Week 1
Banners adapted from Dirty Words by Tammer-El-Sheikh, from Canadian Art
Upon reading the article a couple of times many fragments of the text caught my interest :
- Overused in artists
- Thirteen Years
- Picked out at novelty
- Aesthetic of Powerlessness
- Performance-driven conditions of the workplace
- I can not be bound to them
- The Exhibition is interesting
- Architectural Detail
In the end, I decided on my last choice *ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL* and I chose to print the letters in a dark blue, so it would look similar to a blueprint. I liked how it is not perfect and a bit messy, as that goes against the norms of architecture and its need to be perfect and calculated. The choice to hang it under the map of Zavitz was intentional; in my opinion, maps or blueprints are the most apparent details showcasing the building in its entirety. I did think of different locations, but due to weather, I could not hang it elsewhere, despite that, I am happy with the outcome.
Week 2
Reading Reflection – Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
Introduction
- “These fine minds are, as my father’s was, of a bygone era, a different media environment, and their biases may make them, as they made him, hostage of another time, perhaps incapable of seeing the present world as it is rather than as they’d like it to be.” (Page viii, Introduction to the Twentieth Anniversary Edition)
- “Where once it stood for a single generation, now it seems to stand for three” (Page xiii, Introduction to the Twentieth Anniversary Edition)
- This quotation captures the dynamic nature of modern society, in which new trends emerge at an unparalleled rate, constantly modifying the cultural landscape. Each generation develops and adopts its own lifestyle, inspired by technological breakthroughs, social movements, and shifting societal values. However, these changes are becoming more frequent, hastening cultural development.
Foreward
- “The roots of liberal democracy had held.”
- Despite difficulties that have tested its stability, I believe liberal democracy has mostly preserved its core values. While some components may have eroded or destabilized over time, the essential principles and institutions remain intact.
Chapter 1 – The Medium is Metaphor
- “Indeed we may have reached a point where cosmetics has replaced ideology as a field of expertise over a politician must have competent control” (Page 4, Chapter 1, Amusing Ourselves to Death)
- Unfortunately, this statement has been true regarding politics and almost every aspect. People have the right to look as they want, but choosing to look a certain way because someone else does should not be in our minds, but it has come to be.
- “It’s form excludes the content” (Page 7, Chapter 1, Amusing Ourselves to Death)
- “Iconography thus became blasphemy so that a new kind of God could enter a culture” (Page 9, Chapter 1, Amusing Ourselves to Death)
- “Eternity ceased to serve as the measure and focus of human events.” (Page 11, Chapter 1, Amusing Ourselves to Death)
- “Light is a particle, language, a river: God (as Bertrand Russell proclaimed), a differential equation; the mind, a garden that yearns to be cultivated.” (Page 14, Chapter 1, Amusing Ourselves to Death)
- “Our Metaphors create the content of our culture.” (Page 15, Chapter 1, Amusing Ourselves to Death)
Week 3
Field Trip
Art Gallery of Ontario
The bolded and capitalized lettering of the word ‘TRIBUTE’ when one entered the installations captivated the eye. It drew me in, and my curiosity to explore urged me to go further into the exhibition. It certainly was a Tribute to the past, in my opinion, a tribute to the artistic textiles, symbolic pieces, and memories of the great hip-hop artists of today and yesterday. This exhibition was not only a tribute to the musical artists but also to artists who helped them create their artworks.
My favorite work would have to be this one. I loved how the artist gave depth to the piece despite using one singular shade with a hint of gold accents. The details in this piece force the viewer to look at it from different angles and longer.
Moreover, it was inspiring to have an opportunity to view Indian artists like Kavi Gupta achieving success and recognition. I am eager to visit AGO again to view Sarinder Dhaliwal’s work.
Power Plant
- The folktale of Lo Ting, a mythical human-fish character thought to be the ancestor of the Hong Kong people, serves as the basis for Lap-See Lam.
- In her works, Lo Ting’s needs to return home – Frangernt Harbour – and the unintentional calling of the dragon ship, is portrayed beautifully.
- The dragon ship serves as a metaphor for the confusing elements of displacement and diasporic identity, as well as cultural misinterpretation.
- The complexity of seeking belonging using imagery is depicted excellently by the artist with the help of cultural narrations.
- Lam is known for using traditional form of storytelling as a structure for art. These narrationes are a depiction of her family’s history of immigration from Hong Kong to Sweden.
- These allow her to navigate the conflicts between preservation and change within diasporic memory, both asserting and complicating cultural legacy.
Week 4 & 5
Internet Video Art – Quinn & Vanni
Video Art Ideas and Inspirations
To begin creating the foundation of our video and this research presentation, we methodically compiled a comprehensive list of the many types of videos and information we frequently watch on YouTube and TikTok.
- The millennial pause
- Fitness Influencers
- MSA videos
- Eating everything/muk bangs
We have decided to focus on Fitness Influencers and their unrealistic life choices and advice. The video will contain clips from their TikTok and Youtube videos of their routine commonly labeled as ‘A day in My Life’, and ‘Healthy Eating Habits’
Finally, creating a “One whole day in the life of an unrealistic lifestyle“.
Some videos we might clips from:
Final Internet Video – Quinn & Vanni
In our video, we wanted to depict social media’s toxicity of fitness to its extreme. The content influencers market as effortless and healthy are not always the best options for everyone, especially for adolescents. Our video might not be perfect, but we wanted it to give a rushed kind of gruesome aesthetic to the video to emphasize the gravity of the issue.
Furthermore, we did face challenges with our schedule and most importantly technology. We had another version, that had some more edits, which unfortunately did not save, hence, this is our final internet video.
Week 6
Reading Reflection on My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists
Bridget Moser uses memes, YouTuber clichés, and online culture in “My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists” in a way that is both recognizable and unnerving. Her use of absurdity is significant as it emphasizes the peculiar fusion of materialism, discomfort, and humor that characterizes much of digital society. She takes use of the way that superficial, processed aesthetics—such as those of lifestyle vloggers or beauty influencers—are frequently the foundation of internet content, making them strange and uneasy.
Moser’s choice of costumes and props recalls the staged but manufactured settings common to online influencers. Her use of French manicures and blush-colored earplugs, for example, evokes the carefully prepared images that are common in lifestyle and beauty vlogs. These components “lead to processed foodstuffs as points of contact between sculptural stand-ins for idealized people,” as Charlene K. Lau points out in Artforum, underscoring the monetization of individual identity in digital environments.
Similar to the minimalist aesthetics of social media, Moser’s scenes’ monochromatic color palettes convey a feeling of homogeneity and sterility. This selection highlights the shallowness frequently inherent in online self-presentations. The boundaries between object and person are blurred by the props, which include packaged foods and ornamental accessories. Moser “establishes each gesture within monochromatic fields that hold space through color and serve to still them momentarily,” according to Lau. The transient nature of digital personas is suggested by the statement, “But they cannot hold.”
The video still evokes a mixture of physical anguish and amusement. Moser engages in both sensuous and unnerving relationships with objects, such as massaging a couch or stroking a skull with a baked bean-filled glove. The parodying of internet comfort genres like ASMR deprives them of their calming impact and instead incite anxiety.
Moser discusses the pursuit of belonging, consumerism, and whiteness. A critique of privilege and complacency can be seen in her character’s longing for security and comfort. Lau points out that Moser’s art highlights “the narcotizing effect of consumerism,” making spectators consider their involvement with these structures.
In Moser’s work, absurdity is a major theme, acting as a medium for revealing the inconsistencies and shallowness of contemporary existence. The absurdity of navigating modern society is reflected in her embrace of the nonsensical, which encourages viewers to discover meaning amid the turmoil.
A closer look at Moser’s other creations, such as her videos and performances, demonstrates a recurring theme of identity-building and consumer culture blunders. Using comedy and absurdity as instruments for critical engagement, her work asks viewers to consider their experiences within these frames.
Video Art about Our Parents
Ideas for Video Art about our Parents
- Not really parents, but there is a video of my sister when she was 2, and my dad, who is fond of photography, trying to make a video of her, but she just wants to play and it is such a sweet interaction between them. Though the video is in Hindi and my dad is the only person my sister would communicate with in Hindi, hence I wanted to recreate that video – But got rejected.
- I do have a bunch of childhood pictures with my mom that I could recreate, as once again my dad would take lots of pictures of us, some candid, some trying to capture the perfect angles.
- My parents had gotten married when my mom was really young, and then she had to move continents. I have seen pictures and heard stories from my cousins about how she would dress up and spend time on herself and do goofy things like straightening a doll’s hair or volunteering on their school trips. Over time, she got busy and started working, and now she works 7 days a week and has no time for herself. Hence, I wanted to ask her if she could dress up as they used to and record her doing her makeup and hair, as she had a huge collection of lipsticks back then, which I know because she still does.
Final Parent Video
Week 10
Open Studios Visit
It was incredibly exciting to visit the Capstone and MFA students’ Open Studios. I was truly fascinated by the wide range of art created by other artists—each piece had its own distinct style and story.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get opportunity to take any photos. I was so focused on knowing about their creative processes and interacting with them that it entirely slipped my mind.
I’m already excited for next year, when I can to share my work at the Open Studios as well!
Week 11 & 12
Artist Tattoos
For our artist tattoos, initially, I wanted to create a tattoo that was more literal or maybe even too conceptual. It would represent the struggle of student life and their ongoing relation with the hardships in education, with the moon being the student and chains depicting educational hardships. I wanted the moon to be spinning, entangled, and entrapped in chains.
Upon receiving feedback that the idea was a little too vague and metaphorical, Yasmin and I chose to design our artist tattoos together, so the design would work with one another. We wanted to create something fun for our last experimental assignment.
Thus, we chose to design template tattoos inspired by drag makeup, specifically Trixie Mattel. Some other fun makeup designs we did were heart-shaped blushes and wavy-colored eyebrows.
