Looking Into the Future

As I sit to write this, the only thing I can ask myself is, "Where do I begin?"  After reading "A Scientist Predicts the Future" by Michio Kaku, it is safe to say that my mind is blown.  To think that the incredible technologies and scientific advancements that have only been possible in movies will most likely become reality one day is very hard to grasp, but I do have faith that it will happen.  This article not only gives readers a look into the multiple types of technologies that will become available, but also into how they will benefit society.  For example, as media and industries are digitized, society as a whole will be able to gain knowledge on everything about services and products, which will ultimately lead to understanding exactly where the supply and demand curves meet, and this will perfect capitalism.  Advancements in health sciences will allow complex organs such as livers to be reproduced, allowing the term "organ failure" to become a thing of the past.  Further cancer research will bring scientists to be able to target individual cells and kill them, making cancer become that of the common cold.  Meanwhile, censors that can be placed in toilets or bathroom mirrors will be able to find early signs of tumors or other harmful health issues, thus saving lives.  It is these health advancements hat truly make me thankful for technology, yet it is the inventions that will reduce basic human skills, such as driving our own cars or cleaning our homes, that make me a little nervous.  Technology is already such a huge part of our lives, to the point where obesity and simple face-to-face communication skills are becoming issues.  If this continues further, I worry for the future generations that may lose simple skills as they allow technology to run their lives.  Overall, he world of technology has a bright future, but as with any part of life, their are both benefits and drawbacks to this reality.

Tumblr Findings

My daily explorations on tumblr had me stumble across this beautiful series of photographs using the camera obscura.  It is titled Guest Relations and is by the artist Robyn Stacey.  I immediately felt the need to blog about it because before taking this class I would have just assumed that these were done using a simple projector.  Now, I can immediately recognize a camera obscura series when I see one, and even understand how it is done.  I really enjoy Stacey's use of people in her pictures because it brings a new element that I have never seen before.  Also, I love how the color and liveliness of the scenery from the outdoors contrasts with the very plain and dull interiors.  I'm always finding great things on tumblr, but I was SO excited when I came across this!

SNF

After reading the article "The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack helped spread disco--and kill it," the movie itself has become much more to me than just some 70's film my parents showed me.  I can now see how it helped to define a generation.  The article explains that disco was already at its peak, or even possibly passed it, at the time the movie was released in 1977.  However, what made he movie different from the disco culture that everyone was used to seeing, was that it showed how disco was a form of escape for a working class boy from Brooklyn.  For the main character Tony, going to the club on Saturday nights was his way of forgetting his parents, his friends, and his future as a hardware store employee.  The article quotes one of Tony's best lines and states, "There are ways of killing yourself without killing yourself."  This spoke to me, and I think that it can speak to every generation.  It is basically saying that if you aren't careful, you can find yourself with a job or a life that doesn't allow you to truly feel alive.  This was Tony's problem, but going to the clubs and being the best dancer is what got him through the week and what got his adrenaline pumping.  As for the soundtrack to the movie, the article explains why it was considered the disco album to many buyers.  It stayed at number one on Billboard's album charts for a little over half a year, and it had one of the 10 biggest selling LP's of all time.  Despite the fact that bellbottoms were packed away and the genre of disco is a term of the past,  Saturday Night Fever and its soundtrack will forever represent a generation that was "unwilling to let economic uncertainty and social divisions keep them from having fun."  It is a great movie with great music that showcases an even greater era.

Performance Art: Mall Mannequins

I had a lot of trouble trying to figure out what to do for my performance art, and before I knew it i was on my flight home to New York.  I thought about it during the break, and realized that posing as mannequins in the mall during the holiday shopping would not only be the perfect spot for a large audience, but it would also be kind of fun.  Who did I find as soon as I stepped foot in my mall?  My adorable neighbor and her best friend; two girls that LOVE to be in front of the camera.  Once I told them about the project, they begged for the fun opportunity and of course I was thrilled to let them do it.  As I thought about what it could mean, I felt that posing as mannequins symbolizes societies desire for perfection.  Whether it is about body image or clothing, people today go to ridiculous lengths to achieve what they see as "perfection."  It has come to a point where we would rather be plastic than be ourselves.

During the filming of this, it took me a little while to realize I could easily hide the camera on a table of clothes, and so for a while a was fumbling while trying to conceal it in my coat pocket.  Also, although it was able to pick up some sound, there were many comments made by passerby that are not heard in the video, but that were very comical.  The overall reaction from everyone in the store was either being completely oblivious, or shocked and confused.  Eventually, we were asked to leave by an employee collecting hangers that jolted and dropped them as she bumped into one of my little "mannequins."  Oops...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29GebSX6NgM

Breaking Down the 1980's breakdance

After watching numerous youtube clips of the street dance sensation that thrived remarkably in the 80's, my first conclusion was that it was something I could never do.  For anyone that may have strolled by the gangs of hood rats spreading out their cardboard boxes and spinning on the floor, breakdancing could have looked like utter nonsense.  However, for anyone that can see what true strength, time, and talent is needed to be able to do these moves, breakdancing is clearly an art form. I say that strength is one of the key factors because of the ridiculous amounts of upper body strength that I witnessed in every video I viewed.  Dancers could spin, jump, walk, bounce, and probably any other verb, all while on their hands.  There were handstands, backflips, lifts, and more that just further proved the muscular ability of these dancers.  Many of the videos that I watched involved breakdance teams, and this is where the factor of time comes into play.  These teams of usually 4 or 5 dancers would do their incredible dances and stunts in perfect synchronicity.  They would flip with or over each other, and perform other stunts made for more than one person.  I couldn't imagine being a single dancer and having to memorize and perfect all that is involved in breakdance, so imagining what it is like to have to learn these things as a team is pretty impossible.  The thought process that is needed to create these dances is in itself incredible; figuring out how different dancers will work together to produce a unique performance takes a great mind.  Then, to think of the amount of time needed to learn and practice these dances is just exhausting, and you have to commend the dancers for their dedication.  Finally, there were some moves in the videos that I watched that simply had no explanation.  What I mean is, there is no amount of strength or time that could explain how the move was perfected, just simply talent.  Many of these moves usually involved slow motion or isolation of certain parts of the body, and they took rhythm and concentration to perform.  The dancers make everything they do look so easy, but when it comes down to it, only a minority of those talented and dedicated enough can pull it off.

Xerox Project: Getting Handsy

My xerox project was a little bit like an experiment.  I decided to do it on the fluorescent light in my room with hopes that when the light turned on it would look completely different.  I wanted the layering of the different body parts to shine through to produce something new.  I had a really fun time putting this all together, and despite looking completely insane to the poor, old librarians as I asked to scan myself, this was my favorite project so far.  

Archetype vs. Stereotype

So what is an archetype?  In class, we watched many clips on the life of Orlan, and she spoke towards the end of how her life was about breaking away from archetypes, or what is considered typical.  To me, it is very clear that this was her life goal, and I feel that she executed it perfectly.  She broke away from the norm, and did things for herself and not to impress others.  When I first heard the word archetype, I truly had never heard it used before.  My immediate thought was that it would have a similar definition to the word stereotype.  However, an archetype is something that is typical, while a stereotype is a fixed image that people hold to be true, although it is often oversimplified and sometimes offensive.  I am honestly glad for this quick assignment and feel much better about understanding the difference between the two words.