Tuesday, November 16, 2010

11.16.10 : Guest Lecture Response : Alexandre Singh

Bio : Alexandre Singh work explores the creation of new imaginary spheres located somewhere between reality and fiction. His work has taken the form of theatrical plays, lectures, literature, collages, and installations that draw upon academic knowledge, mythology and pop culture to create phantasmagoric universes that intertwine with our own, blurring the boundaries between truth and invention.
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Favorite Quotes :
"Memory is like a string. We cut parts [or segments] out and then knot it back together."
"Writing is a form of magic."
**"What came first, orange or orange? Why orange, of course."**
"Magic is about the utopian way of looking at the world."

**One of the things that I liked about Singh's lecture/performance was the seemingly small connections between objects. I like the questions he posed and the thought process that developed from his images and speech about the interconnection between them.
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3 Words : Magical Interconnecting Narratives
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I learned about using a strong narrative that is carried throughout one work. I really enjoyed the face that he create a narrative that speaks throughout his various installations on the same subject. The thought process and development of his work was interesting and I thought his performance was more interesting than the images of the collages in white ikea frames.
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What influenced you to create an Gothic narrative based on the founder of Adidas?
The desire to build a body of work around Adidas came out of my own intensely personal relationship to the brand. They are the only shoes that I wear - absolutely no others.

In Assembly Instructions, how did you come to this way of making the film piece, like x-rays on a light box?
The images are being projected using an overhead projector. The ‘slides’ are photocopied transparencies of the collages placed on the glass. I wanted a way to manipulate the images in an analogue and tactile way that was direct, and that like the voice, stumbles and errs.
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The project that I enjoyed the most is Free : The School for Objects Criticized.
Description : A conversation spins out on vertiginous loops and wild tangents, loosely centered on a debate of the merits of The School for Objects. The School for Objects Criticized inverts the roles of artwork and spectator by letting sculptures speculate on the world of humans. Their bombastic utterances on art cast doubt on our own discussions of art and culture, on the contradictory and ill-considered ideological criteria we often use to judge the worth of art.

The narrative of these objects was humorous and interesting toughing on subjects that a common to everyday conversations. The imaginative conversation between objects brings a new spin to conversations and current topics by people. The voices were entertaining and fitting for each object. I really enjoy the overall narratives that Singh writes for all of his installations and works.

Monday, November 15, 2010

11.15.10 : Guest Lecture Questions : Alexandre Singh

What influenced you to create an Gothic narrative based on the founder of Adidas?


In Assembly Instructions, how did you come to this way of making the film piece, like x-rays on a light box?

Friday, November 12, 2010

11.15.10 : Artist Entry : Josh Keyes

Josh Keyes was born in Tacoma, Washington. He received a BFA in 1992 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA in 1998 from Yale. Eighteenth-century aesthetics and philosophies, particularly those of the Neoclassical and Romantic movements, shape his work. Keyes is drawn to the clinical and often cold vocabulary of scientific textbook illustrations, which express the empirical "truth" of the world and natural phenomena. He infuses into a rational stage set many references to contemporary events along with images and themes from his personal mythology and experience. These elements come together in an unsettling vision, one that speaks to the hope, fear, and anxiety of our time. Keyes currently lives and works in Portland Oregon with his wife, graphic designer Lisa Ericson.



Josh’s work brings to mind the detail and complexity of natural history dioramas, and the color and diagrammatic complexity one might find in cross section illustrations from a vintage science textbook. His work has developed over the past years into an iconic and complex personal vocabulary of imagery that creates a mysterious and sometimes unsettling juxtaposition between the natural world and the man made landscape. The work conveys an anxious vision of what the world might be like in the future as a result of current global warming predictions.



Keyes’ interest in creating paintings that fuse realism with the possible often evokes the imagery found in dystopian and post-apocalyptic literature, while other works express the optimism and utopian ideas found in the writings of Buckminster Fuller and Paolo Soleri. Keyes often incorporates objects and animals into his dissected environments that have personal iconographic significance. He weaves his personal mythology through fractured and isolated landscapes that are either overgrown with vegetation or underwater, and often depict historic or military monuments covered with graffiti. The imagery functions as a way for Keyes to express his personal experience and also allows him to comment and interpret events in the world.




"Keyes' artworks are neither optimistic nor nihilistic. If anything, they seem to hover between fear and fury, between sorrow and acceptance. But they do contain a level of urgency, addressing such exigent issues as the extinction of species and the emergence of a new global topography." - Excerpt from "Animal Planet", by George Melrod

"My intention is to create work that asks questions about the implications of urban sprawl and its impact on the environment. I am interested in creating psychological narratives set in closed systems that express the behavior of and the interaction between humans and animals. The dystopian model creates a dynamic playing field where I can experiment with these ideas and forms." - Josh Keyes


Keyes paintings explore the relationship between animal and humans in a way that differs from my work. He explores the more environmental interaction between humans and animals and how humans have effected wild animal habitats. I really enjoy his use of selective color between pieces and his use of everyday objects that are recognizable of human existence. I also enjoy the ambiguity in whether the animals are taking back the land or not.

Josh Keyes

Gallery
Interview

Contest Entry 3 : VMFA Fellowship

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

11.11.10 : Idea Entry : Restraint

Definition :
1. ability to control or moderate one's impulses, passions, etc.
2. a device that restricts movement

Types of Animal Restraint in Vet Labs

Restraint is the restriction of movement of any Sanctuary animal and may vary from simply confining the animal in an enclosure, small space, box, or crate, to completely restricting its muscular activity (immobilization). Where at all possible handling should be avoided by using shifts.

Studies over the last two decades have led to a greater understanding of the physiological effects of restricted movement, which can be quite deleterious to the animal, and even cause death. Psychological stress, such as may be caused when a social animal is confined alone, has also been studied and constitutes an important factor in restraint and handling techniques.

Dog Show (clipping hair)
Colleen Plumb


"Animals can be driven crazy by placing too many in too small a pen. Homo Sapiens is the only animal that voluntarily does this to himself." - Robert Heinlein

"The use of a mechanical head restraint will improve the accuracy of captive-bolt stunning, but it can increase stress if it is improperly used (Ewbank and Parker, 1992). To minimize stress, the animal should be stunned within five seconds after its head is restrained. If more than 3% of the cattle vocalize (moo or bellow), the head restraint device will have to be modified to reduce stress. Animals should enter the head restraint easily, with a minimum of prodding."

Grandin, Temple, and Gary C. Smith. "ANIMAL WELFARE AND HUMANE SLAUGHTER." Temple Grandin's Web Page. Nov. 2004. Web. 10 Nov. 2010. .

Chaumière de Dolmancé
Walton Ford


Restraint is the newest aspect of my concept. The physical restriction of animals by people speaks to my exploration of interspecies communication and relationship. Again, like caging or confining an animal, restraining an animal can be to protect or to harm.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

11.09.10 : Guest Lecture Response : Simon Tarr

Bio : Simon Tarr’s films have been screened on every continent (yes, even Antarctica) in hundreds of film festivals. His prior eleven films are available on DVD from Netflix and Amazon, and as digital downloads from QuarkNova.com. He has performed his live VJ shows at conferences, festivals and clubs from Tokyo to New Orleans and everywhere in between. Tarr teaches new media art at the University of South Carolina. He recieved the 2010 University Film and Video Association Teaching Award for achievements in pedagogy that contribute to the field of film and video education.
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Favorite Quotes :
"You have been taught by the students I once taught. That makes you my academic grandchildren."
**"I discovered early on that I am a 'hunter gatherer' filmmaker."**
"I do not wait for inspiration... do it whether you feel like it or not. Even though most of the time its no."
"I have a pair of flip up 3D glasses. They look pretty good too."

**This statement was interesting to me because in the photography department, there is an emphasis on concept before shooting or shooting with a purpose even if we don't have a full understanding of your concept. He just shoots footage and them fit it into project later. However, most of his work did not seem to have a concept.
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3 Words : Manipulated 'Hunter-Gatherer' Videos
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I learned about the different methods of filming and editing. I was not a fan of many of his videos because much of the sound seemed like white noise to me. In addition, I did not like the strobbing of some of his videos and the 3D effect without the 3D glasses. The videos also had a very hand-held look which I did not enjoy.
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How did you develop your style of film-making and the use of people versus animation?
Tarr stated that when he became bored or unsatisfied with one style of filming and editing, he explored other methods which led him to his performance videos.

Have you every had a bad experience collaborating with other artist?
He did not talk about any of the videos that he collaborated with other artist during his lecture.
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I the only segment of the films that I really enjoyed was the 3rd part of the video Giri Chit. A cast of thousands toiling hundreds of feet above the street who are urban farming. I liked the use of black and white while the pants were in color and the slowed motion of the workers. The overall image of the city and the urban farm on the roof top was my favorite view. In addition, I liked the narrative it told of limited space for nature in the Japanese city.

Monday, November 8, 2010

11.08.10 : Guest Lecture Questions : Simon Tarr

How did you develop your style of film-making and the use of people versus animation?

Have you every had a bad experience collaborating with other artist?

Sunday, November 7, 2010

11.08.10 : Artist Entry : Richard Barnes

Throughout the 1990s Barnes worked as the photographer for the joint Yale/University of Pennsylvania excavations at Abydos, Egypt. This experience led him to consider the ways in which we think about and depict the past. Using architecture and the artifacts of excavation, he considers the interaction of past cultures and the way in which they are preserved and interpreted in the present.


The photographs from Animal Logic explore the installation and preservation of animals and fossils at natural history museums. These images examine the historical and scientific indexing of species throughout the ages, simultaneously drawing attention to the way in which they are viewed and understood.


“A curator, writing about my work, described the archaeological process as akin to the autopsy, in that it is simultaneously revealing and destructive of its object of study. I like the idea in my work of coming from a place that is both ambiguous and contradictory at the same time.” – Richard Barnes

"Referencing science, history, archaeology, and anthropology, Barnes’ work offers a reminder that there is nothing inherently “natural” about going to a museum to see animals. In his photos, a plastic-wrapped giraffe is suspended in midair against the trompe l’oeil backdrop of a savannah, a pack of stuffed wolves lunges at a museum preparer inspecting blades of grass, and other creatures (leopards, emus, and bears) hang out in packing crates." - Kelsey Keith

I enjoy Barnes work because he documents animals that are confines and restricts in a different manner then I do in my work. While these animals are not real, they are restrained in some manner and that is were my project is beginning to lean. I like his documentation styles between the actual crates the animal models are shipped in and the placement of them into the museum.

Richard Barnes
Interview 1
Interview 2

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

11.04.10 : Idea Entry : Spatial (Tention/Relation/Plane)

Definition:
Spacial - of or pertaining to space; existing or occurring in space; having extension in space.


The words “spatial tension” evoke all sorts of themes: conflict, superficiality, the depth of our relationships with others, barriers…

Determine the spatial relationships between features: Do they overlap? Is one contained by the other? Does one cross through the other?

A spatial relation specifies how some object is located in space in relation to some reference object. Since the reference object is usually much bigger than the object to locate, the latter is often represented by a point.

New Age Still Life
Heidi Norton

“This indeterminate physicality with different physical planes--it is beautiful and confusing, everything starting and reversing.”-- Robert Irwin

The subjects in a space "seem to activate the space they occupy and suggest a kind of dialogue between the objects."

"A primary function of a geographic information system is determining the spatial relationships between features. The distance separating a hazardous waste disposal site and hospital, school, or housing development is an example of a spatial relationship."

"Perspective is the spatial relationship between your position – or rather, the camera’s – and the scene being photographed. Positioning yourself in the right spot can make a significant difference in your composition."

Studio Construct 17, 2007
Barbara Kasten


My work addresses the spatial relationship between camera and object and the object in the photograph and the viewer. I've created a spatial tension represented by the cage between the viewer(human) and object(animal).There is a separation of space between the two that is intriguing and I want to explore it more.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

11.01.10 : Artist Entry : Martin Usborne

Martin Usborne lives in central London where he has his photographic studio. He started his photographic career after a number of years working as a creative director in children's TV. Before that he studied psychology at Edinburgh University and then animation at Glasgow School of Art. Martin thinks there is something magical about looking through the lens and capturing a bit of the world. 'You see an interesting array of shapes - people passing in front of a strangely colored wall and -click- its yours forever. Its so easy it shouldn't be allowed'.

MUTE: The silence of dogs in cars
Martin's Description of this series :

I was once left in a car at a young age.

I don't know when or where or for how long, possibly at the age of four, perhaps outside Tesco's, probably for fifteen minutes only. The details don't matter. The point is that I wondered if anyone would come back. It seems trivial now but in a child's mind it is possible to be alone forever.

Around the same age I began to feel a deep affinity with animals - in particular their plight at the hands of humans. I remember watching TV and seeing footage of a dog being put in a plastic bag and being kicked. What appalled me most was that the dog could not speak back. It's muteness terrified me.

I should say that I was a well-loved child and never abandoned and yet it is clear that both these experiences arose from the same place deep inside me: a fear of being alone and unheard. Perhaps this is a fear we all share at some level, I am not sure.

The images in this series explore that feeling, both in relation to myself and to animals in general. The camera is the perfect tool for capturing a sense of silence and longing: the shutter freezes the subject for ever and two layers of glass are placed between the viewer and the viewed: the glass of the lens, the glass of the picture frame and, in this instance, the glass of the car window further isolates the animal. The dog is truly trapped.

When I started this project I knew the photos would be dark. What I didn't expect was to see so many subtle reactions by the dogs: some sad, some expectant, some angry, some dejected. It was as if upon opening up a box of grey-colored pencils I was surprised to see so many shades inside.

I hope that these pictures are engaging and perhaps a little amusing. I want to show that there is life in the dark places within us.

I will stop writing now and you can stop reading. Words can only get us so far. After all, we are all animals.

Martin, Sept 2010

MUTE: The silence of dogs in cars

"Although Martin is passionate about animal welfare this work is not concerned with the issue of leaving dogs in hot cars but rather examines feelings of loneliness and isolation which so many humans, as well as animals, experience in modern urban life. It is also a plea to listen to the voice of the pets that inhabit our worlds."

"'MUTE' An Exhibition of Unusual Dog Portraits by Martin Usborne." Photography Monthly | Which Digital Camera. 18 Oct. 2010. Web. 28 Oct. 2010. .


MUTE: The silence of dogs in cars

Martin Usborne is photographing animals (specifically dog) in an encosed space where they cannot escape. That is exactly what I am doing, but the concept behind our pieces and technique of shooting are completely different. While I take pictures of the cage or glass and blur the image behind it while he focuses more on the animal itself. Also he is attempting to portray a sense of loneliness and isolation, while I am confronting the cage head on and questioning the reasoning behind the cage.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Contest Entry 1 : PNDedu Student Photo Contest

I entered five images into the PNDedu Student Photo Contest :

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

10.28.10 : Idea Entry : Invisible Barrier

Definitions :
Invisible - not visible; not able to be perceived by the eye, concealed from sight; hidden
Barrier - anything serving to obstruct passage or to maintain separation, such as a fence or gate


"For most of us, there is an invisible barrier – an inner shield that keeps us from making the kind of impact we were meant to make in the world. Generally that shield is trying to protect us from something."

Mayo, Stacey. "Is There An Invisible Barrier Stopping You? | Balanced Living." Career Coaching, Career Counseling, Career Intuitive, Small Business Coach. 30 July 2009. Web. 28 Oct. 2010. <http://www.balancedliving.com/invisible-barrier-stopping/>.

"The phrase 'glass ceiling' refers to an invisible barrier that prevents someone from achieving further success... Instead of being able to achieve the same success, she is stopped by invisible forces that prevent her from rising further."

Napikoski , Linda. "Glass Ceiling for Women- The Invisible Barrier Known As the Glass Ceiling." Women's History - Comprehensive Women's History Research Guide. 19 June 2010. Web. 28 Oct. 2010. .

"The most powerful forces of Nature are the invisible forces, so we find that the most powerful forces of man are his invisible forces, his spiritual force, and the only way in which the spiritual force can manifest is through the process of thinking. Thinking is the only activity which the spirit possesses, and thought is the only product of thinking."

Reninger, Elizabeth. ""The Master Key" by Charles Haanel." Taoism. Web. 28 Oct. 2010.http://taoism.about.com/od/themasterkey/a/MasterKey1.htm
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My project attempts to expose the "invisible" barrier between species (specifically humans and animals). I couldn't find a particular word that stood for this invisible space between object and species, but looking at the different ways the words are used is helpful.

Monday, October 25, 2010

10.25.10 : Artist Entry : Sharon Montrose

Sharon Montrose lives in Los Angeles. She is a commercial photographer and author specializing in animals, kids, and babies. She shoots for ad agencies, design firms, magazines, and book publishers.


Melding her passion for photography with her love of animals, Sharon Montrose's definitive photographic style has made her one of the most sought-after commercial photographers specializing in animals. In addition to ten published photography books to her credit, Sharon shoots for some of the world’s foremost pet industry brands. Her animal series photographs are part of numerous public and private collections and have been awarded recognition by Communication Arts, Photo District News, The Art of Photography, Hey, Hot Shot!, and the International Photography Awards.


The animals photographed for this series are real live animals, raised (and many rescued) by loving and dedicated people who care for them as their own. For this series, Sharon’s goal was to feature the animals outside of their environments and to capture a moment that will last as long as the viewer needs to absorb their charms.


"It's a great to see someone in their 'sweet spot' in life, passionate about what they do. I also like the fact that she doesn't push her subjects into poses, she just lets them do their thing and be themselves then voila."

" I have a hard time answering questions about my creative process and vision because I basically shoot what I feel — almost like I have no choice. I’ve never really been able to intellectualize my work." - Sharon Montrose

What I enjoy about Montrose's work is that she uses real animals in her photography. On of the things I find disappointing from many animal photographers is that many photographers use taxidermy animals instead of real ones. There is something about capturing a real, breathing animal that I find so challenging and rewarding when you get the right shot.

Monday, October 18, 2010

10.18.10 : Artist Entry : Mark Laita

For over 20 years, advertising agencies worldwide have asked Mark Laita to bring his expertise, problem-solving abilities and signature style to their most important campaigns. His clean, colorful graphic product photography has earned him a reputation for award-winning work for clients such as Adidas. BMW. Van Cleef and Arpels and IBM. Based in Los Angeles since 1986. Mark also maintains a studio in New York City. His grace, wit and straightforward manner provide for a relaxed and efficient working environment. Mark's still life photography has been featured in campaigns for clients as diverse as Sony, Budweiser. Mini Cooper and Apple Computer's iMacs and iPods. His work has been recognized year after year by Communication Arts. Archive. Graphis, the One Show and the Kelly Awards.


Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles began representing Mark with a show of his fine art prints in September of 2006. The United Postal Service featured Mark's flower images in a series of postage stamps in 2007.


“The angles and the lighting and the backgrounds — to me they’re very similar to my still-life work. I’m taking something that exists, whether it’s a leaf or a fish or a flower or a shell or whatever, but basically they are things that are just sitting there. Or I find an auto mechanic somewhere and I think, ‘Wow, this is an interesting person.’ And I ask if I can take his picture, and perhaps do it in a similar way that I would do a flower or some other still life I’ve done. To me, they’re identical.”

Hutson, Rich. "Mark Laita: Beauty--Plain and Simple." PhotoMedia Magazine Online. 11 Oct. 2010. Web. 18 Oct. 2010. .


"There are such endnotes for perhaps a third of the photographs, and they’re fascinating. They indicate that Laita, when he takes the time to listen to his subjects, is able to craft deceptively emotive scenes that gesture at something larger than themselves"

Silverman, Jacob. "Equal Before the Lens." The Second Pass. 14 Sept. 2010. Web. 18 Oct. 2010.
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The thing I found interesting about Mark Laita's work, is that in these images the viewer cannot tell that these images are in cages. In contrast to my own work, I am photographing cages. The fact that you cannot tell that these animals are in cages is impressive and elegant. I hope to achieve the same type of effect by photographing the cages themselves.

Mark Laita
Article/Interview
Gallery

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

10.14.10 : Idea Entry : Incubator

Incubators for animals provides quality care for pets that are injured, ill or convalescing.Incubators can be used for handfeeding babies, brooding chicks, pediatrics and orphaned/abandoned animals.

Definitions :
Incubator - An apparatus in which environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, can be controlled, often used for growing bacterial cultures, hatching eggs artificially, or providing suitable conditions for a chemical or biological reaction.
Brooder - an enclosure or other structure, usually heated, used for rearing young chickens or other fowl

"The gull had a broken wing. It was chaos for several minutes as boxes and crates were passed into the ICU, birds extracted, evaluated in a flash, and either popped in the incubator if hypothermic or placed in a crate."

Duncon, Susan. "Seabird Special." Arthorse. 02 Nov. 2010. Web. 14 Oct. 2010.

"We brought him out and got him breathing and then he went into an incubator on oxygen. He is now being fed by a tube."

Nelson, Sara. "Introducing Deer Little Rupert | The Sun |News." The Sun | The Best for News, Sport, Showbiz, Celebrities & TV | The Sun| The Sun. 30 Sept. 2008. Web. 14 Oct. 2010.

Jasper Juinen/Getty Images
Newly-born panda bears sleep in their incubator at the Madrid Zoo on October 7, 2010 in Madrid, Spain.

Incubators are designed to offer extra security and mimic a natural environment. They are meant to gives ill, frightened, and very young animals more security, and less stress by replicating their natural environment. This is particularly important when treating wild, older, or non-imprinted animals. Brooders and Incubators provide the most optimal environment not only for birds, but for dogs, cats, monkeys, reptiles, and a score of other animals.

Since I have been exploring cages in my senior portfolio project, I am now looking into different types of cages that would be more interesting then just you standard pet cage. Now I am looking at more scientific cages, which include incubators to heal and nurture animals.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

10.11.10 : Artist Entry : Amber Chavez

Amber Marie Chavez is a photographer living in Los Angeles. She has a BFA in Fine Art Photography and does collaborative work with her twin sister, Ashlie. She advocate the use of film and uses a Pentax Super, Canon Elan, Pentax 645, Polaroid 203, and Polaroid 450.

Dziłíjiin "Black Mountain" Series

"My intention is conceptual significance, rather than external beauty. I am also a firm believer in God." - Amber Chavez


"This is 'out of the box' stuff -- great compositions that set the gallery apart from the all-too-often treadmill approach to photography. A breath of fresh air. And one thing's for sure: Marie would never get bored if she found herself trapped in an elevator." - Antwer Palan

Dziłíjiin "Black Mountain" Series

This series was made in Black Mesa, Arizona and us called Dziłíjiin or "Black Mountain" by the Navajos. The name derives from the mountains dark appearance from the numerous seams of coal which run through it. These images are from a series in which Amber Chavez stayed with a family of sheep herders in this area and essentially documented their lives in her unique style.

I enjoy this series, because I am interested in documentary style work but like the one-of-a-kind style and spin Chavez puts on her images. The images I selected from her series are all triple exposers I believe. The layering and repeating of animals is an interesting concept which I have tried before with little success. This is a new approach to that concept which I had not considered.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

10.07.10 : Idea Entry : Dog Leashes

Definition : a chain, strap, etc., for controlling or leading a dog or other animal; lead.
Leashes come in variety of designs and colors and they can be made of leather, nylon or other composite materials.

Diamond Dogs
Warwick Saint

Many cities have passed legislation that require dogs to be on leash in public areas. Purposes of a leash include: preventing animals from frightening or biting people or other animals, defecating and urinating in inappropriate places, endangering traffic, digging up lawns, causing other damage, getting lost, and getting away from owners. Leashes also provide a clear method of communication and ensure control during training of dogs.

Diamond Dogs
Warwick Saint

“People call in and complain about dogs off their leashes in the parks, but it’s not an epidemic. If a dog is out in public, it should be on a leash.”

Staff, Reports. "Suburban Life Publications Newspaper Ads." Home - Downers Grove, IL - MySuburbanLife.com. 06 Oct. 2010. Web. 07 Oct. 2010.

"But we also want to make our canines good citizens. To do that, we need to socialize them. Leashes have a tendency of creating aggression among dogs with other dogs."

Punch, Rachel. "Group Pushes for Off-leash Park." The Sudbury Star - Ontario, CA. 05 Oct. 2010. Web. 07 Oct. 2010.

This past week, I explored taking pictures of dogs on leashes in parks and on the street. I wanted to learn more information on leashes and try to find a few opinions on the negative and positive reactions of leashes. In addition, I wanted to explore the basic laws of keeping dogs on leashes.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

10.05.10 : Guest Lecture Response : Julika Rudelius

Bio : Julika Rudelius was born in Cologne and currently, lives and works in Amsterdam. She addresses a broad field of complex themes in her videos and photographs, ranging from structures of social power and prejudices to role clichés, identity, and cultural hegemony. Rudelius sees art as a form of social expression, as a communicative tool for drawing attention to seemingly trivial observations of everyday life, revealing at the same time their complex social characteristics.
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Favorite Quotes :
"When you try to cast psychopaths, it doesn't work cause you can't tell they're psychopaths till they really screw you."
"I've been working with powerful people even since. It became a sport, to see if I could get them."
**"People photograph themselves, look at the photograph, and smile like they fell in love."**
"Yeah your going to be treated like shit but one day, hopefully you'll get high enough that you can treat others like shit."
"I question seeing the idea of self or truth, even in a documentary."

**As she was speaking about her project Forever and the women of Hampton that she interviewed, she said this line. Its one of those things that make you stop and wonder, "Do I do that?" I have been taking photographs for a long time and some have been of me, but am I really that similar to those women? I don't have an answer but it really made me think about how vane the majority of people are.
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3 words : Political Vanity Videos
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Watching Julika Rudelius' videos, I really liked her presentation of her work. I learned about the split and triple screen approach and I liked her use of subtitles on every screen. After looking a some picture of her instillation, I really admired her style of presentation. I really enjoyed the presentation of Tagged with the dialog video juxtaposed with the other videos of the men putting on clothes and admiring themselves.
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Have you every had problems getting anonymous people to participate in your videos, interviews, or images? Do you every use people you know personally in your work?
She obviously had to work for several months in order to get in contact with many of the people in her videos. It took her several months to get the senators for Rites and to meet and get acquainted with the women in Forever. She talked about having casting calls for Your Blood and using her personal friends for test shots and video throughout her projects.

Would you consider yourself a feminist artist or your work “feminist art?"
Didn't get an answer. But I wouldn't consider her artwork feminist.
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Economic Primacy was the video I enjoyed the most. In this work, Rudelius selected five men for the video: a lawyer, a spin-doctor, a media advisor, a millionaire and a top manager. They are filmed pacing about in a generic office space that was specially constructed for the video. While they appear to be talking to themselves, they are responding to questions Rudelius asked them. In their 'monologues' they talk about the importance and omnipotence of money.
At the end of the lecture Rudelius talked about how these men didn't care about how they were viewed by other as long as they are wealthy. I found it interesting that none of these men found the video at all offensive, even though most of the viewers who see it find parts of it to be absurd and somewhat humorous due to the dialog.

Monday, October 4, 2010

10.04.10 : Guest Lecture Questions : Julika Rudelius

Have you every had problems getting anonymous people to participate in your videos, interviews, or images? Do you every use people you know personally in your work?

Would you consider yourself a feminist artist or your work “feminist art?"

Sunday, October 3, 2010

10.04.10 : Artist Entry : Helmo

Thomas Couderc and Clément Vauchez (Helmo) met in 1997 during their studies in Besancon, East of France. Both of them took their own way in 1999, in Paris: Clément studied typography for 2 years, than worked in Gedeon, a tv graphic studio. Thomas started working first with H5, then with Malte Martin, then on its own in free-lance. In 2003, with Thomas Dimetto, they founded "La Bonne Merveille", graphic design studio. The group splitted in 2007, and Thomas Couderc & Clément Vauchez founded "Helmo". Since 2006, the 2 designers are regularly invited to participate to publications and Graphic Design exhibitions.

French design/photo duo Helmo created a lovely window installation at the Galeries Lafayette department store in Paris. Titled "Bêtes de mode," the 2006 work consisted of thirteen human portraits superimposed with animal images that were revealed through the use of various gels.

"Thomas Couderc and Clément Vauchez exist, some might say thrive, in the gray area between fine art and design. Together, Couderc and Vauchez, have assembled a portfolio that spans from concert posters to photographic explorations."

Joshua, Schum. "HELMO (Montreuil Sous Bois, France) | Ballista Magazine." Ballista Magazine | Design Digest and Launch Vehicle. 09 Sept. 2010. Web. 30 Sept. 2010. .

I enjoy this work because it incorporates animals and humans in a unique way. This series is more based on the idea of animals and people in relation to fashion, which is a new way to make a connection between the two. I really like the alignment of each animal with the person. Many of them line up nicely with the human features and body language.

Thomas Couderc and Clement Vauchez
Gallery
Video, Youtube