Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Project: Final

For me, the main goal of this final project was to really hone the process of creating low-polygon images from photographs; a method I attempted to teach myself through another assignment this term, but the result was far from perfect. Aside from simply learning and improving this new technique, my final project also drew inspiration from several different segments of the readings assigned over the course of the semester.

The final project, presented below, is a digital image in the fashion of a one hundred dollar bill made from thousands of individual triangles. I am really infatuated with the style and aesthetic of geometric art, so I am quite pleased with the end result and found it was a successful progression from my original attempt at making polygonal graphics from a photo.



The image was created in Photoshop CS6 using the polygon tool. I recorded an action that, after creating a precise triangle on a grid, filled the selection with an average color from the original photograph. The polygon was then moved to its own layer, which was a necessary step used to edit the triangles later and delete any major errors. Admittedly, the process was tedious and lengthy: the final product used over 2,300 layers of triangles to produce a geometric image of currency, which caused the program to run exceptionally slow—a true test of patience. However, the effort paid off and the total process was completely necessary to transform the detailed photograph into a minimalist and multifaceted graphic. With a fewer number of layers or triangles, the end result would look way too simple and even blurry.

Originally, I intended to print and hang my image in the hallway, but in the end, chose to display it on a computer monitor. This route was much more successful than printing, as the colors were more accurately reflected and no clarity was lost through the printing process; something I have learned can be mostly trial-and-error when using the on-campus printing services at the @One computer lab.

One struggle I encountered, besides working with very sluggish software, was how the end result didn’t necessarily reflect the dedication and accomplishment felt from creating such a plain image. However, I truly improved upon my own technical skills and therefore, didn’t feel it would be necessary to factor in a more visual representation of the labor required to complete this project. If hung in a gallery, a proper title and artist’s statement would help dovetail the complex process with the modest digital image.

This particular medium also makes it pretty difficult to have any inherent meaning deeper than simple geometry and form, which is why I chose a one hundred dollar bill as my inspiration. There are a range of connotations attached to currency, but many are connected to wealth and capitalism. It’s no coincidence that Benjamin Franklin, the most recognizable figure in my image, was a proponent of this economic theory and that the Situationists denounce the “unbearable demands” (Debord) associated with capitalism and modern society. While a fairly loose connection, that tension and drastically different perspective regarding currency was my motivation for choosing to alter the one hundred dollar bill into a different shape.

My graphic also draws a significant amount of inspiration from Hito Steyerl’s perspective in the article “In Defense of the Poor Image”. I chose a very high quality photograph with a recognizable design and then transformed it to a near laughable level of simplicity; however, the most basic or original form of a product or image shouldn’t detract from its overall value—an idea that led me to edit the original hundred dollar bill, rather than its updated counterpart that now includes new designs and modern anti-fraud technology. It’s also notable that physical currency is of a much different and “poorer” quality (especially after it’s been in circulation and exchanged hands a countless number of times) compared to the intangible, pristine transactions now available with modern technology, online banking, and credit cards. Printed money is quickly approaching irrelevancy, but the tangible element of currency should continue to be revered for its ability to be shared tenfold amongst people and as a recognizable symbol across cultures on a global scale.

Another reading that inspired the actual process of making my geometric art was Moyra Davey’s “Notes on Photography & Accident” where she speaks on the chance or accidental nature of things, such as writing and photography. This sort of randomness definitely occurs while creating polygons because the image is zoomed in so far that you can’t place the dotted lines or pixels as part of a recognizable photograph; it’s by chance that the image comes together as a whole once all the triangles are created. In order to emphasize this accidental image and stay true to Davey’s ideal, I didn’t color correct any of the triangles. There were quite a few instances where some blended into the background or would have benefit from more contrast, but I kept each layer as it occurred naturally. While the process doesn’t have much conceptual depth, it truly follows her “something from nothing” experience.

My final project is a piece that can be valued for its aesthetic appeal, as well as a solid measure of my progress, patience, and dedication to the process. When combined with the concepts we have learned from the artists this semester, ranging from perspectives on poor imagery to pure chance, my final geometric image is something I am proud to present. Creating low-polygon art is something I will continue to do in the future, no matter how superficial of a medium it appears to be. The process behind this image proves that it takes an enormous amount of work, practice, and proficiency to create something that looks so simple or easy, whether it is a triangle, photograph, performance piece, painting, sculpture, musical score, or graphic design. While this particular piece of art may not touch upon substantial social topics or inspire people to participate in a progressive art movement, I appreciate the multifaceted hundred dollar bill for what it is: a truly cumulative effort of skill and knowledge of digital media.

Project: Curating



I submitted a books arts piece to our exhibit titled "good morning". The pages contained basic watercolor forms that, as one progresses through the book, change colors to emulate a sunrise. I also offered to chop the pages up to better represent our theme, but to no avail.

While curating was the goal of this assignment, I don't think we necessarily accomplished any true form of that process. I have helped organize and install art shows for previous digital media classes, but the whole curatorial process was new to me. Unfortunately, "curating" and choosing the content seemed to draw way more focus than the actual quality of student artwork submitted (ironically, no pieces were even rejected). In order to gain more content we added a last minute +1 requirement, which basically destroyed any semblance of theme in the pieces; my +1 was submitted but not shown, as there was a lack of space for even more individual, digital content.

There wasn't much direction or quality communication during the installation process, so the original attempts at hanging the pieces were just a huge waste of time. If this same amount of care was put into actually creating art, then the lengthy and frustrating installation process would have been worth something. There was quite a bit of misplaced pride in simply being capable of hosting a fun student show with snacks, but I wouldn't have called it successful by any means.



Project: Light Box


The image I created for our class light box was inspired by a style of very low-polygon graphics I've seen floating around the internet and I really wanted to learn the process for creating these geometric images. I also thought that the colors and various tones would translate really well when back-lit.

I used Photoshop to create the triangles over an old picture I took of a heart-shaped waffle; I love breakfast and it has been a reoccurring theme in my artwork over the last few terms. I would have been interested in making a dark colored background to see if that made the shapes more vibrant--the color didn't translate very well once printed.

The actual construction and painting of the light boxes went fairly well and I'm really glad that our class naturally divided into those two categories. Overall, this was a fun/diverse assignment and I wish we allotted more time to produce our graphics, print, and install them ourselves.





Clusterfuck Aesthetic

The artwork and images showcased in the "Clusterfuck Esthetic" by Jerry Saltz were extremely appealing to me, even though the author insists that its roots are "grandiose and testosterone driven". He summarizes this Clusterfuck ideal as art on a massive, chaotic, and sculptural scale that breaks the boundaries of a traditional gallery in a way that is almost unbearable. Most of the artwork he cites is some form of mixed media with colorful projections, sculptures, or massive stacks of video screens; the effect of this aesthetic is truly impressive and visually overwhelming.

Although Saltz mentions several times that this category is overtly masculine, it seems to be more of a pratice that is dominated by male artists rather than an entire genre that is inherently un-feminine. Saltz's article is actually a pretty solid reflection of the frenetic clusterfuck aesthetic and presents itself without a tidy conclusion or even ending thought.

Jason Rhoades' work was my favorite of the bunch:



Monday, December 15, 2014

Guy-Ernest Debord

Perspectives for Conscious Alterations in Everyday Life

Deboard writes on the necessity to denounce and destroy capitalism, which he refers to as "modern slavery" that restricts all forms of creative expression. As a member of the Situationists, Debord says that revolutionary action and avant-garde ideas wouldn't produce proper results and that true change must occur at the individual level and in everyday life. Technology and the overwhelming force of capitalism create a world or image that should be questioned; the Yes Men are a modern example of Situationists or individuals that work to challenge big business. This duo in particular maintains a sense of individuality in their approach and critically sincere support of humanity in their performances, but continue to challenge those with gross power and wealth.

A critique of classism is present in several of the readings, where the lower class (or poor image) is assigned meaning that isn't necessarily earned or ever questioned. Capitalism only breeds a stronger class divide and Debord insists that actively questioning everyday life and the individual's role is of the utmost importance if new and successful methods of revolution are to occur.

Artist Lecture - Scott Tsuchitani

"Of Guerilla Geisha and Samurai Subversion: Undoing the Other Through Anti-Anti-asian Art"

Scott Tsuchitani favors unique visual parody and intellectual activism through his accessible artwork; a combination that is pretty unique when combined with his skills in printmaking and Asian culture and studies. The lecture (and much of his work) was very funny, but in a way that played off his own ethnicity's ideals (for example, the Christmas cards with his face Photoshopped onto each family member, the result of which was plenty of concered phone calls) in an attempt to subvert the stereotypes of Asian culture.



Tsuchitani became interested in guerilla art (a method that is outwardly "more effective than violent revolutions"), which sounds terrifying, but he was equally nervous to place his modified pseudo-flyers that criticized a popular museum for fetishizing the geisha and samurai right in their vicinity. His museum flyers utilized the perfect balance of both subtlety and shock, which made his perspective and critique of their practice very effective.

Scott is an educated artist whose attempts at engaging the community have been successful and have gained quite a bit of attention in the media, as well as censorship. He was an enthusiastic speaker and I really enjoyed learning about his fairly simple processes that have garnered significant social results.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Moyra Davey

Notes on Photography and Accident

Moyra Davey presents essentially a stream of consciousness regarding her thoughts on photography and efforts to stay interested in the art form. Davey resorts to writing in an attempt to become more inspired by the practice and discusses how there is always an element of chance required in photography; it's a piece that feels very personal and familiar as an art student constantly looking for inspiration and to be honest, not always finding it.

While very well researched and documented with multiple citations and a lengthy bibliography, there is an intentional lack of editing in her short, long, insightful, and/or rambling entries; because of this style, her main perspective becomes a bit diluted for me while reading. Even though the piece lacks true organization, Davey's pure love of photography and vast knowledge surrounding the subject is quite clear through her notes and extremely pleasant and sincere tone. The author is mainly trying to express through words and the actual, physical process of writing itself, that no matter the medium, all forms of art, photos, and even text are essentially accidental.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Hito Steyerl

In Defense of the Poor Image

Hito Steyerl presents an argument that poor images, the ones that have been saved and shared via the internet or various digital outlets, should be appreciated as much as modern, high-quality graphics. Steyerl insists that there is a hierarchy assigned to these poor images that is far too similar to a class system and how only the vivid or rich pieces get assigned any credit and value; although, even the high-resolution images will become irrelevant and degraded as technology improves—a nearly inevitable fate.

Steyerl’s argument resonates quite well with the Maria Lind reading, which presents the idea that “minor” artists have more original ideas than those closely tied to the traditional art world. In both situations, value is simply assigned to this imagined standard and those in the lesser category are ignored or not qualified as artwork. Steyerl’s overall argument was really eye-opening, since images are shared through social media at such an astonishing rate and popular/poor formats for many of these graphics, such as GIFs, don’t necessarily have to be the most high-quality.

There continues to be a natural and historical pull towards the poor image, which creates a “visual bond” amongst people, calling into question the importance, if any, of the distinction between high and low quality graphics.

Friday, October 17, 2014

Art Exhibit - Dada

The "Justin Quinn: Not Everything Means Something and Dada Local: The Legacy of Dada Culture in Reno" exhibit explores Dadaism on a personal, exploratory, and professional level, with artwork submitted by university students and local characters alike. The gallery showcased a wide range of mediums, including paintings, sculpture, book arts, video projects, mixed media, and large scale prints. Overall, the space looked much more advanced than its surrounding hallways and the artwork benefited from great lighting and a streamlined layout.

Several artists presented their pieces, giving background information and providing their personal intent/goals, which is something I haven't witnessed before. Everyone spoke quite well and passionately about their pieces and specifically how they were inspired by Dadaism--whether a lifelong pursuit or following their in-depth collegiate study. I loved hearing the true inspiration and connection between the artist's pieces--one in particular had an interesting story about graffiti and his run-ins the the police, so that was fun to hear and gave his piece more depth. I also really enjoyed that this was a true collaboration between University art students and artists from the surrounding community.

More information on the exhibit can be found here: http://www.newsreview.com/reno/art-history/content?oid=14740574

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Maria Lind

Maria Lind introduces social practice in "Returning on Bikes: Notes on Social Practice". The idea of social practice has much less to do with the visual content or technique of found in art, but rather its effects on the audience and how the artwork contributes to society. This practice is hard for me to comprehend as a legitimate form of art, but that is a significant driving point of Lind's explanation.

Social practice is exceedingly focused on "the minors", or artists on the fringe, who aren't quite consumed by gallery politics and modern standards as those deemed professionals or “majors”. Lind expresses that there are more original ideas cultivated from those working outside of this art gallery bubble and social practice is a means of critiquing those stringent institutions. While many works borrow from traditional art (including the “desire and need to work long term”), social practices range from politically motivated websites like Schleuser.net (a faux official website that satirizes smuggling and the “theatricalization of activism”) to an organized, reverse bicycle ride in Germany. These works serve to push the idea of social acceptance, alter perspectives, and even raise awareness on issues—the purpose of each piece tends to supersede its corresponding work of art, if any; this idea explains why the movement is called social practice and not social artwork.

Lind's goal is to expand upon classical forms of art and social practice is meant to be "simultaneously a medium, a method, and a genre". Works of this enigmatic category are not bound by various rules or techniques, but rather celebrate autonomy and the unknown limits of art itself. Social practice is more of an intention behind works of art (whether tactile, temporary, visual, participatory, etc.) that serves to challenge the classical stereotypes found in art circles, politics, and society.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Project: Performance Art Video



This video was filmed on my cellphone and through Camtasia. The clips were then edited with Sony Vegas 12. I was inspired by a video made by Miranda July, called "A Handy Tip for the Easily Distracted, where she teaches her audience how to fight procrastination (see below). Whereas July is successful in trapping her distractions, I would much rather embrace mine at the cost of ignoring responsibility. My video gets progressively faster to reflect the nervousness and frenetic anxiety that accompanies procrastination and looming deadlines.

I really enjoyed making this video and wish our class could have held very concise first draft critiques in addition to the final presentations. That more collaborative process has worked better for me in the past because I value people's comments and differing perspectives on my artwork, which can usually lead me towards a stronger and more coherent final piece.



Saturday, September 13, 2014

Project: Collage Intervention

My collage was made using clippings from magazines (Glamour, People, Food Network, and Cosmo in particular) and attached to the original image with spray adhesive. The original artwork had some heavy Midwest/Americana vibes, so my goal was to provide lots of contrast with anglomaniac images--ranging from pieces of the British flag, royalty, pop culture, and food.

Original:



Final Dada Collage:



Note: My phone factory reset and deleted all my photos after this project was due, which included the artwork's permanent trip back to Goodwill. I'm sorry! It wasn't at the store when I returned for another photo, so hopefully someone else took it!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Reading: Ball & Tzara

The Dada Manifesto by Hugo Ball is a declaration of Dadaism. Written in 1916, Ball describes the simplicity of Dada and that the movement in art was essentially the answer to all possible questions through various mediums—including collage, public works, writing, etc. Bell’s manifesto is purposefully nonsensical and rambling; two strong characteristics of the Dada texts. The literal meaning of the word 'Dada' is debated, but is not necessarily relevant to its related works or publications.

Much like Ball, Tristan Tzara penned his own proclamation of Dada called Dada Manifesto 1918. Tzara’s work is significantly longer than his predecessor’s and hammers out a few more details surrounding Dada. Tzara states that “Dada means nothing” and establishes (in a very roundabout and non-committal manner) that the movement or meaning was born out of boredom and strife against the constricting political atmosphere.

Both authors take pride in the illogical and occasionally obscene format of Dada, which would have shocked and angered the public in that time period. By establishing the fact that there is no true meaning behind Dada, these artists were able to sneak a lot of social commentary into work without drawing negative attention from the masses. Both writers are obviously very educated and intellectual, which is apparent through their writing styles and prose (or lack thereof; some instances in Tzara's work tend to be poetic and even rhyme). It takes a lot of skill to appear unhinged, but actually be cognizant of their emotions and intentions behind the pieces.

Overall, both Hugo Ball and Tristan Tzara fully embrace Dadaism and establish a sort of written precedent for other artists to follow in the early 1900s. Other mediums (such as the detailed collages by German artist, Hannah Höch) are more effective at visually conveying the message of Dada, while sneaking in major political commentary.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Art Exhibit

The art exhibit that I attended this semester was an installation on Alcatraz Island called "TELLING OUR STORIES: The San Quentin Prison Arts Project". The project brings art workshops to inmates (including painting, print-making, drawing, theater, etc.) to act as a form of self-expression, which isn't a trait commonly found in the overcrowded prison system. It was really cool to see all the artwork made by prisoners and hung professionally; a lot of it was super impressive.

The idea that art is rehabilitating is quite interesting and the emotions conveyed through the artwork in the cramped gallery space (literally inside of the infamous prison) were powerful alongside the bars on the dirty windows and chipping concrete. The images covered topics like race and ethnic history, life in the prison system, and even gorgeous landscapes. Overall, the show was shocking and pretty enlightening because you don't really connect great screen-prints and beautiful paintings with people behind bars.









For more information:

http://williamjamesassociation.org/prison_arts/

http://williamjamesassociation.org/telling-our-stories-work-from-san-quentin-prison-arts-project/

Lecture Two

Gregg Schlanger is an artist who focuses on public art installations and the environment. He incorporates big themes like water consumption and endangered species with more natural elements like glass and water in order to convey his themes—water consumption/transportation and fishing are some of his favorite topics. Schlanger was also very personable and down-to-earth about his artwork and lecture, so it was easy to follow and engaging.

Schlanger uses art in order to convey some type of message or raise awareness about an issue (mostly environmental), but he does it in a way that is informative and artistic, rather than exploitative or shocking. He spends a lot of time collaborating with college students, which again furthers his message by educating even more people about his concepts. Out of all the artist lectures, Erin and I both agreed that Schlanger was by far the most relatable and interesting.

Lecture One

Erika Harrsch is a “visual artist” who uses a large variety of mediums (painting, digital media, audio, video, photography, performance art, etc.) in order to convey themes of nature, politics, immigration, and gender in her artwork. She collaborates closely with other artists, musicians, and even researchers in order to execute her pieces, which range from butterflies and currency, to an LED cello and gallery installations.

Harrsch spoke very passionately about her work and that passion is apparent in her meticulously hand-crafted artwork—I would probably never even want to look at another butterfly if I was her. She is truly an artist and even though some of her work and very elaborate concepts aren’t my style, her determination is commendable and the way she is able to articulate her ideas by using art is very clear and impressive. Since we have been given themes and topics to work with all year, it was interesting to see how Harrsch took it one step further, building upon her old projects and using consistent imagery throughout her career as an artist.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Recycled Art

For our group project, I hope to construct massive replications of dinosaurs (maybe even to scale). This would play on the theme of recycling as these gigantic creatures used to inhabit the lands that are now populated by people and cities and the oil reserves that our planet is so dependent upon were also created from plant and land sediment during the era of dinosaurs. Models could include a tyrannosaurus rex, a pterodactyl hanging from the ceiling, or massive skeletons of the beasts.

My individual project is going to be a suspended rain cloud with water droplets made of cardboard and/or corrugated plastic. This is extremely evocative of a cycle (since water/rain is formed constantly via evaporation). If I were to use the political signs from Joe's studio, it would also be representative of the political maelstrom that saturates the media for only a few months prior to a presidential election and suddenly all the hype evaporates, much like a monsoon. There would be hundreds of 3d droplets that hang from a cloud made of newspaper bunches or more realistic cotton material.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Assemblage

Banana Eyeball


Donut Iris


Candy Heart


Asparagus Leg

Monday, January 27, 2014

2064

50 years from now, I've predicted that self-medicating will have reached an all-time high. There will be prescriptions for happiness, sunscreen, cancer, and anti-aging. The list is basically endless. Due to this trend in pill-popping, aging has essentially been halted. Even at 73 years old, my altered appearance at the top right is still youthful.

Individualization is revered. Billions of people are attempting to define themselves and their style in order to stand out amongst the massive population. As a result, trends in the fashion and beauty world have reached new levels of personalization: makeup, hair styles and colors, and clothing can all be custom designed or downloaded via virtual programs and many are applied mechanically. Custom nail art is commonly crafted through 3D printing, as displayed on the model’s hand in the graphic. However, 3D printing is not a blanket solution for the industry and sustainability has become drastically important for those who work with textiles and natural resources (such as cotton) that have been heavily restricted due to their harsh effects on the environment.

Leading brands of the early 21st century (i.e. Android, Apple, Twitter, etc.) have futures that cannot be predicted—their entire platforms will likely be replaced over the course of fifty years. In the image, select logos are colored black in order to represent this uncertainty and to provide a direct contrast with the colorful pills and superficial inventions that are raging in popularity.



I made the collage in Photoshop CS6 and found many of the images online. I also used a virtual makeover program (found here) to cut, color, and style my futuristic hair.