One of the aspects of the lecture that interested me was Eadweard Muybridge’s motion studies. When researching him I learned that he started his work as a landscape photographer but he really is acclaimed for his study of motion and many think that he was one of the first filmmakers. The way he began his studies was very interesting. He was settling a bet with the governor of California as to whether horses had all four hooves off the ground when they gallop. He created a trip wire system in which he would allow the horse to run on a track and every couple feet there would be a wire connected to a camera, that would capture the horse in motion. Through his experiment he was able to settle the bet and discovered that horses do take all four hooves off the ground when they gallop. His studies then moved to the motion of human subjects. He was interested in how different muscles and joints moved when a person walked, ran, jumped or participated in sports. He would even place a grid behind his subjects in hope of discovering the proportions of the ideal male physique. Overall his studies interested me because he innovative in the way he captured motion and his photographs illustrate this creativity.
The part of last lecture that interested me the most was the discussion of romantic love. Before class, I never would have said that romantic love was an impossible love. After listening to Professor Triff’s argument, I do agree that it is a lost love that can never actually happen. Our desires for true love can never be fulfilled, because it cannot last forever. Thomas Cole’s paintings demonstrate how although there is nothing significant in the actual painting, it is still incredibly romantic. The harsh reality of there being no true romance drives me crazy, but I completely understand how that idea came to be. We live in a world where we are always wanting what we cannot have and love is at the top of that list. We also discussed how men in the Victorian age designed women to be stupid. I think these two correlate because the design of stupid women led to the said stupid women falling for less than desirable men.
I was very interested in the part of the lecture about Romanticism and love. The idea that true love is impossible got me thinking. I feel as though this is an extremely pessimistic view of the world. If everyone believed that then of course there would be no true love. I believe you can have true love. This does not mean that the love has to be permanent. It is possible to truly love something at one point in time and then for any reason not love it. Love is not a permanent feeling even though it can be. It isn’t a common feeling but when you do love something, you can feel it and have no doubts about it. Love can last after the object of your love is gone. Just because it does not exist anymore does not mean you can’t still love it. If we continue to not believe in the possibility in love then it will be impossible. Feeling is believing and you must believe in love to feel it.
All the best to you and your loved ones, Professor Triff.
I truly enjoyed your discussion on Romanticism and impossible love (no wonder most Hollywood films suck nowadays-- the girl always ends up with her boy) and on Punk's romantic influences. As a child raised in the 80's, I remember vividly the punk aesthetics that arose from Great Britain in the 70's and grew into mass culture popularity. Some of my favorite bands, to this day, have their roots in punk. From the Smiths "Meat is Murder" to U2's "Boy", the angst and Romanticism of these albums eclipses much being done today.
On that note, the Richter Library's Special Collections, lead by a former lead singer of a punk band, has amassed a collection of early punk rock magazines from Great Britain. They're great samples of music magazine designs from the 1970s, 80s, and so forth. Visit them on the eighth floor if you can!
And finally, to wish you all a happy Valentine's Day, one of the most romantic songs in the English language: The Smith's There's a Light That Never Goes Out.
And if a double-decker bus Crashes into us To die by your side Is such a heavenly way to die And if a ten-ton truck Kills the both of us To die by your side Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine
I found the discussion on the standardization and manualization of specialized human labor thought-provoking. It’s scary to think that tedious crafts are slowly disappearing. After all, my specialty, graphic design, is a tedious craft. However, I think that it would be difficult for a machine or robot to think of creative things that are relevant in present day. The robot would have to keep up with the times and be in the know about current styles and trends. I feel like there are a lot of factors that cause someone to create a certain graphic design and I believe it takes a human brain and heart to really make something innovative and revolutionary. The evolution of robots began with imagining them, as early as 270 BC. The birth of the industrial robot happened in 1951, with the creation of a teleoperator-equipped articulated arm. Since then, among many things, robots have been created to make our cars, clean our floors, and do life-critical surgery and laser eye surgery. They live in households and function as military soldiers and factory workers. I think they will definitely learn more and more but the thought of them being able to feel … is a strange thought. Would that make them human?
Some interesting sites about robot evolution: http://www.animatronicrobotics.com/blog/the-evolution-of-robotics/ http://www.evolutionaryrobotics.org/ http://inventors.about.com/od/roboticsrobots/a/RoboTimeline.htm
The aspect of last lecture that interested me the most was the discussion about designing the body. You showed us the Mexican tattoo star Mary Jose Cristerna. Why she does these tattoo design? In my opinion, tattoo has already became kind of art about spirit. I think tattoo is a very direct way to reflect human nature. Every country has its own history about the development of tattoo. Different country, different nature, different environment make tattoo to form different styles and classifications, such as Indian tattoo, religion tattoo, tribe tattoo, Identity tattoo, etc. To some people, tattoo is a way to express themselves, there are tattoo about angel, there are also about evil. To some people, tattoo is an amulet to protect them and their families. To some people, tattoo is a mark for important things and people. To some people, tattoo is just art and fashion. However, all kinds of tattoo come from design. No matter what purpose are, what reasons are.
When you mentioned how women lived back then it made me realized how much it has changed. Women are now accepted in various work industries and have become even more independent and respected as a whole. Another interesting subject was that of industrialization drawing a line between high art and graphic work. Where as a designers work is considered graphic work and an “artists” is considered high art. I find that in today’s time there is still a debate on whether graphic designers could be considered true artists. I believe that although designers might not use the traditional mediums as “higher artists” (paints/printmaking), they still have to learn the same fundamental courses. I find that both designers and traditional artists aim to communicate a message through the use of different colors, shapes and lines and therefore can have the same type of impact on a person. I have found myself in awe of really great type posters the same way I fell in love with the painting called “Las Meninas” by Diego Velázquez when I saw it in person while in the Prado museum in Spain. I consider both to be artists who just choose to communicate messages by using different mediums.
During this lecture, the discovery of Mary Jose Cristerna was most interesting to me. After researching her, I learned her own unique design does not make her a “freak” or “circus act.” It is her form of human design that she expresses through her body. Her extreme body modifications or marks are part of the development of her character. Thinking of that idea, I became to realize how our artistic expressions come from who we are inside and how important our design is in portraying who we are. She is a mother of four and former lawyer, she goes against the ideal perception of what a mom or lawyer should look like. Breaking out of the comfort zone of society, she changes the “design” of who should be. Mentioning her coincides with your discussion of industrialization and the norms of women. The opportunity of independence in the work place has extremely changed. Aside from women no longer working in factories, what about the machines that have taken those job positions. With the world technologically evolving, it seems as though machines or robots have been designed to do everything for humans. I wonder how this is damaging the value and capability of human work.
What struck me most in the last lecture were the images of the Mexican tattoo star Mary Jose Cristerna, known as the "La Mujer Vampiro". I love the idea of tattoos but she has not only tattooed her body which is a 2D form of expression but she also went the extra mile so as to add different materials and textures to her skin. At one point in my life i may have called Mary Jose a crazy freak but now i see her more as a courageous expressionist. She has made permanent changes to her body, knowing full well that such changes are controversial and will make people judge her. A true artist doesn't care what others think and seek to always express emotions and feelings through their work. in this light it is hard for me to see Mary as much less than a really brave artist who wants her work to be on display and open for discussion 24-7.
I know this is very late. So if you allow me to participate in the beginning of class discussion I will be very grateful.
What I found most interesting about the last lecture was when you discussed how Industrialization drew the line between high art and graphic works. I feel that nothing has changed since then, as you've said multiple times design is everywhere even in the food we eat. I can't help but think that someone designed the office chair I am sitting in right now but I never stop to say wow this is a beautiful work of art. We don't stop to appreciate the art of our everyday lives. No one thinks about the designer who slaved over the label on their pens or bottle of water. They should get the same amount of respect but the line is very clear. We even see it in the split between the drawing and painting students and the graphic design and photography students. As technology evolved, a kind of skepticism grew about art made with technology more avanced than our hands, our graphite or paint brushes.
I would like to apologize for my late comment and I hope to share my insight with today's class discussion. I really enjoyed your lecture on romantic love and how true love is fleeting because nothing can last forever. In my opinion this is a very sad and negative view on love. If love is thought to have an expiration date many people will choose to ignore its existence and perhaps even fear it. This past Valentine's day a friend of mine posted on facebook a quote that reads, "Love is just a chemical, no matter the origin, we give it meaning by choice." I do not know where this quote came from but it got me thinking that we can choose to continue to feel love for someone or something even though they are gone. We can continue to love them through photographs, remembrances, stories, and even in our own memories of them. Love is a human emotion that we must all feel at some point in our lives and to fear/ignore love would seem unhuman. This will sound incredibly sappy but love gives life meaning.
The aspect of last class that I found the most interesting and intriguing was “La Mujer Vampiro,” Mary Jose Christerna. The different aspects of her body, and her ability to change it without considering or caring about the social implications is inspiring. She doesn’t consider herself a “freak,” but she certainly does not look like any person I have ever seen before. This Mexican woman takes body manipulation to a new level, far beyond that of typical tattooing. While I would not choose to make these drastic changes to my own body, learning about her has made me more tolerable and accepting of other’s unique and unnatural appearances.
One of the aspects of last lecture that I found interesting was how different people use their bodies as pieces of art. Tattoos, piercings, and people undergoing surgery to change themselves is usually frowned upon by people in society. Many of my friends who have tattoos and piercings have to hide them from their grandparents often times, but most people don't take the time to really take in the beauty of this art, and the significance of what it means to the person whose body it is on. Tattoos have been used throughout centuries for different reasons. Many of the ancient civilizations emphasized the use of tattoos to pay respects to their different gods. The vampire lady you showed us looked pretty scary, and is obviously an extreme of this entire idea but overall I don't think tattoos and body art should be looked down upon.
In most cases, I do not believe tattoos or various forms of body art should be looked down upon. I dislike however the way this art form has become more of a trend, and the significance behind them in most cases has dwindled. The vampire woman was a terrifying example of the extreme end of the recent trend. I believe that every person who chooses to get a tattoo should put a great deal of thought and consideration into the ink they put on their body. While there is comfort in laser removal, the symbolism of a tattoo should be comparable to that of a wedding ring in my opinion. It is ink that will most likely forever remain on your body, and should be something that means something, something you are proud of or means a great deal to you. It is a lifestyle choice, those who chose to cover their bodies in tattoos can be beautiful. I have three small tattoos and each represent something special to me, my family. They are reminders to me of how hard they have worked, how beautiful they are, and encourage me to be persistent and optimistic. Since studying art, I have become more open to various forms and media, I believe that in the right cases the human body can be a beautiful canvas as well.
14 comments:
One of the aspects of the lecture that interested me was Eadweard Muybridge’s motion studies. When researching him I learned that he started his work as a landscape photographer but he really is acclaimed for his study of motion and many think that he was one of the first filmmakers. The way he began his studies was very interesting. He was settling a bet with the governor of California as to whether horses had all four hooves off the ground when they gallop. He created a trip wire system in which he would allow the horse to run on a track and every couple feet there would be a wire connected to a camera, that would capture the horse in motion. Through his experiment he was able to settle the bet and discovered that horses do take all four hooves off the ground when they gallop. His studies then moved to the motion of human subjects. He was interested in how different muscles and joints moved when a person walked, ran, jumped or participated in sports. He would even place a grid behind his subjects in hope of discovering the proportions of the ideal male physique. Overall his studies interested me because he innovative in the way he captured motion and his photographs illustrate this creativity.
Brittany Tyson
The part of last lecture that interested me the most was the discussion of romantic love. Before class, I never would have said that romantic love was an impossible love. After listening to Professor Triff’s argument, I do agree that it is a lost love that can never actually happen. Our desires for true love can never be fulfilled, because it cannot last forever. Thomas Cole’s paintings demonstrate how although there is nothing significant in the actual painting, it is still incredibly romantic. The harsh reality of there being no true romance drives me crazy, but I completely understand how that idea came to be. We live in a world where we are always wanting what we cannot have and love is at the top of that list. We also discussed how men in the Victorian age designed women to be stupid. I think these two correlate because the design of stupid women led to the said stupid women falling for less than desirable men.
I was very interested in the part of the lecture about Romanticism and love. The idea that true love is impossible got me thinking. I feel as though this is an extremely pessimistic view of the world. If everyone believed that then of course there would be no true love. I believe you can have true love. This does not mean that the love has to be permanent. It is possible to truly love something at one point in time and then for any reason not love it. Love is not a permanent feeling even though it can be. It isn’t a common feeling but when you do love something, you can feel it and have no doubts about it. Love can last after the object of your love is gone. Just because it does not exist anymore does not mean you can’t still love it. If we continue to not believe in the possibility in love then it will be impossible. Feeling is believing and you must believe in love to feel it.
- Adam Berger
All the best to you and your loved ones, Professor Triff.
I truly enjoyed your discussion on Romanticism and impossible love (no wonder most Hollywood films suck nowadays-- the girl always ends up with her boy) and on Punk's romantic influences. As a child raised in the 80's, I remember vividly the punk aesthetics that arose from Great Britain in the 70's and grew into mass culture popularity. Some of my favorite bands, to this day, have their roots in punk. From the Smiths "Meat is Murder" to U2's "Boy", the angst and Romanticism of these albums eclipses much being done today.
On that note, the Richter Library's Special Collections, lead by a former lead singer of a punk band, has amassed a collection of early punk rock magazines from Great Britain. They're great samples of music magazine designs from the 1970s, 80s, and so forth. Visit them on the eighth floor if you can!
In honor of printing and punk rock, here's a video of French printmaker Didier Mutiel producing an etching in the 4 minutes it takes Sid Vicious to sing My Way.
And finally, to wish you all a happy Valentine's Day, one of the most romantic songs in the English language: The Smith's There's a Light That Never Goes Out.
And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine
Eddy Lopez
I found the discussion on the standardization and manualization of specialized human labor thought-provoking. It’s scary to think that tedious crafts are slowly disappearing. After all, my specialty, graphic design, is a tedious craft. However, I think that it would be difficult for a machine or robot to think of creative things that are relevant in present day. The robot would have to keep up with the times and be in the know about current styles and trends. I feel like there are a lot of factors that cause someone to create a certain graphic design and I believe it takes a human brain and heart to really make something innovative and revolutionary.
The evolution of robots began with imagining them, as early as 270 BC. The birth of the industrial robot happened in 1951, with the creation of a teleoperator-equipped articulated arm. Since then, among many things, robots have been created to make our cars, clean our floors, and do life-critical surgery and laser eye surgery. They live in households and function as military soldiers and factory workers. I think they will definitely learn more and more but the thought of them being able to feel … is a strange thought. Would that make them human?
Some interesting sites about robot evolution:
http://www.animatronicrobotics.com/blog/the-evolution-of-robotics/
http://www.evolutionaryrobotics.org/
http://inventors.about.com/od/roboticsrobots/a/RoboTimeline.htm
- Kateryna Gontaruk
The aspect of last lecture that interested me the most was the discussion about designing the body. You showed us the Mexican tattoo star Mary Jose Cristerna. Why she does these tattoo design? In my opinion, tattoo has already became kind of art about spirit. I think tattoo is a very direct way to reflect human nature. Every country has its own history about the development of tattoo. Different country, different nature, different environment make tattoo to form different styles and classifications, such as Indian tattoo, religion tattoo, tribe tattoo, Identity tattoo, etc. To some people, tattoo is a way to express themselves, there are tattoo about angel, there are also about evil. To some people, tattoo is an amulet to protect them and their families. To some people, tattoo is a mark for important things and people. To some people, tattoo is just art and fashion. However, all kinds of tattoo come from design. No matter what purpose are, what reasons are.
Xiaodong Chang
When you mentioned how women lived back then it made me realized how much it has changed. Women are now accepted in various work industries and have become even more independent and respected as a whole. Another interesting subject was that of industrialization drawing a line between high art and graphic work. Where as a designers work is considered graphic work and an “artists” is considered high art. I find that in today’s time there is still a debate on whether graphic designers could be considered true artists. I believe that although designers might not use the traditional mediums as “higher artists” (paints/printmaking), they still have to learn the same fundamental courses. I find that both designers and traditional artists aim to communicate a message through the use of different colors, shapes and lines and therefore can have the same type of impact on a person. I have found myself in awe of really great type posters the same way I fell in love with the painting called “Las Meninas” by Diego Velázquez when I saw it in person while in the Prado museum in Spain. I consider both to be artists who just choose to communicate messages by using different mediums.
- Elina Diaz
During this lecture, the discovery of Mary Jose Cristerna was most interesting to me. After researching her, I learned her own unique design does not make her a “freak” or “circus act.” It is her form of human design that she expresses through her body. Her extreme body modifications or marks are part of the development of her character. Thinking of that idea, I became to realize how our artistic expressions come from who we are inside and how important our design is in portraying who we are. She is a mother of four and former lawyer, she goes against the ideal perception of what a mom or lawyer should look like. Breaking out of the comfort zone of society, she changes the “design” of who should be.
Mentioning her coincides with your discussion of industrialization and the norms of women. The opportunity of independence in the work place has extremely changed. Aside from women no longer working in factories, what about the machines that have taken those job positions. With the world technologically evolving, it seems as though machines or robots have been designed to do everything for humans. I wonder how this is damaging the value and capability of human work.
Ariana Lubelli
What struck me most in the last lecture were the images of the Mexican tattoo star Mary Jose Cristerna, known as the "La Mujer Vampiro". I love the idea of tattoos but she has not only tattooed her body which is a 2D form of expression but she also went the extra mile so as to add different materials and textures to her skin. At one point in my life i may have called Mary Jose a crazy freak but now i see her more as a courageous expressionist. She has made permanent changes to her body, knowing full well that such changes are controversial and will make people judge her. A true artist doesn't care what others think and seek to always express emotions and feelings through their work. in this light it is hard for me to see Mary as much less than a really brave artist who wants her work to be on display and open for discussion 24-7.
Laura Narayansingh
I know this is very late. So if you allow me to participate in the beginning of class discussion I will be very grateful.
What I found most interesting about the last lecture was when you discussed how Industrialization drew the line between high art and graphic works. I feel that nothing has changed since then, as you've said multiple times design is everywhere even in the food we eat. I can't help but think that someone designed the office chair I am sitting in right now but I never stop to say wow this is a beautiful work of art. We don't stop to appreciate the art of our everyday lives. No one thinks about the designer who slaved over the label on their pens or bottle of water. They should get the same amount of respect but the line is very clear. We even see it in the split between the drawing and painting students and the graphic design and photography students. As technology evolved, a kind of skepticism grew about art made with technology more avanced than our hands, our graphite or paint brushes.
I would like to apologize for my late comment and I hope to share my insight with today's class discussion. I really enjoyed your lecture on romantic love and how true love is fleeting because nothing can last forever. In my opinion this is a very sad and negative view on love. If love is thought to have an expiration date many people will choose to ignore its existence and perhaps even fear it. This past Valentine's day a friend of mine posted on facebook a quote that reads, "Love is just a chemical, no matter the origin, we give it meaning by choice." I do not know where this quote came from but it got me thinking that we can choose to continue to feel love for someone or something even though they are gone. We can continue to love them through photographs, remembrances, stories, and even in our own memories of them. Love is a human emotion that we must all feel at some point in our lives and to fear/ignore love would seem unhuman. This will sound incredibly sappy but love gives life meaning.
Tashina Arota
The aspect of last class that I found the most interesting and intriguing was “La Mujer Vampiro,” Mary Jose Christerna. The different aspects of her body, and her ability to change it without considering or caring about the social implications is inspiring. She doesn’t consider herself a “freak,” but she certainly does not look like any person I have ever seen before. This Mexican woman takes body manipulation to a new level, far beyond that of typical tattooing. While I would not choose to make these drastic changes to my own body, learning about her has made me more tolerable and accepting of other’s unique and unnatural appearances.
One of the aspects of last lecture that I found interesting was how different people use their bodies as pieces of art. Tattoos, piercings, and people undergoing surgery to change themselves is usually frowned upon by people in society. Many of my friends who have tattoos and piercings have to hide them from their grandparents often times, but most people don't take the time to really take in the beauty of this art, and the significance of what it means to the person whose body it is on. Tattoos have been used throughout centuries for different reasons. Many of the ancient civilizations emphasized the use of tattoos to pay respects to their different gods. The vampire lady you showed us looked pretty scary, and is obviously an extreme of this entire idea but overall I don't think tattoos and body art should be looked down upon.
James Ahearn
In most cases, I do not believe tattoos or various forms of body art should be looked down upon. I dislike however the way this art form has become more of a trend, and the significance behind them in most cases has dwindled. The vampire woman was a terrifying example of the extreme end of the recent trend. I believe that every person who chooses to get a tattoo should put a great deal of thought and consideration into the ink they put on their body. While there is comfort in laser removal, the symbolism of a tattoo should be comparable to that of a wedding ring in my opinion. It is ink that will most likely forever remain on your body, and should be something that means something, something you are proud of or means a great deal to you. It is a lifestyle choice, those who chose to cover their bodies in tattoos can be beautiful. I have three small tattoos and each represent something special to me, my family. They are reminders to me of how hard they have worked, how beautiful they are, and encourage me to be persistent and optimistic. Since studying art, I have become more open to various forms and media, I believe that in the right cases the human body can be a beautiful canvas as well.
Bailey Murray
Post a Comment