Sunday, May 31, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
esc: Stefani Bardin
esc: Stefani Bardin
Great Taste, Less Theory
Friday, March 13, 4.30pm
128 Forest St. (Behind Lord-Saunders)
http://contrary.info/esc for additional info and directions.
•
Stefani Bardin is a media maker whose work slides between video,
film, installation, performance and net based mediums. She has shown
and presented her work nationally and internationally at venues
including the University of Technology Sydney, UCLA Hammar Museum,
The Slade School of Art, Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center and Alfred
University.
Having spent many years on projects revolving around the writings of
the German cultural critic Walter Benjamin she is now working on a
series of projects on the subject of food entitled Chemical Proust:
Remembrance of Things Pastiche. Great taste, less theory. She is
currently a Visiting Artist in the Department of Media Study at the
University at Buffalo. www.petrifiedunrest.net.
•
Monday, March 9, 2009
response to readings
“Deciding what counts as media technology is a difficult task.” I believe this statement to be highly relevant given the context of the article and what we have been discussing in class. As we become increasingly astute and the velocity at which we can advance our usage and intertwining of the internet with art, culture, media and thus, the human experience in a modern day world advances, we will be on a constant search to refine our concept and usage of media technology. Because the internet is truly still a new prevailing practice, we are still conceptualizing its role within the emerging worlds of art and technology. The idea that new media art is a response to the information technology revolution and the digitalization of cultural forms enables us to understand it as a ground breaking outlet for those who are aiming to delve into what I believe to be futuristic potential for the creative process. Comparing new media art to that of Dada is a fascinating notion due to integrative process in which various mediums that could be seen as arbitrary or random, when combined correctly, are viewed as intricately connected, thus bridging gaps among supposed unlikely combinations. Both forms of art utilize the forces of interactive media or technique, bridging political statement or interactive purpose with the creative process, enticing the interests of individuals from all spectrums and walks of the world.
Another undeniably influential component of media art is its accessibility and thus, it’s cross-cultural input. As one of the articles explain, the new media movement enabled communities to form without regard for geography, enabling varied perspectives and the emergence of a “global village” to contribute and diversify the spectrum of art and expression on the internet. This is an incredibly dynamic component of new media art because it is a form of unification, allowing individuals to have similar technological experiences and generate new and inventive forms of interaction, changing the practice for all those following. The internet allows artists to share their work and presents the constant possibility for intervention with the incredibly popular and thriving blogosphere. As expressed, the internet is a means of modern expression and creativity in which we can manipulate visual and interactive elements of our experience and communicate with a wide array of people, programs and thus, possibilities.
Another undeniably influential component of media art is its accessibility and thus, it’s cross-cultural input. As one of the articles explain, the new media movement enabled communities to form without regard for geography, enabling varied perspectives and the emergence of a “global village” to contribute and diversify the spectrum of art and expression on the internet. This is an incredibly dynamic component of new media art because it is a form of unification, allowing individuals to have similar technological experiences and generate new and inventive forms of interaction, changing the practice for all those following. The internet allows artists to share their work and presents the constant possibility for intervention with the incredibly popular and thriving blogosphere. As expressed, the internet is a means of modern expression and creativity in which we can manipulate visual and interactive elements of our experience and communicate with a wide array of people, programs and thus, possibilities.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Blogger would totally not let me post yesterday...
These articles give some interesting examples of how to look at and conceptualize digital art (especially from viewpoints predating the technology in question), and I agree with the five characteristics of new media, but I disagree with the percieved "struggle" between the paradigms of marketing/broadcast and free exchange as one of good versus evil. Without going off on a rant, the ability to earn a living from creativity and innovation has been one of the primary motives for technological advancement as well as artistic achievement in digital media and elsewhere and I don't think we should be content with multimedia as we know it as the end-all of artistic practice... anyway, my favorite part of the one article is the idea that this is performance art:
Readings III
Some of the most striking large ideas include 1) how new media is the medium to converge art and life, by providing the tools with which to reveal an alternate world and reach into a person's mind, 2) the shifting idea of artist as facilitator ('interactive' art), 3), the idea that a media that can more thoroughly provide an all-compassing experience, that can somehow converge all the past intellectual and technical advances in the arts, is somehow 'better', and 4) the overarching optimism about how new media can improve quality of life.
I think all of these large ideas are both very fertile but also evident of just how new new media is. The history is so short, and all the possibilities are there, but even just art as... the culture, or the institution, has yet to come up with a convincing approach in which to evaluate it. For this reason, new media can strike a sort of populist note that really rings true with what is happening now in the world. It is teeming with creative energy, and its popularity or reception is dependent upon the viewer in its most pure form. All the obstacles that might exist between a person and getting this person to a gallery to see the art, they are gone and are instead replaced by easy anonymity where real consequence are not immediately real. One might not have to worry about what 'image' they present to the outside world while they go to a gallery when they are alone in their room at a computer.
I also think this is also interesting though because this brings to question ideas of 'taste'- its relevance and its functional significance. When art is suddenly dependent upon so many new people, many of which are not familiar with the history of art or its ideas, the success of a work can suddenly depend on (oh no!) the layman, the everyman, art that pleases the people. I don't think this means new media will evolve to please and entertain, putting pretty girls in the forefront and replacing substance with catchy humor. But I do think this is a new problem that new media will have to contend with. A larger audience is a good problem to have.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Responses
We already kind of covered the birth of the computer and so forth in class, but the article explained a lot more concerning the gradual steps the computer or the internet we have nowadays came to be. I find it amusing how the internet was initiated as a semi-random project which turned out to be one of the greatest technological leaps.
The article on media art provided a lot of insight into the motives behind Net art and the different kinds of ideas the artists were trying to express. I think the thing that stood out to me the most was how so much is counted as Net art - before, I have always thought Net art to be graphic design and, basically, computer graphics more or less resembling traditional art but produced on the computer. The article gave numerous examples of other types. I admire the Net artists who create their art to prove a point; it gives so much more meaning to the project than just doing it for self-satisfaction (which is, in every way, a sensible incentive as well). But I have to admit this is all very new to me and a few forms of Net art still surprise me because aesthetically they look so different from more traditional pieces.
The article on media art provided a lot of insight into the motives behind Net art and the different kinds of ideas the artists were trying to express. I think the thing that stood out to me the most was how so much is counted as Net art - before, I have always thought Net art to be graphic design and, basically, computer graphics more or less resembling traditional art but produced on the computer. The article gave numerous examples of other types. I admire the Net artists who create their art to prove a point; it gives so much more meaning to the project than just doing it for self-satisfaction (which is, in every way, a sensible incentive as well). But I have to admit this is all very new to me and a few forms of Net art still surprise me because aesthetically they look so different from more traditional pieces.
Response to Readings - March 2, 2009
It’s so fascinating to imagine the early conceptualizations of computers compared to the machine that we think of today. What is an even more abstract idea is that people can even see the similarities between a ballistics table generator and a MacBook Air, or how about an associative indexing memory machine compared with the hyperlink we love and know so well? This is an excellent article that gives recognition and appreciation to the early pioneers of computers and “new media”, while not even realizing they were apart of it (Norbert Wiener, for instance).
Something else that I keep noticing popping up is the notion that the realm of new media is a pool where all networks of art or information can flood together to form a massive social network. I used to think about being connected to others across the world through the Ethernet chord that runs into my laptop, but now I realize that this is not what keeps us connected. These articles have shown me that it is our desire to share experiences and data with others and to relate over issues that drives the ever-advancing technology that we call the internet.
Something else that I keep noticing popping up is the notion that the realm of new media is a pool where all networks of art or information can flood together to form a massive social network. I used to think about being connected to others across the world through the Ethernet chord that runs into my laptop, but now I realize that this is not what keeps us connected. These articles have shown me that it is our desire to share experiences and data with others and to relate over issues that drives the ever-advancing technology that we call the internet.
Da Readings
I think its pretty nuts how this guys was able to predict so many of these technological advances so early on. The idea of predicting blogs, the internet, email and all of these current communications devices so far in advance is extremely impressive. I can't wait for our site to be up. Its gonna be the new flyness.
Asa
Asa
Saturday, February 28, 2009
reading assignment III
Sorry this is late, I totally forgot about these readings until I was checking blackboard for something.
One thing I found particularly interesting about these articles (and many of the readings we've had so far in this class) is that New Media is so closely intertwined with the theoretical dreams and theories of the past. These technologies and ideas seem so completely contemporary to me that when I read about Licklider predicting computer networks making work more efficient, it's astonishing to me. I never would have thought there was a relationship between a German composer from the 1800s like Wagner and the sort of art I make when I create an online community, although the idea of the Total Artwork is pretty broad.
While finding out there is a historical basis for the principles of new media art, it still worries me to discover that there are certain theoretical ideas we use as the basis for all of this kind of artwork. Besides the fact that many of the people writing about the possibilities of new media were male (at least according to this article), I am worried that this linear historical train sets up a teleological endpoint for all new media....like ultimately we're running faster and faster towards an entirely virtual reality, and that's the only goal that matters?
but i suppose these are only minor quibbles. everything we do is rooted in history and the past; what we try to do now is an attempt to build on something that came before. I'd love to be able to say that using computers and the internet and new media is a way to full break away from all power structures, but since the internet was first fully developed for the army, i'm not sure it's entirely possible to escape the ramifications of history (and politics for that matter).
One thing I found particularly interesting about these articles (and many of the readings we've had so far in this class) is that New Media is so closely intertwined with the theoretical dreams and theories of the past. These technologies and ideas seem so completely contemporary to me that when I read about Licklider predicting computer networks making work more efficient, it's astonishing to me. I never would have thought there was a relationship between a German composer from the 1800s like Wagner and the sort of art I make when I create an online community, although the idea of the Total Artwork is pretty broad.
While finding out there is a historical basis for the principles of new media art, it still worries me to discover that there are certain theoretical ideas we use as the basis for all of this kind of artwork. Besides the fact that many of the people writing about the possibilities of new media were male (at least according to this article), I am worried that this linear historical train sets up a teleological endpoint for all new media....like ultimately we're running faster and faster towards an entirely virtual reality, and that's the only goal that matters?
but i suppose these are only minor quibbles. everything we do is rooted in history and the past; what we try to do now is an attempt to build on something that came before. I'd love to be able to say that using computers and the internet and new media is a way to full break away from all power structures, but since the internet was first fully developed for the army, i'm not sure it's entirely possible to escape the ramifications of history (and politics for that matter).
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Digitize your brain.
This is incredible. You can drastically increase your speed-reading ability by turning your brain into a computer.
Subvocalizing is the sounding out of words in your mind as you read, routing the signal through the speech center of the brain before comprehension, which limits most people's reading speed to roughly the same speed at which they would speak. This online gadget will allow you to totally bypass this with practice.
"Drop some text into it and run it. The only "problem" is that the default speed isn't really all that fast (which is probably why some people try it and "don't get it" since they can actually subvocalize that fast) so they aren't getting any benefit yet. The magic is in gradually bumping up the speed you are using and it will get you to the point where the part of your brain that subvocalizes starts "falling behind."
Now push it just a little faster and your brain will "give up" trying to subvocalize, but (probably much to your surprise) you will actually have very high comprehension of what you just read anyway. In fact, then as you push higher over time (and not that much time actually, your brain is VERY good at this once you get used to it) you'll find you have VERY high comprehension at speed that would have sounded absurd. I've honetly shocked myself at the word per mintue my brain can recognize when I'm not trying to pronounce them in my head at the same time.
Basically you are training your brain to directly connect visualized words to their known meaning without having to go through the "detour" of your brain's speech center."
-from Digg user comments
Subvocalizing is the sounding out of words in your mind as you read, routing the signal through the speech center of the brain before comprehension, which limits most people's reading speed to roughly the same speed at which they would speak. This online gadget will allow you to totally bypass this with practice.
"Drop some text into it and run it. The only "problem" is that the default speed isn't really all that fast (which is probably why some people try it and "don't get it" since they can actually subvocalize that fast) so they aren't getting any benefit yet. The magic is in gradually bumping up the speed you are using and it will get you to the point where the part of your brain that subvocalizes starts "falling behind."
Now push it just a little faster and your brain will "give up" trying to subvocalize, but (probably much to your surprise) you will actually have very high comprehension of what you just read anyway. In fact, then as you push higher over time (and not that much time actually, your brain is VERY good at this once you get used to it) you'll find you have VERY high comprehension at speed that would have sounded absurd. I've honetly shocked myself at the word per mintue my brain can recognize when I'm not trying to pronounce them in my head at the same time.
Basically you are training your brain to directly connect visualized words to their known meaning without having to go through the "detour" of your brain's speech center."
-from Digg user comments
Saturday, February 21, 2009
visual architecture
hey class,
i just found this blog post about visualizing new york through searches done on major new york blogs, which creates an typographical representation of the city and naturally thought of the project that we did last semester in illustrator.
here's the link:
http://io9.com/5157709/enjoy-a-virtual-new-york-as-seen-by-keywords
kS
i just found this blog post about visualizing new york through searches done on major new york blogs, which creates an typographical representation of the city and naturally thought of the project that we did last semester in illustrator.
here's the link:
http://io9.com/5157709/enjoy-a-virtual-new-york-as-seen-by-keywords
kS
My Trip to Liberty City
My Trip to Liberty City
Created and narrated by Jim Munroe
"I never feel like getting into a car is the best way to see a city." I watched this video at the How to be a Canadian screening curated by Brett Cashmere and Astria Suparak. It is hilarious.
Created and narrated by Jim Munroe
"I never feel like getting into a car is the best way to see a city." I watched this video at the How to be a Canadian screening curated by Brett Cashmere and Astria Suparak. It is hilarious.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Search responsibly :)
A film by Lernert Engelberts & Sander Plug: I love Alaska
"August 4, 2006, the personal search queries of 650,000 AOL (America Online) users accidentally ended up on the Internet, for all to see. These search queries were entered in AOL's search engine over a three-month period. After three days AOL realised their blunder and removed the data from their site, but the sensitive private data had already leaked to several other sites."
Make sure to click here to see the search queries.
"August 4, 2006, the personal search queries of 650,000 AOL (America Online) users accidentally ended up on the Internet, for all to see. These search queries were entered in AOL's search engine over a three-month period. After three days AOL realised their blunder and removed the data from their site, but the sensitive private data had already leaked to several other sites."
Make sure to click here to see the search queries.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Letters in Binary
A 01000001
B 01000010
C 01000011
D 01000100
E 01000101
F 01000110
G 01000111
H 01001000
I 01001001
J 01001010
K 01001011
L 01001100
M 01001101
N 01001110
O 01001111
P 01010000
Q 01010001
R 01010010
S 01010011
T 01010100
U 01010101
V 01010110
W 01010111
X 01011000
Y 01011001
Z 01011010
B 01000010
C 01000011
D 01000100
E 01000101
F 01000110
G 01000111
H 01001000
I 01001001
J 01001010
K 01001011
L 01001100
M 01001101
N 01001110
O 01001111
P 01010000
Q 01010001
R 01010010
S 01010011
T 01010100
U 01010101
V 01010110
W 01010111
X 01011000
Y 01011001
Z 01011010
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
And the semester begins!
Some examples of net art and art on the net:
Keith and Mendi Obedike
Chris Barr is Available on Thursday
Mark Napier's Shredder
wwwwwwwww.jodi.org
Code Zebra
http://0100101110101101.org
Keith and Mendi Obedike
Chris Barr is Available on Thursday
Mark Napier's Shredder
wwwwwwwww.jodi.org
Code Zebra
http://0100101110101101.org
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