemas
7235 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, Maryland

Discussion of Art in Education - Round 2

So this is just a quick post, while I'm in a computer lab, working on a FinalCut project. I think it's so important to have these labs around - because otherwise, a class like my computer graphics class, would not have the ability to continue. I'm working a project with a program called FinalCut, and for the project, we have to take still images or illustrations (from Photoshop or Illustrator) and create a three minute animation. Don't know if you anyone reading this has any idea how much time it takes to create a three minute movie from still images - but trust me on this one, it takes a long time, even after getting used to the very-fickle program.

Obviously the computers in my classroom for computer graphics, come equipped with all these Adobe programs and FinalCut (as well as others that we may need to use), but in order to work on all of our projects out of class, we either need to have the funds to shell out possibly thousands of dollars for a full Adobe Suite or we need access to labs like the one I'm sitting in now.

PostSecret

Have you ever had a secret that you wanted to scream from the rooftops, but you just didn’t want anyone to know it was your secret? I bet. I know I have. Especially when it’s a deep-seeded secret – something that’s been fermenting all your life. It’s something you’ve felt (or hadn’t felt), something you experienced (or hadn’t experienced).

Well, art can be that escape for some people.

And maybe this post is loose interpretation of what art is. But for me, I always describe my artwork as my escape. It’s the moment I disconnect from the world. And it’s weird to say that technology – something that keeps us so interconnected at every second of the day – can still help us escape from everything.

PostSecret is a blog on Blogger (that’s this site!), which allows people to send in anonymous postcards announcing their secrets. It was created by Frank Warren, and based in Germantown, MD. This explanation of the secrets, though from Wikipedia, is extremely accurate: “Entries range from admissions of sexual misconduct and criminal activity to confessions of secret desires, embarrassing habits, hopes and dreams.” The blog is updated every Sunday (with no archives, mind you), and posts about twenty postcards each week.

Some post cards are handwritten, some are collaged, some are typed. Each one is as unique as the person who created it – and yet, it remains anonymous. There is something about the freedom of this site that encourages acceptance. I love the message this site sends, even though some people have some very shameful secrets. I love that so many people become interested and vested in someone’s life that they have never met – and will never know if they meet them.

PostSecret was even the inspiration behind the All-American Rejects music video “Dirty Little Secret” in which it features people holding their secrets on written cards.

So though these are “amateur” artists – and mostly done by hand (not through graphics or that sort), it’s important to note that technology is what brings this community together and what allows an idea like this to flourish. It’s an anonymous community. And even though I’ve never sent in a secret myself, I find it so intriguing to learn about these people who I may never know. This, to me, is such an interesting combination of the ideals of art (as an escape) and of technology (as a way to connect people). Who would have thought that these two ideas could even be brought together?

You can follow PostSecret on Blogger, Twitter, and Facebook! Do check it out every Sunday – I promise you’ll be intrigued.

Artistic Gaming

So we were asked this week to think about how we would create a game that helped to educate about our topic. Well it might be easy to create a game about monsters or war or racing...but about art? Yeah. I thought the same thing.

Then I started thinking - this can't be like a normal game. You have to think creatively about this, especially when it comes to art. Well, I'm not a game developer, but essentially what I've thought of is a console that teaches you how to make your own game. You would have to go through the steps of creating a storyline, creating your characters, the design, etc. This way you will be able to apply graphics and art to gaming.

What do you think?? How would you create a game that taught about art?

Artist Spotlight: Juan Rojo

Hey everyone!

In our discussion and collection of multimedia technology and its uses in the arts, I've already brought to your attention the ideas of Stop-Motion, installations (specifically with the use of light), and how photography and video are used as well, as seen in Shirin Neshat's work.

While continuing this discussion, I'd like to bring your attention to an artist that I know and whose work I admire - Juan Rojo. In my freshman year here at the University of Maryland, Juan was my TA for both my Drawing I class, as well as my Introduction to 2-D Design class. I've seen his work up and around the art building on campus and in the graduate studios and he really has a point of view that is intriguing.

He describes his process in his own words:

My work blends painting, video and digital printing. My artistic production is now divided between film production and graphic-painting work. For my painting work I use video as my main source material from where I extract the images that I incorporate into the paintings by printing and transfer techniques. The videos depict simple processes or actions, such as eating, hugging, or applying make-up. These actions are deeply interiorized and they recreate “true” moments of intimacy by capturing the natural way in which the body communicates. The emphasis is on the actions per se, the importance of the time spent performing them, and the associations that the actions carry are mainly related to emotional and cultural identity.

This amalgamation of techniques, I believe, directly exemplifies how art has changed today. The fact that we, as artists, have the ability to use video, to use photography, to print in different ways, while still incorporating traditional media such as acrylic paints - and then to edit and perfect them to send out our message...that's an important thing to notice about today's art world. Note Rojo's paintings here - notice how they all have a feel of something antiqued, something altered and aged. While, at the same time, you can recognize that the portraits are stills out of video. Some paintings, such as this one, are significantly altered so that the underlying image is almost completely hidden. While others, like this one (which just happens to be of my Drawing I professor!), preserve the digitally printed still of Professor Lapinski.

Now, it's time to discuss some of his videos, which are found here.

I think the following video, named "Farewell" is a fantastic example of his work and aesthetic.

New editing of "Farewell" presented to Click&rec10, National Contest of Video-art PHotoEspaña from Juan Rojo on Vimeo.

It's a slow-motion two-minute long video of two women hugging several different times, at different angles. This exemplifies Rojo's personal description of his work - "the emphasis is on the action...and the time spent performing them." Notice how the fact that the video is slowed to almost a crawl - this captures your attention as the viewer. It makes you pay attention as if you were able to capture every individual frame - which you are, at this point. And the fact that he then takes the stills, and paints them, again emphasizes the importance of every movement - every action.

Rojo's work is a perfect example of the fusion and synthesis of traditional and modern media in the arts today.

Installations

Technology can be applied to many aspects of art - photography, film, printmaking, commentary on society, digital design, etc. We've talked about a lot of these. Printmaking is the closest we've gotten to actually talking about the technologies that allow us as artists to make the things we want to make - such as cameras for photography, saws for woodworking, and casting for sculptures. Many sculptures are installations, which are works of art that are temporal. They tend to be site-specific and change depending on where they are placed. You can find more information here.

Not too long ago, I visited the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. If you've never been there, definitely take the time to do so. It's an amazing museum, which houses brilliant permanent and non-permanent exhibitions and collections. But, if you have been there recently, you may know that to get from the East Building to the West Building (or vice-versa), you can either walk outside the buildings, or take an underground tunnel. But of course, being in a prestigious gallery, the art never ceases to exist around you. If you click here, you will see what the tunnel looks like. That's Multiverse, by Leo Villareal.

Interested in seeing how this installation works? No fear:

Photos, Tutorial, and Thoughts

Hey everyone!

So, as you can see I've put up a slideshow of some photos. Some things you should know - the first five are pictures that I've taken myself, that I believe represent and depict technology in art. The following two are old photos I've taken and edited in Picnik - which I talked about in a post, not too long ago. I just wanted to provide some examples of what the site is capable of doing. As you can see, it allows you to add text, as well as edit the photos to add effects. You can also add picture "stamps." Lastly, I've added two digital images of works I've done in Adobe Photoshop. They are unfinished pieces, but as background: the first is a rubiks cube, with an applied texture of a flip flop. While the second is my own drawing, edited in with pictures of nature - like twigs, leaves, and bushes.

This is the perfect segway into a tutorial I found on YouTube for Photoshop. Many people are self-taught in the Adobe products, and I wouldn't be surprised if these tutorials (and just plain messing around with the programs) are the ways that people become efficient with the programs. So here's the tutorial:

If you look up on YouTube "Photoshop CS3 tutorial" (or CS4), you will see that there are specified tutorials for almost anything you could want to do in Photoshop, as well as in any other Adobe program.

More multimedia info will be coming soon!