Put in to Practice

Ideas for Body Augmentation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1QyddJgR80&feature=player_embedded

I've started sketching ideas for the project on body augmentation. I am trying to use something like solar energy to make the augmentation more contemporary and realistic. I've decided to employ the idea of epidermal layer of the skin to embed thin panels in an attempt to create lasting battery life with objects such as phones and MP3 players. Along with this idea, you could use things such as rechargable batteries and

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/science-scope/electronic-skin-made-out-of-stretchable-solar-cells/6940

There has been research into stretchable solar skins, which primarily will be used to add functionality to robots in the future.

Another idea that I have is to use hair like receptors to give more information to the human body. Maybe working off of what we have now, like touch sensors and pressure sensors. To keep with the theme I have, I want to create something that is more viable and subtle. The augmentation must have a changed effect on the body.

Culture Jamming

In the past, I have had great appreciation for culture jamming. I was specifically interested in guerilla marketing. The idea that we are being bombarded with constant advertisements is overwhelming for many people, but for some it is just everyday. I personally do not watch television and this creates great division in my socialization compared to some of my friends. I tend to think differently when certain situations arise, however my ideas my seem obslete. The political nature of this is the idea that our society has a set of rules which stem from popular culture. If not kept up with popular culture through media, one becomes an outsider. This can be positive of negative depending on who you are. A great spin on guerilla marketing are those whom take advertisements and spin them. Also the movement of street artists that use the same ideas to get you to stop and think. An idea of the latter are trompe l'oeil paintings in public spaces. When applied, the viewer stops and views space differently. Some of these paintings could have historical references as well as social issues. This idea is exciting to me, the push for more of this work will take public space and compete with advertisement to influence. After all, public space is not neutral nowadays.

The Project Swap...

This is the result of Jared's project when i completed it. It was hard to keep myself from trying to draw something appealing. It was the first time in a long while I've used coloured pencils.

Indeterminacy Project: "The Profile"

Step 1: Use the website: http://www.kleimo.com/random/name.cfm

Leave the obscurity factor for 20.

Take 1 female name and 1 male name and write them down.

Step 2: Use those name and type them in google.

Use the first profile image you find that matches the name.

Use this image as the profile image.

Step 3: Use the website: www.randomcountry.com

List this under location or hometown within the profile.

Step 4: Use the website: www.Strootman.org/jobtitle

Hit the randomize button once.

Add information as “occupation”

Step 5: Use the website: http://www.washington.edu/uaa/advising/applications/majors/random/randominclude.php

Hit the Try again button.

Add information as “studied”

Step 6: Use the website www.random.org and randomize between 1-11

Take the number and match it according to this chart:

1(single)2(in a relationship)3(engaged)4(married)5(its complicated)6(In an open relationship)7(widowed)8(seperated)9(divorce)10(in a civil union)11(divorce)

Add information as “relationship status”

Step 7: Use the website: www.randomquotes.net

Add information as “favourite quote”

Step 8: Compile this information to create a profile for the individual.

IDEA:

The original project was a “failure.” I love the conceptual aspect of the final project, but nothing would be expressed in the video that was created. I used a name generator and location generator and came up with 10 profiles (originally 75). I used this to look of each person and sent them a message saying:

Hello ,

My name is Philip Yango and I am doing a video arts piece that has to do with randomly generated information. You have been selected randomly from a computer program first from location to letter of last name to the number of searched result on Facebook. I just ask a favor, send me something about yourself. It can be anything from a 5 second video of yourself staring into the camera or just a single word.

The finished product will be sent to you in time. I would like to thank you for your participation or even lack of being that you will leave a blank slide where there was not response. [Your information will not be presented unless that is your response]

Some ideas of what to send back:

Short video

comment

cool youtube video link

a song

artwork

a word

favorite colour

or just nothing

Thank you again, I will collect the data at the end of the week and have the video as soon as possible."

I wanted to compile a video that expresses ones response to this message. This would give unique perspectives from a random sample of persons. It shows people’s views on ignoring a message, seriousness of the project or creativity. However, no one has gotten back to me, so there would have been 10 blank slides. Like I said, exciting conceptually, but not much to discuss. So the project I created instead deals with juxtaposition.

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From the start the project is to change ones view on identity. When looking at one’s identity, because of social networking websites, we look for key highlights. Such as location, relationship status or job. I used a number of random generators to create these separate profiles. These profiles are not completely random however, but the result expressed create a juxtaposition within the nature of an online profile. The people matched with the statistics seem strange.

Try one with your own pictures!

Jane Mcgonigal and things like that.

So if you have never heard of Jane Mcgonigal, she is a personal hero of mine. She is a game developer whom pushes to create games that make a real social change; anything from the environment to multiple awarenesses.

I stumbled upon this today. A game has been created and online gamers have put their heads together to deal with issues of spacial reasoning.

Here is the website: http://fold.it/portal/

Apparently gamers have made a breakthrough in this research! More to come on the topic...

Sol Lewitt Response

I've always been cloudy on the idea of conceptual art. My level of understanding still evoked appreciation, but Sol seems to be very specific about his art categorization therefore presents a very straightforward definition of conceptual art.

The idea must transcend the visual aesthetic of the piece. As Sol puts this, conceptual art is, "the idea is the machine that creates the art." This is interesting, he describes art that is logical and planned leads to the death of the idea of the art. This translates to artists creating works that are heavy on visual aesthetic are shells of an idea an artist once had. Can conceptual art be on the opposite side of the spectrum of commercial art?

Much of the conceptual pieces I have experienced are very minimal. I agree with Sol that the idea then becomes the main point of the piece. However, the concept can sometimes be very obscure because of the lack of visual presentation, making the piece hard to relate to. I guess that is something that viewers of conceptual art are great at doing, is seeing right through the media.

This article has been great at setting the tone of the first project.