I wholeheartedly agree with Panera and embrace the concept of a different visual reality versus other generations. Being raised in a household where the television, internet, video games, and movies were all readily at my disposal & then being at the helm of the smartphone movement definitely shapes my visual reality in a way that cannot be replicated for anyone fifteen years older than me. I think because our generations has so much visual stimulation in a variety of ways, we have become obsessed with replicating and creating content visually to either express emotion or consume it. But I don't think visual reality is our only reality. Panera claims that younger generations need an entertainment factor to keep our attention in art museums. That's completely false. Visual media is not my ball and chain, and I can be entertained otherwise. Besides, art doesn't have to be entertaining and entertainment doesn't have to be art. I think Panera is disillusioned to believe that witnessing a group of adolescents document an experience means that they're only doing so for the benefit of retinal masturbation. When I visit an art museum and take photos, I'm not doing so because I am uninterested and am trying to twist my boring situation into an entertaining one. It's because I've found something worth cherishing even after the moment has passed.
As far as the necessity of documentation goes, I think that from some perspectives she is correct. I personally know people who do activities or plan events just for the purpose of documenting and sharing their ~unique~ experience with their followers or friends. In this way, yes they are proving they exist in a specific light. However, if someone documents something for personal use, I don't believe that's an effort to prove their existence. It's merely a keepsake. And what's so wrong with relying on digital media to trigger memories? I had a hard time understanding the point of his argument here that "memory is becoming more fragile" and that's a bad thing. What is this in comparison too? How is using digital media to recall an experience worse than mentally recalling it? Maybe that's just the difference in our visual realities. Mnemonic memory is using aids to recall something and heuristic memory is relying on the cognitive thought process. I assume Panera is saying heuristic memory is better but I see really no justification in this. I can remember events using my heuristic memory just fine, and I just use digital media (mnemonic memories) to bask in that moment in time.
If one wishes to become an 'emancipated observer', they must simply refuse to rely on their mnemonic memory and stray from their screens. In my opinion, however, an emancipated observe is someone who can still document experiences but solely for personal consumption and not for the benefit of others. I see no harm in recording my visual reality because I'm able to - and it's something I thoroughly enjoy doing.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Homework 2
xx
In preparation for Project 1, we should take a closer look at the world of gifs, especially within a contemporary art & technology context.
First, lets read a little bit more about the history of GIFs.
1. Read parts One, Two and Three about the history of the GIF from Paddy Johnson. (via Art Net) [Btw, Paddy Johnson runs the really wonderful art blog called Art F City, posted under online resources.]
Pay close attention to the artists that Paddy talks about - if you start to be attracted to some of their work, you should do some research about that artist. It may help when you develop your own GIF. She also gives a ton of Tumblr resources. Check out those Tumblrs, and if you dig something, follow them.
2. Read this history of the GIF from Mashable.
Now lets read these following articles about GIFs and how they exist today, as well as an attempt to embed (no pun intended) GIFs as Art (just a note, I know that some of these may repeat information - I've included a few because of the GIF examples they show):
Are GIFs Art? (via New York Magazine)
Going Once, Going Twice: Phillips and Tumblr put GIFs on Auction (via Forbes)
GIFs Are the New Graffiti (via Mashable)
Finally, read about GIFs perpetuating a new photography term, "Motion Photography":
Saatchi Looks To Elevate Animated GIFs to Art (via socaltech.com)
GIFs are now an official, snob-sanctioned art form, and these six are the best (via The Washington Post)
The GIF animation is now officially an art form, thanks to the first Motion Photography Prize (via Imaging Resource)
Some questions to ponder:
Are GIFs "uniquely millennial"? Why or why not? What do GIFs have to do with the way we communicate (we covered this briefly in class)?
What do you think the "hyperreality" might be that GIFs can show?
What do you think about art GIFs being sold for $16,000?
What do you think it is about GIFs that make them so successful? (You can pull from the articles here to back up your thoughts.)
What do you think of gifs as a viable art form commodity? Can they/should they be worth as much as other art objects?
How does one technology (say, Tumblr) lead to the popularity or resurgence of another technology, i.e. GIFs?
Do you all know who/what Phillips and Saatchi are? If not, Google them, stat.
What do you think about the notion of GIFs as graffiti? True? Not true? Why or why not?
Is a GIF capable of disrupting the everyday environment?
Are/Can GIFs indeed be "Art?" What might the difference be between a GIF considered as art, versus, say, a standard cat gif? If so, how can you make a GIF into "Art?"
What can be said about the notion that the GIF art form is driven by the everyday person? Does that lead to it being more artistic? Or not?
Does a GIF democratize art? How? Why or why not?
What philosophical implications do GIFs have on the concept of "time?"
And here's something that I just thought was cool: a graphic novel made of gifs. (via Wired)
Use the questions above as jumping off points to give a three paragraph or more response on what you read. Specifically, I'd also like to know about some of the GIF artists that you responded to. What made you drawn to their work?
Remember to also comment on at least two of your peers' posts as well.
In preparation for Project 1, we should take a closer look at the world of gifs, especially within a contemporary art & technology context.
First, lets read a little bit more about the history of GIFs.
1. Read parts One, Two and Three about the history of the GIF from Paddy Johnson. (via Art Net) [Btw, Paddy Johnson runs the really wonderful art blog called Art F City, posted under online resources.]
Pay close attention to the artists that Paddy talks about - if you start to be attracted to some of their work, you should do some research about that artist. It may help when you develop your own GIF. She also gives a ton of Tumblr resources. Check out those Tumblrs, and if you dig something, follow them.
2. Read this history of the GIF from Mashable.
Now lets read these following articles about GIFs and how they exist today, as well as an attempt to embed (no pun intended) GIFs as Art (just a note, I know that some of these may repeat information - I've included a few because of the GIF examples they show):
Are GIFs Art? (via New York Magazine)
Going Once, Going Twice: Phillips and Tumblr put GIFs on Auction (via Forbes)
GIFs Are the New Graffiti (via Mashable)
Finally, read about GIFs perpetuating a new photography term, "Motion Photography":
Saatchi Looks To Elevate Animated GIFs to Art (via socaltech.com)
GIFs are now an official, snob-sanctioned art form, and these six are the best (via The Washington Post)
The GIF animation is now officially an art form, thanks to the first Motion Photography Prize (via Imaging Resource)
Some questions to ponder:
Are GIFs "uniquely millennial"? Why or why not? What do GIFs have to do with the way we communicate (we covered this briefly in class)?
What do you think the "hyperreality" might be that GIFs can show?
What do you think about art GIFs being sold for $16,000?
What do you think it is about GIFs that make them so successful? (You can pull from the articles here to back up your thoughts.)
What do you think of gifs as a viable art form commodity? Can they/should they be worth as much as other art objects?
How does one technology (say, Tumblr) lead to the popularity or resurgence of another technology, i.e. GIFs?
Do you all know who/what Phillips and Saatchi are? If not, Google them, stat.
What do you think about the notion of GIFs as graffiti? True? Not true? Why or why not?
Is a GIF capable of disrupting the everyday environment?
Are/Can GIFs indeed be "Art?" What might the difference be between a GIF considered as art, versus, say, a standard cat gif? If so, how can you make a GIF into "Art?"
What can be said about the notion that the GIF art form is driven by the everyday person? Does that lead to it being more artistic? Or not?
Does a GIF democratize art? How? Why or why not?
What philosophical implications do GIFs have on the concept of "time?"
And here's something that I just thought was cool: a graphic novel made of gifs. (via Wired)
Use the questions above as jumping off points to give a three paragraph or more response on what you read. Specifically, I'd also like to know about some of the GIF artists that you responded to. What made you drawn to their work?
Remember to also comment on at least two of your peers' posts as well.
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