Thinking Through New Statements

Notes from meeting with Nancy 9/9/22

I can explore a technique, material, or technology 

Sometimes choosing something smaller is better than something bigger

3D printing (after talking about the Taemin lightstick project) 

What are people 3D printing?

Look at the most popular files and history of 3d printing 

I want to explore collage: Giving myself a rule like a collage a day 

Damien Davis 

Acrylic collages

Am I more interested in the how of things rather than why?

Easier than choosing a social topic 

Go on a walk 

Stephanie Syjuco

Daan van den Berg

Final Crit Notes

Week 12: November 22

For creative research this week, I went back to Poster House to see two exhibits that weren't open the last time I went. 

Title wall from the first exhibit, Schoolgirls at War: French Propaganda Posters from World War I.

Nous Saurons by Camille Boutet 1918

Title card for Nous Saurons

Title wall for the second exhibit, With My Little Eye: Warnings for the Homefront

Careless Talk Costs Lives Posters

Both of these exhibits focus on propaganda posters. Going back to the topic of soft power, these posters often harness it and use juxtaposition as a way to compare contrasting imagery with the war in order to deliver a political message. For example, Nous Saurons features children looking longingly at a candy store, with the caption “We will know how to deprive ourselves”. There is a juxtaposition between the candy store, the longing children, the caption, and the presumably adult viewer that implies that if children can find the strength and discipline to ration and control their desires during the war, then adults should be more than capable to do the same. The poster is an effort to get the French people to support the sugar rations put in place by the war effort. The use of children to juxtapose the underlying message of supporting a war is much more effective than a poster that would have just said “Rationing sugar is patriotic”. It sets an extreme contrast that says “if you, an adult, are not able to ration sugar, you have worse self control than a child”, without saying that phrase explicitly. This way of using juxtaposition to construct guilt in order to support the war is subtle yet potent. Similarly, in the Careless Talk Costs Lives Posters, people chatting with each other or over the phone in mundane situations are juxtaposed with the captions that they are participating in something deadly. 

This week for scholarly research I read This Means This, This Means That: A User's Guide to Semiotics by Sean Hall. 

Citation: Hall, Sean. 2012. This Means This, This Means That : A User’s Guide to Semiotics. Vol. 2nd ed. London: Laurence King Publishing. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=926138&site=ehost-live.

Link: http://ezproxy.stevens.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=926138&site=ehost-live&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_75

Summary: Semiotics is the theory of signs, and reading signs is a part of everyday life: from road signs that point to a destination, to smoke that warns of fire, to the symbols buried within art and literature. Semiotic theory can, however, appear mysterious and impenetrable. This introductory book decodes that mystery using visual examples instead of abstract theory. This new edition features an expanded introduction that carefully and clearly presents the world of semiotics before leading into the book's 76 sections of key semiotic concepts. Each short section begins with a single image or sign, accompanied by a question inviting us to interpret what we are seeing. Turning the page, we can compare our response with the theory behind the sign, and in this way, actively engage in creative thinking. A fascinating read, this book provides practical examples of how meaning is made in contemporary culture.

In particular I wanted to focus on this section: 

It essentially discusses how differences between signs is only due our own perception, because what really defines “sameness” or “difference”. After all, it’s only when two objects are the same in every respect that we can say there are no differences. There are two kinds of difference: difference in kind (which is the fundamental thing that the object is) and difference in degree, which when there may be small variations between two things that may be very similar in general. This is important to the function of juxtaposition because juxtaposition is the comparison of two objects or concepts that are different from each other. But what does different really mean? 

I’m glad that this week I got to see the exhibits as poster house that were closed the last time I was there. I saw some good examples of how juxtaposition can be wielded to push a political agenda. The issue is that these juxtapositions are not based in the whole truth, or are not allowing equal comparisons. The lack of context in this case can be misleading, as comparing two extremes (such as the best of something with the worst of something) does not allow for a fair comparison. Without the full facts though, people may not be able to counter the juxtapositions that were put before them, and will come to the conclusion that the creator of that juxtaposition wants them to believe. Thus is the soft power of juxtaposition, and the importance of knowing how it functions and when to recognize it in order to think carefully before making any connections or conclusions. I also learned that line line between same and different is more blurred than I previously would have expected - could this be part of the reason that we can always find connections between unlike things? Or is it their degree of difference or kind that actually creates connections through differences instead? Perhaps both are true. I will explore both of these topics further maybe next week. 

Midterm Critique Notes + Reflections

Week 4: September 27

Last week, I talked to Nancy about how juxtaposition was a difficult topic to research, as it can be sort of a generic word that can be about the comparison of any two things, from scientific topics to art. This means that when researching it, it can be difficult to find articles that relate to it in the art/design context that I am looking for. 

Links from Nancy on juxtaposition: 

https://arttalks.com/exhibition/juxtaposition/

https://kayleyhutchinson.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/juxtaposition-composition-and-deconstruction/

I was thinking about how Nancy said that movement can be a medium, which also reminds me of the images I reposted on here from Wassily Kandinsky, who published two essays on his theory of form. The essays were accompanied by photographs and abstract drawings. Gret Palucca, a pioneer of the new expressive dance, was the model for the abstract drawings.  The Palucca-inspired sketches are originally based on photographs by Charlotte Rudolph  

This reminded me of another article that I found about dance notation, and how dance is recorded and notated in a 2D form: 

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1567163

They’re not really standardized, but I just love how beautiful and intricate the pieces in this article are, and it reminded me a bit of when I was looking into data visualization. I also shared this article with Arianna, as I thought it related to her topic as well. 

For creative research, this week I was thinking about what Toni said when I talked to her about making something people could walk through. I was thinking about a garden arches, or tunnels, or doors. I actually made a door that people couldn’t walk through for 3D class as a freshman.

Detail shots

I was really into iridescent paper

Cutting through the door after

So I’ve been thinking about maybe making some sort of collage or juxtaposition related tunnel that people could walk through.

I first started thinking of those wire or metal garden gates that people have.

I though about what if there was a collage or multimedia piece that people could walk through, and see a variety of colors/materials, or maybe collage themes or topics that people could walk through. I like the idea of light being able to pass through it as well. I made a mockup in photoshop here using the garden gate shown above 

I was also thinking about quilts and how they can sort of be a collage, and maybe I could make something quilt like and drape it over a structure that people could walk through. It would be cool if some of it could be transparent too….

Overall this week, I feel like I’ve been thinking a little differently than previously, and about movement and medium. I think the problem with the mockup that I made above is that it is beautiful, but I’m not sure how well it conveys the message of my topic. I also still feel like I need an exact topic for my juxtaposition though, but hopefully I am getting closer. I’ve reposted some other images this week that also interest me. This week I will also focus more on refining exactly what I want to make, and will go to the studio to make my inspiration board on the cardboard given in class. Next week I may try to make a small model of the mockup I made today.

Capstone Research

Books Capstone Research: Books Statement: Author,Title,Short summary,Important quotes,Citation (Chicago Style),Link (if applicable),Other notes

Complete documents of every scholarly research article I’ve found (WIP)

Get Space-Crafty with Earth Science!

It’s time to get space-crafty! (Get it?) We’re getting ready to launch Landsat 9 into space this fall, and we want to know, how does Landsat inspire you?

For nearly 50 years, Landsat satellites have been collecting important data and taking beautiful images of Earth, as a partnership between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. Scientists and policy makers alike use this data to understand climate change, deforestation, the growth of cities, and so much more.

In celebration of the Landsat 9 launch in September, we are calling all crafters to create space-crafts inspired by your favorite Landsat image! From watercolor paintings to needlework to frosted cakes, let your creativity flow and show us how you see Landsat images.

Post a picture of your craft on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #LandsatCraft. We will spotlight some on social media!

For a little inspiration, here are some #LandsatCraft examples from some of the people who work with Landsat:

“Looking through the Visible Earth Landsat gallery for inspiration, I saw the Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica (LIMA) and knew immediately what I had to do -- recreate it in a mosaic of my own. LIMA is a composite of more than 1,000 cloud-free Landsat 7 images of Antarctica, and when it was released in 2007 it was our first high resolution, true-color look at the icy continent.” – Kate Ramsayer, NASA Landsat Communications Coordinator

“I love embroidering satellite imagery and NASA data. For Landsat, I wanted something with lots of straight lines -- much easier to stitch! -- and crop fields like these fit the bill. It’s amazing how clearly we can see the influence of human activities in satellite imagery like this. It’s a constant reminder of the effect we have on our home planet.” – Katy Mersmann, Earth Science Social Media Lead

“We didn’t have the discipline or the organizational skills to do any of the really, really fancy images, like Lena Delta, so we chose Garden City, Kansas in 1972. We added a model of Landsat 1, too.” – Ryan Fitzgibbons, Earth Science Producer, and Charles Fitzgibbons, Age 8

"I was inspired by this Landsat image which demonstrates how we can use satellite imagery to remotely monitor cover crop performance, a sustainable farming practice that promotes soil health. Since I began working with NASA Harvest, NASA's Food Security and Agriculture Program, I've come to understand the critical importance of conservation agriculture and resilient farmlands in support of a food secure future for all, especially in the face of a changing climate." – Mary Mitkish, NASA Harvest Communications Lead

“I chose particular ingredients that represent the Landsat qualities that we celebrate:

The base spirit is gin because Landsat data is clean and precise. Vermouth represents our foreign collaborators. Using both lemon and lime juices signifies the diverse uses of the data. The ginger is for the land we study. The apple, well, because it’s American. The club soda makes it a long drink, for the long data record.” – Matthew Radcliff, NASA Landsat Producer

“Last year for the 50th Earth Day, I created this poster, inspired by our views of river deltas -- many captured by Landsat satellites -- which are particularly beautiful and evocative of water coursing through our land like a circulation system of nature. In 2000, Landsat 7 took one of my favorite images of the Lena Delta, which is the basis for this art.” – Jenny Mottar, Art Director for NASA Science

Are you feeling inspired to create yet? We’re so excited to see your #LandsatCraft projects! Follow NASA Earth on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to see if your art is shared!

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

Notes from Meeting with Nancy 9/16/22

Put two disparate things together and see what happens 

My capstone might be my process, meaning it’s more emergent

Finding a balance between knowing what I’m doing and giving myself room to explore

Play is important

Put some rules in place: 

- 10 experiments over the course of the next week 

- use 10 different materials 

- It can't be more than 1-2 minutes per experiment

Or something like that....

Week 3: Sept. 20

This week, I went with Jack to Nick’s show titled Voluntary Attempts to Overcome Necessary Obstacles at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts. Here is a short description below: 

https://www.projectspace-efanyc.org/voluntary-attempts-to-overcome-necessary-obstacles

While I don’t think my project will really be involved with the game design space, this was a good opportunity to get some ideas for interactivity with museum pieces, as well as how work is presented. 

The wall when you first walk into the exhibit:

Sheet we were given about the exhibit:

Second packet with all of the works in the show: 

Special highlights: 

Let’s Play Greek Punishment, 2011

By Pippin Barr

This was a series of games about mythology. In this one about sisyphus, you click in order to push the boulder up the hill. However, you are never able to actually complete the task, so continue to click until the player gives up. It’s supposed to be an “anti-game”, where the conventional goals in most mainstream game play are taken away, and this is what you are left with. 

The Soft Rumor of Spreading Weeds by Porpentine Charity 

This really got me thinking about how to present objects in a gallery space. The small rounded carpet felt super intimate, and made me thing of playing games on the computer on the floor as a kid. This also made me think a little bit about my talk with Kelly McGowan last year, and how she did her capstone project about her bedroom. It gives me similar “cozy” feelings. 

Folds of Separation by Studio Oleomingus 

I was a big fan of the artwork for this piece, it was very intricate maze game. Not necessarily the type of gameplay that I enjoy (it was very frustrating), but I did enjoy looking at it. 

The Cloister by Everest Pipkin

The artwork for this pice was stunning as well. 

If I recall, this was the box that held the cards for World Ending Game by Everest Pipkin. The instructions for the game were long, and it took an hour to play it, so I felt that it was a bit of a risky move for the exhibit only because not everyone (including me), would have the time or patience to read the instructions and play the game. But I did appreciate the attention to detail (for example, as pictured here, the slot created for the cards and dice for the game in their storage box). 

The Tearoom by Robert Yang

It was in a separate corner of the exhibit. You interacted with the game that was projected on a wall with a mouse that was on a pedestal in the middle of the room, giving it a super simple interface. It was a very weird game, where you played as a man in a very dingy bathroom. You were at a urinal, and were able to watch men who came in and out of the bathroom to pee, except all male genitalia was replaced with guns. Ultimately, after watching someone too many times at the urinal, the player was able to pleasure the man to completion in the gross bathroom. I was really confused after watching Jack play, but after talking to Nick about it, he explained that it was about how in videogames and on many social media platforms (although we were specifically talking about Twitch in this context) censor male genitalia, but guns are allowed. I guess it is a little weird when you think about it that objects that inflict violence are less censored than our own bodies on the internet. I will try to get the video from Jack and post it here, if Tumblr allows it 

Also, in a smaller amount of creative research, I found a new material? 

I went to an event for CSA (Chinese Student Association), and we made these foam clay moon cakes in celebration of mid autumn festival, using mooncake presses like the one I’ve attached here. I’ve somehow never used clay like this though, and when it dried (which it did much quicker than any clay I used growing up), it was super lightweight and more like foam clay than the hard, more pottery-like textures that other clay I used growing up. I also liked the idea of the presses. They remind me of the carving blocks we used in design I to create prints of letterforms, but they make a 3D object instead of 2D. Maybe I will explore this idea in a future experiment for my capstone, although I don’t know exactly how I am going to position this in terms of juxtaposition yet.

Overall this week, I feel like I am still working through exactly what form my project is going to take. I feel like the foam clay in an interesting medium for a future creative research or making, but not necessarily for a final medium. Same with the stamp/mold/block printing idea. They’re fun mediums that I may experiment with, but am not sold on yet for the final project. I really enjoyed going to see the exhibit that Nick curated. To be honest, my interest does not really lie in games, but I did get inspiration from seeing how works were presented in an exhibit space, and made notes on what did and what did not work, as I have elaborated above. I will definitely plan to see more exhibits in the coming weeks as well.