The documentary about Marina Ambromovic was very inspiring to me,
especially her ideas about showing people a glimpse of their own
humanity and about being a warrior. Though her somewhat self-destructive
behavior is morbid and sometimes shocking, it is extremely powerful,
and her ability to stay completely focused during her performances is
striking. For this reason, I am very much intimidated by this the
prospect of performance art in relation to my own life.
My subject matter I think has always been a bit dark, but by that I
mean what is normal for me may seem extreme to others who may have had
radically different life experience. However, my first idea for this
project is one of more extreme things that I will have attempted in my
work. I have been really impressed and touched by how many of my fellow
classmates have been unafraid to admit traumatic and difficult
experiences and use them as fodder for their creativity, and it makes me
feel less timid to release one of my more recent traumas for this
performance piece. I firmly believe that making work about personal
suffering is a powerful way to heal while communicating a deep sense of
humanity to the viewer. A very dear friend of mine took his own life
almost a year ago, he was found with a plastic bag taped around his
head. I have dealt with this very well, but of course it still affects
me, the recurring thought of how that experience must have felt from his
perspective is still a flashback that haunts me. I was thinking about
duration and experience very heavily while pondering how to perform a
reaction to this event.
So, for my first project idea I would sit on the floor cross-legged
with a plastic bag, take a couple deep calming breaths, and then put the
plastic bag over my head (however, for safety reasons I won’t tape it,
I’ll just hold it.) I will test my ability to endure this environment
for as long as I can, and if I end up passing out, I will already have
been on the floor and my hands will automatically release and allow
oxygen to return to my lungs. As a precaution, a friend will be there to
make sure the bag is removed and all is well. This idea seems like
something that would work best as a video, the mediated version seems like a less
traumatic experience for my audience.
My second idea is less morbid than the first, though I think I am
still more passionate about the previous iteration. In this performance,
I would be tattooing myself, using the stick-and-poke technique (a
needle and ink) that is typically associated with prison tattoos and
vagabonds. There are two reasons for choosing this method. The first
relates to the apprenticeship process in the art of tattooing; the
apprentice must tattoo himself before he can move on to working on other
people. This point in their experience is a milestone, because it means
that they have finally completed the long and tedious task of
sketching, tracing and being “the shop bitch,” and they are ready to
begin the next phase of their metamorphosis into a tattoo artist. This
is a sort of initiation rite, which is the concept that I am
appropriating for my own pagan ritual symbolizing a dedication to
strength and commitment to my own vitality in opposition to abandonment
of the privilege of life. I would be tattooing a cockroach on the palm of my left
hand. I have included reference for the symbolism of this beetle below:
“Cockroach teaches the art of adaptability and ultimate survival
instincts under any conditions making this creature an emotional and
spiritual shape shifter. It will teach perseverance and tenacity along
with going with the flow of events. Cockroach applies determination
and fortitude to survive in any event. The wisdom of Cockroach teaches
how to keep in touch with the world around you, shows how to strengthen
vitality and quickness of movement, ability to discern when and how to
move, and make use of available resources. Virtually indestructible, it
will be around long after everyone else is gone. Roaches are from the
beetle family within the insect kingdom. All beetles carry metamorphosis
energy and the roach showing up in your life can indicate change.
Roaches can also be indicators of the desire to pull back from society
and keep under the radar of others”
The second reason for the stick-and-poke method of tattooing is to
communicate adaptability and functionality. I am not a tattoo artist,
and therefore don’t own a machine. But in the spirit of tattooing
myself, I relate to the prisoners and vagabonds that use this process
out of lack of any other way make these marks. This performance is also
about endurance and duration; I think it would be best on video because
it may take more than 15 minutes to do.
Monday, November 24, 2014
The Red Tapes
1. The artist shifts between different personas, including "artist," "revolutionary," "prisoner," and even sound effects. The murmurs and unpredictable speech patters combined with sections of droning monologues ads a surreal sense to it. It feels like madness.
2. nationalistic iconography is present, with the flags and the repetition of "We are the people" over and over again. It is especially noticeable to people in the U.S.A., as these are phrases and images that are familiar to us. Yet there are voices that seem lonely, frightened whispers and indecision. It is a rather harrowing experience to watch, and induces anxiety in the viewer (for me, at least!)
3. Tying in with the nationalistic themes, the video seemed styled like a propaganda piece. The still slides and sometimes disturbing imagery (such as some faces that landed straight in "uncanny valley") gave the viewer a sense of unease while listening to the audio, which was disturbing and manic at times.
4. The video didn't strike me as having a linear narrative. It is very drawling train-of-thought, and the narrator('s personas) didn't seem to have the most solid grasp on time either. It was very free-form and drifting in and out of a surreal state that isnt quite part of reality.
2. nationalistic iconography is present, with the flags and the repetition of "We are the people" over and over again. It is especially noticeable to people in the U.S.A., as these are phrases and images that are familiar to us. Yet there are voices that seem lonely, frightened whispers and indecision. It is a rather harrowing experience to watch, and induces anxiety in the viewer (for me, at least!)
3. Tying in with the nationalistic themes, the video seemed styled like a propaganda piece. The still slides and sometimes disturbing imagery (such as some faces that landed straight in "uncanny valley") gave the viewer a sense of unease while listening to the audio, which was disturbing and manic at times.
4. The video didn't strike me as having a linear narrative. It is very drawling train-of-thought, and the narrator('s personas) didn't seem to have the most solid grasp on time either. It was very free-form and drifting in and out of a surreal state that isnt quite part of reality.
Red Tapes Questions
1. What are the different voices that Acconci uses when speaking in the work and to what means? What characters does he embody/perform?
Acconci first documents his actions in a monotone voice - that contains an echo. I believe this voice represents conformity - it documents what we are supposed to do.
He uses a whispering voice to document sounds of violence - even though he is saying generally positive words, sound like weapons being fired. Eventually the words transition into words of war, and American branches of government.
There is also a normal speaking voice that often repeats.
According to the video's description, there are three "characters" in the story, a revolutionary, a prisoner, and an artist, all individuals, and all outsiders.
2. Locate instances of nationalism as well as lone individuality in the work. What do references to nationalism “do” or emphasize with respect to our understanding of the story.
The man tied up in the beginning represents nationalism, that tries again and again to persevere despite individualist instinct.
The man writing the novel is in a prison - therefor he is an outsider. Writing novels refers to writing the days on the wall.
Flipping through the book can be viewed as an individualist act, the photos are of nature and the artist is humming to himself.
The map of manifest destiny - westward expansion in America shows nationalism because of the desire to expand the American land.
3. How do the formal strategies (the look and how different elements are put together) of video, still photos, painting, film, and performance contribute to the content of the work? Provide specific examples.
The different elements add interest to the work, and further succeed in muddling the meaning and confusing the viewer. The piece switches between spoken word and visual documentation. the artist flips through pages of a photo book while dramatic music plays - reflecting the insanity of the prisoner exhibited before. I believe it is supposed to reflect a dream like state in the work.
4. How do you ultimately understand the narrative or story of this work? Please describe.
This is a piece about American nationalism contrasting with the individualist spirit. While America is a country that supports unity, it also celebrated the individualist nature, and condemns those who conform. It points out this contrast in a dream-like state, using spoken word coupled with visual images to create a non-linear narrative. In addition, it points out the voice of the government authority, which I believe is the spoken word that happens without a visual element - a sign that our government is faceless, and the response of the individuals, whom are the voices coupled with the images. The voices not only entail government instructions, but also the expected american ideals. We are supposed to work hard, get jobs, join the army, etc.
Project 4 proposal (Brianna Palmer)
I want this project to be about me. The undiscovered me. I want to make it, and have it help me understand and discover myself. So I think I want to make aspects of it unscripted. I will set out a general plan of what I want to happen, but what happens in between those moments is all me, if I can manage to do. If filming myself doesn't feel natural, or something is blocking my flow, I may have to script it. I also don't want it to be too revealing. This is art for myself most of all. It's private thoughts manifest in a way that people are free to try to interperet, but they may never get the explicit thoughts out of them.
My first idea involves cradling and nurturing objects. My unedited idea involved me in my underwear in a dark room crouching na almost fetal position, holding Leonardo (the green lion featured in my last video) and rocking. I'm not really comfortable with performing or filming a performance in my underwear, so I'll think of something else to wear.
I can make this idea about my anxious holding on of things that I tend to do, in which case it would be cradling mostly toys, or I could make it about my daily rituals, in which case it would mostly involve my journals and objects I use throughout my day. I could make it a combination of the two, but I think the concept could easily get confused if I wasn't choosy about it.
I could cradle and nurture the objects, my time with each painting a picture about my thoughts. Things could be in a pile and all over the place or I could be more neat about it, which isn't how I have my stuff so it wouldn't be natural that way. If I get a reaction from the dust, that might make the work stronger. Or, I can do it with a mask on, and that can also show the toxicity of it. but I don't want this to be misleading, something that makes it seem like the stuff is holding me back. To an extent it does, but I firmly believe but it's also what helps me flourish. Even if it can be hard and even dangerous (I'm very allergic to dust and have severe asthma).
My second idea involves me manipulating modelling clay, trying to make something. Shaping objects that are significant to me... rabbits, horns, bodies, vague reproductions of art objects, toys, etc. A skeleton. Probably anything that cane to mind, because the idea of it is to just see what happens. Trying to find myself. Smoosh them all together in the end? I could display my egg collection with it. The eggs represent potentiality. Would it subtract from the process to see already made things? what colors should I use? mixing colors should be involved.
I had a hard time coming up with a third idea but I thought it could involve me cleaning my room. I don't know where this could actually go, but I've been trying at reorganizing my space for a while. I've been having a hard time cleaning my room because I'm having a hard time letting go of things, and I've been trying to reorganize because I'm not happy with the space. I may be able to illustrate that restless part of myself somehow.
Red Tape questions
- What are the different voices that Acconci uses when speaking in the work and to what means? What characters does he embody/perform?
For me it was difficult to follow what he was doing at the begging. He switched from telling a narrative to repeating action words and using different variations/layers of his voice in terms of volume and softness. The characters he embodies in this performance are the "revolutionary" "prisoner" and "artist". Since I watched this while thinking of how I would accomplish my project, I took the performance as a means of working through ideas, free thought and inspiration.
- Locate instances of nationalism as well as lone individuality in the work. What do references to nationalism “do” or emphasize with respect to our understanding of the story.
There were many instances of nationalism in the piece ranging from an American flag backdrop, country side images, and the mention of JFK death. Many of these moments induced a state changes in my mind as I watched. The beautiful landscapes that seemed to stretch forever turned flat once he
made the viewer aware that they were just pages in a book. The American flag is juxtaposed by having the artist narrate the story with his head turned away from the viewer and facing/confronting the flag. Also the tale of what he would do to JFK's head after he was assassinated was truly uncomfortable to hear and made clear of what nation this was directed to.
- How do the formal strategies (the look and how different elements are put together) of video, still photos, painting, film, and performance contribute to the content of the work? Provide specific examples.
All of the elements seemed to culminate into a presentation of sorts. Still photos took up the entire frame. Transitions were done manually on the spot, emphasizing that this was done in one session. Also because the piece felt so "hands on" it gave it an air of being home made or as if it were done outside of normal societal means. Thoughts of how extreme communities create video propaganda and messages came to mind. As if the piece was underground.
- How do you ultimately understand the narrative or story of this work? Please describe.
The narrative was the most difficult part to grasp. Granted I only watched it once but I thought of sections of the performance being too random to follow anyway. I understood it as I was meant to go into a free thought mode. When parts of the performance became repetitive or had long shots of a black screen I began to drift into a day dream like state. Strange words or a scene transition would bring me back into the piece and I would focus until it fell into repetition again.
Project 4 Proposal
For this project, I wanted to attempt to explore the emotions and turmoils that accompany my long-distance relationship with my boyfriend. This was the idea I first started considering when I thought of a performance piece. Actually, this was something I had wanted to explore with the other projects, but found other ideas that seemed to work better at the time. This relationship is probably one of the more important things in my life, and the fact that I'm passionate about it is reason enough to make it a convincing theme. The only problem is how I plan to make a convincing performance piece using him as the subject, since we communicate mostly through text and video chats. But I think this could be a very effective element in conveying my message in the piece. I want to explore and share the difficulties faced and the patience one needs to have to handle a long distance relationship. I would want it to be a quiet and subdued piece, perhaps with some narrative included. Focus would be more on the emotional quality, conveyed through simple images and musings of the people involved. Visuals would probably include just the two of us staring at one another over video chat, overlaid with dialogue from our talks, perhaps discussing a singular topic.
Another one of my ideas is a bit of an alteration of the previous one. This would focus more on the negative aspects and purported "doubts" that come with being in a long distance relationship, as well as all the worries and troubling things that have come with my own personal experience. My boyfriend as seen over video chat would be the sole visual, with my own visage not included this time. My own voice would speak in an endless stream of my thoughts and worries and all the hurdles that came up along the way, before ending on a light, positive note.
My final idea is something different from the previous two. I wanted to take my love of drawing and maybe do a real-time illustrative representation of significant events of my life. Using either traditional media or drawing in Photoshop, I would either do simple doodles or one elaborate drawing that figuratively or literally represents what I will be speaking about. Like my other ideas, a narrative voice would ambiguously explain my thoughts and emotions over the events that are being recounted. The visuals would entirely be the sheet(s) of paper or document that I am drawing on, as well as my hand with the drawing implement. I am leaning towards making the drawings a variety of things, and metaphorically or symbolically representing what is being said.
The setting would most likely be my own room for all three of these ideas, since my computer is located there, and not much room is needed for a single sheet of paper, if that's what will be used. Since these will all most likely turn out to be info-dumps for my life, they'll probably turn out to be a few minutes long, if not a little longer. Actors would be myself and my boyfriend, if I go that route. Though I said that most of the visual interactions would be very subdued, sometimes with not much going on at all, I'd like to include some poignant moments. Perhaps inclusion of body language shifts, or other non-verbal fluctuations of emotion. I wouldn't need much in terms of props if I was going the boyfriend route, and just some drawing tools and sheets of paper, or just my tablet, would be necessary for my third idea.
I am very open to any changes and suggestions, since this all pretty open-ended. I'm still quite unsure how everything will be implemented and how exactly I want to get my point across.
Another one of my ideas is a bit of an alteration of the previous one. This would focus more on the negative aspects and purported "doubts" that come with being in a long distance relationship, as well as all the worries and troubling things that have come with my own personal experience. My boyfriend as seen over video chat would be the sole visual, with my own visage not included this time. My own voice would speak in an endless stream of my thoughts and worries and all the hurdles that came up along the way, before ending on a light, positive note.
My final idea is something different from the previous two. I wanted to take my love of drawing and maybe do a real-time illustrative representation of significant events of my life. Using either traditional media or drawing in Photoshop, I would either do simple doodles or one elaborate drawing that figuratively or literally represents what I will be speaking about. Like my other ideas, a narrative voice would ambiguously explain my thoughts and emotions over the events that are being recounted. The visuals would entirely be the sheet(s) of paper or document that I am drawing on, as well as my hand with the drawing implement. I am leaning towards making the drawings a variety of things, and metaphorically or symbolically representing what is being said.
The setting would most likely be my own room for all three of these ideas, since my computer is located there, and not much room is needed for a single sheet of paper, if that's what will be used. Since these will all most likely turn out to be info-dumps for my life, they'll probably turn out to be a few minutes long, if not a little longer. Actors would be myself and my boyfriend, if I go that route. Though I said that most of the visual interactions would be very subdued, sometimes with not much going on at all, I'd like to include some poignant moments. Perhaps inclusion of body language shifts, or other non-verbal fluctuations of emotion. I wouldn't need much in terms of props if I was going the boyfriend route, and just some drawing tools and sheets of paper, or just my tablet, would be necessary for my third idea.
I am very open to any changes and suggestions, since this all pretty open-ended. I'm still quite unsure how everything will be implemented and how exactly I want to get my point across.
Proj04 Proposal
I'm nervous about my final project -- Performance and video art has never been my forte. Video editing, sure. But creating moving visual narratives using myself? No thanks, I'd usually rather ride behind animation or still drawings. And I think that insecurity shows in my work, and so I focus on things that I have absolute control over, things personal to me, rather than a wider range of subject matter. My projects thus far have been rather personal to my life and my current state of mind, and maybe it's only fitting that I continue that trend with my last project of the semester.
For Project 4, one theme I would want to convey is wanderlust- leaving a place behind and fulfilling the urge to explore the land around you. I would do this by documenting me driving through Florida; through St. Augustine, Jacksonville, places I haven't been before. The allure of the open road and all that. Mini impromptu road trips. Cool.
Another idea has to do with my sexual orientation -- having recently come to the conclusion that I was bisexual was surprisingly difficult on me, despite roughly 90% of my friends not being straight anyway and I had no reason to fear rejection, and I'm still not "out" to a number of people. So this would deal with how I projected myself onto things and interacted with others.
My last idea is to make a performance out of my freelance illustration work. Still art is usually very result-based rather than focused on the process of the piece, so highlighting that aspect of more "traditional" modes of art would be interesting -- the sweeping movements of my hands and arms, rotation around the space to get a more accessible angle on the mark I want to make against the paper. There's a sort of "dance" involved with traditional work that isn't talked about.
I'm not particularly sure which is "stronger"; the one based around sexual orientation has the opportunity to be more emotional, but I'm not sure if I have the emotional capacity to deal with that right now (which is, coincidentally, the attitude of 50% of the second idea. haha). If I had to choose, it would be between the second and third idea.
For Project 4, one theme I would want to convey is wanderlust- leaving a place behind and fulfilling the urge to explore the land around you. I would do this by documenting me driving through Florida; through St. Augustine, Jacksonville, places I haven't been before. The allure of the open road and all that. Mini impromptu road trips. Cool.
Another idea has to do with my sexual orientation -- having recently come to the conclusion that I was bisexual was surprisingly difficult on me, despite roughly 90% of my friends not being straight anyway and I had no reason to fear rejection, and I'm still not "out" to a number of people. So this would deal with how I projected myself onto things and interacted with others.
My last idea is to make a performance out of my freelance illustration work. Still art is usually very result-based rather than focused on the process of the piece, so highlighting that aspect of more "traditional" modes of art would be interesting -- the sweeping movements of my hands and arms, rotation around the space to get a more accessible angle on the mark I want to make against the paper. There's a sort of "dance" involved with traditional work that isn't talked about.
I'm not particularly sure which is "stronger"; the one based around sexual orientation has the opportunity to be more emotional, but I'm not sure if I have the emotional capacity to deal with that right now (which is, coincidentally, the attitude of 50% of the second idea. haha). If I had to choose, it would be between the second and third idea.
performance proposal
For this project I want to continue a process I started in my drawing class which involves using my fists to punch charcoal onto paper. A lot of what I have been exploring this semester is not just the idea of masculinity being a violent force, but also new methods I can impose to create new images and marks. I think this way of drawing and creating a new surface texture to the paper fits well within my interests.
In a way the performance will be a test. I will set up a sheet of paper and stand above it. This is to initiate that there is a dominant force over the blank sheet. I will then dip my fists into a mixture of water and charcoal powder and punch the paper until it is covered. The idea of covering/changing the surface quality through the violence of the mark seems appropriate to me. Now how this becomes a test with involve how long I can punch the paper which is on the ground. I placed a sheet of cardboard under the paper to create some type of buffer the first time I tried this but it still was quite the difficult task.
I plan on doing this relatively up close. I think I will be bent over, full bodied in the shot, perhaps setting up a second camera to catch a even closer cropped shot of the paper and the mark making. I want the setting to be a clean white room with no distractions. I will wear either white or dark color work clothes or coveralls.
Some differences that could be made would be what I'm wearing. For example, I could wear some type of business suit? Maybe go all out drag queen with business suite? Should the performance take place outside? In a forest? in a mall? Suburban neighborhood? All of these I believe would give the piece a more layered meaning I suppose but would also take away from the simplicity of the act.
I'm also wondering about paper size? I want to go big but I don't think I could cover a large sheet of paper. But it must be larger than 18 x 24 at least.
In a way the performance will be a test. I will set up a sheet of paper and stand above it. This is to initiate that there is a dominant force over the blank sheet. I will then dip my fists into a mixture of water and charcoal powder and punch the paper until it is covered. The idea of covering/changing the surface quality through the violence of the mark seems appropriate to me. Now how this becomes a test with involve how long I can punch the paper which is on the ground. I placed a sheet of cardboard under the paper to create some type of buffer the first time I tried this but it still was quite the difficult task.
I plan on doing this relatively up close. I think I will be bent over, full bodied in the shot, perhaps setting up a second camera to catch a even closer cropped shot of the paper and the mark making. I want the setting to be a clean white room with no distractions. I will wear either white or dark color work clothes or coveralls.
Some differences that could be made would be what I'm wearing. For example, I could wear some type of business suit? Maybe go all out drag queen with business suite? Should the performance take place outside? In a forest? in a mall? Suburban neighborhood? All of these I believe would give the piece a more layered meaning I suppose but would also take away from the simplicity of the act.
I'm also wondering about paper size? I want to go big but I don't think I could cover a large sheet of paper. But it must be larger than 18 x 24 at least.
Performance Project ideas
I have always had a strong disagreement about performance. I
do see it as art, however, I always have argued that art is the product of
something, and a lot of times it is a product in which we are able to fiscally analyses
after. Therefore, most of my ideas tend to create a commentary on leaving
something behind or creating a piece that after its performance it is
interesting and tangible. I want to talk
about various aspects of everyday life. For instance, I want to talk on the
decision making aspect or even the way one is let on by others.
My first
idea works on the aspect of everyday commuting. One does not understand the different
directions ones take through the day. For instance, when waking up I walk
around my bed and fix it then I walk straight to my bathroom and left to the
sink. I want to sit in an area occupied by at least three people and record the
steps they take through the day. the only difference is that I will be
recording these steps in a sheet with string and a needle. If a person goes
right I will make a stich to the right, if a person makes a circle I will
create a circular stich. Each person will be categorized by a different color
and by the end of the day I will be able to show a piece in which the day of a
person has been recorded.
Another
project would follow the same idea of leaving the mark of communing. However, I
will create this work by following the instructions of a random film or song. I
will choose a song or film in which the main aspect of it has nothing to do
with dancing or instructions. Then I will dissect the film and leave the words
like “change”, “Left”, “right”, “Straight”, “side”, “up”, “down”, “back”. I will
then follow the instructions of this work and create a work of art with my feet
dipped in paint, mud, dirt or sand. In
various classes I have worked on projects in which the teacher tries to send me
on a path I do not intend to. She does not fully understand what I am trying to
create and therefore, blindly sends me to create a work in which I do not care
for. Here I am talking about the idea of getting instructions from something or
someone that has nothing to do with the subject and therefore, leaves the
artist into an unknown result.
Lastly,
something
that I always relate to is that when I talk a lot of times I do not make much
sense. Much like Shakespeare's writings one has to closely analyze what I say
to understand what I mean. I have always had the problem that what I want to
say does not really work out and it ends up being a confusing statement.
Therefore, I want to take a easily understandable poem or story and switch
words around. I will make rules in which I will switch the 5th and 4th word of
a sentence; every other sentence will have their words either backwards or the
sentence itself backwards. Things like these rules will create a feeling of
confusion to a very common and understandable poem/story. I will then stand in
front of the audience or camera and recite this new poem/story and let the
audience try to understand and decipher what I mean to say.
The Red Tapes Questions
What are the different voices that Acconci uses when speaking in the work and to what means? What characters does he embody/perform?
- thorught the film one follows Acconci as he shows himself in different forms. He is seen as a revolutionary, a ruler, a narrator and even sound effects. He is seen as a revolutionary and a prisoner when his face is shown with a blindfold and he starts talking about the revolution. in some parts of the film he is heard giving commands to his audience, therefore i can connect him to a ruler. In addition, he uses in the beginning and in the end parts in which he narrates a scene. lastly, he gives different sound affects to the film, as in humming or making car, wind or bomb noises.
Locate instances of nationalism as well as lone individuality in the work. What do references to nationalism “do” or emphasize with respect to our understanding of the story.
- in his work Acconci shows nationalism by using general known aspects. he shows landmarks as well as an American flag. in addition, he repeats words "We are the people" a very understandable idea of a nation, specially the U.S. nation. His references to nationalism lead the audience to connection of everything he talks about as a commentary on nationalism and all of the aspects in bring with it. In addition, he shows lone individuality, when creating a narration or adding stories in which he is seen and he is the only person in the room. He does seem to express his idea of nationalism and as one views him and only him they are able to understand that this is the view of one person as well as many.
How do the formal strategies (the look and how different elements are put together) of video, still photos, painting, film, and performance contribute to the content of the work? Provide specific examples.
- Acconci uses various strategies to accomplish his work. As it seems to be a commentary and a video somewhat looking like a revolution, Acconci uses aspects like pictures and a black background for his film. These pictures and flags are used as a visual for the audience to connect with. Therefore, by his use of the pictures and the affects he uses between them he is able to connect his ideas even more to his message. for instance, he uses the various pictures of the car to create a somewhat moving image in the mind of the viewer. He makes noises as well as narrates a scene as the camera jumps between the vehicles that are in different positions. These pictures help create a visual to his wording and lets the audience understand his message. In addition, as he did in the beginning and the end, Acconci narrates a chain of actions against a black screen. By not giving the viewer an exact image to imagine he is letting their imagination work and help give a variation of visuals.
- How do you ultimately understand the narrative or story of this work? Please describe.
Since he is giving so many visuals and does not create a fluid story, it is very hard to understand what story is happening. Yes, we understand that he is talking about nationalism, revolutions, and the wars. however, one gets confused in which aspect is he going for. As he makes a joke or even an strong commentary against nationalism in his scenes of explaining a death in a battle or a the bombing of famous historical characters. One does understand the commentary he intends, however, one does not understand a fluid story that follows all of these.
- thorught the film one follows Acconci as he shows himself in different forms. He is seen as a revolutionary, a ruler, a narrator and even sound effects. He is seen as a revolutionary and a prisoner when his face is shown with a blindfold and he starts talking about the revolution. in some parts of the film he is heard giving commands to his audience, therefore i can connect him to a ruler. In addition, he uses in the beginning and in the end parts in which he narrates a scene. lastly, he gives different sound affects to the film, as in humming or making car, wind or bomb noises.
Locate instances of nationalism as well as lone individuality in the work. What do references to nationalism “do” or emphasize with respect to our understanding of the story.
- in his work Acconci shows nationalism by using general known aspects. he shows landmarks as well as an American flag. in addition, he repeats words "We are the people" a very understandable idea of a nation, specially the U.S. nation. His references to nationalism lead the audience to connection of everything he talks about as a commentary on nationalism and all of the aspects in bring with it. In addition, he shows lone individuality, when creating a narration or adding stories in which he is seen and he is the only person in the room. He does seem to express his idea of nationalism and as one views him and only him they are able to understand that this is the view of one person as well as many.
How do the formal strategies (the look and how different elements are put together) of video, still photos, painting, film, and performance contribute to the content of the work? Provide specific examples.
- Acconci uses various strategies to accomplish his work. As it seems to be a commentary and a video somewhat looking like a revolution, Acconci uses aspects like pictures and a black background for his film. These pictures and flags are used as a visual for the audience to connect with. Therefore, by his use of the pictures and the affects he uses between them he is able to connect his ideas even more to his message. for instance, he uses the various pictures of the car to create a somewhat moving image in the mind of the viewer. He makes noises as well as narrates a scene as the camera jumps between the vehicles that are in different positions. These pictures help create a visual to his wording and lets the audience understand his message. In addition, as he did in the beginning and the end, Acconci narrates a chain of actions against a black screen. By not giving the viewer an exact image to imagine he is letting their imagination work and help give a variation of visuals.
- How do you ultimately understand the narrative or story of this work? Please describe.
Since he is giving so many visuals and does not create a fluid story, it is very hard to understand what story is happening. Yes, we understand that he is talking about nationalism, revolutions, and the wars. however, one gets confused in which aspect is he going for. As he makes a joke or even an strong commentary against nationalism in his scenes of explaining a death in a battle or a the bombing of famous historical characters. One does understand the commentary he intends, however, one does not understand a fluid story that follows all of these.
Homework - 11.19.2014
The Red Tapes
- Acconci speaks in several ways. From the beginning, he whispers to the audience. I think that this voice plays to his inner thoughts, emotions, and intentions. His speaking voice plays more to physical actions, recalling real-time events in a sequence of actions. Acconci speaks directly to the audience, as opposed to his whispering voice that speaks less in complete sentences and reflects raw emotions. He also speaks in the form of a repetitive voice that repeats phrases such as "what do I do?" and "what do I say?"
- Acconci talks about a profile of himself: Italian born and bred in the Bronx. In terms of nationalism, he talks about a countrywide issues of gang violence and murder, while second-guessing his relationship to these events. We get a better understanding of how to piece together his fragmented stories. Acconci comments on the contrast between people's portrayal of classic "America the Beautiful" and his personal experience in the slums.
- He comments on his personal conflict with the American politics [20:49] and his disgust with president Kennedy and what he would do if he was there when he was shot. Acconci would revel in his death and watch the life leave his eyes. He pairs this his profile, darkly lit from behind. This gives him an anonymous feel, a face in the crowd. This suggest that these thoughts are not coming from only Acconci himself, but this is an opinion shared by a mass of people.
- The quiet music paired with the paintings gave an admiral feel to the sequence: a classic depiction of America the Beautiful with pine trees, mountains, etc. When Acconci pairs similar music with a black background, the piece has a much more eerie feel, suggesting that our portrayals of our country are not as they seem. When Acconci talks about his experience with the car, he quietly repeats "vroom, vroom, vroom" throughout his speech. This gave his words a more unsettling feel than if he were to insert real audio clips of cars. His repetition gives us the feel that these words have been echoing in his head for a long period of time.
- I understand this piece to be Acconci's disappointment with American society. He comments on the contrast between Americans glorifying their own country with the real life political issues that are going on.
The Red Tapes question responses (Brianna Palmer)
a whispering voice representing the fears and thoughts of people
narrator voice that reflects on or explains what's happening
an individual trying to express themself (revolutionary)
The Revolutionary speaks of nationalism, but his inability to decide what to express is a case of lone individuality
the photos of the countryside speak of nationalism
I think the visual put together of the video make it very confusing to follow. The mixture of black segments, video tape grain, page flipping, etc, made the message seem intentionally unclear. Like trying to analyze the symbols that come from a dream. The flipping pages of photographs from the countryside is supposed to make one think of the country and show the feeling of pride that the countrymen have in their home, but it's shown through photographs in a book rather than through footage of the actual scenery. It's as if the prideful feelings are about things that they don't truly grasp, or the sense of nationalism is false.
narrator voice that reflects on or explains what's happening
an individual trying to express themself (revolutionary)
The Revolutionary speaks of nationalism, but his inability to decide what to express is a case of lone individuality
the photos of the countryside speak of nationalism
I think the visual put together of the video make it very confusing to follow. The mixture of black segments, video tape grain, page flipping, etc, made the message seem intentionally unclear. Like trying to analyze the symbols that come from a dream. The flipping pages of photographs from the countryside is supposed to make one think of the country and show the feeling of pride that the countrymen have in their home, but it's shown through photographs in a book rather than through footage of the actual scenery. It's as if the prideful feelings are about things that they don't truly grasp, or the sense of nationalism is false.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Project Plan
Performance art is a medium that exposes our shadow. We physically store emotions in our body, and the act of using them to express what we feel is incredibly healing. I would like to use this assignment to help heal my roommate's struggle with gender identity or my own struggle with an ended relationship.
My first idea is about transgender identity. My roommate, although assigned the gender of female at birth, identifies as neither gender. I would tie them up, possibly on a giant wheel, spread out, naked, and vulnerable. I would shave their body, dress them up as a female (wigs, makeup, bras, ect.) I would play the video backwards so they would appear as female in the beginning and show the transformation in their true identity. I would speed up the video to last a couple of minutes. I would maybe have scenes of videotaping photographs of them before they embodied their true identity- photos of them in a dress or looking like a girl.(perhaps a split screen) Maybe the split screen would be the performance on the left, and an abstract representation of what is going on on the right. (things that represent the concept, expressions of their identity, they identify as a beast, not a male or female. Dress like the hairy beast) The audio would be them singing about their struggle. (they are a musician).
My second idea is to use performance art to work through a recent breakup with a lover that I have been with for the past five years. Perhaps I would read the love letters he has written to me and let whatever emotions come up to come up for the audio. I would videotape myself making origami lotus flowers with the letters in realtime- a metaphor for using the past love as a beautiful transformation for myself instead of feeling angry. I could set the lotus flowers afloat in a lake- letting go. I would make the origami on sight at the lake. I could maybe also make a little castle made of sugar cubes and set it afloat, representing the sweet intentions. It is also a potent symbol of my love for pursuing my love
My third idea is to just express myself through improv dance naked in nature- just go crazy and do whatever makes me feel the most. To just be completely free with my body and my expresssion. Maybe I would do this at the critique in front of everyone (not naked, unless I am allowed!) instead. I have had years of training in dance, yoga, and capoeira so to just be completely free of prescribed movements (although inspired by all my practices) feels amazing.
My first idea is about transgender identity. My roommate, although assigned the gender of female at birth, identifies as neither gender. I would tie them up, possibly on a giant wheel, spread out, naked, and vulnerable. I would shave their body, dress them up as a female (wigs, makeup, bras, ect.) I would play the video backwards so they would appear as female in the beginning and show the transformation in their true identity. I would speed up the video to last a couple of minutes. I would maybe have scenes of videotaping photographs of them before they embodied their true identity- photos of them in a dress or looking like a girl.(perhaps a split screen) Maybe the split screen would be the performance on the left, and an abstract representation of what is going on on the right. (things that represent the concept, expressions of their identity, they identify as a beast, not a male or female. Dress like the hairy beast) The audio would be them singing about their struggle. (they are a musician).
My second idea is to use performance art to work through a recent breakup with a lover that I have been with for the past five years. Perhaps I would read the love letters he has written to me and let whatever emotions come up to come up for the audio. I would videotape myself making origami lotus flowers with the letters in realtime- a metaphor for using the past love as a beautiful transformation for myself instead of feeling angry. I could set the lotus flowers afloat in a lake- letting go. I would make the origami on sight at the lake. I could maybe also make a little castle made of sugar cubes and set it afloat, representing the sweet intentions. It is also a potent symbol of my love for pursuing my love
My third idea is to just express myself through improv dance naked in nature- just go crazy and do whatever makes me feel the most. To just be completely free with my body and my expresssion. Maybe I would do this at the critique in front of everyone (not naked, unless I am allowed!) instead. I have had years of training in dance, yoga, and capoeira so to just be completely free of prescribed movements (although inspired by all my practices) feels amazing.
Project 4 Plan/Proposal
For
Project 4, I was originally very anxious about what to do. I didn’t want to use
myself as an actor or record my voice. I thought performance art was
ridiculous, too weird and actually not really art. However, after watching the
documentary about Marina Abramovic and how amazing she was, I rethought my
negative opinion about performance art. I enjoyed how even though most of her
work was strange, they all had meaningful concept behind them. If you
understood her work and the reason behind it, then you wouldn’t dislike it so
much. Because of the document, I was inspired and am more willingly to do a
performance piece. I have decided to use myself and not focus on my camera
shyness.
For
my first idea, I am going to ask my two little cousins to create a play, make
the props, and then preform it. I will be involved with the three tasks they do
and will film everything. The first part will have the quality of an interview.
I will ask them questions about what they want to do and help come up with the
story. The environment will be at a table with all of us sitting down. For the
second part, I will film us making the props and puppets for the story. The
environment will be in the same place, at the table. For the last part, my
cousins and I will act out the play. It will probably be behind a couch or
sofa, where we will be hiding while performing. The play will be performed in
front of an audience, my family.
My
second idea consist of my girl cousin and me performing a piece about beauty. I
will ask her some questions related to beauty, with myself off camera. She will
be the focus of the camera and will answer my questions on screen. Some of the
questions may include: “What makes a pretty girl?” and “what does she have to
look like?”. There will also be some personal questions about my own beauty
including: “am I pretty?” and “would I look better without glass and why?”. I
will ask her these questions at a table, sitting down. Then, I will use my
camera to shoot an introductory scene of a bunch of makeup materials lined up.
I will give my cousin free range to use any tools to make my face pretty. In
this way, what she does and how my face ends up will show either how warped her
idea of beauty is due to society or how society hasn’t changed her opinion at
all. I will show a before and after clip of my face and play the sound of our
conversational interview while she is putting on the makeup. There will be no
audience except for me and her throughout the whole performance.
For
my last idea, I will choose two very famous pieces of contemporary art, like
Duchamp’s Toilet piece and a famous master’s painting, and present it
individually to my family members. The age range will consist of young children
and teenagers, to adults and seniors. Individually, I will sit down with each
person and show them a picture of the famous art pieces. I will ask them a
series of questions about the pieces and what they think of them without
knowing the facts about it. They will consist of “what do you think of this
piece?” and “Do you think it’s art?”. I will then tell them the information
about the pieces and why it is considered art. Then I will ask them if the new
information given has changed their opinion of the pieces. I may play the
voices of their answers over some sort of video, but I’m not sure. It could be
a video of each person looking at the art piece and capturing their reactions.
The whole concept of this idea is to help people understand contemporary art
instead of casting it off as weird. I want them to understand how art has
changed and gone through many ideas to end up like it is now.
Out
of all the ideas I’ve listed, my favorite is the second idea. I like the
concept about feminism and societal beauty. I think it could lead to some
interesting discoveries.
Project 4 Proposals - 11.19.2014
Project 4 Proposals
I have brainstormed a variety of possible routes to reach this project, all with different concepts and ideologies. I know I want my piece to have a more lighthearted and fun feel, mostly because I know that this is my strong suit and my work is strongest when I take this approach. Generally I want to keep a theme of introspection. I want to critique the audience themselves as opposed to attacking society itself. I want the audience to feel like they can relate to the piece, or at least feel personally addressed. I took more time than usual to ponder what I wanted to do with this piece, and the ideas presented here are a few of many I have jotted down in tiny script on a bar napkin.
My favorite idea that I conjured up plays with the idea of complacency. With the advancement of technology and the attitudes of my generation, I genuinely feel that the concept of chivalry has largely disappeared. Words can be copied, pasted, and sent in seconds. My argument is that my generation has grown complacent with romance... and it kills me. I personally believe that everyone deserves to genuinely know that they are wonderful in their own right, and they don't have to settle for what is convenient or socially-acceptable to be happy. People have the potential to love so much, and I feel like that energy is largely pent-up. Coming straight out of high school and/or learning at a university, young adults are very much afraid of being wrong. Success is binary. You are right or you are wrong, and choosing the wrong answer can drastically affect your capability to succeed in the future. That ingrained fear is what keeps us from taking risks, especially in showing our affections. One could take this theory further into the realms of LGBTQ. So many put up a facade of what they think they should be as opposed to genuinely expressing themselves, and it kills me.
I want to express this conflict by writing a love song. I want this piece to be very professional-looking. I want to make a music video based on a song I write myself. I will play my ukulele in a field, sitting in the grass when the sky is nice and blue. My song lyrics will be generic displays of affection. "I love how you have two eyes and they're such a beautiful color. Your nose has two holes, I dig that." My lyrics could apply to 99% of the population. I think it'll come off across as goofy, and I think my approach of humor serves the wonderful purpose of giving you an air of optimism while at the same time making you genuinely think about yourself. It is very important to me that I don't outright trash people who go about showing their affections through certain mediums (via the internet, in person, long-distance, etc.), but I just want to shed light on the implications of today's pop music and what the lyrics are actually teaching us. This piece would involve only me playing my instrument, and I would expect it to last, at most, 4 minutes.
My second-place idea largely relates to my first project, which comments on society's pressure on people, particularly women, to follow a narrow scope of "beautiful." Large eyes, batting eyelashes, perky boobs, and a smile. I want to take this to the extreme and pack on as much make-up as possible. I will start with a blank slate, zero make-up with my hair a mess. I would play audio of cosmetic tutorials in the background, sound clips of shows like America's Next Top Model, and read cosmopolitan magazine. I would follow their tips if they had any, and take them to the extreme. I would also like to tease my hair into as much of a 'fro as possible and insert flowers into it. To me, fresh flowers convey fleeting beauty. Sure you're beautiful now, but for how long? At what cost? I have access to colored contacts and I'm going to dye my hair over Thanksgiving break anyway, so I largely wanted to capitalize on the opportunity to convey change. I would wear all white to represent a blank canvas and innocence. The piece would last longer than the first, ranging from 6 to 8 minutes I would show in class. The performance would definitely take longer, but I would condense the footage to keep the audience's attention. I would apply all the products myself, sitting on the carpet flooring with a white wall behind me.
My third idea plays with the idea of deception. I don't quite know how I would present it, but my favorite idea so far is to have several scenes displayed at once side-by-side. The general idea is that I have several glasses of clear liquid. I would like to have 7 or 8. All of the reels of footage begin identically. The shot fades in, and I repeat the same lines as if I were at a dinner party. My gaze would be directed at a "person" behind the camera. Something along the lines of fake laughter and "You're so funny! I'm having so much fun! I can't believe I'm here right now, thank you so much for bringing me!" The glass would be in my hand, sloshing as I spoke conversationally. This would take on approximately 60% of the performance. Closer to the end, I would look directly into the camera, and then would come the twist. In each individual frame, there is a different substance in my glass. One would be water, one would be alcohol, one would be lighter fluid, one would be bubble soap, one would be bleach, etc. I would drink/light the substance and react to it without breaking eye contact with the audience. The main objective of this piece would be to play with the idea of hiding your real emotions underneath what you portray. I would include only myself, and it would be filmed in a brightly-lit room with maybe a black table. The piece would last a total 4 to 6 minutes.
I have brainstormed a variety of possible routes to reach this project, all with different concepts and ideologies. I know I want my piece to have a more lighthearted and fun feel, mostly because I know that this is my strong suit and my work is strongest when I take this approach. Generally I want to keep a theme of introspection. I want to critique the audience themselves as opposed to attacking society itself. I want the audience to feel like they can relate to the piece, or at least feel personally addressed. I took more time than usual to ponder what I wanted to do with this piece, and the ideas presented here are a few of many I have jotted down in tiny script on a bar napkin.
My favorite idea that I conjured up plays with the idea of complacency. With the advancement of technology and the attitudes of my generation, I genuinely feel that the concept of chivalry has largely disappeared. Words can be copied, pasted, and sent in seconds. My argument is that my generation has grown complacent with romance... and it kills me. I personally believe that everyone deserves to genuinely know that they are wonderful in their own right, and they don't have to settle for what is convenient or socially-acceptable to be happy. People have the potential to love so much, and I feel like that energy is largely pent-up. Coming straight out of high school and/or learning at a university, young adults are very much afraid of being wrong. Success is binary. You are right or you are wrong, and choosing the wrong answer can drastically affect your capability to succeed in the future. That ingrained fear is what keeps us from taking risks, especially in showing our affections. One could take this theory further into the realms of LGBTQ. So many put up a facade of what they think they should be as opposed to genuinely expressing themselves, and it kills me.
I want to express this conflict by writing a love song. I want this piece to be very professional-looking. I want to make a music video based on a song I write myself. I will play my ukulele in a field, sitting in the grass when the sky is nice and blue. My song lyrics will be generic displays of affection. "I love how you have two eyes and they're such a beautiful color. Your nose has two holes, I dig that." My lyrics could apply to 99% of the population. I think it'll come off across as goofy, and I think my approach of humor serves the wonderful purpose of giving you an air of optimism while at the same time making you genuinely think about yourself. It is very important to me that I don't outright trash people who go about showing their affections through certain mediums (via the internet, in person, long-distance, etc.), but I just want to shed light on the implications of today's pop music and what the lyrics are actually teaching us. This piece would involve only me playing my instrument, and I would expect it to last, at most, 4 minutes.
My second-place idea largely relates to my first project, which comments on society's pressure on people, particularly women, to follow a narrow scope of "beautiful." Large eyes, batting eyelashes, perky boobs, and a smile. I want to take this to the extreme and pack on as much make-up as possible. I will start with a blank slate, zero make-up with my hair a mess. I would play audio of cosmetic tutorials in the background, sound clips of shows like America's Next Top Model, and read cosmopolitan magazine. I would follow their tips if they had any, and take them to the extreme. I would also like to tease my hair into as much of a 'fro as possible and insert flowers into it. To me, fresh flowers convey fleeting beauty. Sure you're beautiful now, but for how long? At what cost? I have access to colored contacts and I'm going to dye my hair over Thanksgiving break anyway, so I largely wanted to capitalize on the opportunity to convey change. I would wear all white to represent a blank canvas and innocence. The piece would last longer than the first, ranging from 6 to 8 minutes I would show in class. The performance would definitely take longer, but I would condense the footage to keep the audience's attention. I would apply all the products myself, sitting on the carpet flooring with a white wall behind me.
My third idea plays with the idea of deception. I don't quite know how I would present it, but my favorite idea so far is to have several scenes displayed at once side-by-side. The general idea is that I have several glasses of clear liquid. I would like to have 7 or 8. All of the reels of footage begin identically. The shot fades in, and I repeat the same lines as if I were at a dinner party. My gaze would be directed at a "person" behind the camera. Something along the lines of fake laughter and "You're so funny! I'm having so much fun! I can't believe I'm here right now, thank you so much for bringing me!" The glass would be in my hand, sloshing as I spoke conversationally. This would take on approximately 60% of the performance. Closer to the end, I would look directly into the camera, and then would come the twist. In each individual frame, there is a different substance in my glass. One would be water, one would be alcohol, one would be lighter fluid, one would be bubble soap, one would be bleach, etc. I would drink/light the substance and react to it without breaking eye contact with the audience. The main objective of this piece would be to play with the idea of hiding your real emotions underneath what you portray. I would include only myself, and it would be filmed in a brightly-lit room with maybe a black table. The piece would last a total 4 to 6 minutes.
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