The Avalanches - Frontier Psychiatrist

I loved this song about 6 years ago, and it recently just came up on my playlist so I thought I'd check the video out. Awesome. Watch the lady playing the drums, she is such a contrast to the song and that makes it great!

Polygon Mona Lisa

So I ran into this website pretty randomly. Now keep in mind, I have NO knowledge of programing at all so for all I know this could be made up completely. Whether this is real or not it still brings up some interesting thoughts. The idea that a work of art of that prestige could be created by a computer with a few lines of code is bizarre. Obviously it lacks something that only a human touch could give it, but interesting nonetheless.

Green Screen A La Carte

Here is the Green Screen video I was working on that Ben was talking about last night in class. It certainly isn't polished. I just really wanted to see what could have been, had our project not been canceled. There was something really appealing to me about a huge screen projecting in the dark, so I tried to make it happen......



I'm also pretty excited that You Tube adopted the new wide screen format!

I hope everyone has a great holiday.

Katie

Dogma 95

The Vow of Chastity

"I swear to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by DOGME 95:

1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).
2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot).
3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. (The film must not take place where the camera is standing; shooting must take place where the film takes place).
4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera).
5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.
6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)
7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now.)
8. Genre movies are not acceptable.
9. The film format must be Academy 35 mm.
10. The director must not be credited.
Furthermore I swear as a director to refrain from personal taste! I am no longer an artist. I swear to refrain from creating a "work", as I regard the instant as more important than the whole. My supreme goal is to force the truth out of my characters and settings. I swear to do so by all the means available and at the cost of any good taste and any aesthetic considerations.
Thus I make my VOW OF CHASTITY."
Copenhagen, Monday 13 March 1995

On behalf of DOGME 95

Lars von Trier & Thomas Vinterberg



This was an attempt of the 90s to take the bourgeois out of film. During filming my movie I was reminded of this movement. It didn't last long but I think the effects are far reaching. There are Dogma 95 movies out there. I don't think they all follow all of the rules, but it seems like the idea is the main thing. Do you think this movement makes sense? I definitely did not follow the rules, and didn't plan to. I think it seems like an interesting project though.

a Britney Smorgasborg (w/ a l'il amy winehouse too

Had to post these varied versions of Britney with a couple parodies and also a sims verion. Piece of Me is a great song IMO. And Circus will catch on fast....the video is mediocre for what could be done with that kind of budget, but it still hits a lot of good notes. These high powered Britney Ballads for the new millenium def belong on culturelovesus forever.

Underwater Sculptures

I cant read any of the text. I wish I could. sad.
http://scaphinfo.free.fr/photo/jason_taylor.html

Domestic

I don't even know what to say about this news story. My friend sent it to me and it's really late as I'm posting this, so it might not actually be that funny. I laughed for a few minutes straight.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081205/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cheeseburger_assault

Creased Comics

Centro Claus

Check out this commercial for the Sprint Centro PDA device. It's an interesting strategy that makes the Santa icon we all know into a more sexually ambiguous (i.e. "centro") figure.

Don't Shoot The Puppy

http://www.addictinggames.com/dontshootthepuppy.html

this is a weird game... it reminds me of a lot of the art we have been talking about.

Mumbai

I found an article about the hostage situation in Mumbai, India this weekend. Apparently social networking sites and blogs were used by some of the hostages in the hotel, and that blood donations were solicited by users of Twitter (a social networking site) for specific hospitals who were running low on supplies in the aftermath.

"Mumbai is not a city under attack as much as it is a social media experiment in action."

the above quote sums it up pretty well, i guess this counterbalences the webcam suicide story, even if alot of the posts during the situation contained misinformation and outlandish rumors.

The internet can be a vehicle for compassion as well as a cesspool of indifference and cruelty depending on what people choose to use it for.

I couldn't not post this...

This is a mash-up of a Nick Jr. cake video and a Lil' John jam. The video is incredible, and the juxtaposition is hilarious. NSFW? I'll let you be the judge.

Graffiti

i think this app on facebook is really cool. It is fun to make, not only cool pictures, but also animations. It reminds me of that Kentridge guy from Africa.

Mystery Piano in woods

matt made a post about this already but i didn't see it before i made one. oops. scroll down to his to check it out, if you haven't already.

The Red Balloon (1956)

Written and Directed by: Albert Lamorisse
Starring: Pascal Lamorisse (his son)

This is a short film (34 min.) about a boy who sort of befriends a Red Balloon. Other people try to catch the balloon and hurt it. I think it is a political allegory but I'm not sure exactly what it all means yet. It is very fun to watch aside from the metaphors. It is beautiful and clever and very interesting to think about in terms of reality vs. filmed reality and how to make and think about special effects. It seems like the kind of film/video someone might make for this assignment.

Elliot Smith's "Son of Sam" and Damion Rice's "9 Crimes" videos were based on this film... and probably lots of other stuff too. haha.

Lava Sculpture and EEOOY

So I have two things for you guys tonight. One is just plain awesome, the other is really weird.

So for awesome I give you sculpting with lava right out of a volcano!





And now we have something called EEOOY or "Each and Every One Of You"

At first I thought it was a joke, but it seems to be a television program (a little dated by the looks of their hardware) based around making contemporary installation art. This is called the "weirdness installation" episode. I guess this was a cult classic in Canada and Spain. It was designed to poke fun at the television artist showing you how to draw silly landscapes. It is split into two different segments, stay tuned to both halves if you can make it.

The Police Always Ruin Everything

So, a woman walking through the woods comes across a piano. A piano right in the middle of the woods. A piano in perfectly good shape, very playable, and in tune. Then for some reason the cops got involved; now the piano sits in a storage unit. Give it up for the boys in blue!

Here's the whole story.

Burger King ad campaign

So I saw this on another website a few days ago and didn't have time to post it then.

A marketing student, who is about to graduate, set up a very interesting campaign for Burger King in Florida. Here is the page that I found, it has much more info and pics. But to sum it up, people walk around Orlando and "accidentally" drop their wallet. When someone pics it up and tries to give it back to them they say something along the lines of "Keep it, it's on the King". (The King being their mascot right now, I am sure you all have seen him super creepy). Inside is a bunch of Burger King money and other random joke items.

While I have not eaten at a Burger King in the past two years, and this does not make me want to, I still think it is a pretty effective ad campaign that could transform into an interesting performance piece with some tweaking.

Brini Maxwell Pt. II

Dear Jenn,

Thank you for posting about Brini Maxwell on http://culturelovesus.blogspot.com/.

Brini has a fabulous line of products for the home, Felix Populi. It is available at select stores in the US and the entire line can be found at www.felixpopuli.com. They are currently having a sale, so it’s a great time to do some chic holiday shopping.



Best,

Jennifer



Jennifer Lea Cohan jennifer@savorypr.com 917.549.7574

felixpopuli.com brinimaxwell.com daisymartinez.com

bodegapartyinabox.org naturallynora.com

jim victor

Fielding's post about the bubble gum sculptures prompted me to do a search on food and art. This guy does some pretty cool stuff, mostly with butter, chocolate, and cheese.

http://www.jimvictor.com/AssetsFood/foodsculpture.html

SF ARTIST WANTS TO REPLACE LOST EYE WITH WEBCAM

Cool! A thrilling idea to me. This artist is definitely Killin' It in IMO.

San Francisco artist Tanya Vlach in a photo posted on her Friendster page with the caption 'I can't see you (this eye is plastic, seriously!).'

Steve Austin, the "Six Million Dollar Man" of '70s TV fame, had a bionic eye. Now a San Francisco woman wants one too.

Tanya Vlach, a self-described trans-disciplinary artist involved in the Bay Area theater and dance scenes, lost her left eye in a 2005 car crash.

She now wears a plastic prosthesis, but would rather have something more useful — a Webcam of the sort often seen atop computer monitors.

"There have been all sorts of cyborgs in science fiction for a long time, and I'm sort of a sci-fi geek," Vlach tells the New York Daily News in a story published Monday. "With the advancement of technology, I thought, 'Why not?'"..............

Read the rest of the story here http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,453990,00.html

Thomas Kinkade's 16 Guidelines For Making Stuff Suck

Actually, I think Thomas Kinkade is a fascinating artist because so many people think he sets the bar for terrible artwork, yet he continues to make billions (yes, billions, not millions) from his namebrand enterprise. This piece from Vanity Fair discusses his aesthetic requests for a recent movie - Christmas Cottage - based on his world view, which went straight to video. Contrary to what people tend to assume, I think Kinkade is a seriously strange man whose work in fact deserves some real criticism and not merely high-minded dismissals. He understands and has tapped into "the nesting instinct" in a very deep way. Also, he signs all his original work with an ink that contains an injection of his own DNA. Check the article. By the title you can see it's judgmental, but it does contain some interesting facts and things to think about.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/culture/2008/11/14/thomas-kincades-16-guidelines-for-making-stuff-suck.html

gum art

check this out.
http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gallery-chewing-gum-sculptures-more-confectionary-as-art1

this is gum made into art works.

Brini Maxwell

I love this show. I saw it one night on Style Network a few years ago and couldn't remember the name. My boyfriend got the DVD for my birthday. Brini give tips about living, such as recipes, decorating advice, and adequate hints. She reminds me of Sandra Lee on Food Network... but maybe a little more feminine.

sweet

check out these great vids by SCAD alumni...

scadshorts.com

Corporate Flag

I got one of these in the mail...

http://www.adbusters.org/cultureshop/corporateFlag

what should I do with it?

Garbage Bag

This is a film that my cousin made. He's been at it in one way or another since he was in middle school, and it's been really cool to see his videos get better and better. I think that this is better than some of the crap we see on SNL right now.

a part of a zine

juicy jacapo
& muskrat

The Evolution of insanity

I found a really interesting article on the Time Magazine website talking about a recent study that shows a connection between current events in the past 100 years and the delusions of the mentally ill. its pretty bizarre that the nature of insane people's paranoid delusions change over time.

"Today's schizophrenic may believe that terrorists are beaming radio transmissions into his brain; 50 years ago, however, Communists were the culprits. And a century ago, before radio was invented, it might have been a simple case of "hearing voices." In a paper published last spring, three Slovenian psychiatrists examined the ways in which insanity has historically manifested itself, and whether "crazy" has always been the same."


http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1857325,00.html

Now starring....sexual predators!

www.hollabacknyc.com

We discussed this site last week in my gender communication class and I think it is just the most bizarre thing in the world. Basically the site just invites women to take a picture of men who sexually harass them on the street and post it on this website. I guess it's supposed to be empowering and shaming to the guys who do it, but if you look at the pictures, most of the guys are smiling like they're proud to be up here. Now doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose?

I found this gem under the heading,"Thanking for making me feel unsafe in my hometown, assclown." (Assclown? Is that a word?)

aniboom!

suggestion:

go to aniboom.com

click create

click launch shapeshifter

have fun!

Spitzer Space Telescope

I guess this is a shameless plug for my friend Dan MacDonald... but I actually think he makes great art. He is the sole member of the band Spitzer Space Telescope and he is a Fine Arts major at Boston University... and I think he paints portraits on commission. His music is high energy, rock, folk, magic. I would love to use his music in a film/video some time. very narrative, very visual, very timed and timeless at the same time. At www.myspace.com/spitzerspacetelescope you can watch a 1/2 hour special from a local TV station in boston. I included a video that he posted on youtube but there are better ones out there. this has a good one: http://www.bu.edu/today/arts-entertainment/2008/11/06/rock-n-roll if you like him you can be friends on facebook or myspace.


what do you guys think? So many influences, both musical and not. Stories, movies, music, history, mythology, politics... love, life...
I think his music could lend itself to interesting projects.

Garfield minus Garfield

I've come across a site dedicated to removing Garfield from the "Garfield" comic strip. We find Jon alone, providing some really poignant moments. "Garfield" becomes the comic strip for existentialists. Here's the site.

Watch This. AMAZING.

This is an amazing video.
I believe it is real, though I could imagine someone taping some wires to their face trying to fake this. I don't think a person can twitch their muscles this quickly though without some actual electricity. Very cool piece.

iREPORT

I'm interested in putting up some of our information on this branch of CNN. it coudl get our work some real attention. I think the Ebay auction and even Action A La Carte could be news worthy to this site.

http://www.cnn.com/ireport/

Actions

1. Toe tickling
2. Ear licking
3. Kiss on the cheek
4. Kiss on the lips
5. Wink
6. Put makeup on face
7. Nose Honk
8. Close eating
9. Close staring
10. Milkshake mustache
11. Noogie
12. 9 volt battery on tongue
13. Lick and blow (nose)
14. Insult
15. Yell in ear
16. Ear flick
17. Wet willy
18. Double Wet Willy
19. Breath smell really close
20. Eskimo kiss
21. Marble up nose
22. Confess love
23. Pinch (cheek, anywhere)
24. Smile contest
25. Sing a song
26. Rock, paper, scissors
27. Thumb Wrestle
28. Switch Spots
29. Hug
30. Hold Hands
31. Cheek to cheek slow dance
32. Butterflykiss

we could also post some ideas on here and get feedback on them.

Its time for some campaigning!

I know this election stuff is wearing thin by now (luckily we only have a few more days to deal with it) but my mom sent me this video and it is amazing. It's pretty cool (and hilarious) I wonder if they used after effects for the animation.

http://www.peteyandpetunia.com:80/VoteHere/VoteHere.htm

culturelovesus.blogpsot.com

i typed in the address wrong and got a weird bible site. are they trying to use our immense popularity?

culturelovesus.blogpsot.com
Incredible Testimony
The Bible is True
THE BIGGEST SKEPTIC IN THE WORLD: IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME

To the best of my memory, before I came to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, I did not believe the Bible was true. I doubted whether God, Satan, heaven, or hell even existed. I believed that we were born, lived so many years, and then died. I had my own business and thought that I had succeeded by my own wits...?

50 people see...

50 people see the Eiffel Tower

http://flickr.com/photos/brevity/sets/164195/

this guy averages 50 photos in flickr with the same tag.

i know this is off subject, but...

Alright, is everyone registered to vote?
i don't know if everyone is aware of what's going to be on the ballot...

Dirty Work Robot

I have to say, this is pretty intense. I guess this life like robot created by the government is supposed to start replacing manual labor? It's neat to just watch it, but the best part is when the guy just kicks it and it slides across the ice. I felt bad for it....but should you "feel" for a machine?

Yes We Can

Financial Crisis effects World of "High" Art

CNN news video piece on how the financial crisis has effected the world of art buying and selling. I think this is probably actually a good side effect of the crisis, at least in terms of bringing more interesting and effective works into the market.


http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2008/10/27/shubert.uk.art.freeze.cnn

Unusual Hotels...

The pictures that Fielding posted reminded me of an article I read once on unusual hotels. I don't know if you've ever looked into it, but there are some WIERD places to stay out there. Most of them are extremely expensive but they still look really cool. I wonder what it is that attracts people to places like this? Is it just a fasinaction with the wierd and unusual? A desire for new experiences? Why were places like this buildt in the first in the first place? Are they anything more than tourist traps?

The first two are from a hotel that is underground in a cave; the next two come from ice hotels and the third one is from an underwater resort on the ocean floor.

No Girls allowed.

so what do you think?
is this Art?
or is this just a Tree House?
what do you think?

Coming Apart (1969)

The video we watched in class (black and white couple spies) reminded me of this movie. I have only seen part of it but it is this guy who records all of his sexual encounters... its kind of dirty, but really interesting. It stars Rip Torn. I wish Youtube had something but it doesn't... here is a link to an article about the movie.
http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F06EFD71031E73BBC4F51DFB6678382679EDE

NEW SHOW at KAYA COFFEE

"'Charlie Rose' by Samuel Beckett"

Check out this brilliant piece of video manipulation somebody made from the Charlie Rose show. This is something that can be appreciated whether or not you are a fan of Samuel Beckett or Charlie Rose. Watch and enjoy.

Ref gives QB a Shot

Check out this clip of a referee putting a hit (accidental?) on a running quarterback. Not the way things normally go!

Nick Arcade!

Do you guys remember the show Nick Arcade, where kids got to "go" into the video game? Here is a clip I found on youtube. I think they just used a green screen and some props and had the kids look into a monitor. Obviously this kid was having trouble with the concept. This is a cool idea for the green screen project

Mail Order Wife (2004)

I caught this movie late at night on some premium cable channel at my friend's house over a year ago and it has been on my mind ever since. It really fits with the candid project. It is a movie that some might call a "mockumentary" but some argue that its not funny and therefore should be called a "fakeumentary" but you get the point. A film maker wants to document the realtionship between a NYC doorman and his Asian mail order bride. The doorman turns out to be kind of evil, the documentarian gets more involved with the bride than he should... and it has some humor, some very dark humor. The skope of the documentary widens far beyond the original intent of the film maker and toward the end the story gets a little out of hand, but the first 3/4 of the movie is actually very convincing. It has fooled many people. I was unsure from the begining, always asking myself "is this real? no it can't be, can it?" I think it is easy to make a boring video and pass it off as real... people doing realistic things that might as well be candid... but to pass of the rediculous stuff that happens in this movie as real takes hard work. i really recomend it. i included a clip from youtube that someone must have taped off of his TV... so it is a weird quality. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VgQMUhVOV0

Jenn's Candid

I worked hard to get this done by today (since I've been putting it off for so long) so I'd like to get it out there for you guys to see.

Robotic Fishy?

I found this clip on youtube completely by accident but I still thought it was pretty cool. It made me think about that video we watched a while ago on robotics. I can't say that I see an actual purpose for a robotic fish, but it's gorgeous and fascinating to watch, especially when it is swimming. It moves just like a real fish.

bizarre green screen video...kinda funny

Speaking of commencement speeches and art...

Los Pixadores

*Pixadores. - A youngster, generally from an underprivileged social background, frequently living under precarious conditions in the outskirts of the city. A pixador uses pixação a form of protest, but at the same time, as a way of expressing his esthetic impulse.

Recently, a group of pixadores (basically graffiti artists) stormed a gallery in Brazil to decry the "marketing, institutionalization and domestication of Street Art" by the galleries and media.

Damn straight, viva la revolution.

First day of my life

I feel that this is more than a regular MTV music video. This a good work of art, seeing a lot of these people open up to the camera was a very moving thing to see. What do you guys think? Trashy MTV work? Of work of art?

Homecoming Weekend!

So for those of you who absolutely LOVED my narrative because of how much you enjoy the sound of my voice (Hahah)you're in luck. This Saturday (homecoming saturday, yayyy!) I'll be doing the annual alumni takeover show on WMHW with my Dad and my brother. That's two whole hours of Boscarino madness folks!

So if any of you are tailgating, or just in the vicinity of a radio, feel free to check it out. It's always good for some laughs.

Warning: My Dad and I tend to be pretty uncensored ;)

Stan Brackage

I mentioned this guy a while back as making a film that someone could look at formally quite easily (even if it is very conceptual). And since no one was assigned to him, I decided this was a good place for him. He actually attached the bug and plant matter to the physical film to make this. He also painted directly on to the film to create the title screen. This film is called "Moth Light" from 1963. He did a lot of different kinds of films but I like this one most of what I have seen. Film is interesting to me. He uses film here in its most film like way. A lot of films could have easily been made with video (yes there are differences, of course) and it would not have changed the works conceptually. This work is completely rooted in the fact that it is film. I think it would be really interesting to look at the film itself, not running through a machine. This also seems like it could be a really cool type of project to make. I really enjoy meticulous art projects. I just don't find the time to make them for classes. Too many deadlines. I think it could be a fun collaborative project. Maybe when I'm a teacher I'll look into that.

Jan Svankmajer

This film is called "Meat Love" (1989).

I have been meaning to post about this animator for a while and after stumbling across this film, right after the eating contest post, I figured now was a good time. I was first introduced to this film maker through the film "Alice" (1988). "Alice" is a surreal and very creepy adaptation of Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" that, like all of the works I've seen by him, mixes live action with stop motion. I have also seen the more recent film "Little Otik" (2000) where a couple who can't have children raise a piece of wood as a child. It is very creative stuff. It is also cool because it uses some very basic filming techniques- stop motion instead of CGI. I used to watch Frog and Toad on PBS as a kid, and Wallace and Grommet, and I guess I miss that way of animating. It was cool because they were actually real... they weren't flat drawings, they had form, like real frogs and real dogs. What do you guys think about different animation techniques? What do you think about this guy's work?

My modified narrative

Less color, more fun

Kobayashi

I'm sure a lot of you have probably seen Takeru Kobayashi, the hot dog eating champ from Japan. I was first introduced to him a few years ago on Thanksgiving during the annual "Glutton Bowl" on ESPN. I have to admit, the first time I saw him eat I was completely repulsed but I've seen so much footage of him now that I've gotten used to it. Last fall I watched a documentary that had been made on Kobayashi and I was really impressed. This guy actually trains for these competitions, like any athlete would.And there is aactually a lot that goes into training for eating competitions, in terms of building of your stamina and metabolism and all of that stuff. Now I watch these things and I still think it's disgusting but it's like an art form...one that is so grotesque and horrible to watch that you can't help watching. I wonder what it is about human nature that attracts us to the grotesque like that?

Man Gets Double Arm Transplant

This is a pretty amazing story. The world's first double arm transplant. Check it out.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081008/ap_on_he_me/eu_germany_double_arm_transplant

FACEBOOKING

Liz posted an interesting article from adbusters about Facebook.
I thought I'd share a project that one of my classes did last fall at Whitman, which we titled "Facebooking".

Here is a description of the project, and a link to watch some video documentation of the event.

http://www.benbloch.com/media_files/Facebooking/facebooking_js3.html

In this performance, students from my new genre arts class set up an 8' x 8' projection screen on the side of Penrose Library on the campus of Whitman College, where they projected a live voyeuristic websurf across parts of the popular social networking site, Facebook. Only their real-time voices could be herd over a PA system, as they were hiding around the corner in some bushes on a laptop computer using wireless. They commented casually and humorously on the pages as though they were in their dorm rooms at personal computers, except that anyone could see what they were looking at and talking about. We referred to the activity as a public Facebook sports-cast. The act of further publicizing an already public domain served as a clever and simple reminder that what is written and posted on such sites is much more public--and therefore sociologically fascinating--than users tend to assume.

SLEEVEFACE

I thought this video was awesome- really creative!

My Seven Dollar Green Screen Project

This is a video I made for motion graphics. It was pretty much the first time I've ever tried to use a green screen. It's purposely corny.

Pedal Walk with Me

Not to totally get hung up on David Byrne, but his work just appeals to me so much. I'm really into music, noise, and equipment, and he always manages to incorporate those elements. Here, he strung together hundreds of guitar effects pedals and spread them across the floor of a space, and basically forced the audience to participate by walking across them, turning pedals on and off, creating a wash of noise.

Quit Facebook

I found this article on AdBusters.org, I thought it was an interesting article because I have contemplated deleting my facebook many times because often I feel like it is a negative thing I waste my time with. But then I start to think about all the contacts  and connections I will loose with deleting it. 

I also think about Cindy Sherman's ideas about photos and the idea that pointing the camera at someone is a violent action and a form of emotional rape because you don't have the control anymore because the weapon (the camera) isn't in your hands. And people are ALWAYS posting pictures of other people that I'm sure they wouldn't want being exploited on the internet especially on such a wide used "journal" of sorts like Facebook. 

Tell me what you think. 

http://www.adbusters.org/magazine/80/quit_facebook.html

Here is a snippet from the article - 

"I became despondent. What, then, was I? If my time was spent changing my profile picture on Facebook, thinking of a clever status update for Facebook, checking my profile again to see if anyone had commented on my page, Is this what I am? A person who re-visits her own thoughts and images for hours each day? And so what do I amount to? An egotist? A voyeur?

Whatever the label, I was unhappy and feeling empty. The amount of time I spent on Facebook had pushed me into an existential crisis. It wasn’t the time-wasting, per se, that bothered me. It was the nature of the obsession – namely self-obsession. Enough was enough. I left Facebook."

speaking of archetypes...

borrowed from changingminds.org:

I. Separation / departure

The first section of the story is about the separation of the hero from the normal world. Separation has symbolic echo of infant transition away from the mother and so has a scary feel to it.

	I.1	The Call to Adventure
	I.2	Refusal of the Call Acceptance of the Call
	I.3	Supernatural Aid
	I.4	Crossing of the First Threshold
	I.5	Entering the Belly of the Whale

II. Initiation

In the main part of the story the hero is initiated into true heroic stature by various trials and rites. Through daring and battle, the true character emerges.

	II.1	Road of Trials
	II.2	The Meeting with the Goddess
	II.3	Woman as Temptress
	II.4	Atonement with the Father
	II.5	Apotheosis
	II.6	The Ultimate Boon

III. Return

After initiation the hero can cleansed and return in triumph to deserved recognition, although this in itself may not be without its trials and tribulations.

	III.1	Refusal of the Return
	III.2	Magic Flight
	III.3	Rescue From Without
	III.4	Crossing of the Return Threshold
	III.5	Master of the Two Worlds
	III.6	Freedom to Live

Why dont we all have one of these

why dont we have one of these?

The Infinite Wisdom of Picasso

I really enjoy reading about Pablo Picasso. He is definately someone that I look up to as an artist, not so much his style, but rather the way he felt about and spoke about art. I keep a list of quotes on my computer and I read them from time to time when I feel like I need inspiration. Here are a few of my favorites. I'd challenge you to really think about them. There's a lot of wisdom in these simple phrases.

"The purpose of Art is to create enthusiam."

"The chief enemy of creativity is good taste."

"The important thing is to create."

"The hidden harmony is better than the obvious."

"Art is a lie that helps us to realize the truth."

"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
(That's one my favorite, it basically sums up my entire narrative piece)

So what do you guys think of this stuff? I'd be really interested to hear your responses, especially to the first one. Do you agree of disagree?

The Cottingly Fairies

Two girls (ages 16 and 10) from England took pictures of themselves with fairies (or at least paper cuts outs or fairies), proving that fairies were real once and for all.

I find it really interesting to think about for a mechanical reproduction of something (photo, film, video, audio recording) can stand as documentation of the real thing when we often see examples of mechanical reproduction trickery. Movies use editing and special effects, Photoshop could have certainly made these fairies more realistic, and mixing boards can even make Paris Hilton have a hit single. How is a photograph different from a painting when it can be so idealizes?

Also, as our belief in mechanical reproduction wanes, i wonder what movies will have to do to keep us entertained. When Chaplin was doing stunts they were real, that was something to see... but why do we care that Harrison Ford (in his latter years) can beat the aliens when he is clearly not doing much of anything?

a poster for a art show... a very nice poster

i feel the image is a nicely designed poster,
and enjoy its overall appeal and crisp white writing

Title

here is something new...

line at flat gap

filmed in 2007 by christopher shields
in bay city during a bay City skatepark
contest, and skate jam....

a book about the hindu religion.
i adore the illustrations...check them out at gheehappy.com

111,000

look at this bike!
more and better pics here.
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2008/sept/2/EricTotten.htm#image_4

"whats up! I happened to stumble upon this on the internet, thought it was pretty sweet and that everybody might like to see it. its a gold plated bike with "600 dazzling Swarovski crystals" (whatever that's supposed to mean) and apparently sold for 111,000 dollars, this is the first of ten, I doubt this is going to be anybody's work horse, but it looks good!"

I feel this goes along with what we are talking about in class, I really like to ride my bike and if had this bike I would never ride it its worth too much money.

Fielding

Futon Fight

To further add to the discussion of art vs not art...

My former neighbors at the His House Men's House (that's the 'Jesus Dogs' place for any of you who don't know) had a little game that they liked to play called "Will it Break?" This game consisted entirely of them going up onto the roof of their third story house and dropping things to see if they would break while filming it. (Like everything. TVs, dressers, old computer monitors) Note: If you think this sounds stupid, it really wasn't as dumb as what they eventually came up with, a little called, Will it hurt? Think volleyball spikes to the head, etc, Jackass type stuff.

Two years ago during exams, they decided to destroy a couple of old futons that they had lying around. The result is a 4 part Youtube video. Here are parts one and two. Is this art?

Weird Statues

I found this website that contains a collection of the world's strangest statues. Here's the link and a little sample.

http://www.toroller.com/2008/01/03/amazing-weired-statues-manuments-sculptures-of-the-world/

Performance Art?

Is this just shock value?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIJtKxdRQzY

back tail

Belief

This is a video for a song called "Belief" from John Mayer's recent dvd. As a musician who has been in a couple bands, the performance is simply amazing. However, as an artist I am drawn to the incredible lighting and set up of the stage.

House of Leaves.

We have done a great deal of talking about art in it's many shapes and sizes.
This is a book, nothing more nothing less. I feel that it's a piece of art not so much for the words written on the page them self... but how there written there and the feelings it provokes while you're reading it.

(here's an example of one of the pages)
http://semanticdrift.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/hol3.jpg

...

DO NOT READ THIS.
THERE IS NOTHING TO READ HERE.
YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME BY STILL READING THIS.
PLEASE DON'T READ THIS.
I'M BEGGING YOU NOT TO READ THIS.
I KNOW YOUR STILL READING THIS...

why?

(did I just create art?) or did you waste your time?

Taxi Driver

This often quoted scene from the 1976 movie taxi driver, has some of the elements i think make up good artfully crafted storytelling. There is a tension and a conflicting emotion when you view it, it's not exactly entertainment because it makes you feel uncomfortable, but it's also funny and engaging at the same time.

leavesontrees

This is a website still under construction but is created by my good friend giancarlo.  again it is still under construction but will soon have some of my work along with about 5 others.  check it out soon.   www.leavesontrees.com

Czech New Wave

this is a segment from TCM when tv food host alton brown talks about "closely watched trains." it is a czech new wave movie from 1966 that is sexy, funny, political, sad, thoughtful, entertaining... it is everything a movie should be. czech new wave movies are (in my experience) funny and about common people; they are very accessible. for people who don't watch foriegn movies because they think they are too sad, slow, whatever... this is a great place to start. here is a clip from the movie...

Chris Burden Should Stick with Objects/Sculpture/Installations...anything that's not performance art

I googled some of Chris Burden's non performance art to see what that was like and my conclusion is that I like it a lot better than his performance art, which in my opinion, is typically too obvious.

I found this mini-article on "A Tale of Two Cities" and I thought it was really, really interesting. I would love to see this piece.

http://www.ocma.net/index.html?page=past&show=exhibit&e_id=2114