Uncle Sam considers buying a seat on the Titanic
3 hours ago
Monday, 28 September 2009
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Referencing
Web Page
Yood, J. (2006) Matt Siber: Peter Miller Gallery Ltd [Online]. Available at:
http://findarticles.com/ [Accessed: 25 November 2008].
Books
Blessing, J. (2008) Jeff Wall: Exposure . 1 st . ed.
New York, USA : Guggenheim Museum
Online Newspapers
Lubow, A. (2007) The Luminist. Nytimes.co.uk, February 25 2007 [Online]. Available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/magazine/25Wall.t.html?_r=1&fta=y&pagewanted%20=%20all
[Accessed: 10 December 2008].
A TRUE STORY
by
Ali Rashid
INT. Dark Room
A MIDDLE-AGED MAN, who is lit with a strong spotlight, is sitting in a dark room.
MAN
It’s the worst place you could ever go, it ruined my life.
I lost my job, the boss found out the truth.
(BEAT)
He saw my folder, he saw me.
I’ve been burgled, I know it’s someone from there, they know everything about me, they knew when I was out of my house.
My girlfriend dumped me for just visiting; she said I spent too much time there, checking out other girls, and...
(BEAT)
I was obsessed
It’s the worst place you could ever go, it ruined my life.
He stands up and walks out of the shot, leaving an empty chair.
END
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
To what extent has digital technology transformed travel?
To what extent has digital technology transformed travel?
This essay will be investigating on digital technology and how it has transformed travel. Travel is understood here in the sense of mental rather than physical travel. It will look into the way films, video games, portable media players and the Internet as media, which redefine the nature of mental travel. Travel may be understood in a more abstract, disembodied sense of movement of the mind. For example when watching a film, one would be in another situation and location psychologically but not actually being there physically.
Digital technology has provided more ways and possibilities of travel. Foremost, the Internet and social networking sites such as ‘facebook’ has provided the opportunity for people to easily stay in touch with long distance family members and friends. As a result technology has made us more sociable.
Digital technology has redefined the nature of travel. In 2009 ‘Google Street View’ was introduced to the UK, a feature that provides 360° views of streets via the Internet. Google street view and digital technology has transformed travel as people can travel from to places without actually being there physically.
Escapism and digital technologies may be seen to have transformed travel for both the good and the bad. People turn to escapism in the form of films and gaming. However, we see the negatives for escapism when we question whether; is there really a need for it, and what it is used for.
Mental travel has always been possible. Long before the revolution of technology, people were travelling mentally through books and theatre. Until now it would seem digital technology hasn’t added anything new or broken any boundaries of culture.
In fact digital technology has created new boundaries. Digital technology has transformed travel by damaging culture. Digital technology causes differentiation between people. A Digital division is created between those who can and can’t use it and those who can and can’t afford the technology. In this respect digital technology travel is responsible for social division.
Video games are types of digital technology that make us travel psychologically, hence escaping to another location and situation. The emergence of video games in the 21st century has brought along with it controversy on whether video games are linked to violence. Thus, digital technology travel is accountable for unsettling communities.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
To what extent has digital technology transformed travel?
To what extent has digital technology transformed travel?
This essay will be investigating on digital technology and how it has transformed travel: It will look into films, video games, portable media players and the Internet. Digital technology has significantly transformed travel in modern period for the worse. Human powered travel such as walking, travel by waters or use of animals has existed since time immemorial and was the most efficient way of travel before the industrial revolution. Living in an era of post-modernism, a lot of our travel can be inferential to be psychological. Travel may be understood in a more abstract, disembodied sense of movement of the mind. For example when watching a film, one would be in another situation and location psychologically but not actually being there physically.
Digital technology has transformed travel by transforming and damaging culture. Digital technology causes differentiation between people; those who can and can’t use it and between those who can and can’t afford the technology. In this respect digital technology travel is responsible for social division.
Video games are another form of digital technology that makes us travel psychologically and escape to another location and situation. The emergence of video games in the 21st century has brought along with it controversy on whether video games are linked to violence. In 2007 ‘Man Hunt 2’ was banned by the British board of film classification (BBFC) for constantly encouraging youngsters to kill. The original game ‘Manhunt’ was certified 18. Although there’s no evidence, in 2004 the parents of a 14-year-old schoolboy victim believe the killer was inspired by the game. In this respect digital technology travel is accountable for unsettling communities.
Travelling psychologically via digital technology has resulted to the negative impact of alienation. Portable media players such as iPods make us travel psychologically. Such technologies reinforce alienation between people: For example, people listening to iPods on the bus will not talk to each other as they have their headphones on. Psychological travel via video games is also accountable for alienation. Portable consoles such as ‘Nintendo DS’ and ‘PlayStation Portable’ create situation where a person can’t interact or socialise with anyone else. As a result, digital technology can be liable for social transformation.
The development of digital technology has also brought along with it issues of privacy. In to 2009 the controversial ‘Google Street View’ was introduced to the UK, a feature that provides 360° views of streets via the Internet, where people have been spotted leaving strip clubs and urinating in public. The feature has been seen by many to be invading the privacy of people and communities as the scheme went along without the public having their say or giving permission to be included in it. Google street view and digital technology has transformed travel as people can travel from to places without actually being there physically.
Sorry only 475 words so far. Ali.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Metropolis (1927) by Fritz Lang
- Filmed by Fritz Lang, a german, at the time of the great depression.
- Factory workers dehumanised, moving like robots, workers going down under. In todays society the down under is china where most businesses are outsourced to. - some people have names and some have numbers: People are identified in todays society also through numbers, i.e. passport numbers and NI number.
- Issue of surveillance: In London there is more CCTV watching over people than anywhere else in the world.
Capitalism
I. Production process , the basic exchange of tools for money and money for labour.
II. Outsourcing of businesses, e.g. to china, where its cheaper to make the parts and labour is cheap.
III. One is now richer, and only designs the car in the service.
IV. One now only provides a service , exchange of money for others to design the cars. Hence at this stage, one is exchanging their personality, their smile, their suit etc.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
In what sense can technology be said to transform culture?
In what sense can technology be said to transform culture? Discuss with reference to Vertov’s 1929 film Man with a Movie Camera.
Movie cameras were once not transportable; therefore everything had to be filmed on one area and one location. Vertov’s Man with a movie camera was released in the early times [1929] when movie cameras were transportable. Vertov was able to films different people in different areas.
Vertov transforms culture, by transforming lifestyles. Vertov is not celebrating technology; he uses the camera as a critical tool and talks about politics. He does this through various juxtaposing quick shots following each other, hence achieving social critique, e.g. a couple getting married followed by a couple getting divorced.
He illustrates social division, by showing a miner in the mines, followed by middle-class women on outings, being pampered at a salon and through tramps on benches waking up same as middle class women in their rooms. Vertov also illustrates the division of labour within the working class, we see a woman working in a factory making cigarettes boxes, a rather dehumanising activity.
He also shows us various fast ways of travel, made possible through technology, such as through cars, trams, trains, ships and planes. Technology provides the flow or movement of goods, money and people. According to Vertov not everyone can travel, hence there is a differentiation, between the rich and the poor. In the film we observe middle-class people travel to a beach, often known to be an area of pleasure. According to Vertov there is a movement of some and not everyone, technology chooses whom it makes a difference to, not everyone can have the pleasure of being at the beach.
He transforms culture by providing a critical position, permitting a critical view on culture in ways, which wouldn’t have been seen before.
Movie cameras were once not transportable; therefore everything had to be filmed on one area and one location. Vertov’s Man with a movie camera was released in the early times [1929] when movie cameras were transportable. Vertov was able to films different people in different areas.
Vertov transforms culture, by transforming lifestyles. Vertov is not celebrating technology; he uses the camera as a critical tool and talks about politics. He does this through various juxtaposing quick shots following each other, hence achieving social critique, e.g. a couple getting married followed by a couple getting divorced.
He illustrates social division, by showing a miner in the mines, followed by middle-class women on outings, being pampered at a salon and through tramps on benches waking up same as middle class women in their rooms. Vertov also illustrates the division of labour within the working class, we see a woman working in a factory making cigarettes boxes, a rather dehumanising activity.
He also shows us various fast ways of travel, made possible through technology, such as through cars, trams, trains, ships and planes. Technology provides the flow or movement of goods, money and people. According to Vertov not everyone can travel, hence there is a differentiation, between the rich and the poor. In the film we observe middle-class people travel to a beach, often known to be an area of pleasure. According to Vertov there is a movement of some and not everyone, technology chooses whom it makes a difference to, not everyone can have the pleasure of being at the beach.
He transforms culture by providing a critical position, permitting a critical view on culture in ways, which wouldn’t have been seen before.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Key terms
Relation aesthetics: The artwork that we make mimics what is happening in capitalism this is negative and reads that an artist is like a person who works in a call centre
Migration: period of colonialism- the spread of western cultures
Post modernism society: Refers to pluralism which relates to multiculturalism
Liquid modern [Bauman]: A type of person, who can travel easily
Spacial travel: Physical or psychological travel
Spacial travel: Physical or psychological travel
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Mark Augé- Non-Places: Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity, 1995
What has Pierre Dupont Lost and Gained?
Lost He has lost the autonomy [freedom] of thought. As all decisions are made for him, he's always told what to do, e.g. "The device accepted his card and told him he can have 1800 francs"and "with some relief he deposited his suitcase [exactly 20 kilos]..."
From the text we gain the knowledge that Pierre has no personality, as he doesn't communicate to anyone throughout his journey.
Gained He has gained freedom, "He was enjoying the feeling of freedom imparted by having got rid of his luggage..." . He can move with freedom and ease throughout his journey.
He has also gained privacy, throughout his journey there isn't anyone interfering in his business.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Altermodern review
Altermodern exhibition at Tate BritainNavin Rawanchaikul- Places of rebirth
I like the scale of his painting and his referencing to advertising and comic books. The work shows where ever one may end up, they shall not forget their cultural identity from their place of birth.
Franz Ackermann- Gateway
I like the fact you go into a room and experience or be part the art work as oppose to typically one piece of art being the focal point on a wall. Ackermann looks into creating painting as forms of GPS technology. The works give you a sense of escapism into a different area, Ironically the watercolors are of different locations around the world [Ackermann's mental maps].
Darren Almond- Fullmoon [Image]
The great thing about this piece of art is, it looks familiar and yet it looks unfamiliar and weird. The picture was taken on a night with a full moon, and with long exposure more light is added to it; the image’s unfamiliarity arises from the fact it has no shadows.
All these artists share the concerns of spacial travel. All these artists involve spacial travel, whether its physical or psychological: traveling in a world of fiction, which all these art works can be associated with.
“A new modernity is emerging, reconfigured to an age of globalisation – understood in its economic, political and cultural aspects: an altermodern culture” Tate Britain
Changes these artists would’ve made in presenting their works.
Places of rebirth: Perhaps not including any text in the painting at all, hence letting the images tell the story.
Gateway: Perhaps adding sound to the room, of talking to locals all over the world in their native languages and accents, further adding to the escapism.
Fullmoon: The fact that this is supposed to be an unfamiliar location can be exaggerated further i.e more light to the image making it seem even more weird.
I like the scale of his painting and his referencing to advertising and comic books. The work shows where ever one may end up, they shall not forget their cultural identity from their place of birth.
Franz Ackermann- Gateway
I like the fact you go into a room and experience or be part the art work as oppose to typically one piece of art being the focal point on a wall. Ackermann looks into creating painting as forms of GPS technology. The works give you a sense of escapism into a different area, Ironically the watercolors are of different locations around the world [Ackermann's mental maps].
Darren Almond- Fullmoon [Image]
The great thing about this piece of art is, it looks familiar and yet it looks unfamiliar and weird. The picture was taken on a night with a full moon, and with long exposure more light is added to it; the image’s unfamiliarity arises from the fact it has no shadows.
All these artists share the concerns of spacial travel. All these artists involve spacial travel, whether its physical or psychological: traveling in a world of fiction, which all these art works can be associated with.
“A new modernity is emerging, reconfigured to an age of globalisation – understood in its economic, political and cultural aspects: an altermodern culture” Tate Britain
Changes these artists would’ve made in presenting their works.
Places of rebirth: Perhaps not including any text in the painting at all, hence letting the images tell the story.
Gateway: Perhaps adding sound to the room, of talking to locals all over the world in their native languages and accents, further adding to the escapism.
Fullmoon: The fact that this is supposed to be an unfamiliar location can be exaggerated further i.e more light to the image making it seem even more weird.
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