Bill Viola

Nam June Paik

This is called TV Buddha.  This is one of my favorite pieces by Nam June Paik.  I think that it could mean so much.  The whole set up of the Buddha statue just sitting there and a tv.  The video camera is shooting the Buddha real time and displaying it on the screen.  This is brilliant.  I would have never thought of this concept.

Well I am not exactly sure what Nam June Paik is trying to say about Buddha in this piece.  I think that it can be interpreted in many ways.  Today television is taking over so much of American lives that maybe he is saying to stop and take a second to remember other important things like religion.  Or maybe he believes in Buddha so strongly that he does not think that people are taking it seriously so he is mocking them.  I am not completely sure but I really enjoy looking at this piece.

Bealle! Bealle! Bealle!

So... I walked into this building that was dark and totally looked closed.  I wasn't sure what to expect.  I kept walking down the hall and when I started to walk into this room I heard this banging noise and all of a sudden a light came on and this human like structure started growing.  Really interesting right?  Ya, for going into this gallery expecting art work on a wall and seeing this, was totally cool.  Here is a little demonstrations taken on my phone.  Okay I know Glenn you said to make sure if its vertical to put it vertical because its 2011.  Ya its 2011 and I really tried to do it but could not figure it out for my life sorry :(

I walked in a little bit more and to my surprise where a flock of birds.  Well the artists called it Inactive Birds.  This was a good name for his piece.  By the way the author's name is David Familian.  Well with the help of Brian Kane, Frank Hausman, and Tymm Twillman.  So this flock of birds looked died at first but as I walked up to them they light up and slowly came to life.  The author wanted his pieces to be activated by sensory.  So, I the viewer activated them just by walking by.  In the video you can see as I get closer they start to shake and move more.  Very cool piece probably my favorite that's why I took a picture.

This last piece was titled Inflated Architectural Body Inner Space.  Oh by the way all of these pieces come to life by compressed air.  Interesting that the author took so much time and effort to control compressed air this much.  This piece was good but not my favorite.  I like how it became so big and it kinda did remind me of space because it was just spacious I guess.  I reminded me of astronauts

Gracie Kendal

So as you know we did a module on identity.  Gracie Kendal and Kristine Schomake are the same person, well kinda.  Just to refresh your memory Kristine Schomake is a real person but she feels trapped in her body.  She is overweight and is not content with herself.  She creates Gracie as her avatar.  Gracie is skinny and what Kristine sees herself as.  In this photo Kristine sees her computer as a mirror and her reflection is Gracie.  Both you and I can see clearly that these aren't reflections of each other.  Because both me and you know that reflections are the same.  To Kristine this is a reflection.  To Kristine she sees herself like that so more power to her.

It is interesting because Kristine says, "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall..." and Gracie says, "You think I'm a mirror??"  This is interesting because if Kristine sees this as herself you would think that Gracie would be agreeing.  How I see it is that Gracie almost brings Kristine back to reality.  She says no I am not a mirror on the outside what you see, but maybe a reflection on the inside.  There are a few pictures with Kristine and Gracie looking into mirrors and they mean so much, maybe not to you and I but to Kristine it does.  It seems like she wants to hope for the best but she looks in "real" mirrors and sees something totally different.  When she looks into her computer screen "mirror" she sees what she likes.  

I really enjoyed reading about his Gracie Kendal Project it was very interesting to me.  Sad, emotional, powerful, but a lot of meaning.  

FILM DAY!!!

Piploti Rist- "I Want to See What You See," I really liked the song playing in the background i thought it had a lot of meaning.  Overall it was crazy mixing home and plant life together, overlapping, indoors and outdoors, interesting angles of the camera.  There was more focus on objects then people in the background.  Weird.  It did not have much purpose to me, I was confused on what message the author was trying to get across.

Nam Jun Paik- multiple screens cool 1000 tv sets.  Creates 25 or more paintings a second.  Makes sculptures with screens.  Mixes art forms and cultures "global groove" juxtaposition all cultures are so different. 1st to take video art into a  museum.   

Bill Viola-mirrage kinda not really seeing anything in particular but a smuged shape moving in the distance.  almost left for you to interpret, resembles humans, interesting that it is silent. maybe doesnt want to give away what it is with sound. gets clear with people on motorcycles. Now sound is there but subtle, like the wind.  to me it was boring i had a hard time paying attention.  doesnt' really keep the watcher interested.

Processing the Signal-strobe lights and zevra cool.  stobe light different picture after each light.  music beat.  nature, disaster, fire Tribute to Nam Jun Paik Father of video art!

I look at all of these videos and can see how much we have advances as  a state, as a country and a world.  Our art is far more advance, but does that mean it has more meaning? not necessarily but I would say it is more interesting for the viewer.  I guess thats not what art is about thought.  It should not be whether it is best for the viewer is it? I thought it was about expressing yourself.  But the artists have to make a living so it has to be interesting so people will want to buy it duh!  

LACMA

First off I liked LACMA way more then I liked the Norton Simon Museum..  The different buildings were really interesting.  I know the museum is based on the art that it contains but to me i actually enjoyed the buildings.  I liked how all of the buildings were different.  Like the JAPANESE one, it was all winedy.  I like the way the art was placed and it was very easy going.  It was relaxing and I was able to enjoy the art that it contained.  

ONE HUNDRED BOYS AT PLAY

QUAIL AMID AUTMN GRASSES AND FLOWERS

ALMOST IMMATERIAL VIBRATION

DOUBLE CIRCLE

NO. 5 

RORSCHAD

DRESS

ME :) Collage

My collage is pictures of important things in my life.  My family is in the middle because they are closest to my heart.  This is my mother's side of the family, I am not very close to my father's side.  The picture is taken at Saint Irenaus Catholic Church, where my grandparents renewed their vows on their 50th anniversary.  It was a very special moment because they were the top of our family tree and they have been through so much together and made it so far.  I really admire my grandparents for everything that they have done.  The picture above with my grandpa is the last picture I took with him.  He passed away on Cinco De Mayo. 

The bottom left corner are pictures from high school.  I was and still very much in love with volleyball.  I love the sport! I coach it and often wish I still played.  My little sister is playing right now and I was not half as good as her at her age.  I really love coaching her because she can be so good.  The picture next to it is at ASB.  This just shows how involved I was.  I was in ASB, I was Yearbook Editor, Honor Classes, and also Varsity Volleyball Captain my junior and senior year.  ALWAYS ACTIVE!!!

Barbara Kruger!!!

I don’t actually think I consider her an artist.  My idea of an artist is someone who creates work… I guess, from scratch.  Kruger is a little bit different, I wouldn’t consider her an artist but maybe just an activist.   She was known for her black and white images with bold, mostly red, text.  Her signature text became Futura Bold Italic.  Her work is mostly photos from the 1940s to the 1950s, she recreates them and adds her own touches.  She is an activist and boldy states her opinion in her work. 

This piece of Kruger's art seemed very interesting to me.  The person in the photo is told not to move, even though the restraints doesn't allow him to.  To me it looks like the pins can resemble this persons family, friends, the government, or anything that is holding this individual back.  

In this photo Kruger portrays a beautiful women who is possibly advertising for a product.  The text that Kruger put over says "I never wanted to be your icon."  This tells me that Kruger may think that girls are just used for advertisement.  She doesn't like that women are used for this and that they are often seen as objects.  

To tell you the truth, I am not a fan.  I was reading a few blog forums about kruger and I came across this photo.  I really thought it was interesting because I wasn’t the only one who thought this about her.  Yes, it is a little extreme but I guess I agree with it.  

Grand Canyon :)

Fo Real or Not Fo Real?

Glenn made a really good point today in class.  Why the heck do we wear clothes?  I agree their are reasons that we have to, for example it is cold.  We don't want to get frost bite so we wear warm clothes.  Generally in California do we really need to wear clothes, the weather is so nice, maybe not.  Society has given this "rule" that we must wear clothes or else it would be "inappropriate." This "rule" is so understood that someone would most likely be sent home from school if they came naked.  It is what it is.  So what we have to wear clothes for no reason.  I like them.  We get to express ourselves and give our personality through our clothes :)

When we were specific clothes we often give an idea of our identity.  In high school we see people eat lunch with people that look just like them.  I agree with this for the most part because I have seen it.  What is interesting about my group of friends we loved being different.  We called our selves BAWM!  Which stands for BLACK, ASIAN, WHITE, and MEXICAN.  That is exactly what we are all different.

Also, I was very interested when the avatar lady was talked about.  She was a bigger person and had an avatar that was very thin, I don't actually remember their names.  BUT it was strange, the question that was brought up was is this real or "fake."  (interesting that we did establish that their is no real and no fake, well why did I just put quotes around fake.  haha idk)  She clearly did not like who se was and said she felt herself in the thinner body.  I actually do consider this real to her personally but most likely fake to everyone else.  Does it matter if its fake to everyone else?  Why should it matter?  It is your body and your imaginary world do as you like.