scrapbook seize

This is another object I found at Second Chances. It's an old door knob (bad picture I know, sorry). What was cool about this when I found it was that it was the only non glass door knob in this huge barrell of them. The glistening glass in various colors were magnificent, but this stood out like a sore thumb. Like the club feet, it too is covered in toxic paint, but its not rusted. I don't know why, but I really want to know where it came from. It seems like in my neighborhood we all have the same generic knobs, boring and uniform. They can't even be painted, well they can but then your house looks really tacky. This has several layers of different paint, which you can kind of see in the picture. There was a design involved even in the door knobs, which it totally cool. I'm going to leave this as it is, and attach it to a small piece of wood and use it as a hook for necklaces.

scrapbook quinze

Over spring break, my mother and I went to this store called Second Chances in Baltimore City. Basically it's an architectural salvage warehouse as well as antiques dealer. We had seen it on a Trading Spaces episode a few years ago, and decided to finally pay it a visit. It was by far the coolest place I had ever been. They had ticketbooths from the Philadelphia convention center, old church pews, and rows upon rows of intricate stained glass windows. The little things, however, drew my attention more. These are two different claws from a clawed tub. Although their styles are similar, they are slightly different sizes and in different stages of dilapidation. For most people, these would be trashed. They are probably covered in eighty layers of lead paint, rusted to the core, and crumbling from the inside-out. This store, however, notices the potential of these found objects and helps give them a new life. I plan on fixing these up this summer, stripping the lead and such, and using them as book ends. It's definitley a conversation piece.

artist huit

Have you ever questioned if you actions on the internert actually garner any results? Ken Goldberg's Telegarden addresses this idea. Viewers log onto the Telegarden website and take care of plants via the internet, watering, adding sunlight, etc. In the center of this small garden, a robotic arm is present to carry out the actions the viewer has sent. Do these actions actually effect the plants, or did Goldberg have everything present. He is trying to make people question the "infallibility" of the internet, that it does not control every aspect of life. The engineering professor also created Demonstrate, where viewers can log onto the site, and have the ability to control a camera on the Berkley campus, zooming in and out on various students passing by. I like his work because it is a demonstation of how dependent on the internet society is. We are too lazy to actuall grow plants, but we are more than willing to click on certain buttons and have someone else do it for us. But maybe they weren't even doing it for us. The latter piece is more subtle in how it takes over our lives. We don't actually get out and participate in activites to see things, we have to see it through the internet. It's actually kind of sad....

artist 21

This viewing of the Artist21 series was another opportunity to learn more about artists and how varied they are. Sally Mann's photography is more than simply capturing an image. She only takes ambiguous photos that cause people to think about the subject itself as well as the meaning. Art has to be spontaneous, perfected in the imperfections. In both her portraits and landscapes, the self proclaimed atheist finds a way to express a beautiful spirituality that others can gain from after viewing her work. Mel Chin doesn't shy away from any type of art. He believes art can give an object new life. SPAWN brings condemned houses into a new life while Knowmad combines ancient tribal influence and modern technology so that a new generation can understand the past with the new information of the present. He gave a really cool quote, "Art's the same as it's always been, never the same". I think its a great statement on the ever changing nature of art itself. James Turrell was a little difficult to understand, since math/science and I are not friends. I enjoyed though, that he made those scientific concepts into a world that everyone can enjoy. Roden Crater will one day allow people to "see" that the earth moves, which is bizarre, but cool. Gabriel Orozco is an artist that is "intimate" with everything he sees. Nothing is left out of consideration. He realizes art is a communication for people, and as such uses common place objects to help make revolutionary statements.

Out of these four, I really liked Sally Mann's work the best. While she captures the moment, its so specific and detailed that it looks like it came directly from a memory. Although the children were posed, it looked like everything was playing out right before our eyes.

scrapbook quatorze

While on the subject of items my ancestors stole, this is another favorite decoration in my house. Technically, these weren't stolen, they were recycled. This is a giant wooden spool from a textile factory. We have a series of them in alternating heights along our fireplace, with a candle placed in the small opening at the top. In the case of this one, it is about the third of the height of the fire place and just stands out among the rest. According to my grandmother, her grandmother was the one who took these trashed items home as accents in their sparsely decorated home, and we've been using them ever since. I have to laugh at how green my family was long before green was the trend. It's like the saying, One person's trash is another person's treasure. In today's society, you can buy elaborately decorated candlesticks, handcarved and molded to perfection. If you ask me, I'd rather have these any day. The simplicity of its nature makes it unique as well. This, like the molds, is not art, but was probably used to create art in the 1800's. Maybe the thread from this spool went into a lavish fabric or textile. Or maybe it was a part of a simple cloth as well. I think history makes up for a lack of artistic label. What it started as to where it is now is far more important.

scrapbook treize

These odd looking things are actually old cigar molds. One of my relatives, upon immigrating to America, took jobs in various factories to support their family. Occasionally they would commandeer certain objects for themselves, and they have since been passed on for a few generations. My mom is madly in love with these, and has them hanging right across from the main entry way into our family room. As a result, they are the first things you see when you enter our house. Everyone always wants to know what they are, and why are they hanging on our wall. Even though they are kind of ugly, I must say I love these too. I love the history behind them and the uniqueness of them. We are the only people I have ever met that even have cigar molds. They provide an interesting contrast to the shelves, family portraits, and my own art work that hangs on the rest of the wall. The unexpected aesthetic quality of them makes them visually compelling. While they were designed to make cigars, we have no repurposed them. They aren't art, even though we try to make them out to be great pieces. From time to time I think about, in comparison to the ones we have (my mom has two and so does my grandmom), how many were lost. I'm sure that factory eventually closed down, or no longer exists. Today mass machines probably make the cigars. It's amazing to see what kind of technology was available then as well.

artist sept

The next artist I read about is actually anonymous. Mouchette.org, a web page that has existed since 1996, has yet to have a difinitive author. Based on the 1967 film, Mouchette, this piece of new media art looks like your average teenager's website. A large pink flower crawling with ants and flies fills the background, and a picture and information of a 13 year old girl Mouchette appears on the screen. When the page refreshes, noises from a little girl are heard such as laughing and sighing. In the description of Mouchette, the 13 year old, you can click on various links to learn even more about her. The one that struck me the most was her "advise" on becoming an artist. She said, "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?" I completely disagree with that statement. A lot of people still don't realize the effort that 99.9% of the time goes into making art. People assume certain things without really knowing all of the details. My parents for example aren't really keen on the profession of artist, thinking that it's not a real job. Quotes like this just reinforce that idea for people. Maybe it was the artist's goal to highlight misconceptions and perceptions in society. Other pages include sexual references, and even some politically inclined statements. Maybe it is a statement about the site itself. Since the artist has never revealed his or her identity, maybe it's a statement about themselves and that the site means nothing in reality. Who knows. Maybe we'll never know...

scrapbook douze

This is a picture from my grandparents wedding in 1947. My grandmother was eighteen and my grandfather was nineteen. As a party favor, my aunt gave us these photos after their 60th anniversary party. It was amusing to see how they had changed over the years. In this photo they look so happy, so young. Today, they are like Frank and Marie from "Everybody Loves Raymond". Marking such an important even in their lives, this photo is extremely important to them and to our family. It shows us where we have come from and it shows them who they have become. Until their party, it didn't occur to me how young they were when they got married. At my current age, they made the ultimate decision to settle down and start raising a family. I can not image being mature enough to make that choice. Stressing out about papers and tests are one thing, but even considereing supporting a family boggles my mind. They had to be extremely strong and sure of themselves to be able to do that. When I look at them now though, that happy couple seems to have disappeared, and it makes me wonder if it was worth it. I guess deep down they love each other, but it is really hard to tell. Their wedding photo just serves as a reminder to me of how I should think before I do something that "big". Not getting married persay, since that is a ways away from ever happening, but any monumental decision in my life. I also appreciate that they stuck it out for the long haul....

scrapbook onze

I found this object at a yard sale a few months ago and was fascinated by it. Originally I just thought it was a giant paper clip, meant to be an ornament for your office, room, etc. My mom told me, however, that it is a paper holder. Apparently they were really popular a while back, and I only wished I could have been around to experience the hoopla. Paperclips are handy items, but are common place because you can find them anywhere. To take the same shape and enlarge it, adds to both the form and function of the piece. When I don't have any paper I need to be held, the paper clip just looks schanzy sitting in front of my printer. On the other hand, it keeps me organized when I have so many different things to do. It neatly holds everything I need in order, so that it is easily accessible and available. It made me think about some of the other objects I have on my desk. The idea of form and function coming together and its effect on whether or not you want to own it. Being unique, objects stand out from the cookie cutter shapes around you. It's cool to have something like this, because no one else does. Granted I may not have the lamp that functions as a desk organzier, but this is way cooler.

scrapbook dix

I love this object because it is repurposing something traditional into a whole new art form. This is my spoon ring. I have known about them for a while, sold some at my work, and envied my friends', so I finally bought one last weekend from Etsy. What's great about this particular one is that it was actually hand made. I know the one's from my work and one of my friend's was manufactured. Basically those were rings tweaked to look like they were originally spoons. This is a spoon tweaked to look like it was originally a ring. The details in it are amazing too. When you think about it in the context of an eating utensil, you have to wonder why it is so intricate, if all you are going to use it for is food.
Due to its duality of form, ring and spoon, its interpretation as art is split. Spoons are not art, they just help you eat. Jewelry, rings especially, let you make a statement about yourself and what you want people to think about you. I can't wait to wear this ring everywhere!

pictionary reflection

After numerous failed attempts, I am proud of the images I finally created for my word, "abstract". What I had difficulty with was the way to convey this word in an orginal, yet understandable sense. I could have just mimicked a Jackson Pollack, but I thought that it was too copy-cat like. As an artist, I tend to be extremely realistic in my work, so I rarely make things abstract. Details are important to me, and a lack of them just irritates me. The first collage I posted, with the flipped horizon line and buildings combined two different perceptions. On top is a picture of my high school I drew for one of the graduation events last year. I drew it on a 5x7 piece of cardstock, and as you can tell, made sure every last aspect of the building was represented. Beneath it, is my attempt to abstract it. While I think it looks like crap, it demonstrates the simplification and the basicness of what is considered abstract. The second collage combined images seen in everyday life, but used in a new way. I decided to make the vegetables and fruit into a flower because it was unexpected. We know what they are and we know what a flower is, but to see them used to create a flower is a little surreal. You really have to think about what you are looking at and why, which I feel happens a lot with abstract art. The last one was me just completely going beyond my comfort zone and creating something new and original. Obviously the figure is a woman, but it is totally distorted with an emphasized head and tiny body. The face in and of itself is distorted as well. All of the essential parts are there to identify it as a face, but they are not cohesive. They look as if they don't belong together. Although I complained about this project while I was working on it, worrying that everything would look like crap, I am really happy with the results. Not only do they look good, but they also helped me step outside my normal realm of thinking and create in a more original way. Now I understand every detail is amazing, but they are not necessarily required for a great piece.

artist seis

Shu Lea Cheang's work is probably the most provocative artwork I have seen or read about this semester. While many of the other artists I have looked at discussed controversial topics such as violence, Cheang's pieces take it to a whole new level. Brandon, is a piece that discusses the life of Teena Brandon, a woman who passed as a man. As seen in the film adaptation, Boys Don't Cry, Brandon was raped and murdered because her choice to represent herself as a man and not a woman. Like I have said before, I love interactive websites, because I think it helps viewers better understand the intent of the artist and get more personally involved with the work. The first page transitions from the symbol of a baby, to a woman, to a man. Then, after you click to enter, several various images pop up on the screen. These images discuss man and woman and the means necessary to switch genders. When you roll over the images, however, they change. By changing, the scenes tell the story of Brandon's journey. Because it happens so rapidly, the changes almost seem natural, and not an elaborate process like it really was. Yet, as each one passes, you want to see what happens next, gathering all of the pieces of the puzzle together. It was bizarre to witness at some points, because I felt like I was looking at something that was meant to be private, that I was never meant to see these images. The piece did an excellent job of retelling Brandon's tragic story in a fresh way. We watch videos all the time, but it's rare to have this kind of art work to help us learn.

scrapbook neuf

This is Boris. Also known as Frankenstein. I found him on my cousin's playground when I went home and babysat a few weekends ago. I picked it up solely because I love old "horror" movies that are really outdated and fantastic. Then it got me thinking, "Who the heck did this belong to?" I love Frankenstein as much as the next girl, but Frankenstein seems a little out of place on a playground. I was terrified of the the wicked witch in Wizard of Oz, so I can not imagine how traumatized I would have been at the sight of Boris. On the other hand, this kid/his or her parent/the whole family is pretty amazing. If they appreciate Frankenstein enough to own a miniature version, that's pretty cool. Looking closer, the doll has some pretty amazing details. For being about the size of my pinkie, the doll looks eerily like Boris. There is a suggestion of hair, folds in the jacket and pants, and creases all over the face. The intricacies are amazing. I think it's only meant to be a novelty item, but I can not help but love it. Most people would have just thrown it away, but I now have him sitting on my windowsill, next to pictures of my friends.

scrapbook huit

This is a subway pass I found when I was visiting D.C. a few weeks ago with my friends. Looking at it now, the pass conveys a whole new meaning then when I first found it by the bus stop for College Park. At the time, I was drawn to it because of the meaning it held for someone else. Subway passes, when you think about it, are extremely personal items. A person purchases one to get to a specific destination to attend or accomplish a certain event. When I found this, it was already crumpled up, so I figured it had been used . Obviously, however, it is not that old, because it is commemorating Obama's inaugration. I couldn't help but wonder who had bought this? Where was he/she going? Why? Did they have a good time? My friends thought it was gross that I was picking up someone else's trash, but it's a fascinating object to me. Today, the pass doesn't not make me think of who it belonged to, but rather the god awful trek from the WWII memorial to the Lincoln memorial in the 70 mph wind gusts and in spite of it, how much fun we had. I love how when you look at any object, your emotions can change. I think it represents our growth and the passing of time, however fortunate or unfortunate it may be.

scrapbook sept

Once again with the patterns theme, my eye was drawn to a set of washcloths from Target. My mom seems to think that because I am a girl, everything I own should be pink. Not because it is a nice color, but simply because I am a girl. Working a lot this summer, I was unable to get the majority of my own supplies for college. So my mother, being the kind soul she is, picked everything up for me. As you can probably guess, 92.5% of that stuff is pink, including these washcloths. These are probably the most fantastic washcloths I have ever used. I used to get those ones that came in shapes, and after you put them in water would become a washcloth. While they were awesome, the sucked in terms of function. These are super thick, and amazing because they are ribbed. Ribbed texture helps it absorb more, and gives a great visual quality to the washcloth. There are alternating rows of wafflelike material and rows of slightly fringed material. Then on the other side, it is the exact opposite. They caught my eye in particular when I was doing my laundry. The variations of pink combined with the texture, stacked neatly together looked different and original. They may be something I use daily, but really don't recognize the astethic qualities that go along with it. When you think about it though, the astethic qualities really aren't ignored. I may not have consciously noticed it, but obviously my mother must have if she chose this bunch from the rest. It's all a matter of perception I guess...

Essay

When looked at by an individual who had no background knowledge about this project, the three collages by Michelle would seem unrelated. Interpretation is key to the analysis of a work, but, due to the subjectivity of its nature, can be unreliable. Each collage depicts an image that is distinct from the next. While one looks like it came from the pages of my high school geometry book, another looks like it was from the pages of a recent National Geographic. The titles of her pieces are the word obtuse, but I was convinced that her word was angles until I read them. It is interesting to see the various ways of conveying a word, but exactly what that word it is, is hard to decipher.

The first collage brings back haunting images of math class, plastered with a variety of triangles and angles. What is interesting is the placement of the shapes. There appears to be an order to the position of the triangles. They seem to be moving on an angle, playing off of the large angles in the background. Due to this, I immediately thought that her word had something to do with angles. Although color has been incorporated, it does not seem to play a huge role in the piece. Triangles in the foreground and background draw the viewer’s attention away from the orange color. Her next collage, however, through me off a little.

Colorful and bright, the second dictionary collage reminds me of an IMAX movie I saw on a field trip that explored various elements in nature. With this collage, there are no defined angles like the previous attempt. With this piece, the lack of clarity in some of the images that are blurry or cast by shadows, made me move my attention to the defined images on the outer edges. The whale’s tail sticking out of the water, the bird in flight, the freshly bloomed flower, and the beautiful butterfly are open and stretched out. There are no literal or implied boundaries for these objects. The bird’s wings seem as if they could reach all the way across the screen if that is what it desired. While that is physically impossible, the way it soars knocks down that notion. I assumed that the openness represented angles and how far they could stretch. The final collage further supports my theory.

Wrought with technological and cultural icons such as laptops and Snoopy, this final piece is also filled with angles. Both the cell-phone and laptop are open on an angle and also positioned on an angle like the shapes from the first collage. The textbook is opened so far that the spine is bending backwards. The addition of levers and speedometer also provide more angles. Even Snoopy’s head is tilted at an angle. What I never realized was that these angles were specific types.

Now, after accidentally stumbling upon the word, I can see where the obtuse plays in. All of the angles are overstretched, beyond ninety degrees. Even the angles in the background of the first collage mark that, being 100+ degrees. This proves the article on interpretation. I saw what I wanted to see, and ignored main clues.

artist cinq

Olia Lialina's work "My Boyfriend Came Back from the War" was one of the first New Media pieces that involved direct interaction between the viewer and the art itself. In fact, the piece was so advanced, complex techonolgically and emotionally, that it was often recognized as having more of the criteria of a movie. "My Boyfriend Came Back from the War" depicts the emotionaly turmoil a couple experiences after their reunion. By clicking the various parts of the web page, new information of the story unfolds. The woman had affairs while her boyfriend fought for his own survival. As the story splits up, so does the screen, further and further into little pieces. After a while, the text and images stop, and all that is left are black squares. This was the first piece I actually got to engage with, because the link worked. I remember seeing someone present this in class, and not being that interested. When I was the one clicking through the story, however, it was a completely different experience. I was glued to the text popping up. I wanted to read what happened next. Being able to physically interact with any piece, I think, adds a new dimension to the work. All experiences are personal, but this even more so. You have to be involved to find the rest of the story. As a viewer, I really like that concept because it makes me more aware of every detail and the work the artist put forth.