Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Song Dong

Watching performance art live is not something that interests me, but what excites me when it comes to performance is documentation, especially when a performance is not done in front of an audience and only meant to be viewed as it was documented.
Song Dong is a Chinese performance artist who has done some things I'm interested in.

Printing on Water, 1996, 36 photographs
"For this performance Song sat in the Lhasa River in
Tibet and stamped the water with a seal inscribed with the Chinese character for water. "


Breathing, 1996
"The artist chose two separate locations: in Tiananmen Square and on the ice atop Houhai (literally, "Rear Sea," a lake in the center of town, surrounded by leisurely locals and newly built entertainment venues). The artist lay upon the pavement at Tiananmen, and breathed onto the ground for forty minutes; the tiny breathed-upon area was covered with a thin layer of ice. On Houhai, the artist similarly breathed upon the icy surface for forty minutes, but the area on which he breathed showed no change at all."


He's also done a lot of work that involves writing down the time with water and has executed it in different ways.

He was invited once to perform this in Times Sqaure.
n collaboration with Times Square Alliance, Creative Time presents a special performance by Song Dong. For one hour, amid the crowds of tourists and workers weaving in and out of Times Square, Song Dong will continuously record the time using water and brush to paint directly onto the concrete surface that surrounds him. Within this hurried setting, Song Dongs modest gesture compels us to focus on the present by exposing our unthinking consumption of time. Writing Time with Water is a compelling example of Song Dongs interest in context and ritual. The performance stems from the artists ongoing series, Writing Diary with Water. For the past decade, Song Dong has employed a calligraphy brush dipped in water, rather than ink, to document his daily reminiscences on stone. The hand-drawn text lasts for just a fleeting moment before it evaporates with the steam that arises from the hot stones surface. This practice allows Song Dong to keep his thoughts and musings secret, while at the same time, provides the mental release inherent in traditional diary keeping.

Thanks,
Brendan

Lose/Lose

Here is a game with an interesting concept: Lose/Lose. You are a spaceship shoting falling aliens in a 2D environment similar to Galaga or Space invaders. This is a huge twist though:
Every Alien is generated from a random file on your harddrive. when you kill that alien, the file it is based on is deleted. Permanently. That could be any file in any folder.
Also, you have only one life, and if you lose, the game is permanently erased from your computer.
This a terrifying game with real life consequences. If you play this game, you will lose something, and maybe something important.
I don't suggest playing it, but at least check out the site: Lose/Lose

Photosynth Demo

I mentioned this during the slideshow yesterday. This is a software in development called Photosynth. It takes images from the internet (from sites like Flickr and Photobucket)and meshes them together in a fully interactive landscape. Every detail in a photo has a closer detail provided by another picture. The zooming technology comes from another program called Seadragon that is demo'd in the beginning of the video (and is amazing in it's own right).



WANNA TRY IT OUT?!? OK! Here is a link to the project's website, complete with a demo!

Photosynth @ Microsoft Live Labs


This is really cool.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Public Collectors

Public Collectors is a project by Chicago-based artist Marc Fischer that functions as a dispersed archive of cultural ephemeral. Fischer publishes the contents of various personal collections whose owners have agreed to make the contents available to whomever wants them. Fischer writes, "Public Collectors is founded upon the concern that there are many types of cultural artifacts that public libraries, museums and other institutions and archives either do not collect or do not make freely accessible. Public Collectors asks individuals that have had the luxury to amass, organize, and inventory these materials to help reverse this lack by making their collections public."

See more at the Public Collectors website: http://www.publiccollectors.org. Fischer is also publishing regularly on Tumblr: http://publiccollectors.tumblr.com

Synchroni-Cities

This is the project I mentioned during David's critique last week where users choose a set of instructions for navigating space and upload documentation of their experience.


Synchroni-cities is about finding similar places in different cities. It's about ways to go.


So pick a trail. Follow it, and take some pictures or even videos on your way. Upload and compare them to trails done by others.. and wonder how people could get in all those different places following the very same instructions. Rate the trails you like. Your trails will be rated, too. Win a prize. Then do one more trail.

Monday, September 28, 2009

High Five New York

Hi again! I know it's not my week, or whatever, but I had to share this with you while we are still on the subject of Routine and Everyday.

This is a video of a guy in New York who rides around on his bike and high fives all the people hailing taxis. The reactions are absolutely priceless. Some people are ammused, some people are angry. He tries a little too hard at the end, but overall it was a great project.



Funny how people act when their normal routine is disrupted in an unexpected way.

Friday, September 25, 2009

I’ve enjoyed the work that this group has done for a while now. I like the colorful installations mostly done with cardboard or other cheap materials. Below is one of the best descriptions of Paper Rad (and an artist they were collaborating with) I could find.

“Seizing upon the technological detritus spawned by advancements in computing over the last three decades, Beige’s inclination is to tinker with the inner workings of ubiquitous platforms past and present. Paper Rad are similarly drawn to the gaudiest fixtures of pop culture, transmogrifying and amplifying them into a kaleidoscopic parallel universe all their own.”

(http://www.eventnetwork.org.uk/programme/exhibitions/625)

They also do a lot of video stuff with both found footage and basic animation. It’s pretty neat, but some of it might give you seizures.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elgv23t_-cg)

The blog with most current art can be found here:

(http://www.paperrad.org/info/art/)


Thanks,

David

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Unexpected Collaborations

Last week I came across this video:




I am always blown away by these huge collaborations. To get that many people to fire that many paintballs at the exact places they need to. It takes a huge amount of organization.

Here's another shining example of choreography:




The thing that makes these works so unique is both the style and organization they use. One does not usually expect art (performance, installation, or otherwise) from paintball. Nor does the skateboard conjure up thoughts of massive collaborations complete with high tech lightshows and choreography. While I'm on the topic of using strange media for awesome (in the classic sense) pieces, here's another:



Think about how planning went into this. Think about how many hours it took to get everything perfect. Think about how much work went into the setup. I think it would be great to partake in one of these works, knowing that I am merely a cog in the machine of the final work, a small but crucial part of the success of the entire piece. How cool would it be to organize something like this in the Studio Arts building? Anyone up for it?

Tweenbots

Sorry for cutting it so close, I've been kind of pulling my hair out over the project.

My favorite kinds of artwork have a little taste of social experimentation splashed in. In this piece, the creators built a cute little robot that could only run in one dirrection. A message was attatched to it telling observers where it was trying to go. As it turns out, the little guy got to his destination because passers by kept setting him in the right direction.

Check it out: http://www.tweenbots.com/

Monday, September 21, 2009

Poketo


I found this website called Poketo, which sells products used in the everyday - clothes, wallets, decor, etc. These products are designed promote and showcase artist's original artwork through Poketo's designs, making famous artwork a part of the every day life. A lot ot their products are really neat, and definitely worth checking out.

Post It Up!

I thought what these people did with something found in the everday to things in the everyday was pretty crazy...and colorful! Which are two things that I happen to like and I'm sure you all will too.

http://weburbanist.com/2008/01/24/more-unusual-art-from-everyday-materials-16-post-it-note-pranks-sculptures-and-murals/

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Photographic resources

I use digital prints in much of my work, and I want professional quality prints. I order online.

My favorite resource is El-Co Color Labs. Digital C-Prints, won't fade, and with their "poster special" it is really cheap. You must order two prints, but they don't have to be the same paper, size, or image. Check them out here.

For a bit cheaper (and not as lasting), I have used IPrintfromHome for test images. They are quite cheap, but over time the prints will fade. They are here.

Spend a little bit of money on your work. Everyone will appreciate it, and I promise, you take your work more seriously when the materials demand it.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Return of Hova: Blueprint 3, the leak and controversies




http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/09/01/jay-z-stays-calm-over-blueprint-3-leak-tells-fans-enjoy-it/



The long awaited album "The Blueprint 3" by self-proclaimed "Greatest Rapper Alive" known most commonly by his stage name Jay-Z, leaked on August 31st, 9 days before its initial release and 4 days before its scheduled release.   The third installment in the Blueprint trilogy marks a monumental point in the history of hip-hop.  Jay-Z the near forty year old released his 11th solo studio album.  Most artists in hip-hop can only dream of such a career and few expect their own to last more than a decade.  
Critically and commercially successful thus far, there are always skeptics and attackers.  Such is the nature of the hip-hop game.  Younger and newer artists criticize Jay saying that he's too old or has sold out, when in fact the opposite is closer to the truth.  With a career spanning more than 23 years and the earlier years dwelling within the "Golden Age of Hip-hop" and new so called "diss tracks" such as "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-tune)" a track criticizing the overuse of auto-tuning a singer's voice in newer hip-hop, Hova reiterates to the new comers and skeptics that he's still going strong.  In late May of this year Jay-Z told the press that he had bought the remainder of his contract with Def Jam Records.  In doing so he was able to attain more creative control and able to release the album under his own record label Roc Nation.
Pushing up the release date but going through with the scheduled concert Jay-Z will be performing a charity concert tomorrow in New York City.  All of the profits will go to New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund.
Once again, the release of this album is no short of significant.  The single "Run This Town" featuring Rihanna and Kanye West has been playing strong on radios and t.v. commercials and the album has been selling well.  Look for and enjoy the album in stores or online.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Claude Closky

First of all, in response to the previous post:



I had seen this guy, JK, before and it was interesting to compare it to Noah's picture everyday. JK used the same neutral background and basic lighting the whole time which let you focus on his face and the changes that occur everyday. I felt noah's got too distracting with the background changing.

Secondly, I stumbled upon the artist Claude Closky and I find him very interesting. His website is a maze of interesting things you can click on, interact with, think over, add to your computer, etc. One particularly humorous one was "welcome to my blog"

a few websites pertaining to him.
Closky's website
website i found him on
pdf article about him


A lot of his stuff comments on things we use everyday, and has a lot to do with technology. A lot of his work is very unique and simple but can make a statement.

2356 Days

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B26asyGKDo


Here you'll see Noah. A man who takes a picture of himself everyday for 6 years.
January 11, 2000 - July 31, 2006.

This I found very similar to the work of Teching Hsieh, who, from 1979 - 1980, punched a card every hour out of the day.

Do you ever find yourself fascinated with challenges or do you ever have a curiousity of what it would be like to do the same thing over and over for a year or more? Do you ever think that you already do the same things over and over, perhaps since you were born?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009





What's the earth's everyday? Or the Solar systems everyday? What's the Moon and Venus doing? I've been watching them every night. I think it's Venus that's moving with the moon right now. They're always changing but following a cycle/everyday like ours, just alot bigger. And could we not be apart of their everyday cycle?

Hi from Multitouch Barcelona on Vimeo.



You ever feel like this? A neat representation of tasks that we do everyday and a computer...something that is becoming more and more human. Attached to us everyday, checking mail and getting updates. This piece also showcases touchscreen interaction. Which is something that they have in other projects if you explore the Multitouch Barcelona site.