As I keep bringing this piece up I thought that it would be nice if the class was able to look at Mary Kelly's Post-Partum Document. You really have to submerse yourself in the exhibition to get the true delight of it.

http://foundation.generali.at/index.php?id=61&L=1
http://www.postmastersart.com/archive/MK/MK_PPD_window.html

MEDIA: PAMPHLET SKETCH 2

Times have shifted considerably since the 50's, including the media. It is strange how the media has become a cliche in various discourses, but it nonetheless is still a crucial and important aspect of the human condition. What most notably has evolved out of the media evolution is to broadcast one's self around the world, and the ability to some degree around the world, to choose "who or what you follow" (twitter reference). But the question now becomes what is the reality? Who do we follow and what are we doing in this new branch of media broadcasting? The answer to this question I wish was that we, the majority, all follow true amnesty causes for social and political change, but I would argue, and I think this is evident, that this is not the case, since the first news feed that "most" these day receive is the fact that your distant friend somewhere in the world has just woken up with a massive hangover from their reckless night out on the town (doing nothing really socially constructive for humanity). One might think that with the new revolutionary ability to CHOOSE what information is received, the world would likewise experience a world wide revolution to change everything that was/is "bad" in the world. Although there has been social change around the world, I feel that is far less and below the potential.

Even with all this new revolutionary technology, what has not changed, and has rather been enhanced, is the pervasiveness of the frivolous and all of its narcissistic desires and habits. As a result millions around the world feel the need to tell the world what they are watching on TV, or that that they are bored. This narcissism stemming from the media is not necessarily bad, but it is when the majority of these technologies have been hijacked for the race in social status, in attempt to some degree being "famous" and relevant.

-Thomas Zukowski

SPECTACULAR TIMES UPDATED [SKETCH #2]

what has changed? well, when looking at the original 'animals' pamphlet... it seems not much. we are still faced with animal cruelty on so many levels... all that has really changed is a greater public awareness... but even with more people aware of what is going on, few corrections are being made, and what was 'then' continues into the 'now'... does animal cruelty fit in with spectacular?... sure, why not... as something spectacular is defined as 'resembling a spectacle; impressive, grand, or dramatic'... and it is impressive that in our modern times, animal cruelty still exists... and that it exists on such a grand scale... and that it is preformed in a dramatic and over the top way... ... ...my image takes modern day images of animals at 'their' worst and puts them all together with text in question... [Nick Nardi]

Political Art vs. Art Made Politically

So, after thinking about it some more and having some of my confusion cleared up in class, this is what I think the distinction is:

Political Art
- artwork which contains political undertones
- artists is referring to something in the content
- the message is in the content

Art Made Politically
- made outside the art market
- the message is in the form as well as the content

So some examples of political art I found are:

1. F*** You (Very Much) by Lily Allen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scXxt6QOyHA

This is a song by Lily Allen about George Bush. It's a critique on him, as a person, and some of his policies. For example:
"Look inside, look inside your tiny mind Then look a bit harder 'Cause we're so uninspired, so sick and tired Of all the hatred you harbor So you say it's not okay to be gay Well, I think you're just evil You're just some racist who can't tie my laces Your point of view is medieval"

There's also a website that features a lot of political art and they say, "We believe in freedom of expression, including expression that might make you, or us, uncomfortable."
They all address problems with the US government and the war. I've posted some of the ones that caught my eye.

http://www.rense.com/wtcsplshpage.htm

Political art vs. art made politically

Superflex:

Flooded McDonald's from Superflex on Vimeo.

Slum tv:

http://slum-tv.org/index.php


Political art: Art that demands reflection politically - opposition to mainstream.

Art made politically; doesn't have to be agitating - It can make a statement by its mere existence.

Slum TV - making a difference by its form and existence, and in that way breaking the boundaries between the 1. , 2. and 3. world's acces to the media world.

TWO TEXTS

Hi

Just came across two texts in the always excellent e-flux journal:

Simon Sheikh - Positively Trojan Horses Revisited (which looks at the original Lucy Lippard article from 1984 - which is also included, albeit in low-res jpeg)

Nina Montmann - (Under)Privileged Spaces, which deals with Martha Rosler's monumental project on homelessness...

M

SKETCH #1

SKETCH #1: MARILYN MONROE CONDO

THIS IS THE CONDO CALLED THE MARILYN MONROE BECAUSE ITS SHAPED JUST LIKE HER BODY (IT IS LOCATED IN MISSISSAUGA WHERE I LIVE). IT IS CREATED BY A DESIGN CALLED ABSOLUTE WORLD WHICH IS IN MISSISSAUGA, IS PART OF A DEVLOPMENT OF 5 CONDOMINIUMS. THE CONDO WAS AN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION THAT RECEIVED 90 SUBMISSIONS FROM 70 COUNTRIES. BASICALLY THE APPROACH WAS TO CHANGE THE LOOK OF THE CITY BECAUSE IT CONTAINS SO MANY BUILDINGS AND IS STARTING TO LOOK LIKE DOWNTOWN TORONTO. ALOT OF THE CITIZENS DIDN'T LIKE THIS WHOLE IDEA OF THEIR CITY LOOKING SO MUCH LIKE TORONTO. I BELIEVE IT'S NOT THAT BAD BECAUSE THEY'RE BUILDING BEAUTIFUL CONDOS, BUT DISADVANTAGE IS THAT THERE IS NO MORE LAND AND ALOT OF THE NATURE IS DISAPPEARING. THE PERSON WHO DESIGNED IT WAS YANSONG MA WHO IS THE FOUNDER OF THE BEIJING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FIRM MAD STUDIO.
WHEN HE DESIGNED THIS YANSONG MA SAID THAT " Suburbs around the world want to become metropolises, but we don't think they should. They have their own character. They should create their own identity." THERE IS ALSO AN ADVANTAGE TO THE CURVING DESIGN BECAUSE IT WILL CREATE PLENTY OF SPACE FOR BIGGER BALCONIES WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE FLOOR TO CEILING GLAZING--AND ALSO LETS THE RESIDENTS TO LOOK STRAIGHT DOWN INCREASING THE IMPRESSION OF HEIGHT...SO EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LIVE ON THE LOWER FLOORS WILL HAVE THAT SAME HEIGHT. ANOTHER ADVANTAGE IS THAT THE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE THEIR OWN LOUNGES AND CLUB CALLED CLUB 50. THIS HAS LED ABSOLUTE WORLD TO CREATE A SECOND TOWER AND THE ARCHICTECT LOOKS WITH A FENG SHUI EYE AND SAYS "they talk to each other and harmonize with each other. There is a synergy between them, an aura which transcends each of the individual buildings." IT IS HIS VISION OF YING AND YANG--THE 1ST CONDO TOWER WILL HAVE A FEMININE SILHOUETTE AND THE 2ND WILL BE MORE RUGGED AND ALSO HAVE A TWISTING SHAPE. THE CONDO DESIGN ROTATES 360 DEGREES FROM THE BOTTON TO TOP AND IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE 360 DEGREE TOWER. T WILL BE THE TALLEST BUILDING IN MISSISSAUGA AND THE TALLEST MULTI-STOREY BUILDING IN ONTARIO OUTSIDE OF TORONTO.



AMERICAN LIFE- MADONNA

THE SONG "AMERICAN LIFE" WAS WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY MADONNA AND RELEASED IN 2003. THIS SONG DIDN'T MAKE THE 2009 GREATEST HITS COMPILATION BECASE OF THE HUGE CONTROVERSY BY THE ORIGINAL VIDEO AND THE WAY THE LYRICS CRITICIZE THE AMERICAN LIFESTYLE. THERE WERE TWO VIDEOS, THE FIRST ONE HAD TO BE RE-DONE BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY. IN THE FIRST ONE, THE VIDEO INVOLVES A MILITARY-INFLUENCED MADONNA AND SOME MALE AND FEMALE LEGION TROOPS AT A FASHION SHOW. MADONNA HAD A SAY IN THIS, SHE SAID:
I feel lucky to be an American citizen for many reasons - one of which is the right to express myself freely, especially in my work. I understand that there have been reports about my upcoming video "American Life" in the media - much of which is inaccurate. I am not Anti-Bush. I am not pro-Iraq. I am pro Peace. I have written a song and created a video which expresses my feelings about our culture and values and the illusions of what many people believe is the American dream - the perfect life. As an artist, I hope that this provokes thought and dialogue. I don't expect everyone to agree with my point of view. I am grateful to have the freedom to express these feelings and that's how I honor my country. THE POLITICAL CLIMATE OF THE COUNTRY WAS UNSTABLE AND MADONNA CHANGED HER MIND AND PULLED THE VIDEO AND SAID THAT "I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video."
THE DIRECTOR'S CUT VIDEO HAD MOST OF THE FOOTAGE IN THE ORIGINAL BUT THE ENDING IS MUCH MORE GRAPHIC AND IN THE SCENE WHERE THERE IS A FASHION SHOW, MADONNA HOSES DOWN THE PAPARAZZI AND ALOT OF WAR-INJURED MODELS ARE CARRIED BY NURSES WITH THEIR CLOTHES SOAKED IN BLOOD. THERE ARE ALSO FAST MOVING IMAGES OF WAR.
FINALLY AFTER PULLING OUT THE ORIGINAL MADONNA RELEASED THE EDITED VERSION WHERE SHE IS SINGING IN FRONT OF A BACKDROP OF FLAGS THAT TRANSCENDS INTO A DIFFERENT FLAG.
-WHAT I FIND INTERESTING IS WHEN SHE SINGS THE PART IN HER SONG:
"I'd like to express my extreme point of view
I'm not Christian and I'm not a Jew
I'm just living out the American dream
And I just realised that nothing
Is what it seems".
CAUSE IN THE END SHE'S JUST A NORMAL AVERAGE PERSON
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SONG SHE SINGS ABOUT HERSELF CHANGING HER NAME, PRETENDING TO BE SOMEONE SHE'S NOT JUST TO FIT IN AND LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM

VIDEO:
Director's Cut: http://raf.se/index.asp?director=02jonas_akerlund&category=03Music_Videos

Political Art Vs. Art Made Politically

POLITICAL ART:

Political art means art relating to politics. When we think of politics we think of the government as well as what is considered right and wrong. The two major concerns provided by the government of Canada are;
-Do not smoke
-Do not drink and drive
The art is only created in relation to the concern in our society, thus making it political art. The major concern in 2009 is the swine flu or H1N1. There have been numerous of posters, ads, videos and commercials produced to display the prevention of H1N1, that are provided by the Government of Canada. I believe that anything associated with the Government is political art because the purpose is to deliver a political message with the aid of visuals (art).

The commercial I've selected is from the Government of South Australia:

http://www.youtube.com/user/AS7ROGIRL#p/a/f/0/e2QAGVMlns4


This advertisement shows how easily germs can spread when you do not follow simple procedure, such as covering your mouth with your hands or arm.

Another example is an advertisement provided by the MADD organization:






This advertisement depicts nighttime and how the roads is moving towards the left side but the road sign prompts the driver to turn to the right side. What I found interesting about this image is what is truthfully correct. Is it the way the road turns or is it the sign?
ART MADE POLITICALLY

Art made politically means that the intention was to create an artwork for a purpose, but was seen in a different way, and that way is political. When others use a piece of artwork to display it for their purpose, it becomes political. Some organizations of the government may use artworks as examples to support their concerns. I believe it is the opposite of political art because I understand political art to focus on the message first and the art second, whereas art made politically, is the art first and how it creates the message second. In other words, the main focus is to work on the art so that it becomes extremely appealing and convincing, and that makes the message more easily to grasp and understand. Art made politically can be more abstract and emotional whereas political art is simple and to the point.

One example is the extraordinary video showing the outcome of texting and driving. This video was posted online and began to spread and people have been using it for their own needs. Dr. Phil, members of the government and people like us, have displayed this video. This video may have been created for an organization but it is art made politically because artwork in the video is very creative and it took effort and time to develop the plot, script and how to edit the video.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AS7ROGIRL#p/a/f/1/br8HatpZO04


Another example is the "don't drink and drive" posters created by the beer company Heineken. The poster is indeed art itself, because it is a photograph that has been edited to display the message quickly. There is some text in fine print on the bottom of the poster that says: "When you drink your reaction time slows down...Heineken, Don't drink and drive." Also, because it is provided by a beer company and not by the government.

Anyone want to join my project?

If anyone wants to join me with the presentation+project, here is what I would like to focus on:
For my project, the issue I am looking at is the function of the U.N., it's relevance and failures in reference to what it's mission statement is. The U.N. is supposed to focus on keeping world peace and creating a space of security. However, countries like the US have a very strong influence on the behaviour of the General Assembly or Security Council and the decisions made by the U.S. It's very interesting when you dig deeper into this issue because the idea of the United Nations and the practice of it are very different.

From http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2007/9/29/22489/8449
According to UNICEF's own report (located at the very bottom of the linked page):
* Increasingly, wars are fought in precisely those countries that can least afford them. Of more than 150 major conflicts since the Second World War, 130 have been fought in the developing world. The per capita gross national product (GNP) of war-torn countries in 1994 included: Afghanistan (US$280), Angola ($700), Cambodia ($200), Georgia ($580), Liberia ($450), Mozambique ($80), Somalia ($120), Sri Lanka ($640), the Sudan ($480).
* Since the 1950s, more wars have started than have stopped. By the end of 1995, wars had been running in Afghanistan for 17 years, Angola, 30; Liberia, 6; Somalia, 7; Sri Lanka, 11; Sudan, 12.



I have an idea on how to distribute this information through an awareness campaign but I won't say it now because I'm still working on it. So, I am looking into United Nations resolutions and how these are actually practiced. I'm not sure what the presentation topic will be but if anyone is interested, let me know.

Example:
Chapter 1: Purposes and Principles Article 1 ...to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace...

This video is interesting if you really want to know more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1iIe0qlDnI

Discussion Questions:My Responses

I think that 'art made politically' is subtle and isn't a direct assault on your senses meaning it's not right in your face, but that it's within the art work and the art work brings out that message that the viewer reads into. The Burrough's article is an article that seems to emphasize how to detourne the use of tape recorders to be efficient to better ourselves and having that advantage. Also we can be able to manipulate sounds when you can know what's behind the veil and thus your senses are sharper and you see things more clearly. I think the structure of the article makes me think of how a tape recorder is an input for recording sound and reading the article, the first time, made me have to read it again because the words seem to be a stream of words and reminded me of being bombarded by sounds. You can't hear each sound individually but rather have an overall sound that paints the picture. Even then when reading the article for the second time, I began to read it as if there were periods and stopping sometimes to give myself a break to think and reflect. I think in this way, I'm showing that I'm being efficient by my mind breaking down the article and working against it, I guess. This is similar to the idea that Burroughs says about us being duped by the manipulation of sounds and this article is telling us ways to deconstruct and for us to be the manipulator.

One characteristic is using the form of the artwork to interrogate the work and to make it speak in conveying the message rather than having the message be bluntly put out to the viewer and for the message to be immediately seen and perceived. I think that 'art made politically' gives the viewer more time to digest and to take in the art work overall.

I don't know how direct the art work has to be in order for it to be effective. The example of the art piece that was shown that was similar as an advertisement that had the word AIDS repetitively can show how it can be effective without being as direct or so implicit in its representation of language and aids being a virus and linking that to advertising. I think that it was more effective in this way because it made me look at the work more in detail to get the message and that there were more relationships being made in the piece, that you do need the time to reflect and to understand it. I also think that the words AIDS in its meaning and representation was more effective because it made me look at language in a different way such as language being a disease or a virus that can be contaminated which again can come in how advertising can manipulate the viewer by its slogan or phrase to buy into that commercial or product. If the work was more direct which can be maybe showing the disease or maybe words coming out of someone's mouth and filling up space and distorting it, as a visual that's provoking in its imagery and in your face, once you get the message, you move on.

Political Art vs Art made politcally

Paul Shambroom, Martin Mace cruise missile, Interstate 75 Exit 146, Centerville, Georgia, 2008 (POLITACL ART)

That Ain't Shock Art, This is Shock Art! - Alexander Brener

The Brokers With Hands on Their Faces Blog (ART MADE POLITICALLY)

The "Village Pet Store And Charcoal Grill" Opens in New York City(Art MAde POlitically)

Democracy: "I'm mellllting!" [RNC DIY! launches]( ART MADE POLITICALLY)

Banksy Returns With "One Nation Under CCTV" (art made politically)

The Return Of The Freeway Blogger (Art made politically)

NYPD confiscates spoof Yes Men paper outside News Corp. HQ (art made politically)

http://eyeteeth.blogspot.com/2009/09/nypd-confiscates-spoof-yes-men-paper.html

"SPECIAL EDITION" NEW YORK POST from The Yes Men on Vimeo.

Fresh Stuff From Jerm IX (art made politically)

-Thomas Zukowski

Sketches no.1

FIRST SKETCH:

The aspect of art that I see in this piece is the relationship between the eye and the world and the building blocks that again links to the world. The world is in the center of these two images. The eye represents that this piece is reflecting the current political issues of the state of Germany where people are hearing about the deaths of political figures. The image of the bullet-ridden bodies of Aldo Morgo's bodyguards killed during the Red Brigades kidnapping shown on the cover of CEAC 's publication makes the viewer open their eyes and to the people that were living and experiencing these events and to have these issues be brought to the public and as more of a direct approach and in your face. It's a political message but at the same time I think that the image of the dead bodies show that this needs to be subjective, in the regards that it wants to connect and engage people to understand both sides, the opposition and the support to get the full picture and to understand what is really going.

The building block represents the changes and breakdown of the political structure and even the language is changing and being created to have new meanings eg. The word STRIKE as meaning opposition is being built to form new systematic structures of power and to show that it is more of a rebelling stance.

Technology is linked through the image of the work which was the dead bodies of Aldo Morgo's bodyguards because I think it's a direct approach and to make people look and see the effects of the Red Brigade. It's a visual that people can see even if they didn't know the current state of the government at that time, this picture shows that there is some disruption.

I think that the text in this piece really serves as the content and frames the message that is being conveyed. The words strike that's in bold and in capitals is the key message and is meant to show the stance that CAEC is taking. They are showing and reflecting that this piece and the word STRIKE is against the status quo and a protest against the authoritarian government. There is few text in this piece but the text that is used is focusing around the people that are involved and the changes that is happening during this political unrest. The word, Post-Marxism is the new idea being brought forward which is understanding and seeing from the point of the oppressed not just the oppressor. The words, Red Brigade and torture is linked to the image because the Red Brigade is using methods that have great casualities such as bombings and mutilation. The text underlies that this was a time to reform and is a political change.

FIRST SKETCH: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY , ART, AND ACTIVISM

I think that the relationship is that technology (in terms of the photo) is making us aware of the idea of the political structure and how this is affecting how artists and artworks are reflecting this time of political unrest and change. The language that the artists is using is speaking to the idea of change also in terms of the word STRIKE.

The art is linked with activism because the bluntness of the photo image and the few words makes the activism powerful . The art is being the eyes of the situation and giving an insider look. The activism in terms of it being a poster and is similar to serve as propaganda helps to situate the artwork in context and in relation to what is going on in Germany and emphasizes resistance and change.

I think that the text and image of the art is powerful because it shows us the state of the political regime and again reinforces the idea of anti-authoritarianism. Even if you don't know the background of the work, there are strong links to what I think activism is about. I think activism is associated with authority, struggle such as war, resistance, and with change might come new ideas being brought forward which this artwork encompasses.

SKETCH TWO

Art: The cut-out figures are an abstract way to represent the disappearance for the dead and as a way of symbolic representation to conjure up the past of the rebellion that happened throughout 1976 and 1990 in Corrientes, Argentina. The commemorative service shows that that past still resonates and has relevance for them. It's a way of recording memory, in where we can be able to look back and that this event did happen. The mourners, the commemorative service, and the cut-out figures show the physical presence that these deaths were a part of the resistance and political era of that time.

Activism: The history behind the cut-out figures show how activism can be successful and unsuccessful. The history involved protestors that protested on the bridge to having full paid wages and when the National Guard army came to attack, they had to retreat in 1967. However this shows a temporary triumph and that the issue wasn't resolved but to the protestors, it was a win for them. However in 1990, there was another rebellion by the National Guard Army and there were a great number of deaths that the protestors on the bridge had to fall back and stop protesting. However the protest had brought other people that joined in the protest because of similar interests of wanting better living conditions. Even in the present time, the survivors are joined because of a similar experience and to remember the past and even that it happened in the past and the survivors have maybe moved from their home to different places, this remembrance of the disappearance, brings these survivors together in the present.

Technology: Technology is shown in terms of a video recording for example or a photo, it can be a way to archive histories and memories in which our mind can't do over time when memories become vague. The photo shows that although this event happened in the past, through photography, we can see it in the present and bringing those histories out in the present.

SKETCH TWO: RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND ACTIVISM

The art of the cut-out figures serves as an archive of history and memory and reconstructing the past that has permeated into the present with the survivors who are mourning for their loss relatives. The idea of the cut-out figures represent the bodies in an abstract way by being a ghost of the past and at the same time is a physical representation of the quantity of deaths and gives a physical presence to the event. Again the cut-out figures link to activism because it shows us that the activism wasn't successful in that the protestors didn't get their full paid wages and couldn't protest because of fear of the power that the National Army Guard showed in terms of causing so many deaths so fast.

Activism and technology is shown how media can manipulate the information that we receive from sources that we take as telling us true facts such as the news. The newspapers digitally altered the photo which changed the context of the incident by seeming to convey that the protestors had caused the fight and that the National Army Guard didn't retaliate when it was the National Army Guard who initiated this attack first in 1990. The witnesses knew that the newspapers were lying.

This piece was more about the art that was emphasized in which that history of 1990 and 1967 and the activism in terms of fighting for civil rights was brought back to the survivors, but to the viewer, who wouldn't know about the history as much that is embedded in this piece without research, would probably look at this commemorative service and the cut-out figures as the crosses and poppies in Flanders field and Remembrance Day for those dead soldiers. The cut-out figures serve as a way for remembrance.

Images are from this book called Mining the Media Archive: Essays on Art, Technology, and Cultural Resistance by Dot Tuer on page 54, for the Strike image in the chapter, The CEAC was banned in Canada and on page 191, for the image with the cut-out figures, was in the chapter An Anatomy of Insurrection.

Tuer, Dot. Mining the Media Archive: Essays on Art, Technology, and Cultural Resistance. YYZ books: Toronto, 2005.

"art made politically" Wake up, America! by Jacquelin Bond

My first impression was the statue of liberty sleeping. It seems weird since to me, I feel like America never sleeps, politically. Roughly I think that the artist did this to note that the American youth do not participate in politics, especially voting. And she portrayed the statue of liberty as the American youth sleeping while the war within rages on. I really like this concept, for the statue of liberty is the essence of the people of America (even though it was a gift from France...)

Sketch 1/ Response

For my sketch, I chose to find artwork that used a traditional medium and the metaphor of technology to convey an activist message. This first work of art is a pen and ink drawing entitled iGirl. This drawing depicts a woman, bare-chested, with a electrical device that has begun to meld into her body. The device is based on a heart monitor, but it the wires connect to an iPod instead. The work is supposed to represent the danger of our consumer culture, and our growing dependency/link to technology. The blackness that radiates from the plugs show the poisoning effect or dehumanization that occurrs when we increase our dependency on technology. The decision to incorporate the structure of a heart monitor into an iPod was made to bring in the idea of commercialism taking root in our bodies, around one of our most vital organs, that these frivilous technologies are becoming that central to our lives. This piece is mostly an activist piece and the technology present in it is simply a way to prove a point. What I've done to the drawing is taken a copy of the original and posted little green flags with 'tech' written on them. This was an attempt to make the techonology metaphor painfully obvious. Then I circled with pink sharpie the parts of the picture with what I percieve to be activist images (the blackness/the iPod) .

For my other piece, I chose a song by one of my favourite artists, Regina Spektor. This song found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thQd1KYCgKU&feature=related is also an activist artwork that uses the metaphor of technology to prove a point. Obviously there are many ways to interpret a work of art but the way I saw it, it was making a statement about the consequences of being an artist/product who relies on a corporation (in her case Sire Records/Warner Music Group Company) to produce and market her work. Using the idea of this bionic, half-person, she is trying to say that, as an artist, she can't be completely human because she is also a product; she needs to be marketable and controlled. What I did as my sketch on the project, was to write out the lyrics by hand in kind of an artistic way. I left the scratched out letters and mistakes in there to highlight the fact that a person was writing it out, that it was not spellchecked or perfect. Then, following the idea I started with in my first art work, I highlighted any words that made me think of technology or consumerism in artwork. Again, this made the technological/activist presence in the song very obvious to the viewer.

Readings

Critical Art Ensemble

From this reading I basically took that the idea of civil disobedience on the internet is very often misjudged as a threat or unimportant. I believe that civil disobedience belongs on the internet as much as it belongs in the real world. The fantastic thing about ECD is that almost anyone can contribute and almost anyone can access it. In this way activist ideas can be flung around the world extremely fast. The audience is basically endless. However, even though this presents a pretty level playing field for marginalized groups to get their voices heard, ECD can be seriously misconstrued as a form of terrorism. It is unfortunately true that a lot of important parts of your humanity can be accessed online now. Our whole lives are documented and available to skilled hackers. If any ECD would threaten these electronic versions of ourselves, serious damage could be done to your way of life.

Kaprow

This reading to me was very interesting. The idea of The Artist vs. The Unartist made me think a lot about what defines art to me. I have always had a deep seated hatred for the weird perception of "Artist" and the gravitas and stigma around the title. The idea that, to be an artist, one must be this superior, important snob goes against what I believe art is. I think that art for arts sake is very important. Also I believe in the cathartic power of art, so if a particular art work means a lot to you, but is not based on some higher ideal, it should be just as important. Performance and abstract art is very important to me. I always love to find ways to express an artistic thought, or idea, in an unconventional way. There shouldn't really be a barrier between "art" and "non art", I believe that if it begins with a true artistic idea, even a playful one, then it should be considered art. That was my interpretation of the articles!

Katie