beatfreaks

For my video art piece I deconstructed videos I took at concerts as well as other random videos on my computer. The concert footage is from two different dubstep concerts, Bassnectar at Terminal 5, NYC this past November and Borgore at the Honeypot in Ybor City this past October. I used Windows Movie Maker 2.6 to blend different clips and add various video effects. The title Beatfreaks comes from one of Bassnectars albums, Beatfreak Bohemia (2002). The song which plays at 1:27, titled Delamure was released on this album. I also featured my friend Bailey dancing as well as my friend Maddy using her L.E.D light-toy, called an Orbit.

Miku Hatsune

I can't believe a musical artist who isn't a real person, which was made as an advertising ploy, actually has more fame than so many amazing musicians. It's one thing to love a character...but to revere such a creation for musical talent, to have such a concept sell concert tickets...that just doesn't sit right.

It would be one thing if people accredited her talent to the people who produced her songs and all of the material her fans love, but that doesn't seem to be the case. It's just disturbing that a figment of a marketing team has received so much dedication and popularity.

Performance Art: Are You Technology?

For my performance art project I was planning on walking around a park near my house wearing a disemboweled television, to signify how technology has become such a large part of our lives. Throughout the years technology has literally become a part of us and I thought this performance was a good way to demonstrate that. On the way to the park, my brother who was originally going to be my camera man offered to wear the television for me. The above video is the finished product. For some reason, after I uploaded the video to youtube a green line and pink shapes appeared...this was not on the original video. I'm no technical expert, but I tried to upload the video again and I couldn't figure out a way to fix it, so my apologies.

Below are some pictures of the dismantling of the television.

Scopitones

This is an example of a video found on the Scopitone, Marie-Hélène's "Truddie." The Scopitone was a very interesting invention which was invented in France in the early 1960's. It went on to only gain popularity in Europe. It was basically a jukebox, except instead of playing solely music, it offered a variety of music videos to be watched on demand.

Advertising vs Propaganda

Advertising and propaganda are definitely similar, but wholly different at the same time. Both look to sell something, in advertising this "something" is nothing but a product. The purpose of propaganda is to sell an idea, or a mode of thought. Usually this has to do with dedication to a country and will tend to appear during times of war.


Propaganda vs Advertisement

Eva & Adele and Flash Mobs

"We are from the future" says Eva of Eva & Adele. This is thoroughly plausible, there aren't many people likened to this outrageous couple in our times. They have gotten plastic surgery to look exactly the same, making gender a moot point. They do everything the same, go to the same places and eat the same food, attempting to become one being. They are a living work of art but they are also artists, they paint self portraits frequently. They also love to receive pictures of them, seeing their live art in action.

This flash mob doesn't include a choreographed dance, but it does stick to the standard of flash mobs as being a planned performance in an unsuspecting crowd. The set up is great, a man is about to give a speech and all of a sudden another man starts beating a huge drum. Then a man takes the microphone and starts beat boxing, and slowly others appear with other instruments, resulting in a beautiful musical piece.

Iconoclast

An Iconoclast is someone who supports deliberate destruction of religious icons. Usually this destruction comes with motives which are political or religious, an attempt to rebel and make a statement. Throughout history, in times of revolution or when a government was being overthrown iconoclastic actions were prevalent. Such instances include the French Revolution where revolutionaries destroyed a statue of King Louis XV, in retaliation to the throne. King Louis XVI was later guillotined in the same location. During the American Revolution the Sons of Liberty destroyed a statue of George III of England, pictured below, in a similar manner.

Rebellions of these types are a way of revolutionaries to show the power they have, which is often underestimated by their rulers. A modern example could be Andres Serrano's photo entitled Piss Christ, in which he depicts the crucifix submerged in urine.

iwishtosay.org & Joseph Beuys

Sheryl Oring began a project where she set up a typewriter to ask people on the street "If I were the president, what would you say?" Then they must keep whatever they are trying to say concise enough to fit on her postcards. She has sent over 2,000 postcards to the White House. This is a really interesting project, which is also an outlet for many Americans to express themselves about things they are rarely asked about. Now she has a website, www.iwishtosay.org set up with an archive of her work.

Joseph Beuys was a German Fluxus artist. He was active in the late 60's and early 70's. In this time period he created many instances of performance art, art that has its value from the people who witness it and is preserved only by their memory. He would always try to make a social statement with his work, whether it was political or simply humanitarian. In this video he is seated in front of a T.V in Berlin, 1970.

Brion Gysin & The Dream Machine

Brion Gysin was a painter, writer, sound poet and performance artist born in Buckinghamshire, England in 1916. He became a huge influence in the beat culture of the late 1950's. He is known for his development of the artistic technique called "the cut-up." This is a method of destroying a printed text and cutting it up into pieces, then reforming it in a way that the same text is used but reordered. The dream machine was developed  in the late 1950's. It was a hollow paper cylinder with slits cut up the sides and a lightbulb suspended in the center. It was placed on a turntable so it would spin on its own. The holes allowed light to flicker at about 10-13 pulses per second. The pulsing light stimulates the nerves in the eyes to alter the viewers brainwaves. After a bit of time, bright and intricate patterns of color would appear behind their eyelids. The pulses allow the viewer to enter a relaxed state, similar to sleeping and dreaming.


I found a strange but interesting video of William Burroughs and Brion Gysin, with some fragmented poetry as narration to the creation of some sort of project.

Bauhaus & McCarthyism

Bauhaus is artistic style of architecture which because influential to Modernist architecture. Bauhaus wasn't a formal group, but a school of study. Walter Gropius, Hannes Meye and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe became synonymous with Bauhaus as they were architect-directors of the early 1920's-30's. Function was desired over aesthetic pleasure, pieces are normally asymmetrical as opposed to symmetrical and space was looked at over mass. These characteristics were used to create a modern & futuristic look.




McCarthyism was a practice named after President McCarthy, which took place largely in the early 1950's. During this time accusations of disloyalty to the country and treason were often made without specific evidence. During this time of Communism, fears and hysteria were brought about as the president encouraged citizens to distrust their neighbors. This disrupted society much more than the war would have by itself, turning neighbor against neighbor and allowing propaganda to run rampant.

Dada Manifesto and Dan Eldon

"How does one achieve eternal bliss? By saying dada. How does one become famous? By saying dada. With a noble gesture and delicate propriety. Till one goes crazy. Till one loses consciousness..."

Hugo Ball suggests the power of the word dada in his Dada Manifesto. It's extremely interesting that this group created not only a new form of art, but a way of life which was unconventional -- in their time and in ours. Ball describes dada as a therapeutic method for reforming life. "A line of poetry is a chance to get rid of all the filth that clings to this accursed language...Dada is the heart of words." He never actually suggested mixed media art as a part of dadaism but mainly as a form of poetry and language. This basis gave way to a whole mode of art which was previously non existent, a fact which is extraordinary.

In Ball's time period his words inspired a plethora of art and poetry, but his inspiration did not stop in his lifetime. Dan Eldon was a journalist and artist who lived from 1970-1993. Sadly, his work didn't gain popularity until after his death in 1993. He was researching the starvation in Somalia and was stoned to death. He and a group of colleagues went to photograph the site of a bombing, and a group of onlookers who were angry about the bombing attacked the group until they died.

While this end is indubitably tragic, Eldon left behind art which is obviously inspired by the artful insanity of Dadaism.

Video games & Bullying

Many think that video games lead to bullying due to the violence which many video games include. It seems that enacting this violence in a virtual world will lead to violence in the real world. Such believers use events like the Columbine shooting as proof of such causal relations. But from my view, it seems that violence is a part of human nature. One will either use the video game as an outlet for violence or a propellant for violence depending on inherent nature. It seems to me that usually video games bring together people who may be out bullying otherwise. Virtual R.P.G's allows player to form relationships that would otherwise be nonexistent, a way for people who may be "socially awkward" to excel in an area which may not be available to them in the real world.

Steve Jobs: How Apple got its name

^(doesn't start until about 30 seconds in)

As stated in the video above the name Apple came about basically because Steve Jobs really liked apples. He had returned from an apple orchard the weekend before they began to pitch names for the company, and he thought the name "Apple Computer" sounded fun & not intimidating like IBM and other such companies. Also, Steve adds in the video (with a laugh) that Apple would put the company ahead of Atari in the phone book, a company which Jobs had previously worked for.

Ray Kurzweil: The Coming Singularity

Ray Kurzweil is known as an author and a futurist. He grew up in Queens, New York and went on to study at M.I.T. He has written a few books, The Age of Intelligent Machines, The 10% Solution for a Healthy Life, The Age of Spiritual Machines, The Singularity Is Near and others. He has also invented many technologies, such as a classical music synthesizing computer, an optical character recognition system (a system so a computer could recognize text) and the Kurzweil K250, a machine capable of imitating numerous instruments.

He is known for various predictions about the future. In the video above he discusses his theory of "The Singularity." This theory states that in 20 years computers will be able to simulate the human brain. He states that computer technology is increasing exponentially and eventually the human mind will be unable to function unless intersected with technology.

MZTV & OTR

On the MZTV website I was interested in the "Television in Quotes" exhibit because it seems like various quotes would be an interesting way to gain insight into the culture of television.

"The T.V business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs" -Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter Thompson points out the worst aspects of television, regarding it as a superficial wasteland which brings out the worst in people. I wouldn't disagree with his perspective, I'm sure "the industry" and all of its competition has led good people to be led astray. Most of the other quotes in the exhibit express a similarly negative viewpoint on television.

http://www.megaloradio.com/audio/Buck_Rogers_1939_04_05_Gyro_Cosmic_Relativator_01.mp3

I listened to Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: Gyro Cosmic Relativator. It was interesting the way advertisements were presented, they didn't sound pre-recorded like advertisements of today. The radio host spoke in them and the boy who was chosen to speak the advertisement stumbled over his words at one point, not something which would have happened in a pre-recorded ad. The way they started the Buck Rogers segment was also cool, they sound effects they used made it sound like some sort of rocket. The characters also heavily relied on physical descriptions which was interesting because without that the story would not have the same effect. I sort of wish this form of entertainment was still popular, it seems humanity's sense of imagination and creativity would be heightened.

Flipbook

Music: Living for Kicks by Bassnectar (2002)

War of the Worlds (1938 Radio Broadcast)

"The War of the Worlds" is a book written by H.G Wells in 1898. On October 30th 1938, Orson Welles used the text as a base for a radio broadcast which sent many into hysteria. His broadcast convinced many that aliens were in fact invading the planet Earth. Welles read with convincing vigor, presenting the story in news bulletins which made the whole thing that much more dramatic and seemingly real. While there were indications that the broadcast was fiction, many missed these disclaimers. The population was also generally on edge due to the imminence of World War II.

What happened to Walter Carlos?

In 1939 Walter Carlos was born in Rhode Island. In 1968, he used a Moog synthesizer (an analog synthesizer) to record J.S Bach's music and made a name for himself in the musical field. In 1971 he wrote and performed the musical score for A Clockwork Orange. In 1972 Walter had a sex change operation and changed her name to Wendy. She has stated that ever since she was a child, she felt that she was more feminine than masculine, always having a liking for long hair and female clothing. In 1979 she came out with her operation in Playboy, she had been keeping it a secret from the public and used this as an outlet to liberate herself further.

As far as the use of Singing in the Rain in A Clockwork Orange, initially I would've thought that it was the director's stab at irony. Using a cheerful, playful song to remind the audience of a reality which is non-existent in the world of Alex DeLarge. But, when I researched it, it is said that Stanley Kubrick wanted to make the scene where the thugs attack the writer and his wife. He asked him to dance and sing during it and Singing in the Rain was the only song he knew all the words to.

Earthquake & The Matrix

I asked my mom about the movie Earthquake and she did recall seeing it in theaters. She didn't have any interesting stories about people fainting or the ceiling falling on the audience, but she did mention the technology which had an impact on her viewing experience. She remembered the surround sound system which was installed in the movie theater and how everything was so loud and intense that the seats shook. Clearly, the technology did as it was intended to if she remembers its effect over 30 years later.

I watched The Matrix after our last class and I thought that it was an extremely complex and interesting movie. The story line was extremely simulating and could not have been realized without the technology they used and  developed. A time freezing photographic technique was used to simulate the slow motion bullet dodging which   the movie is famous for. There had to be some sort of green screen/ animation technology used to create some of the more complex scenes. I've definitely never seen a movie like it before.

Technicolor & Sound

Throughout time film has become progressively more complex. Initially, black and white silent films were a huge innovation. With Edison's invention of the phonograph in 1877, filmmakers became able to add sound to "moving pictures." The sound was low quality by the standards of today, but a shock to many from the era. It took a while to figure out synchronization, The Jazz Singer released in 1927, was the first "talkie" to receive attention from audiences. From the addition to dialogue came the addition of a separate musical soundtrack, as well as sounds one may not consciously realize are missing, such as rain falling on a window or a door creaking open.

 

^Walt Disney's Flowers & Trees; 1932^

The technicolor process began its development in 1912. A two strip technique was used by 1917 and a three strip process was created by 1930. In 1932 Walt Disney used this technology in an animated short called Flowers & Trees. This led to its popularity in Hollywood, where it was used by many filmmakers in movies such as The Cat & The Fiddle (1934), Snow White & the Seven Dwafs (1937) and most famously The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Napoleon d'Abel Gance au Colisée

Abel Gance was orginally supposed to make 6 films about Napoleon with the money used to make this one. He uses the innovative technology of a triptych at one point, seperating the screen into three different images. This method was extremely new to directing, as well inter-cutting between various scenes for dramatic effect. He allowed the camera interesting angles by using slightly unorthodox methods, such as strapping the camera to a horse or a sled. The end product was 6 hours, so though it was historically significant, it did not catch critiques or audiences eyes until much later. It has been revitalized by film editors and premiered at the San Francisco Film Festival in March 2012. It is typically shown with the aid of a live orchestra as shown in the video above.

The Great Train Robbery - 1903 Silent Film

This silent film is actually quite comical, reminiscent of vaudeville humor with the exaggerated robberies and the antics of the bandits. The camera work is fairly advanced for the time period, with the angles and set changes. Such as around 3:30 when the camera appears to be sitting on a moving train, allowing the audience to see an aspect of the train which would be unavailable from another angle. It's so interesting how back then directors couldn't rely on words yet still create a story line. There is interesting technology regarding the gunfire shown on screen, while its unknown how exactly this effect was achieved it clearly wasn't graphics of today or real guns so Edison had to have come up with something. The end scene where the bandit shoots at the crowd must have been extremely innovative at the time as engaging the audience with the actors like that was previously unheard of.

A Trip to the Moon / Le Voyage dans la lune - 1902

Georges Miélés was certainly ahead of his time. Neil Armstrong didn't make it to the moon until 1969 but Miélés' mind was already there 67 years earlier. Obviously, compared to video technologies in our time Le Voyage dans la lune is quite elementary. But Miélés was an inventor, one of many who made our technologies today possible. This short film was one of the first to create the basis for the science fiction genre. I think this is a very innovative film, he carried his ideas to fruition nicely. The fact that animation technology was lacking makes this video even more amazing. All of these sets were physically there and must have required dedication and lots of physical work, not to mention the intelligence to make it all work in the way that it does.

Stagedoor Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGGjgT6fKns&feature=player_embedded

Various technologies are used in Jesus Christ Superstar to create the drama captured in this video. Such technologies include intricate lighting throughout, from large flashing letters and colored lights to a light up cross, these production choices lend a modern aspect to this play. The first scene in this video also showcases an interesting technology, a moving platform which raises Jesus above the audience, a very striking choice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XDnTV-TMoA&feature=player_embedded#!

^ This segment from the Tony awards showcases some very interesting technologies in Porgy & Bess. The scenery is the most advanced part of the show. In the beginning a couple of panels are lifted up, then to create a scene change around 1:55 the whole background of an urban scene is lifted from the ground to reveal screens of clouds & grass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkg2w5ZUIPg&feature=player_embedded#!
^This scene from Peter Pan starring Cathy Riggs would not be possible without the technology which allows the actors to fly around stage. It is assumed that there is some sort of rig involving harnesses and wires, but the technology is so advanced that it is not at all visible and Peter is able to do all sorts of quick twists and turns in the air.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NL4aFn1DxGE&feature=player_embedded#!
^Godspell utilizes some very awesome technologies to make the play fun and interesting. Throughout the play they use a system of panels in the floor, a couple times where a trap door opens to reveal water (once water even streams from the ceiling) and another time where other doors open to reveal small trampolines which the cast uses to create a very fun scene. I actually saw this play in the spring and it was really great. The stage is small and the actors do a lot of improvising, which makes the whole experience very personal and comfortable. Not to mention Hunter Parrish is just beautiful...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqkAHEGSzAU&feature=player_embedded
^The set in this video of Guys and Dolls is so intricate, it adds a realistic feel to the whole scene. The technology used to change the scene at the very end is striking because it accomplishes that change so quickly. This is done by having a screen with a background printed on it drop down over the initial cityscape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr2xIjDX_tg&feature=player_embedded#!
^Even though I honestly have no idea what is being said in this video, its really different how Avenue Q uses puppets in their plays. That is a technology which isn't usually seen in such productions on stage. The actors interact with one another using the puppets, which is very interesting to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5yYci9CwYA&feature=player_embedded#!
^This video shows a very interesting technology used in A Chorus Line. In the musical number, entitled "One" the background is seen to be created by rotating panels. These panels are moved in the very end of the song to reveal mirrors. It gives a very cool effect to be able to see the backs of all of the dancers and adds deceiving depth to the stage.

Mr. B by GRiZ feat. Dominic Lalli

Definite jazz influences in this song...the artist calls the genre "Future Funk"

History of Jazz

The roots of jazz are found in the era of the slave trade. As the people of Africa became doomed for a life of slavery and misery, music became an outlet. Songs were sung in the form of "call and response", a style which is found in jazz today; one instrument will play a certain sound and another one will respond in a slightly altered echo.

Around the 1800's white and black minstrel shows gained their popularity, and with them so did black musical traditions such as the use of the fiddle, banjo and tambourine. Many jazz performers, such as Bessie Smith found their path to popularity in minstrel shows. New Orleans was a central area for slave trading, but also a cultural hub for African Americans to exchange musical methods and dances similar to those in jazz. Rag time was born with Scott Joplin in 1868, blues and marching band music was soon to follow. Jelly Roll Morton was known for making the sound of the harmonica a staple in jazz.

Dr. Jazz by Jelly Roll Morton



By the 1920's African Americans were moving towards Chicago or New York, bringing blues and jazz with them. The concept of "blue notes" were introduced, meaning that some musical notes would be played on a pitch lower than the major scale. Improvisation of melody is another staple of jazz music, a freedom not known in most previous musical genres. The new generations of America accepted and ultimately loved these musical genres. Women known as flappers became a cultural staple of the era; they were cutting their hair, wearing shorter dresses, smoking cigarettes as well as dancing to jazz music. Radios and record players were also essential to the growing popularity of jazz music.

1930's brought big band & swing music, a new style of jazz which entailed flowing rhythms played by a large band. Crowds were drawn and before the stock market crash, night life was increasingly energetic. Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington were big names during this time. The youth became a subculture, almost in likeness to the 1960's. They pushed the catch phrase "Express your true feelings!"

In the 1940's jazz music was lacking due to the draft for World War II, many musicians were serving the U.S instead of playing in bands and music halls. With the 1950's came Elvis and the beginning of rock and roll, so jazz laid low until the 60's.

In compliance with the civil rights movement, African American jazz musicians finally broke free from record companies with white owners. They began to control their own music and establishments. From the 1970's into the rest of the 20th century, jazz was constantly growing into new subgenres, such as: fusion jazz of the 70's, acid jazz of the 80's and smooth jazz and retro swing of the 90's.

The Birth and Life of Opera

This documentary is abundant with lots of intriguing information about the creation of opera. It does a good job of showing the evolution of the genre and the numerous effects it had (and still has) on society. A few things were quite interesting, such as the Florentine Camerata. I had no idea that was how opera initially came about. The fact that amateur musicians and intellects came together, and it led to such a massive culture of art is truly amazing. Poets, artists, philosophers and even scientists conversed and decided to collaborate to create a revolution in music. The thought of all of these presumably interesting people gathered around in one room is so inspirational. What is even more inspirational is the fact that they succeeded.

Something else I found interesting was the fact that opera became the catalyst for revolution in some instances. Beginning with the rescue operas which were a response to the storming of the Bastille to Auber's "La Muette de Portici", opera became a tool for societal change. Rescue opera's offered comfort and inspiration to people who felt oppressed. Often times, the themes of liberation and change were prevalent. "La Muette de Portici" was the story of fishermen who revolted against oppression. A duet in the opera was so inspirational to the audience that afterwards a riot began, as they sought out to defeat their own oppressors. The fact that an opera could have such an effect is extraordinary. This riot led to the revolution which gave way to the country of Belgium. The composer Verdi had a similar effect in Italy, though his
works became centralized around intense nationalistic pride which Mussolini used to his own advantage. This is not necessarily a positive effect, though it is extremely interesting to see the various directions the power of this genre can take.

Madama Butterfly

That is Pjotr Sapegin's animated adaptation of Giaccomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly. The original opera was based on an 1898 short story of the same title by John Luther Long. Puccini was an Italian composer who is also famous for La Bohéme. Madama Butterfly was a later production brought to the stage in 1904.

This video is a very creative and unorthodox portrayal of the plot. One part I found very striking is when Lieutenant Pinkerton comes back. Madam Butterfly expects he is there for her and their child but instead he takes their child, tearing the string which connects the mother and daughter. This string is reminiscent of an umbilical cord which was a very interesting artistic choice. I also noticed that Pinkerton and his new wife are depicted as Barbie doll-like figures, where Madam Butterfly and her daughter are crude clay people. This choice sends the message that most would expect the Americans to be perfect and better than anyone else. Almost in response to this, Madam Butterfly destroys herself and this destruction gives way to the birth of a butterfly. It seems to symbolize change and letting go which is wonderful in her situation. This is more beautiful and meaningful than any Barbie would be, and I thought this was a very interesting ending.

Wagner's Liebestod in "Aria" (1987)

We watched this scene in class last week and it was one of those things that you see and then continue thinking about. I was confused but also intrigued; who are these people? What led them to be seemingly running away together? And of course, why did they decide to commit suicide together? The scene gave me chills which didn't dissipate quickly and sent my mind reeling for hours after. The questions came together as the director surely intended as did the haunting feeling which stuck with me afterward. What made the scene truly eerie was the choice of music. It is interesting that the song came from Tristan and Isolde, so it seems in some way these characters are meant to depict that tragic couple though obviously their stories are quite different. The director, Frank Roddam did a great job of creating mood and meaning through this piece of art.

First Class

I've lived on Long Island my whole life, a seemingly large place though it's actually quite small. Its close proximity to New York City has allowed me to experience not only the comfort of the suburbs that the island offers but also the chaos and complexity of a city. I have always felt passionate about art, it feels really good to have a possible "direction" for life which includes creativity. I intend to become an art therapist, which is a field I only learned about recently. To be able to utilize art to help other people seems so interesting and rewarding, I could not think of a better career if I tried. Not yet anyway.

From the first class it seems this will be a rigorous, but extremely interesting course. I've always loved art and thought myself quite well educated on the subject, but sitting in this class it could not be more obvious that there are many aspects of art I've yet to discover. That being said, I expect that by the end of this semester I will have learned many new methods of creating and thinking. I love to have my typical ideals challenged, I love being shocked by knowledge even though these things can certainly be frustrating and taxing. This seems to be exactly the kind of class I wished for in high school and I'm really excited to see where this class will take me.