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Thursday, February 26, 2009
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Scrapbook Entry 16: Hermann-Gitter
Hermann-Gitter
I found this picture on my laptop while I was deleting old folders from my highschool time. I remember that we talked about "Sinnestäuschungen", which might be similar, if translatened, to the topic of "misperception" or "trick of the senses".
As one can see in the picture, grey spots appear in the white crossings. But only in the crossing the eye is trying to focus on, these grey spots seem to disappear.
As I learnt in my art class back in highschool, this work can be traced back to Ludimar Hermann, who discovered in 1870 that such wire frames with strong light-dark contrast cause optical illusions.
Since then, his discovery has been used for information processing in visual systems. The creative aspect about his discovery is that throught little modifications of such a latticework, one can create several astonishing optical effects.
To explain this phenomena, scientists argue that the human eye receptors, which are resposible for the light-dark perception, get stressed too much by two so contrasting elements on a little spot. As a result of the excessive demand on the brain, people see these opitical illusions.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Artist Response No 7
Mouchette
In 1996, a Web site that claims to be the work of an adolescent girl appeared at mouchette.org. When clicking on the link, one is inevitably confronted with a lurid close-up picture of a white,pink flower. On its petals one can see ants and flies crawling. In the left corner of the picture , a portrait of a sad-looking girl and the following text: "My name is Mouchette/I live in Amsterdam/I am nearly 13 years old/I am an artist" is depicted.
As it is pointed out in the excerpt, the site's content appears to have a deceptively innocent quality. Unfortunately, the link to her site doesn't exist anymore. Even the online search via "youtube" only offers a connection to Robert Bresson's film, "Mouchette," from 1967 about a suicidal adolescent girl who is raped in a forest at night.
However, Mouchette's homepage seemed to be equiped with many feature, interactive Web forms, including multiple-choice questions that trigger delayed-reaction e-mails to users. There is also a listing of members of Mouchette's international fan club, which includes art institutions around the world. All these contemporary web features require a lot of knowledge and know-how.
This undoubtedly arises the question if this "sophisticated" Web site could really be the work a 13-year-old girl? Probably not! Nonetheless, the true identity of the artist behind mouchette.org has remained unknown.
In the online excerpt is furthermore mentioned that by clicking on the word "artist" on the home page one is led to a page with the following text: "An artist? Yes. Here is a tip: I heard that the only way to become an artist is to say you are one. And then you can call "art" everything you make.... Easy, he?". Since the distiction between art und no-art has become so blury and indefinable, I partly agree with this statement. Who would actually dare to contradict an artist who claims to produce art. In earlier centuries people might have had a clearer perception of what art had to be like, but nowadays, peoples' tolerance has increased and art has become so abstract and multifaceted that almost everything can be considered to be art.
However, it really seems disputable that a statement like this came from a 13-year old girl. This point gives room to a further aspect regarding online webpages. Since it hasn't been possible to find out who or what the real "Mouchette" is, one might just argue that her home page is another example of an manipulated online identity.
Nevertheless, I picked Mouchette because it made me curious and presented something mysterious.
Scrapbook Entry 15: Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon
The picture was taken in Page, in southwest of the United States. It shows the Antelope Canyon. As one can see, the polished wall of the canyon recreate a unbeliveable play of colors. The Antelope canyon can be divided in Upper and Lower canyon. The picture depicts the Upper one. The canyon itself is about 100 meter long or approximately 328 feet and ten meters high (32 feet).
I found this picture while crusiing on the internet. To be honest, when I first took a look at it I wasn't really able to figure out what it actually was. NOt before I clicked on the picture to see it in full-size did I realize that it was a canyon.
After the current semester I will be doing a West Coast trip with friends from Germany. We wil start our trip in Seattle and will drive all the way down to the very South. I truly hope that we can stop by at the Great Canyon and see these natural phenomenon in reality.
Google Earth Link
Response to the movie "After Life"
After Life
The movie "After Life" tells the story of 21 people who have to select one specific memory or experience from their entire life. The memory can either be a pleasant one but also a negative one. This particular memory is recreated and made into short movie by team of filmmakers. The 21 participants have 3 days to decide which experience they choose; and the filteam has one week to produce the entire movies.
As the movie shows, the cooporation with the participants can either be easy and very productive but also sometimes tedious. Some of them just can't choose a memory and some of them simply don't want to. However, the audience gets to know that all the people who are working for the filmteam hasn't been able to decide a memory for themselves.
I truly liked the idea of trying to reproduce a memory or experience of individual persons. Thus, people have something about their life that can be shared by others even after their death.
Nevertheless, while watching the movie, I expected a little bit more from the end. I can't really explain why, but I somehow thought that the memory recreation of the respective persons were some kind of a "Good Bye" ritual in life.
Another thing that made me think was the fact that all these people whose memories were reproduced were so satisfied with the work of the filmaker team.
I figure to reproduce someone else's memory is a very tough challenge that requires a certain touch of instant feeling. In my eyes, I am not quite sure if I really wanted my favorite memory to be recreated. Maybe I just want to keep it in my mind the way I remember it.
The movie "After Life" tells the story of 21 people who have to select one specific memory or experience from their entire life. The memory can either be a pleasant one but also a negative one. This particular memory is recreated and made into short movie by team of filmmakers. The 21 participants have 3 days to decide which experience they choose; and the filteam has one week to produce the entire movies.
As the movie shows, the cooporation with the participants can either be easy and very productive but also sometimes tedious. Some of them just can't choose a memory and some of them simply don't want to. However, the audience gets to know that all the people who are working for the filmteam hasn't been able to decide a memory for themselves.
I truly liked the idea of trying to reproduce a memory or experience of individual persons. Thus, people have something about their life that can be shared by others even after their death.
Nevertheless, while watching the movie, I expected a little bit more from the end. I can't really explain why, but I somehow thought that the memory recreation of the respective persons were some kind of a "Good Bye" ritual in life.
Another thing that made me think was the fact that all these people whose memories were reproduced were so satisfied with the work of the filmaker team.
I figure to reproduce someone else's memory is a very tough challenge that requires a certain touch of instant feeling. In my eyes, I am not quite sure if I really wanted my favorite memory to be recreated. Maybe I just want to keep it in my mind the way I remember it.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Scrapbook Entry 14: Runter vom Gas!
The picture that I have chosen is actually a huge freeway (autobahn) poster that can be seen on all freeways throughout
The series of freeway posters was initially launched on the initiative of the German Ministry of Transport in 2007 in order to make especially younger generations aware of the dangers one has to face when driving too fastin general. According to the Ministry of Transportation, its campaign was primarily intended for younger drivers who haven’t got enough experience in driving and controlling their vehicle. It furthermore states that every fifth person who is injured or even killed in an car accident belongs to the age-group of 18- until 24. In
The message that the posters tries to convey is to remind not merely new driver but also anybody who is in charge of his or her own life but also of the lives of others. The way the poster is presented is supposed to shock people and make them aware what could happen to them an their families. As mentioned before, approximately 5.000 people die each year of German freeways – that means approximately 5.000 burials, bitter tears, lonely children, wifes, husbands, and families each year. The grief that is behind these figures is immeasurable.
In most cases, the remaining familiy members wish that their beloved person should have slowed down earlier. In the same way, they also feel impotent fury because their beloved ones might have been killed by the inconsiderateness of others. Furthermore, one should not forget those people who are confronted with these deadly car accidents on a daily basis, such as rescue workers, ambulance men, police officers, and pastors. In my eyes, this campaign has been the first one in
Google Earth Link
Scrapbook Entry 13: American Food
American FoodThe picture was taken in the Great Room here at St.Mary's. As one can see it depicts a delicious, greasy burger, French fries, nudels with cheese sauce, and some beef! Most of the international students I usually have dinner with consider that the typical American food; unhealthy, fatty and hard to digest.
Many of my friends from Germany who have already been abroad to the States had warned me about the risk to gain a lot of weight before I left for St.Mary's College.
But so far so good! I haven't gained a pound...
However, people can say what they want about the American food! Although I know that it probably won't help you to loose some extra pounds, I tastes awesome and I love it!
Google Earth Link
Artist Response No 6
The Region of the Transborder Trousers
As it is stated in the excerpt on blackboard ( http://courses.smcm.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab=courses&url=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_10810_1), at the turn of the twenty-first century, artists began to experiment with Global Positioning System (GPS) devices that track, via satellite, our movements in physical space.
In The Region of the Transborder Trousers (La región de los pantalones transfronterizos), Torolab, a Tijuana-based collective of architects, artists, designers, and musicians led by Raúl Cárdenas Osuna, use GPS transmitters to explore the logistics of daily life in the twin border cities of Tijuana and San Diego. This project not only makes visible the transnational mobility of the region's inhabitants, but also demonstrates the artistic potential of locative technologies.
For a period of five days, members of the collective carried GPS transmitters. The members also kept records of their cars' fuel consumption. In the end, the GPS and fuel data was then fed into a computer and visualized (using software reprogrammed by Torolab) as an animated map.Regarding the picture, one should know that each tracked Torolab member appeared as a colored dot on an urban grid surrounded by a circle whose diameter indicated the amount of fuel left in his or her tank.
In my eyes, the idea of using Global Positioning System (GPS) for making daily life easier but PS a software used to give them directions while driving their car. On the other hand, one of my first associations was to track criminals. This might be due to the great amout of Hollywood movies that used this technic to spy on people ( for instance mivies like "Enemey of the State") .
As Torolab did, the possibilities offered by such advanced technology can be used to produce a kind of art that might seem new to the layman.
Yet, I think is interesting that people start using these technologies for producing new kinds of art.
Project Reply ( 20 Lines)
Project Reply
First of all I would like say that found Apelles and Protogene's sory quite intersting.
While doing this project and creating my twenty differnt layers I initially had a few problems with generating various ideas because we were limited by the project requirements.
However, once I got started, I felt quite confident and didn't actually notice when I was done. I tried to produce twenty different kinds of lines. That was, in my eyes, the most difficult part of the task, because the likeliness to reproduce a alrady existing line was extremely high.
Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed the options the computer program offered us; to see all twenty layers on top of each other created a unique and unexpected crazy picture.
While doing this project and creating my twenty differnt layers I initially had a few problems with generating various ideas because we were limited by the project requirements.
However, once I got started, I felt quite confident and didn't actually notice when I was done. I tried to produce twenty different kinds of lines. That was, in my eyes, the most difficult part of the task, because the likeliness to reproduce a alrady existing line was extremely high.
Nevertheless, I truly enjoyed the options the computer program offered us; to see all twenty layers on top of each other created a unique and unexpected crazy picture.
Scrapbook Entry 12: public bleaching
Public bleaching
Last weekend, Ferbrury 14, 2009, and friend and I went to Germantown in Washington . We went to a mall in order to do some shopping when we saw two female persons who were dressed in white tunics, somehow appearing to be dentists.
Only on a closer look did we recogniz what they were actually doing in the middle of the shopping mall. As a matter of fact, they were offering a bleaching treatment of 15 minutes for "only 150 dollars. They competed for costumers by telling them that their teeth would look two stages lighter after the treatment.
My first impression when I truly realized what this was all about was total suprise. First of all, this is a professional treatment that should really be conducted by a professional dentist; and the fcat that they were offering that in a shopping mall made completely ridiculous in my eyes. Secondly, one should be aware of the treatment itself and the possible consequences. I know that this might sound a little bit exaggerated, but my uncle happens to be a dentist and he told me that some people should be very careful with having this treatment. It mightnot be good for your teeth in the long run. However, most of the costumers didn't ask about side effects or other things; they just sat down and paid the 150 bucks! Unbelieveable in my point of view!
Google Earth Link
Scrapbook Entry : 11
Thr real H-Town
This picture of Heidelberg, which I found on the internet, shows the city from such a high angle that it was porbably taken out of a helicopter. However, the it only depicts Heidelberg downtown and the castle; in other words, only the right side of the river Rhine. Thr bridge one can (one of three in HD) see on that connects both sides is the so called "Alte Bruecke", meaning old bridge. It just has been restored recently.
The downtown area is the usually the meeting point for students to go to a bar or club. the area also offers plenty of delicious restaurants which even students can afford. Besides that, most of the linguistic departments are located downtown as well. Since I am an English major I spend a lot of my time in the "Altstadt" (downtown). I even once had the chance to live there for a few months but moved away willingly to more outside area of Heidelberg because of during the weekends the noise downtown can get imaginable.
But all in all, especially in the summer, numerous street events and markets make the life in Heidelberg even more worth living than it already is.
Google Earth Link
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Artist Response No 5
Dialtones: A Telesymphony
Dialtones: A Telesymphony, first performed in 2001 at the Ars Electronica festival in Linz, Austria, is a musical project founded by Golan Levin and his collaborators Scott Gibbons, Gregory Shakar, and Yasmin Sohrawardy. The idea of the project which is based on a musical performance played on the audience's mobile phones builds on the legacy of John Cage, who used sounds from everyday life in his music, and whose work inspired generations of musicians and artists.
I truly like Golan Levin's idea to use cell phone sounds, which are mostly considered noise pollution in public spaces, to produce something so creative. As it is stated in the excerpt, mobile phones have become so omnipresent that a new etiquette appeared in movie theaters, concert halls, and other performance spaces, namly the ritual of silencing these ubiquitous devices.
In my opinion, artist who take objects or phenomenon from our daily life and try to create something new or creative that represents those objects from a different point of view, should receive far more credit for their work. Golan Levin's work somehow reminds me of this artist, I can't remember his name, who used old trash (metal objects and synthetic materials) in order tp produce something new out of it. He primarely created sculptures.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Scrapbook Entry 10: Courage or stupidity
Courage or stupidityTwo weeks before I came to Maryland in August 2008, I had gone on a excursion with the Physical Education Department to Austria. At the last day, when we came back from decending a 2500 meter high mountain, we finally reached the valley again to take a rest. However, one of my collegues seemed not have had enough action yet. So he decided to jump on a grazing cow. The cow immediately started to dipsy-doodle.
Nevertheless, he managed to ride the cow for over 5 seconds before the cow shook him off. Fortunately, he didn't hurt himself and the our professor didn't find out about that. When he returned to the group, he was laughing all over and tried to encourage other students to follow his footsteps; but nobody dared it do it...
Google earth link
Scrapbook Entry 9: No 91
No 91Dennis Rodman, a basketball superstar who won 5 NBA championships in his career as a professional. Besides the fact that only a very selected group of players can claim that, he was one of the craziest personalities the NBA has ever seen.
Dennis Rodman had the unique ability to get in his opponent's mind and mess up his concentration and focus. He was a master of provoking othert players but always overstepped the line sometimes.
However, the picture one can see was taken in the by then called "United Center", the home court of the Chicago Bulls, in the 1997. It depicts Dennis Rodman diving for a ball. Although this might not seem as something special, it was his theatrically way he made random things, like jumping for a rebound, look unique and memorable.
Google Earth Link
Dennis Rodman had the unique ability to get in his opponent's mind and mess up his concentration and focus. He was a master of provoking othert players but always overstepped the line sometimes.
However, the picture one can see was taken in the by then called "United Center", the home court of the Chicago Bulls, in the 1997. It depicts Dennis Rodman diving for a ball. Although this might not seem as something special, it was his theatrically way he made random things, like jumping for a rebound, look unique and memorable.
Google Earth Link
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Response to the frontline report
Response
The report produced by frontline was about the opportunities the internet offers to young people nowadays. It furthermore displayed the risks and dangers of the online world. Besides aspects as addiction, the internet is a platform for sex crimes and other illegal issues. The main problem that was mentioned by many parents was that no one is truly in charge.
However, especially the young people argue that the internet makes communication easier and effective. The report stated that the internet is not only a short phase of time that will disappear some time soon in the future. The power and impact on our daily life will even further increase. 90 percent of todays' students (in certain American areas) are said to be online. For them, the online world is perfect outlet for selfexpression. It offers the rare opportunity to be someone else and act without directly having to face the consequences. Nevertheless, because of the fact that many parents aren't familiar (or can't keep up) anymore with the fast technical progress, the tolerance between generations has gotten less and communication has become even more difficult. The report pointed out that the internet had caused the greatest generational gtab since the time of Rock and Roll.
The report moreover depicted a highschool teacher who incoorporated many new technologies in his lessons. He argued that "walking into a class room without these technologies is like walking into a desert."
However, I disagree partly with his point of view. Since I will be a teacher as well, I think that he exaggerated by comparing the situation to a desert. Without going into further detail, I have learnt there are always ways to get the students' attention , even without the use of these new technologies.
Before the internet has become such a powerful used source for communication, social networks did work too! There were ways to get in touch with each other. Besides the traditional ways like sending a letter or just using the phone, peoples' horizon was smaller; but by progressing technology, peoples' expectations and conveniences increased.
Everytime I have to explain to someone what facebook or myspace actually is, is use the words "online chat forum". It gives two people, who are are online at the same time, the opportunity to write messags to each other and reply to them instantly; as if they were sitting next to each other at a table. I know that this is a very simplified version of what is actually is, but this explaination worked for my grandfather, so I gues it works for anyone else too :-).
I also think that users of facebook or similiar webpages choose their (profilpictures or just pictures they post online) pictures consciously. Since these profiles mostly reveal only a small part of someone's real identity, user try to make the bst impression possible by chossing the right picture. In my eyes, most people (users) are judged by their profil picture for instance.
I furthermore think that a profil picture tells a lot about a person, because it has alsways been picked on pupose by the user.
With ragrd to Marshall McLuhan's statement "the medium is the message", I have to say that his point of view is intersting and in my eyes mostly true. He states that the society's values, norms and ways of doing things change because of the new and progressing technology. Thus, these new technologies and their fast but quiet progress make uns miss the structural changes in our daily affairs. He describes these changes as the "unanticipated consequences" that work silently to influence the way in which we interact with one another. Furthermore he said that a medium affects the society in which it plays a role not only by the content delivered over the medium, but by the characteristics of the medium itself.
By applying these aspects to a facebook page, I realize that I do the same thing. In order to write someone a message, I don't use the traditional way of emailing, but rather prefer facebook or strudivz which is the German version of it. If asked why, I acn't really give an answer that would make sense. Both ways would take the same time. However, I'd say that by using facebook, I automatically feel as a part of a larger community. Another reason for avoiding the telephone or to write an email might be the fact that a friend's facebook page offers so many different options at the same time. One can see who else wrote something on his wall, or who else is online at the moment. It makes us feel that we are up to date.
However, I agree with Marshall McLuhan that the medium itself affects our perception of communication. For instance, people tend to write short "insider jokes" on each others wall. I do that too! The question is if we would do the same thing if we would have to write it in an email?! Probabaly not, because the idea of an email is, at least for me, different to an idea of a facebook message. I am convinced that most of the messages that are written daily on facebook don't actually have a real and importnat content. The are just written, because the "digital environment" on facebook literally invited us to.
However, especially the young people argue that the internet makes communication easier and effective. The report stated that the internet is not only a short phase of time that will disappear some time soon in the future. The power and impact on our daily life will even further increase. 90 percent of todays' students (in certain American areas) are said to be online. For them, the online world is perfect outlet for selfexpression. It offers the rare opportunity to be someone else and act without directly having to face the consequences. Nevertheless, because of the fact that many parents aren't familiar (or can't keep up) anymore with the fast technical progress, the tolerance between generations has gotten less and communication has become even more difficult. The report pointed out that the internet had caused the greatest generational gtab since the time of Rock and Roll.
The report moreover depicted a highschool teacher who incoorporated many new technologies in his lessons. He argued that "walking into a class room without these technologies is like walking into a desert."
However, I disagree partly with his point of view. Since I will be a teacher as well, I think that he exaggerated by comparing the situation to a desert. Without going into further detail, I have learnt there are always ways to get the students' attention , even without the use of these new technologies.
Before the internet has become such a powerful used source for communication, social networks did work too! There were ways to get in touch with each other. Besides the traditional ways like sending a letter or just using the phone, peoples' horizon was smaller; but by progressing technology, peoples' expectations and conveniences increased.
Everytime I have to explain to someone what facebook or myspace actually is, is use the words "online chat forum". It gives two people, who are are online at the same time, the opportunity to write messags to each other and reply to them instantly; as if they were sitting next to each other at a table. I know that this is a very simplified version of what is actually is, but this explaination worked for my grandfather, so I gues it works for anyone else too :-).
I also think that users of facebook or similiar webpages choose their (profilpictures or just pictures they post online) pictures consciously. Since these profiles mostly reveal only a small part of someone's real identity, user try to make the bst impression possible by chossing the right picture. In my eyes, most people (users) are judged by their profil picture for instance.
I furthermore think that a profil picture tells a lot about a person, because it has alsways been picked on pupose by the user.
With ragrd to Marshall McLuhan's statement "the medium is the message", I have to say that his point of view is intersting and in my eyes mostly true. He states that the society's values, norms and ways of doing things change because of the new and progressing technology. Thus, these new technologies and their fast but quiet progress make uns miss the structural changes in our daily affairs. He describes these changes as the "unanticipated consequences" that work silently to influence the way in which we interact with one another. Furthermore he said that a medium affects the society in which it plays a role not only by the content delivered over the medium, but by the characteristics of the medium itself.
By applying these aspects to a facebook page, I realize that I do the same thing. In order to write someone a message, I don't use the traditional way of emailing, but rather prefer facebook or strudivz which is the German version of it. If asked why, I acn't really give an answer that would make sense. Both ways would take the same time. However, I'd say that by using facebook, I automatically feel as a part of a larger community. Another reason for avoiding the telephone or to write an email might be the fact that a friend's facebook page offers so many different options at the same time. One can see who else wrote something on his wall, or who else is online at the moment. It makes us feel that we are up to date.
However, I agree with Marshall McLuhan that the medium itself affects our perception of communication. For instance, people tend to write short "insider jokes" on each others wall. I do that too! The question is if we would do the same thing if we would have to write it in an email?! Probabaly not, because the idea of an email is, at least for me, different to an idea of a facebook message. I am convinced that most of the messages that are written daily on facebook don't actually have a real and importnat content. The are just written, because the "digital environment" on facebook literally invited us to.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Scrapbook Entry 8: The troll
The troll
According to an online encyclopedia, trolls are fearsome members of a race of creatures from Norse mythology.
A possible explanation for the troll myth is that the trolls represent the remains of the forefather-cult which was ubiquitous in Scandinavia until the introduction of Christianity in the 10th and 11th centuries. In this cult the forefathers were worshipped in sacred groves, by altars or by gravemounds.
One of the customs associated with this practice was to sit on top of a gravemound at night, possibly in order to make contact with the deceased.A possible explanation for the troll myth is that the trolls represent the remains of the forefather-cult which was ubiquitous in Scandinavia until the introduction of Christianity in the 10th and 11th centuries. In this cult the forefathers were worshipped in sacred groves, by altars or by gravemounds.
However, this picture (from 2006) was made in Rhineland-Palatinate , a beautiful region in the Southwest of Germany. It depicts a little troll sitting on a exterior wall of a house keeping watch. The popular superstition in this region is due to the fact that people think these creatures would protect their families from misery and mischief by placing a stone troll on top of their exterior house walls.
When I went to this region for the first time and saw these creatures I was truly suprised because I didn't know about this custom at all. I always associated trolls with Scandinavia in the first place. However, I really liked the idea and could image to get one for myself in the future.
google earth link
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Scrapbook Entry 7: Road Signs
Confusing Road SignsThe picture was obviouly taken in Spain since the language on the road sign is Spanish, saying "Bandas Sonoras"(meaning soundtrack) which doesn't make much sens for me. However, what you can see in the picture is a great example of how special the human mind sometimes works.
The noteworthiness about this picture is that the speed limit indicated by the road signs decreases by slow degrees (always 10 km/h less). Usually, at least in Europe, one uses standardised speed limit signs , such as 30, 50, 7o, and 80.
Another difference is the small distance between the signs. In my eyes, at least every otherroad sign is unnecessarily posed, and so only causing confusion for the driver. Nonetheless, there might a reason for this which we as the observer do not see.
google earth link
Artist Response No 4
The "Industrious Clock"
Yugo Nakamura,is according to his personal website (yugop.com) a creative director, designer and engineer exploring various forms of interactive system in digital and networked environment. The site furthermore states that Yugo has exhibited and lectured in Asia, U.S.A and Europe and that some artworks from his personal website have recenly been shown at Center Pompidou (Paris), Kunstlerhaus (Vienna), Design Museum (London). His commercial works have received many international awards including Cannes Lions, OneShow, Clio Award, and NY ADC.”
For further information about his career adn projects check out http://yugop.net/info/.
However, his project "Industrious Clock" from 2001 is a clock that tells you the time exactly to the tick. But the particularity of this clock is that it every single figure is actually written down by a human hand with a pencil.
This piece of art drew my attention because of its simplicity. What we see is an usual clock that gives you the exact time. However, the way it does make, makes it special in a way. The fact that the audience actually sees a human hand writing restlessly down each single figure somehow emphasizes the impression how fast time passes by. As soon as one figure is written down, it has to be erased because it is not actual anymore.
For further information about his career adn projects check out http://yugop.net/info/.
However, his project "Industrious Clock" from 2001 is a clock that tells you the time exactly to the tick. But the particularity of this clock is that it every single figure is actually written down by a human hand with a pencil.
This piece of art drew my attention because of its simplicity. What we see is an usual clock that gives you the exact time. However, the way it does make, makes it special in a way. The fact that the audience actually sees a human hand writing restlessly down each single figure somehow emphasizes the impression how fast time passes by. As soon as one figure is written down, it has to be erased because it is not actual anymore.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Artist Response No 3
1 year performance videoThe work of MTAAA seems to me quite interesting because it has a different approch to the process of art making than the layman expects. Their concept, "The art happens here," emphasizing that Net art, like Process art, Performance art, and Happenings, is less an object for contemplation than an event or action that takes place over time, truly drew my attention. According to the excerpt, MTAA's project "1 year performance video" really meets the various ways of the internet age.
In the original work, a person spent an entire year living within a cage, documenting his self-induced confinement with photographs. This reminded me of a TV show from Germany called "Big Brother". In this show people, who haven't met each other before, are put into an apartment and have to master certain task to keep this show going. However, they are recorded 24/7.
But with regard to the work of MTAAA, one might consider its project as a perfect example for the increasing replacement of human activities and live experiences with those offered by computer and online worlds. Furthermore, it shows the audience the new media's ability to manipulate peoples' perceptions of time. In the same way as Ken Goldberg's work does, it covers up the distinct borders of reality and fake, making it extremely difficult to understand the process of art making in a traditional sense.
In the original work, a person spent an entire year living within a cage, documenting his self-induced confinement with photographs. This reminded me of a TV show from Germany called "Big Brother". In this show people, who haven't met each other before, are put into an apartment and have to master certain task to keep this show going. However, they are recorded 24/7.
But with regard to the work of MTAAA, one might consider its project as a perfect example for the increasing replacement of human activities and live experiences with those offered by computer and online worlds. Furthermore, it shows the audience the new media's ability to manipulate peoples' perceptions of time. In the same way as Ken Goldberg's work does, it covers up the distinct borders of reality and fake, making it extremely difficult to understand the process of art making in a traditional sense.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Scrapbook Entry 6: NBA TV
NBA TV
This picture was made in our dorm on campus last semester. As one can see it depicts a photograph of a TV screen that was broadcasting a NBA basketball match. To be more precise one can see Lebron James, a superstar of the Cleveland Cavaliers. As an important information one should know that my friends and I are great NBA fans who try to follow the events that happen in the NBA daily. So the reason why I took this picture was to make my friends in Germany jealous because I have the rare opportunity here in the States to watch NBA games live on television without getting up in the middle of the night, as my friends in Germany would have to if they wanted to watch one.
Furthermore, one should be aware of the fact that even by purchasing “Pay-TV” in
Scrapbook Entry 5: The shoe of Destiny
The shoe of DestinyThis picture was actually taken in Baltimore January 31, 2009 in a restaurant. As it is with most of my scrapbook entries, there is a story behind this one too.
At the end of last semester, a day before I flew back to Germany over the winter break, I finally decided to divest myself from my beloved shoes which I had for over 15 months at that time. So consequently I put them into the trash can before I went to the airport for my flight back to Germany...
On January 19, 2009, I came back to St.Mary's campus. I was dropped off at my place and entered our dorm. As soon as I entered my room and saw the trash can, looking the same as it had done when I left before the break. My shoes were still on top of the papers. I immediately thought that this had to be destiny, because to be honest, I didn't want to get rid of them. The mean a lot to me because they have been through a lot! However, the right shoe has a huge hole in it which can't be repaired.
Long story short, I decided to wear them another semester. As thing are now, I will leave them here at St.Mary's for good when I go back to Heidelberg...
But who knows what destiny has planed for me...
google earth link
At the end of last semester, a day before I flew back to Germany over the winter break, I finally decided to divest myself from my beloved shoes which I had for over 15 months at that time. So consequently I put them into the trash can before I went to the airport for my flight back to Germany...
On January 19, 2009, I came back to St.Mary's campus. I was dropped off at my place and entered our dorm. As soon as I entered my room and saw the trash can, looking the same as it had done when I left before the break. My shoes were still on top of the papers. I immediately thought that this had to be destiny, because to be honest, I didn't want to get rid of them. The mean a lot to me because they have been through a lot! However, the right shoe has a huge hole in it which can't be repaired.
Long story short, I decided to wear them another semester. As thing are now, I will leave them here at St.Mary's for good when I go back to Heidelberg...
But who knows what destiny has planed for me...
google earth link
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Scrapbook Entry 4: Philosophenweg 18/1
The Philosophenweg 18/1
This picture was taken a day before New Year's Eve in 2008 in Heidelberg, Germany. To be more precise, it was taken in Neuenheim, the most expensive district/area in Heidelberg to live in.
It depicts a door bell with an integrated loudspeaker of a house on the Philosphenweg 18/1; a street that is located directly at the river Rhine at a mountain road. In order to understand the picture a little bit better, one should know that Philisophenweg (street of the philosophers) is the most famous street in Heidelberg because of the fact that celebrities and even former important German politicians used to have there residence there.
As a normal human being, it is nearly impossible to even get an apartment not to mention a property on Philosophenweg. It is just too expensive.
The story behind this picture is nevertheless a different one. The day for New Year's Eve, me and friends took a walk up to the mountains along the Philosophenweg. We were fascinated and electrified at the same time by the large mansions we saw next to each other on the Philosophenweg.
However, there was one mansion that stood out because it just seemed to be the perfect place to live in. The mansion's house number was 18/1, as the picture shows. The property was quite bigger in comparison to all the other ones on that street.
The mansion seemed to be in a perfect spot, high upon the mountain, so that it offered a beautiful view over Heidelberg and the surrounding countryside. One even had a clear view of the Heidelberger castle.
Unfortunately, we have never had the chance to get look inside the property because it was surrounded by a white wall that could only image what was behind these walls.
However, we declared this mansion the best place in which to live in all of Heidelberg. As a result of our excitement, we started to envision how we would spend our time living there. Of course we knew that this vision would never come true, however, we thought it to be worth dreaming about.
So we took a picture to remind ourselves of the dreams we share.
It depicts a door bell with an integrated loudspeaker of a house on the Philosphenweg 18/1; a street that is located directly at the river Rhine at a mountain road. In order to understand the picture a little bit better, one should know that Philisophenweg (street of the philosophers) is the most famous street in Heidelberg because of the fact that celebrities and even former important German politicians used to have there residence there.
As a normal human being, it is nearly impossible to even get an apartment not to mention a property on Philosophenweg. It is just too expensive.
The story behind this picture is nevertheless a different one. The day for New Year's Eve, me and friends took a walk up to the mountains along the Philosophenweg. We were fascinated and electrified at the same time by the large mansions we saw next to each other on the Philosophenweg.
However, there was one mansion that stood out because it just seemed to be the perfect place to live in. The mansion's house number was 18/1, as the picture shows. The property was quite bigger in comparison to all the other ones on that street.
The mansion seemed to be in a perfect spot, high upon the mountain, so that it offered a beautiful view over Heidelberg and the surrounding countryside. One even had a clear view of the Heidelberger castle.
Unfortunately, we have never had the chance to get look inside the property because it was surrounded by a white wall that could only image what was behind these walls.
However, we declared this mansion the best place in which to live in all of Heidelberg. As a result of our excitement, we started to envision how we would spend our time living there. Of course we knew that this vision would never come true, however, we thought it to be worth dreaming about.
So we took a picture to remind ourselves of the dreams we share.
Scapbook Entry 3: Before and after pictures
Before and after pictures
The two pictures shown depict two Coca-Cola cans. On the first picture they are still closed and on the second one they just have been opened. By taking a closer look at the second picture one might still be able to see a slight sign of fog rising up from the cans directly the moment after their opening. I call it the "ghost" of the can who finally gets set free.
The picture was taken at a turkish fast-food restaurant called "Yuffka" in Heidelberg, Germany.
Every time I go there with my friends we always eat the same food, namly a yuffka, some kind of wrap with vegetables and beef. Furthermore, we always drink the same soda, a Coca-Cola out of a can, not from a glas or plastic bottle.
The fact that the yuffka is somehow extremely salty makes you feel thirsty quite rapidly; and Since I have been studing in Heidelberg, it has become a costum for me and my friends or I should rather say a habit to open our Cola cans simultaneaously and try to see the "ghost".
So given the fact that you are extremely thirsty already after a few bites makes you drink the ice cold Cola very fast almost all at once. This, on the other hand, causes some kind of pain in your throat but, on the other hand, also makes you feel "released" and content.
However, I consider the picture everything BUT art. Although the activity of "drinking" is part of our everyday life, we probably don't consider it as something beautifully or something that makes us feel good.
Nevertheless, I like the story the picture tells. Who would have thought that people can get so much satisfaction from only drinking a soda when they are thirsty?!
google earth link
The picture was taken at a turkish fast-food restaurant called "Yuffka" in Heidelberg, Germany.
Every time I go there with my friends we always eat the same food, namly a yuffka, some kind of wrap with vegetables and beef. Furthermore, we always drink the same soda, a Coca-Cola out of a can, not from a glas or plastic bottle.
The fact that the yuffka is somehow extremely salty makes you feel thirsty quite rapidly; and Since I have been studing in Heidelberg, it has become a costum for me and my friends or I should rather say a habit to open our Cola cans simultaneaously and try to see the "ghost".
So given the fact that you are extremely thirsty already after a few bites makes you drink the ice cold Cola very fast almost all at once. This, on the other hand, causes some kind of pain in your throat but, on the other hand, also makes you feel "released" and content.
However, I consider the picture everything BUT art. Although the activity of "drinking" is part of our everyday life, we probably don't consider it as something beautifully or something that makes us feel good.
Nevertheless, I like the story the picture tells. Who would have thought that people can get so much satisfaction from only drinking a soda when they are thirsty?!
google earth link
Scrapbook Entry 2: Where..."Perfection" happens.
Where..."Perfection" happens.
This picture was taken on a balcony in Heidelberg, Germany. As one can see it shows a six-pack of Coca-Cola bottles and a six-pack of Fanta bottles next to each other standing perfectly in the sunset of a cold winter day. The reason for the six-packs being out on a balcony was due to the fact that the fridge was already packed.
The picture was taken during winter break in Germany 2008/2009. I had edited this picture by writing something on it before I sent it back to Germany to jecoice my roomates by reminding them of the awesome time we had. The writing on the picture says; "Where..."Perfection" happens." This statement was copied from the NBA.com website commercial. To make it short, this drink represents "perfection" for me and my roomates because we like it so much.
But the main reason why I chose this picture is the fact that this beverage is my roomates' and my favorite drink back in Germany. Originally, it is also referred to as "Spezi". Spezi conists of 50 percent Cola nd 50 percent Fanta. In other words, a mixture of both of them. The best way to consume this drink is when both sodas are ice cold.
Although the picture might only represent a radom failed picture to most of its viewers, it has a special personal meaning for me. However, the way the two six-packs are depicted by the warm light of the sunset during winter time and the association and emotions (enjoyment and satisfaction) me and my rommates connect with them, makes it special in our view at least.
google earth link
The picture was taken during winter break in Germany 2008/2009. I had edited this picture by writing something on it before I sent it back to Germany to jecoice my roomates by reminding them of the awesome time we had. The writing on the picture says; "Where..."Perfection" happens." This statement was copied from the NBA.com website commercial. To make it short, this drink represents "perfection" for me and my roomates because we like it so much.
But the main reason why I chose this picture is the fact that this beverage is my roomates' and my favorite drink back in Germany. Originally, it is also referred to as "Spezi". Spezi conists of 50 percent Cola nd 50 percent Fanta. In other words, a mixture of both of them. The best way to consume this drink is when both sodas are ice cold.
Although the picture might only represent a radom failed picture to most of its viewers, it has a special personal meaning for me. However, the way the two six-packs are depicted by the warm light of the sunset during winter time and the association and emotions (enjoyment and satisfaction) me and my rommates connect with them, makes it special in our view at least.
google earth link
Scrapbook Entry 1: The "Gun"
The "Gun"
The object on the picture probably looks familiar to all St.Mary's students who have been at the Arc. However, when I saw the "The Gun" for the first time, I was both, unsure of what is actually was and also excited about using it. "The Gun" is a machine constructed for the sport of basketball. With its long extensions which are connected with each other through a net, is has the ability to catch most of the missed shots on the basket. Its shape is perfectly adjusted to the shape of a basketball hoop.
It drew my attention immediately because, since I have been playing this sport as long as I can walk, I had never seen such a machine that makes it possible to work on your shot without always running after your missed shots. It furthermore has the ability to pass you the ball periodically. It is up to the user whether he wants the ball to be passed to himself every third, fourth, or fifth second. The user moreover can decide if he wants the ball to be passed always to the same spot or I am quite sure that those machines are not common usuage in Germany, even for professional teams.
In my eyes, this machine should not be considered to be some kind of art, because its only purpose is to make the basketball practice/workout more efficient.
However, I was deeply fascinated when I saw it the first time; and I can't wait to show this picture to my basketball colleagues in Germany.
It drew my attention immediately because, since I have been playing this sport as long as I can walk, I had never seen such a machine that makes it possible to work on your shot without always running after your missed shots. It furthermore has the ability to pass you the ball periodically. It is up to the user whether he wants the ball to be passed to himself every third, fourth, or fifth second. The user moreover can decide if he wants the ball to be passed always to the same spot or I am quite sure that those machines are not common usuage in Germany, even for professional teams.
In my eyes, this machine should not be considered to be some kind of art, because its only purpose is to make the basketball practice/workout more efficient.
However, I was deeply fascinated when I saw it the first time; and I can't wait to show this picture to my basketball colleagues in Germany.
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