For this first assignment, Ana approached me with the idea of working together to create a banner that addresses the lack of diversity, especially among the faculty, here at the university. We started by visiting the OPIRG office on campus to find resources we could use to include in our banner. We ended up finding a census from 2015/16 that includes statistics about the overall representation at the school. After reading through the census, we picked out lines that we thought could be interesting to use for our banner, some of which include:
“ It is our intention to include all”
“Prefer not to answer”
“Of the 2,520 eligible employees, 1.0% answered yes to being an Aboriginal Person.”
After some thought, we thought the title of the census itself was quite ironic, considering when you look through the results, there is not much diversity at all. We chose the phrase “Diversity Matters” and I had the idea to place our banner over the plaque in the Zavitz lobby where the names of the faculty in SOFAM are displayed. We played with some other ideas as well, and decided to add “no” with a checklist next to the plaque to reference the original census. After our critique, we ended up removing that part and just left the “Diversity Matters” banner at the top.
While creating the banner, I thought of different ways I could call back to the census. I tried my absolute best and took way too long copying the font of the title in the census document. I also wanted to include the colours associated with the university (red, black, white, gold) without it being too much.
Neil Postman – Amusing Ourselves to Death
Summary:
POST INTERNET VIDEO ART
Research and Discussion
Video Essays/Commentary Youtube:
(below is only one example. the video is likely not going to be specifically about plastic surgery.)
although there is variance in the quality of content and perspective on this topic we have criticisms about the oversaturation of similar rhetoric and the effectiveness of commentary versus “real world action” i.e. does this content inspire action or further performance?
through the lens of our perspective on meta in the current political landscape we will reframe this
“the revolution will not be televised” meets video artists. what is our role. how can we “activateeee” video protest. what is the role of social media in this reframing.
TORONTO TRIP
During our trip to the AGO, one of my first stops was the exhibition titled “The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century.” There was so many beautiful and unique works to explore, but one in particular caught my eye.
The work is by Indigenous artist Nicholas Galanin, titled “Tsu Heidei Shugaxtutaan 1 & 2.” It is a two-part video featuring breakdancer David Elsewhere and Tlingit dancer Dan Littlefield.
In the first part, David Elsewhere performs a contemporary dance consisting of both fluid and sharp movements while a traditional Tlingit song plays in the background. The title of the song is the same as the title of the work, which translates to “We Will Again Open This Container of Wisdom That Has Been Left in Our Care.” In the second video, Dan Littlefield performs a Raven Dance while wearing traditional regalia. In contrast to this traditional dance and attire, he dances to a heavy electronic beat. This artwork
Kent Monkman, The Deluge, 2019
Some additional pictures from The Power Plant and the Harbourfront Centre!! ^^
POST INTERNET VIDEO ART
work in progress:
While in the process of creating our video, the final vision would warp and change as we moved along. Originally, we were going to make a bunch of video clips featuring a wide range of people saying the same line that we repeat in the final video. However, after filming our clips, we decided that that was enough, and we would instead record the voices of others to dub on top of our clips. We did stick to the minimalist aesthetic in the clips we shot by wearing white with no makeup and our hair tied back. In contrast, the editing of the video is quite overwhelming and certainly not “minimalist.” We experimented a lot during the editing process which led to a strange, almost ethereal final product.
final video:
Statement provided by Ana:
If you were to make a list of all your friends and how you’ve met them, I would wager that the places you met them were largely either work related or school related. If not one or the other statistically speaking, and especially if you are or were a teenager in the last 10 years you would also say the internet.(1) In sociology, the concept of a “third space” refers to spaces that a community can meet and mingle outside of your job or a class.(2) Historically these spaces where you could meet individuals with similar interests would be cafes, gyms, parks, libraries ,etc. these environments although categorized as similar spaces historically differed in a degree of severity. In other words a bookclub in Mississauga would be distinguished in perspective comparative to one in Missouri. As Andrew Postman puts it in his forward to Amusing Ourselves to Death “Comunities have been replaced by demographics. Screen-Time also means hours spent in front of the computer, cell phone and hand held. Silence has been replaced by background noise.”
In the contemporary landscape of our western society, we would argue that much of these third spaces have been/will be co-opted by internet spaces. Whether it be gaming, crafts, humour etc. the fear we address in this video is that when algorithms lump together people of similar tastes and interests on mass pockets of diverse culture and perspective are lost. This is especially troubling when applied to social Justice and political movements.
The oversaturation of regurgitated rhetoric amongst social media users leads to relatively uneducated and surface level takes on important issues. Even in the case of activists who devote their lives to causes and commit their time to creating content that breathes life into an issue in an eloquent and informed way the message is often over time misinterpreted, watered down and then regurgitated by influencers. This often goes on I would argue until it means almost nothing and serves little to no use beyond virtue signalling.
In this piece, we have taken the simple and potent message that subscribers of social media accounts should delete their profiles. A la Gil Scott Herons “The Revolution Will Not be Televised” we truly believe that real change cannot be made on apps owned and surveilled by fascist billionaires but we also aim to lean into the irony of proliferating that statement via the medium of social media itself, Video! Throughout the video the sentiment is layered, changed and shared by different voices and superimposed angles of our faces until the message is so diluted and disorienting that one might struggle to interpret its meaning. Much like the ghostly and minimal aesthetics of our video the message dies and leaves nothing but its ghost when duplicated so excessively . We hope that viewers are called to consider the capabilities of social media through a revolutionary lens.
☆☆ PARENTS VIDEO ☆☆
Message From the Ether, 2025.
My video for this assignment is titled “Messages from the Ether” and features me standing still with my mother’s face edited onto mine. While I stand there, robotic voices read out the last messages that my mother sent to my family. Since my mother and my family are estranged, I wanted to portray that relationship in a strange and uncomfortable way, which is how I typically feel about the situation.
I chose to use space as the background and the AI voices to demonstrate how my relationship with my mother feels distant, as if she were a stranger sending messages from a place I do not know. The memories I have with my mother are sparse and many are not very positive, but she will always be a part of me, hence the combining of her face with mine. I also chose to use a more robotic sounding voice to read the messages due to the interesting way that my mom writes. She has a distinct style that almost sounds like it was written by AI. Below, I have attached the picture and the software that I used to create the video for this assignment. Although the processing took 4 hours, I’m happy with the results.
Week 01: Banner text inspired by Tammer-El-Sheikh, Dirty-Words
Pieces of text I considered
I take what I love
What is interesting
Don’t be shy
Depend on the feminist
What I chose:
I TAKE WHAT I LOVE
Personal context
For an artist (I take what I love and make art)
Could be commercialized depending on installation (I take what I love… out of this vending machine)
Bold letters
to stand out on red cardstock
playing with shades of red
White letters hand cut
Love →red → hearts
overall I think this a funny and fun take on commercialism, commentary on mass production and mass consumption.
I have a love of pop art ironic in the case due to the name brand “pop” machine.
“I take what I love” could be seen as a threatening statement rather the comical
Postman reading
Quote #1
“Another professor noted that “kids come to the conclusion that TV is almost exclusively interested in presenting show business and sensationalism and in making money. Amazing as it seems, they had never realized that before.”
Many popular competition reality shows of the 2000s presented this idea (of “how business and sensationalism and in making money”)
MTV
If we are specifically talking about the past 10 years I think this quote can be applied to kids and people my age watching and wanting to be YouTubers or tiktokers. With the entertainment of social media people today seem to be more aware of making money from content/ videos online/ and going viral
I feel people today are more aware of the money-making of show business in a way (or at least that is how it appears in this text)
On this subject of sensationalism in making money and going viral, I think about America’s Funniest Home Videos, many home videos submitted to the program feature the same content as funny videos on social media (ex. A dog waiting for their owner to say grace before eating dinner, a dad playing a harmless prank on a child.)
On AFV you are purposefully submitting for the chance to win a cash prize but on social media, you are posting because “hey this funny thing could be viral!”
Quote #2
“Some disagreed with his assessment that TV is in complete charge: remote control, an abundance of channels, and VCRs and DVRs all enable you to “customize” your programming, even to skip commercials”.
Documenting the changes from 1985- 2006
2006-2025 the same distance
When I was a kid my relationship with TV was very as described, I remember when my parents switched from strictly cable to Bell. I also remember recording my favourite shows and watching the same episodes over and over. DVDs were also popular in our household but didn’t have many, still we constantly watched them (I was obsessed with Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and my younger sister watched Wreck-it Ralph every day for months).
I remember being even younger than that (pre-2006). We had a VCR, and I used to watch VHS tapes of Beauty and the Beast, Monster’s Inc., and Blues Clues
Over winter break my parents got a Disney+ subscription. So, I rewatched some childhood favourite shows and movies, for example, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, and watching it weirded me out, because I remember watching the VHS of the movie as a kid. I also have a snapshot of a memory of being very young and watching the tape by myself alone in a room and I was alone re-watching this movie via Disney+ in 2024 (not 2004-5).
Also watching the movie in 2024 I was looking at a flat screen (one my parents probably purchased in 2013) but in my memory about 20 years before then it was a tiny Tobisha tv (which my parents still own and use thanks to a Rogers box).
Week 3: SART 4810- video art idea & notes
★Vintage cartoons + tik tok content (that I tend to consume)★
A subset (?) of video culture is making videos compilations of funny moments in, for example, a particular sitcom (compilation or clip show of a topic in a show)
Tik tok: grwm videos, skincare impressions, transitions set to viral/ popular audios/sounds/ music
Creators to pull from: Xowie Jones. Jasmine Le, Ryan Bailey Potter, Anna Vu/Glossy Gurl, The Lipstick Lesbians, Ivan Lam
“It’s a show about nothing and yet it’s everything”
“A show where we talk about whatever we want to talk about because it’s our show and not yours”
They are assigned a topic and humorously tackle it
and veer off-topic most of the time
For free on YouTube
Production Company: World of Wonder
Main editors: Ron Hill and Jeff Maccubbin
Jeff Maccubbin’s video editing/ mixing on Youtube
Green screen
Much of its beauty and appeal is in the editing of the show
★Example 2?
★The process & final produce★
Rip music and video from YouTube
Layering of audio and video
Moments of overlapping clipped audio from the older piece of media the on-screen visual being the more modern/ current video clips
Clips of the older media playing alongside new videos/ Tiktoks
Example: A cartoon character getting dressed vs an outfit check on Tiktok
Clips playing at the same time on the same screen
It’s also possible to find clips for audio of moments from tv or cartoons that become popularised as a stand-alone clip yet many do not know the source imagery
Sart 4810 field trip blog post
The AGO (feat The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century) & The Power Plant
Sonia Boyce
The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century
One of the first things I saw in this exhibition was titled TRIBUTE written in bold gold letters. Comprised of clothing, tributes, respects to reference, honour, influence and “create networks of artistic associations”. Notable artists and styles of hip-hop canonization reference moments of artistic excellence and historical impact through artworks, songs, and rappers.
Alvaro Barrington, They have They Can’t (2021) hessian (burlap) on aluminum frame, yarn, spray paint, concrete on cardboard, bandanas.
one of my favourite pieces of the day
Yvonne Osei, Extensions (2018) single-channel video (colour, sound, 8 min 4 sec, looped)
communicating a historical group identity
geography
a political form of self-presentation
Hair, length, braiding
braiding in historical context (within slavery on North American soil, the transatlantic slave trade etc)
weaving knotting
The sitter engages and poses for photos with passersby, verbally and nonverbally
being with the land of Ghana and the self-representation of
Devan Shimoyama, Cloud Break (2022) materials: Timberland boots rhinestone, silk flowers, epoxy resin, chain. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta Gallery
an intriguing take on portraiture (by a queer black artist!)
The Power Plant (Feat Lap-See Lam, Floating Sea Palace, 2024)
Lam draws on the folklore tale of Lo Ting, a mythical human-fish hybrid, who is believed to be the ancestor of the Hong Kong people.
Lo Ting longs to return to his former home Fragrant Harbour and appears to, unknowingly summon a dragon ship
The ship embodies the mistranslation inherent to experiences of dislocation, and the complexity of searching for belonging.
Lap-See Lam often draws on traditional storytelling form to create works
simultaneously reflecting on her own family history of migration from Hong Kong to Sweden, both to claim and complicate cultural heritage.
Other favourite pieces from the AGO
Left: Guido Molinari, Multinoir (1962) acrylic on canvas. Gift from the McLean Foundation 1963 Middle: Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Jam life into death) 1988, photographic screenprint on vinyl Gift of Ydessa Hendeles, 1998 Right: Andy Warhol, Campbell’s Soup II (Tomato-Beef Noodle O’s) 1969, screenprint on paper, Gift of Morton and Carol Rapp, 2007
In the Thomson Collection of European Art we saw many pieces we’ve been looking at in Art History Italian Renassiece including a portable triptych altarpiece which was likely originally positioned in a bedroom say on a nightstand or dresser.
Video art project:
H/W Bridget Moser “My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists”
From the video
“… I want any type of feeling that will distract me from-”
In the dialogue Moser intentionally cuts herself off
This particular quote really hit me in the moment as I found myslef watching this video (and attempting to complete this post/assignemnt) as a way of distracting myself from just having a rather annoying email while attempting to still be productive in my day.
video/ art/ modern media/ social media as a distraction from the now
As a distraction of the now it could allude to the negligence of social and political issues as they come across the news, social media platforms, and discussions where a person avoids the topic at hand
Indulging in human pleasures in multiple forms to distract in individual
The couch → couch potato
Is braiding spaghetti also a distraction from the now?
Does beans in glove on a skull statue another distraction or does it symbolise human touch and human intimacy?
Roses and hot dogs→as the artist/ performer runs the tips of her fingers over this alludes to sexual connections of human genitalia and stimulation
Again emphasizes human touch, intimacy, and false touch/stimulation
Touch which induces shame
“Does this look like some kind of joke to you?”
While demonstrating a classic yet phallic joke to the viewer
Appropriation of “modern art”
The minimalistic sort of HomeSense finds
“My intentions are literally always good”
Another performance of false human action/ belief
Insincerity
“What do you like about me?” → alluding to social media, accusatory
The colouring of the nails, clothing, background and props create a perfect cohesive colour palette which could invoke an idea of pleasantness of peace, yet the content is shown in rather absurdist and uncomfortable/ unconventional
The article review of “My Crops Are Dying” highlights a culture of privilege, […]. To those who enjoy the comforts and privileges that whiteness affords—open your eyes”. A sentiment expressed throughout the video in several iterations from white on white, protruding whiteness, and referring back to the white fragility and privilege.
White on white→ to be unseen and unheard
Poking and prodding at white privilege
A mask → a facade, the act of being someone else, social media presence, presenting flasity
“I don’t know what I’m feeling but I’m feeling something”
Maybe I’m the problem I’m trying to solve
The human body, the physical and the metaphysical
Highlighting a culture of white privilage
In the article, the author states: “some of these odd visual comforts might recede after one has plumbed the video’s depths, the absurdity remains”. Some of these moments are best represented by the taking of and reconsidering tropes of internet culture.
Slime moment/ oddly satisfying
Appropriating or directly using internet culture
Slime or shaving cream or food items moving or being molded in a certain way to present a visually appealing or oddly satisfying outcome
A search for “a dopamine hit”
The crocs also present a modern internet culture moment, once seen as ugly (And unsupportive shoe) the croc is now a regularly and unironically worn shoe
Appropriating food videos
The creation of food as aesthically pleasing as a mouth watering image is ruined by loonies and fabric softener
The otherwise visually appealing set up of the backdrop, dishes, cutlery, and other food and drink items in the foreground
The La Mer cream being spread on bread→that particular cream probably cost around 100 cad the idea of beauty products and food both being expensive and desirable commified goods
White on white→ presenting the idea of whiteness as commity or as desirable. White fragility, whiteness, white white white.
VIDEO ART
the idea of The Golden Girls being able to talk about issues about the lgbtq community and having a fan base that is made up of queer people/ homosexual men
consuming queer media/ podcast
the contextualization of classic sitcoms in today’s age.
To start off I have a step dad, my bio dad was a complete and utter asshole, I’m surprised he isn’t behind bars. My step dad is lovely, I consider him my real father, however one person has been with me since day one and that would be my mom. This assignment revolved around her and myself and our bond with each other, she is my person, she has supported my decision with everything since day 1, that includes this profession. Love you mom.
I thought it would be fun to take her to a rage room, reasons being if you’ve ever seen her mad and or just driving. we have comments back and forth about wanting to hit something or someone just because how stupid people can be, some comments also refer to the water in our area like “what is in the water, did everyone drink it today and become incompetent!?”. On top of that the topic of a rage room has come up many times. when getting this assignment I called her and asked “wanna go to a rage room? great? we have a reason to go now!” when I got home to do this assignment I found out that half my family and my moms childhood friend would be joining us. This made it difficult until I found out that there was 2 rooms in a technical sense, my brother and step dad were in room 1 and myself, my mom and her friend were in room 2. We each got a crate of breakable items but for the video I bought an extra item, being an electronic for my mom and myself. My mom and myself are in many ways similar, sometimes in a scary way, this was just another interest of ours that we got to do and an experience that we got to share together.
This was extremely therapeutic and my mom says so in the video. We had to much fun and honestly wished we had more crates so then we didn’t have to leave right away. In the end I got a small clip of everyone walking across the screen, they were supposed to stay in frame but that’s a small conversation that can also be heard. When getting in the car I made the comment about us needing to make this a family tradition, maybe sometime around Thanksgiving or Christmas, my mom loved that idea and I can’t wait to go back.
Side note: we wen’t to a bar after and got drinks, not my bother, he was left at home.
people involved: My mother, Aaron | My step dad, Jay | My moms friend, Sabrina | My brother, Jaxon | Myself.
music in the background consisted of Grandson, Joost Klein and ______
A.G.O/ Power Plant Trip
In the first part at the A.G.O I looked into (enter gallery name here) I loved the visual elements that it gave and in was very immersive. The only thing I found hard was the audio, I know it’s a part of the installation itself, however, personally I couldn’t take the audio. Not that I didn’t like it, it was interesting.
The second part of the A.G.O was more favourited than the first part, I loved the colour, all the visuals, with texture, the sculptural elements, mixed media, the audio rooms, ext.
(put more info here please)
when arriving at the Power Plant, I wasn’t expecting the immersive installations with colour and sound that I was about to walk into. The first one I visited was (name here) and that was my favourite out of the 2, the dark ambiance with the accents of multiple colours and shapes… continue
lastly my upmost favorite part of the trip: As much as I loved seeing everything at the AGO, seeing as it being my first time there. I found these piece’s and other’s like them to be my favorite part of the trip and out of all the art work we got to see. I felt at home in these areas, calm, and really happy. I didn’t go to picture crazy because there are so many of these on the internet, but I wanted to commemorate the firsts, the first Rembrandt, Monet, Picasso, etc. I was so close to tears.
video Assignment #1
Title: Internal
Edit: I took the advise from crit and took out the audio and replaced it with subtitles, I don’t know why it isn’t popping up.
This is my stolen video art.
For my video I went with a “day in the life” video genre, however its just a few minutes in the mind of someone that has ADHD. I wanted something to show to people what can really be happening in ones mind and that ADHD isn’t all on the outside, it never is. This video is meant to reach people who don’t have ADHD, but it doesn’t mean it’s targeted for them to be the ones to understand what is happening. The people targeted for understanding is other people with ADHD/someone that might know another. This may not pertain to everyone with ADHD, but it will reach a good amount.
The idea for this came about when I didn’t fully understand what the project was supposed to be and when talking with Diane, she said something that made my mind jump to “All videos are like a representation of our own minds” however I have ADHD, I thought it be funny to make the video and the intention was to have it be lighthearted. In the middle of editing I opted on doing a voice over and make it a 50/50 in laughter and sadness. I also wanted the voice over audio to be a bit worn and not top notch for it to represent it coming from my mind, it is not clear and shouldn’t be as such. I enjoy the end result of the voice and think of it as myself stuck in my head, maybe in a glass bubble or metal box just trying to pick a fight.
This would be my very first exceptionally personal Art-Piece. Growing up not knowing I had ADHD didn’t help with school and other things in my life. At some point I genuinely thought that I was lazy and was going to have nothing in life, many situations left people in the same thought process. I want people to see what might be going on in the mind. Someone might look like they don’t care or want to do the task, but they might just be fighting with themselves internally to do the most simple thing, standing.
NOTE: The video is not coherent, it is supposed to be a mess.
These 3 videos would be my inspiration for my ADHD video.
“depend on the feminist” – put on a pro-life ad, pro-life clinic, politically relevant and asks the viewers to depend on the feminist for women’s rights
“praise and a kiss of death”
“meditation on vulnerability and dissimulation”
“safe and exposed positions” – a commentary on sexuality and intimate parts we share about ourselves
“I am not bound to them” – talking about personal traumas, the location reflects that and gives the viewer an insight into my trauma. I am not bound to the individuals who have caused me trauma
“conspicuous individuality” – put in front of a mirror, a comment on how we are all unique and have individualities that are recognizable to others but not to us – hence the mirror asking the individual to look at it and ponder their individualities and things that make them unique
Conspicuous Individuality
The phrase I chose from the reading Dirty Words: Tammer-El-Sheikh, from Canadian Art, was “Conspicuous Individuality.” This phrase stuck out to me because I enjoyed the sound of it, it wasn’t until I brainstormed a deeper meaning behind it that I selected it as my piece for my banner. The word conspicuous means something obvious or that stands out, so I wanted to look at features about ourselves that make us unique and individual. Nowadays I find we are so wrapped up with social media and comparing ourselves to the cookie-cutter ideal person society wants us to be. We may not notice unique features we possess that make us who we are or point them out as bad. The phrase “Conspicuous Individuality” combined with the placement of the banner, intends to get the reader to step back and think about the obvious and beautiful individualities that make them who they are. So long we spend in front of mirrors perfecting our appearance, but what if we just stood there noting all of the things that make us unique that we may not notice but others do? That’s exactly what I aim for the banner to beg of the viewer.
The banner right after being complete.
In making the banner, I cut unique shapes out of foil paper, ensuring each shape is different. As our individualities are unique, so are the shapes of paper. The choice of material was made to resemble a mirror, echoing the calling for looking at oneself. The warped and wavy shapes and fonts that make up the banner are intended to represent a warped sense of self, as many of us experience for numerous reasons, especially social media as I mentioned.
Internet Commentary Video
Analog horror videos – indie-made horror content in short-form videos, a huge trend on YouTube in and out of the horror community
Drama videos – an exposé of sorts
Video essays – more consumable forms of information
Analog horror video
Inspirations: Mandela Catalogue, the Backrooms, FNAF VHS, The Walton Files, Local 58, Gemini Home Entertainment
Main idea: Use horror media to showcase real-time and present horrors
Documents the current horrors of the world in the present time – the USA is currently experiencing several historical moments
Showing things we are experiencing in real-time, in real life (a lot of news content with what’s happening with Human rights right now, especially in the States)
Often with the constant news that someone’s rights have been revoked, one becomes desensitized to it all, it’s the only way for some people to survive day-to-day.
I want to make viewers uncomfortable, and scared, how I feel when I think about the uncertain future of LGBTQIA+ people
Heavily will rely on visual and audio effects to make normal videos seem horrific
The analog horror genre normally relies on self-made or distorted images/videos/models to get their niche ideas across, my artistic twist is sourcing everyday things we see on the news and online
Open to the “breaking news” and announcement of crash, static overtop, distortion and black screen. distortion, footage of inside plan, flashes of black and maybe red to make it scary, “we’re going down” or something similar playing overtop. explosion. flatline sound or ringing opening into Trump’s initial mention of the plane crash.
My banner is called Critique of Minimalism. My banner is a statement on the commerciality of minimalism, pointing out how minimalism has been used by many brands to sell products to consumers and trick them with pops of colour and fun fonts. Minimalism has begun to make all brands look dull and the same because minimalism simplifies artistic integrity. In response I went to my local Metro and put up this banner in front of the cereal section, I chose the cereal section as a metaphor for spoon feeding capitalism. I also chose to make the banner and the photo itself maximalist to further express my frustration with minimalism, as the minimalist brands melt into each other as they fill the photo with detail.
Ludonarrative dissonance: When the narrative and the gameplay contradict each other. Critiquing how a video game might completely ignore the violence in its own game and end up contradicting itself. Also shouting out games that subvert Ludonarrative dissonance.
The Good Kid M.A.A.D City piece in the AGO really struck me as it takes the album and enhances the story by showing the songs stories and messages visually. The visuals shown are all of Compton as the videos and music paint a portrait of systematic racism and poverty. I really liked how well the video piece went along with the album as the album itself plays out as a film. Especially the blend of newer and older pieces from Compton and Kendricks career like the Compton Courthouse being shown from the Not Like Us video by Kendrick Lamar.The Good Kid M.A.A.D City piece in the AGO really struck me as it takes the album and enhances the story by showing the songs stories and messages visually. The visuals shown are all of Compton as the videos and music paint a portrait of systematic racism and poverty. I really liked how well the video piece went along with the album as the album itself plays out as a film. Especially the blend of newer and older pieces from Compton and Kendricks career like the Compton Courthouse being shown from the Not Like Us video by Kendrick Lamar.
Neil Postman:Amusing Ourselves to Death
Today technology surrounds us everywhere. Our everyday life has been completely consumed by devices, weather it be our phone going with us to meet friends, watching TV, or doing homework on a laptop, in today’s climate we are surrounded by an ecosystem of metal and software. This writing predicts the outcome of a human world consumed by screens as it plainly explains in its title Amusing Ourselves to Death.
This information cycle has caused humanity to flatten the value of information as they are strung together in an incoherent and almost psychotic fashion. A rape of a women being reported cheerfully by an announcer, followed by Janet Jackson’s nip slip on live television and a Coors Lite commercial. This has also sprung a phenomenon of television in a way raising the youth, many college kids would feel attacked by the books thoughts on television, feeling as if they have to defend their “culture” or “parents”.
It becomes impossible to properly digest and breakdown information and stories shown in the news cycle because of how quickly this cycle moves and how it gives no room for intellectual conversation or thought. It becomes impossible to possibly deconstruct and understand a topic especially one with sensitive or political material, instead we get drivel that is posted throughout socials and the news until it moves to the next story. Perpetually putting the internet in a cycle of misinformation and misinterpretation, where being correct is not important but posting first is.
This book is extremely accurate and has a lot to talk about in todays climate, and as time goes on I believe this writing will only become more and more relevant as humanity dives deeper into our own amusement and finally be the death of us.
Spider-Man
Spiderman is playing his new game Spiderman PS4, as he becomes more and more frustrated defending the actions of his in game self. This video highlights youtube let’s play and twitch culture while also pointing out the ludonarrative dissonance present in many video games throughout time. Spiderman is supposed to be a non violent hero who doesn’t kill or brutally injure his enemies, although throughout the game Spiderman is shown to continually beat up and harm the people he fights and the game itself is littered with explosions and death. Spiderman as a content creator Spiderman has very little emotion, instead he ends up flattening the meaning of everything in front of him as he become nulled to the violence and dialogue around him. Begging for subscribers and likes while the screen is extremely concluded with different gameplay screens and chats. This is a spoof on the lets play and streaming culture that has become heavily intwined with video game culture.
I was raised by tv:
When my family first moved to Canada I was very very young (around 1 or 2 years old) and as a response to this new world around me I would look to the television. To a young me television was the closest thing I had to real North American culture (or so I thought). Many of the lessons I learned were ones stated to me by television in a very unhealthy manner. This project stitches together harmful messages or beliefs that the television advocated for while paralleling it with zombie people staring endlessly and eating up these messages (like a young sponge taking in everything around them). Don’t get to close to the tv, it will make you cruel. A sentence that in my mind perfectly describes what happens to young minds when ingesting this black tar and how it will change you and make you a meaner person.
MFA:
Neil Postman:
Aldous Huxley is an english writer and philosopher who wrote Brave New World where he imagined a frightening dystopian future not too far from our own
One where people are distracted by superficial quick pleasure like drugs and entertainment, while forgetting what is important and real
He argued that capitalism and this society we harboured is one that controls people through instant pleasure, happiness, and diversions
Neil Postman agreed with Huxley in his thoughts about entertainment and control, but he focused primarily on the media and especially television
He argued that television would be used to distract and entertain. That politics, laws, and news would become more a form of entertainment than anything else
Introduction
Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.
This quote encapsulates what Huxley feared
A society that is controlled not by repression or fear, but by indulgence in shallow pleasures and distractions
The television and media that we consume and love to consume is our downfall, we are so attached to our screens that we never think to stop and… think
Critical thinking has dissolved as the media evolved to become quicker and the news cycles become shorter and shorter
Chapter 1
The problem is not that we are being controlled, but that we are being entertained to death.
This stands as the world state’s motto and the values held by this dystopian society that Neil predicted
Control is achieved through keeping people isolated and distracted on their phones and the news
Control through dopamine
When politics and entertainment become one in the same, it’s not that the books are censored which is a concern
The concern is that nobody will want to read any intellectual books
My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists – Bridget Moser:
In My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists by Bridget Moser, the author explores the contrasts between physical decay and inner resilience. Using the metaphor of dying crops, Moser reflects on personal struggles and the endurance of the human body in the face of adversity. The piece highlights how external circumstances can deteriorate and slowly whittle away at the will to survive. Although the need to live will persist, it remains strong. It delves into themes of vulnerability, personal growth, and the tension between hardship and the strength to carry on despite it all. Even when it’s time to give up hope and let go, they stay and fight through and through until the dark and bitter end.
Tattoos:
Mark Zuckerberg’s Watch was the first tattoo I made, this tattoo is the exact replica of Mark Zuckerberg’s NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR watch that he wore at his Meta connect conference. For mark the FP Journe Centigraphe Sport (his watch) is not for telling time nor is it for any other functional use. It’s mainly because it looks nice and pretty on his rist. Like a hellenist king making decorated arches for the purpose of flaunting their wealth. If he can wear a watch on his rist for no reason then so can I! This way we can all be Mark Zuckerberg with our nice watches that arent meant to actually tell you the time (: This tattoo basically serves the same function as Mark’s watch… To look nice!
Stickman Tattoo was the second tattoo I made, the tattoo goes on your two front figures and now you can have a little stickman with you at all times. The stickman is a representation of community, eternally saying hello and greeting old and new members alike. When multiple people have a stickman they become a community. This tattoo advertises the importance of community and unity in a world so divided.
PacMan Tattoo was the last tattoo I made, pac man is on multiple arms and serves as the protagonist in the middle of their own adventure. When you see a pac man on your arm or someone else’s it is a pac man on their journey through life.
The idea I have is creating tattoos of the Minecraft poem as a nostalgia piece. The End Poem appears on the players screen at the end of beating the final boss, the dragon, in Minecraft. In one of my culture and technology classes we are looking at nostalgia and hauntology, a concept by Mark Fisher regarding the phenomenon of longing for the past and an unfulfilled promise of a good future. Nostalgia is so prominent while living in unprecedented times and looking back on “better” times, such as childhood, is not only desired but preferred. Using the Minecraft poem as a medium allows for the exploration of digital archives to be integrated into artwork. I think for a lot of people in my generation, Minecraft holds so many memories and this idea of hauntology. Companies profit off this with commodification of Minecraft and things like the Minecracft movie (which looks terrible but will receive popularity anyways due to nostalgic associations). Merchandise will be made, money will be regrettably forked over. Companies will profit over hauntology and this longing.
Printing the Minecraft poem as a one-time tattoo with each line only being tattooable only once will resists the commodification of nostalgia, as the lines of the poem will only be appreciated once rather than mass producing one line many times. There is a sweet feeling from the words of the poem and the context of a video game so many people have grown to know and love. Appreciating the game as an art form allows for it to be understood under a different context rather than for the purposes of capitalism.
For my parents video I used old footage of my brother and I, recorded by my mom, that my dad helped me find over a Facetime callr. He has a lot of old family videos saved and as we went through them he emailed me the ones I thought could be of use for my project. Unfortunately, most of the files could only be played on Windows operating systems, and I would have had to either convert the files or use Resolve on my own computer. However one video, the one of my brother and I spinning, miraculously worked. After discussing with Diane my project ideas, I figured that if this was the only video file that worked, it must be for a reason. I spent careful time editing the loop video and setting up the tv’s for the Juried Art Show with the very generous help of Nathan. I had a lot of fun with this project and am very pleased with how it turned out. My parents and brother even came to see it in the show.
I think that this video means a lot under the pretense of parenthood. Not only is it a reflection of time but a reflection of the love my parents have for each other. My parents have made a great effort to ensure closeness between my brother and I. My dad is very proud of the sentiments he hears from friends and family about my relationship with my brother. He doesn’t boast, but I know it makes him very happy. Its nice to know that through anything in life I will have my brother with me. The sweetness of the moment of my brother and I, happy, as kids, lasts forever in the video loop. Theres something beautiful about the digitization and looping of footage that will eventually, run out of power, if it persisted through time, just as we will grow up and grow old. The laughter is almost sickeningly sweet as the repetition over and over only lets you listen for so long before your heart aches. Videos don’t last for ever, and moments with kids are very fleeting, especially as parents say, your children grow up right before your eyes. I’m not a parent, and I don’t know if ill ever be, but the looping video gives me a bit of a glimpse into the longing for sweet memories.
March 05- parents video planning
A L E X song in background
found footage of videos on my dads computer
(are we really separate)
video call, showing how to do something
make parents read brainrot
photos with voiceover
talk about pieces in the house
redoing dads videos for work
videos about singing, videos of me and my brother
“how is it that we talk and talk without saying what we really want”
Feb 26- bridget moser video
After reading the article by Lau and watching Moser’s video, I was able to see the work as an incredibly personal yet universal, uncanny, and poetic portrayal of living at home during the pandemic. Although eerie and lack of literal meaning, there was some sense of understanding. Particularly, the scenes of her body contorting on the couch, almost as if she was trying to fulfill the impossible task of getting up, and the scene of her buttering bread with facial cream.
I think that the reference to mass consumption in Moser’s video is very prevalent as a theme. In the article, Lau points out ” [the] tableaux of consumerist, bourgeois junk—such as a rose-gold makeup mirror, white and gilt decorative ceramic objects, and a bottle of pink Himalayan salt—parodies displays of ‘haute’ consumerist taste”, which are some examples of common trends in beauty products and décor. The usage of tapestries in the video, such as the sausage fingers and the anatomy body suit are almost seen as advertisement-like, as she observes them before she wears them herself.
The colours she uses throughout the video reminded me of a recent trend called “clean girl aesthetic”, which was the idea that less is more, and beauty comes from a clean, polished, look. Practices such as minimalism, “no makeup-makeup” looks (which is the process of applying makeup to appear like you aren’t wearing any makeup), were quickly criticized as people online debated over conceptions of beauty and cleanliness. Seeing this in Moser’s video shows how almost unnatural the clean, tidy, meticulously curated lifestyle is imperfect.There is some visceral experience when watching the video, she adds depth to what would be incredibly flat scenes. A familiar feeling comes from the large empty rooms, being very reminiscent of the pandemic. Although there is a lot of discomfort in some scenes, such as the sausage fingers, the focus of each clip being so singular, and the length of the clips, allows for you to sit with your feelings as they arrive.
I think that allowing for people to think about their own experiences and see themself in such ambiguous footage gives opportunity for many interpretations. Especially because the audio is not necessarily directional or relational to the scenes themselves. Lau says, “While Moser’s work has been described as prop humor, it also fleshes out the relationship between comedy and sex through an exploration of objects with fetishistic appeal”. While I was watching the video, I could see some allusions to sex, but it wasn’t on the forefront of my mind. The scenes on the couch are similar to a well known meme about pornography and its scripted nature. Its interesting how after understanding there could be sexual connotations, I was able to see how differently the video could be interpreted. The delicate intricacies and her empty expressions kind of act as a foundation for people to find pieces of themselves in, whether its comfort, disgust, or shame.
Feb 07- recipe for brain nurturing
My internet video piece, titled recipe for brain nurturing, is a commentary on the current climate of social media trends and reoccurring meme formats. In recent years, media known as “brainrot” swept the internet, including perpetual images of un-educational, useless, dry-humored memes. Through this trend, emerged “hopecore”. These media formats include the font Papyrus and filter Rio de Janiero, both having oversaturated, angelic effects. Hopecore memes and posts rejected and critiqued the vast, endless abundance of terribly strange, absurd, and oftentimes annoyance of brain rot content. My video, recipe for brain nurturing, showcases the hilarious media that has gained popularity from this genre. The video’s length also goes against the norm to cater to short attention spans, feeding to the pre-existent depth and emotionality behind the satirical, comedic memes. The ways online culture has dealt with unprecedented times has changed over the years, and by navigating through an era of media that literally, rots your brain, we have created a beautifully ridiculous genre of hopeful, whimsical memes. Showcasing how this ties in with real topics and discussions of life and happiness, highlights the importance of “hopecore” as a means of finding the good in everything.
I think that Fowler’s work was a complete masterpiece in terms of cultural relevance and execution. There in an immense attention to detail from the steering wheels inside the shoes to the way the laces thread. I really aspire to have a creative eye like this work demonstrates; being able to see connections between life and art and material objects is something I aspire to do. Mixed media sculpture is very interesting to have displayed in galleries but I think the use of objects that have a different purpose, such as these autobody parts, has a shock factor that goes beyond what people see on their own. I think that Fowlers work not only holds an important place in the Culture exhibit, but as a piece that radiates creative inspiration. Seeing this piece made me want to create art, to get my hands dirty, to bend and reconstruct materials through my own eyes. Placing this in the centre of one of the many exhibit rooms made it stand out as a piece of time in humans history and the impact on brand culture.
Sarindar Dhaliwal, Indian Billboard (2000)
I was really sad about missing Dhaliwal’s exhibit, When I grow up I want to be a namer of paint colours at the AGO, because of how much I loved the title of the exhibition. It spoke to me so closely and gently, and so when I found that a few of her pieces remained on display I was elated. This piece was so bright and colourful and beautiful to see in person compared to the pictures I had seen on their website. Uncovering every detail the longer you look is what makes it such a beautiful piece. This piece also provided me with inspiration to create new works that can sing as beautifully as it does. I often work with collage materials and so being someone that notices many different things at once, it was beautiful to see this work in such a large scale and masterful technique. I think that the AGO holds many amazing historical works which are always fascinating to look at and learn about, and works that hold place for deep, narrative experiences which are crucial to be viewed in a gallery setting, but every now and then it’s interesting to stumble upon a piece that you can see parts of yourself as an artist in.
Jan 22 – Amusing ourselves to death
Postmans ideas are definitely relevant to todays age of media consumption. I think its really interesting how he can view television from a completely external lens, not only as a consumer but as an observer. He manages to discuss many ways how profit and production are everyones top priority when it comes to television and how not looking at it from that standpoint is very detrimental to ones perception and intake on information. I also really enjoyed reading Postmans son’s Introduction and found his perspective really interesting because he accounts for time being very critical of the piece but also its transection being crucial to acknowledge especially from younger generations. Some quotes I really liked and highlighted from the text I placed below,
When Postmans son discusses criticism and the views of television being a very important and fundamental part of many newer generations lives, it reminded of a podcast I recently listened to with Duncan Trussell and Pendleton Ward. They talked about animation and television and how so much of whats being released is “garbage” content and merely produced for immediate entertainment and pleasure, yet still, there are cases where beautiful, thought provoking, intelligent, art pieces of media are released into the sea of hellish content and have the capability to bring enlightenment, and intellectual prosperity to an audience (in this case, discussing Ward’s show, Adventure Time). I think this is a very solid argument against Postmans beliefs especially because of how much television has become so influential on culture and livelihood that its bound to fall into the hands of very talented people. Postmans quote about IQ and intelligence being categorized and numericized is very relevant in the discussion of social constructions, which we discussed in another course I am in, Data and Difference. Knowing how much people are fir into categories and labelled and how it has become such a necessity and habitual process where in reality there is not much real humane truth behind any of it. Similar to video culture itself, where its so innate to consume and believe and watch when a screen is turned on even if we know what we are consuming is rooted in falsehoods. Postmans sons quote about consumerism and the flow of media becoming incoherent and psychotic is incredibly relevant today as well as the work we are looking at in class and the criticism of dramatizing menial information and the “flattening” of emotionality. The ability to recognize ourselves falling into these patterns of consumption is important but inherently, changes how we view all media, even if it is approached through an aesthetic, artistic eye. If everything is marketable then how are we expected to watch traumatic news reports or absorb any information when so much of it is false? How can we consume when we are only marketed towards as a profitable source? Things haven’t changed since the introduction was written. Its hard to imagine ways of turning back from what has existed for so long.
Additional quotes I saved:
Jan 20 – Project Planning
Idea 3: Creating a “affirmations” video
Idea 2: Using windows 96 to explore old meme culture
I chose the quote “safe and exposed” because I like to believe that people could find their own interpretation in the intimacy. Often, only under the most safest conditions do we feel the freedom to be ourselves. Feeling exposed typically holds a negative connotation where safe usually is seen as the opposite, and so together they could be a variety of juxtaposing settings or personal experiences. Relationships with people are often safe and exposing, becoming used to the comfort of another person. Being at home or in the shower lends the privacy of closed doors and walls as safety, safety to be alone, completely unfiltered and exposed to ones most private thoughts or actions. The safety of friendship or a familiar face allowing you to laugh the most naturally. “Safe and exposed” becomes a statement as a state of feeling rather than an observation or question. I thought that choosing bright colours would oppose the quote’s dramatic and ambiguous understanding. Bringing reminiscence of childhood and a playful, toy-like banner I hoped would allow for comfort in the piece in a home setting. Given the opportunity to remake this project I would use thicker markers to stand out on the paper or maybe even a larger banner style.
This experimental video is about my father’s scattered legacy. It is told through the voices of his children and snapshots of spaces and memories. It centers on a man whose presence was defined as much by his absences as his moments of connection.
Throughout the video, fragmented memories abruptly cut in and out between blackness and various landscapes. His ringtone begins to be heard at the end of the video, a sound that, for many of us, symbolizes his sporadic appearances in our lives. Scenes of movement—through Portland, Jamaica- mirror how my father moved through our lives: at times present, but never fully.
Each sibling’s voice carries a different piece of him, whether it’s a moment of joy, a gesture of care that arrived too late, or the silence where a father should have been. Few memories are tender, but most are weighted with disappointment, and some, like my brother’s unfinished paintings, speak to what was never fully realized.
This work is not just about one man but about the generational ripple effects of absence, fractured fatherhood, and love that exists despite everything. It is about what remains in the absences – stories, places, unanswered questions, and the phone ringing that he may or may not pick up.
Fragmented Frames
Process:
When making this video, I aimed to piece together scattered places, conversations, and memories of my father. I reached out to all of my siblings to ask about their experiences with our father. Some chose to share, and others decided not to, which I completely understand and respect.
A few siblings responded to me via voice notes that I used in the final video; one brother chose not to speak about him, and one brother, though he decided not to speak, sent me an audio clip of our father’s ringtone, which I ended up incorporating into the final edit.
As I heard my siblings speak, I recounted the stories, some of which I knew before and others I heard for the first time. When I reached out to my brother, who lives in Vancouver, he told me about the one time he met our dad when he was 8. They played soccer together. Our dad told him soccer was his favourite sport, so my brother played for the next ten years—because that was the only thing he had to hold onto. That story stuck with me, so I had my son, Zion, reenact the soccer scene.
My sibling, Nicci, helped with the practical process of doing this project by allowing me to locate the exact location where our brother Ian was shot and killed by the Toronto police during a mental health crisis. Being there in person for the first time and acknowledging the weight of how much Ian trusted our father despite never truly being around it was incredibly painful and instrumental in setting the tone and intention for the project.
I had hoped to use footage and audio, all sourced from my siblings, but was unfortunately unable to coordinate with my 12-year-old brother for the shots I was hoping to have in Jamaica, so I ended up using footage I found on YouTube of someone driving through the parish my father lives in. This ended up working well with the overall themes of movement, distances and location.
For other shots, I was able to travel to myself, such as McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, where my brother Cory was admitted when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour at age 16. This was an important location for me to include as it was a stark example of our father’s inability to show up for his child.
Coupled with the voices of my siblings heard in the video, the images stitch together a portrait of who our father was and is to us.
Bridget Moser, My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists, 2020
Throughout the video, imagery like the scene where the high-heeled white mannequin’s foot is inserted into the Crocs, pushing what appears to be whipped cream through its holes, is reminiscent of “oddly satisfying” videos where items are crushed, squeezed or destroyed and filmed. The imagery here produced a similar effect. The amplified sound effects of the movement of the props are also reminiscent of ASMR videos, where sound is purposefully amplified.
Her colour choices all seem muted, and after reading Charlene Lau, I see how this is likely an intentional choice referencing Moser’s complexion as a White woman. The glove filled with raw meat reminds me of the term “meat sac,” sometimes used to reference humans. The face mask she initially places over the sculpture of a bust, then herself, the notion of individuality, pretending to be someone you’re not or an interchangeable identity.
This video was interesting but also equally unsettling and uncomfortable to watch. I found the scene of the meat sac hand rubbing the skull with the background of cinematic music to be particularly absurd and difficult to attach meaning to. Lau states that “the sequence is pleasurable and calming to watch,” which I would have to disagree with. Although some scenes could have been arguably described as meditative, perhaps, such as the braiding of the spaghetti hair, I found the effect less calming and more unsettling.
The themes that stuck out the most were a general sense of distaste for one’s own identity and behaviours and a redundancy in continuing in the activities that bring this dread. She has a longing for a sort of intimacy or an exploration of desire when seen rubbing the hot dog bouquet. She then turns to leave and appears to have moments of self-reflection as she looks to the palm of her hand. She abruptly returns to the hanging hotdog banner despite appearing increasingly perturbed upon each return, as if she cannot help or control herself.
Other moments hint towards a longing for intimacy when seen caressing the furniture and through various phallus imagery and gestures that insinuate penetrative intercourse. Lau notes this theme in her commentary: “Even before the coronavirus whisked away touch, intimacy and real connection eluded so many.”
The themes surrounding Whiteness found throughout the work were seen through the use of colour and pale hues throughout the piece and voice-over. There is a common tendency, after being called out as racist, for the perpetrator to defensively retort that it was never their intention to cause harm. The phrase, “My intentions are literally always good” reflects this deflection.
When calls are made to remove a Black person from a space or report an activity, it is often under the guise of safety, whereas here, there is honesty in that the concern is raised less so for safety concerns and more so for one’s comfort. She is honest when she says, “I would like to feel safe and when I say safe, what I mean is comfortable.” At the same time, there is seemingly a shift towards moments of self-reflection: “Maybe I’m the problem I am trying to solve.” However, it is clouded by echoing sentiments of deflection, guilt and inaction to move out of this. The automated voice also comments, “The antidote to guilt is action.”
The absurdity in her works makes it uncomfortable to watch. Just as it is painful to watch the absurdity in the behaviours operating within a realm of White fragility. The first time we see a change in expression is when Moser sees the muscle suit filled with packing, sprawled with packing peanuts, falling out like a bleeding corpse on the ground. She removes her white clothing, revealing the same muscle suit as she performs an impassioned dance. Whether this performance refers to acknowledging the human under or underneath her skin, she is just the same as the “corpse” on the ground; the absurdity and theatrical nature remain, as Lau says the work is “embarrassing to watch.” The revelation of one’s privilege only entering a space of understanding after a tragic event such as a death, if that was the intended portrayal, moving into acceptance is an embarrassing journey to take part in.
Post-Internet Video Art
For this project, we focused on apology videos found online. After studying and watching several of these videos, we discovered that many, if not all, seem to follow a similar pattern or formula. The videos often begin with a seemingly genuine desire to take accountability for whatever they’ve come online to apologize for. But as the video progresses, their tone shifts back and forth between apologizing and attempting to minimize or excuse their actions.
Similarities between the various apology videos found online became even more evident when we spliced and stitched them together in the final version of our video. The most abundant category we found cross-overs was an overwhelming sense of self-victimization, as they shared personal information and context where the individual would position themselves in a state of vulnerability or apparent ignorance at the time. This would often segway into defensiveness where they passionately refute claims against themselves, stating things like, “This is not who I am” or “This is not true,” and then circle back into more excuses, sometimes with tears, ending with the assertion that they have full intentions to do better in the future and are committed to learning and growing from their mistakes. Undertones of ingenuity are evident as the statements are repeated and rephrased with the same underlying message, sometimes by the same influencer later in life.
Bringing all these videos together situates the singular voice of the ‘apologizer’ into a continuous thread of pleading and crying into the void of the internet. It pleads with the entity responsible for resurfacing these past actions to forgive and forget their shortcomings. Despite the apparent effort to reconcile with the internet and denounce their previous racist, predatory and exploitative behaviours, their actions will unfortunately be forever attached to their names. The final video reflects the broader themes of self-preservation, the permanence of the internet, and the performative nature of online apology videos.
Final: Post-Internet / Apology Video
Examples of Apology Videos / Brainstorming
For this project we are going to focus on the phenomenon of celebrities and influencers posting public apology videos online. Often presented as a way to “take accountability” they often come off as insincere. The controversy prompting public apology videos online is often a last ditch effort to preserve their careers and social status after their alleged wrongdoing has come to light.
Repetitive tropes and phrases can often be found in these videos.
“Setting the record straight”
“Taking accountability”
“I do not condone this”
The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century
ARTIST: John Edmonds TITLE: “Ascent” MEDIUM Inkjet print on silk
One work that immediately caught my attention was John Edmonds’ photograph titled “Ascent.”
The subject of this work includes the upper torso of a figure with its back facing the viewer. The figure is wearing a white du-rag and white fur over their shoulders. This photograph, printed onto silk, projects slightly off the wall it is mounted on, causing the material to flutter and slightly distort with each passing movement.
Often, but not always, worn by men as a protective covering for afro-textured hair, the durag insinuates a masculine figure. Though the figure’s identity is withheld from us, given the context of the exhibit and the cultural understanding of the purpose of wearing a du-rag, it can also be deduced this figure is Black.
Using silk as the support for this photograph amplifies the themes of softness and delicacy. The silk also mirrors the actual materiality of a du-rag, which is often silk-like or satin.
The visual and physical softness and delicateness of this piece operate in direct opposition to negative stereotypes of Black masculinity, which is so often seen as aggressive and threatening.
Like the distortion that occurs with the movement of passing viewers, the inherent nature of Black masculinity is obscured as it continuously responds to the external influence of onlookers. This speaks to the potential internalization and embodiment of prevalent stereotypes of Black masculinity and the impact this can have on one’s true identity. In our present reality, where society does not always offer the space for vulnerable Black masculinity to prevail, this work actively rejects and instead celebrates this softness. It stands as a reminder that the stereotypes of Black masculinity are not inherent and is a call for ascension beyond these biases.
The stereotypes projected onto Black men exist well before they reach adulthood, which is why this work is particularly relevant to me as a mother to a Black boy. It is a reminder of how all Black men were once young Black boys. Like my son, they enter this world curious, seeking affection and with complete capacity to express all versions of themselves. The ability to remain and operate in this softness, as well as for the broader society to shift their perceptions of Black masculinity, is in need of nurturing and, when showcased, as in Edmonds’ work, in need of celebration.
ARTIST: Robert A. Pruitt TITLE: “For Whom the Bell Curves“ MEDIUM Twelve gold chains in thirteen lengths
This work consists of 12 gold chains affixed on the gallery wall, protected by glass. The accompanying text provides additional context, including a map of the common routes transporting enslaved Africans during the transatlantic slave trade.
For Whom the Bell Curves by Robert Pruitt uses gold, a symbol of wealth, to contextualize the historic and ongoing exploitation of people of African descent. The chains map out the displacement and movement of enslaved people brought to the Americas in bondage. Beyond standing alone as a visual representation, it also examines and critiques wealth accumulation and its implications.
This could be interpreted as a reclamation of the chains now worn to symbolize wealth by those historically oppressed. It could also be further analyzed to deepen our understanding of the ongoing legacy of slavery as several countries in Africa continue to be exploited for their resources, resulting in harm to their people and land.
Within the context of slavery, chains reference the shackles and bondage of stolen and enslaved Africans. Their forced labour was the foundation upon which their enslavers built their wealth. In hip-hop and Black popular culture, gold chains are often associated with status and excess. Positioned after the adornment section of the exhibition, this piece stands in immediate contrast.
Black popular culture, which encompasses various forms of expression such as music, fashion, and language, is often exploited, as artists are usually paid unfair wages, used as tropes in mainstream media, and ultimately profited off of. The success of many hip-hop artists often does not reflect the communities in which they come. The chains worn now may be of gold, but they are still worn where the success of some does not always reflect the community’s success.
The systems of oppression that operated during the trans-Atlantic slave trade continue to exist; they have now simply taken on a new form and those who seek to overcome this do so by operating within the same system that was inherently built against them.
This work is relevant to me as I reflect on the ongoing struggle of resistance and continue to question and interrogate the notion that oppression can genuinely be overcome within the same environment created as it continues to reinforce and operate in the ways it was initially designed. Pruitt’s work brings these types of conversations to a gallery space, making the audience an integral part of the critique and discourse.
The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery
ARTIST: Ron Terada TITLE: “JESUS GUNS BABIES” MEDIUM: Print
This piece was one that I almost missed. At first glance, it looks like a solid black print, but once you approach, bold uppercase lettering can be seen reading the words ” JESUS GUNS BABIES.”
Given the context of the current socio-political climate in the United States and the recent inauguration of President Donald Trump, I understood this piece as a reference to the rhetoric of right-wing politics, as Christian values, gun policies, and abortion seem to take precedence in these discussions.
The work’s darkness could represent the abyss of politics and the government under Trump. The inability to read what is being said could also speak to the failure to see any clear, coherent messaging amid all the rhetoric. The discussions surrounding religion are often used to reinforce arguments that assert that life begins at conception, which then is used as the basis for making abortions illegal or inaccessible. However, ironically, the passion for protecting their Second Amendment right to carry arms, coupled with school shootings, prevent children from growing into adults, thus ending their lives prematurely.
It is all-encompassing of a society that has become so muddled in its own messaging that it contradicts itself and essentially becomes an abyss of illegible arguments blurred into oblivion where, when standing back, all you can see is darkness as people continue to suffer.
This piece is relevant because it is a snapshot of our current world. Although we are under a different government, it is closely connected and influenced, and in a lot of ways, mirrors the United States. The practice of making art and using it as a means to a political end is relevant as it is one of the ways I hope my own art will be able to accomplish this.
ARTIST: June Clark TITLE:“Untitled” MEDIUM Photo etching, collage
This work was particularly fascinating to me. It is an artist’s multiple-piece displayed at the Power Plant’s entrance. Each work is a printed image of a young girl. I learned from the gallery’s website that this is a photograph of the artist herself. Alongside her portrait is text adhered to the support in a sort of scrapbook-like configuration. The text reads:
witness/n. [OE]
[wit-nis] noun
a person who has seen or can give first-hand evidence
a person serving as evidence
a person who testifies
I understand this piece as the artist asserting herself as the witness of her own life. Her presence on this earth is the physical evidence of her existence, and this alone gives her the authority to testify and tell her own story.
This work is relevant to my interest in exploring themes of identity. It allows me to reflect on my own sense of self. I witness the world around me and the moment I exist in and often wonder, if not me, who will testify to my existence? When thinking of my life, I think of the people I have allowed to see me in my various forms and who I have allowed to bear witness to me as I navigate the world.
This four-piece multiple allowed me to notice how seemingly small or less intricate works of art can cause us to take pause. I connect the themes of June Clark’s work when engaging with other artists’ work. The practice of using art to bear witness to others not only connects us to others but also informs our sense of self.
Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death
Summarization In the Forward of this 20th-anniversary edition, the author’s son, Neil Postman, situates the argument of Andrew Postman and reasserts the relevancy of his father’s work and how it continues to apply to our contemporary world is still relevant. He situates his father’s writing in the context of the 1985 world. In the Introduction and first chapter, Andrew Postman explains how technology has changed how we understand the world around us and communicate with others. Throughout the reading, there’s an underlying critique on how our preoccupation with constantly wanting to be entertained shifts us away from meaningful conversations about important issues.
“…the phenomenon whereby the reporting of a horrific event – a rape or a five-alarm fire or global warm – is followed immediately by the anchors cheerfully, exclaiming “Now ….this,” which segues into a story about Janet Jackson’s exposed nipple or a commercial for lite beer, creating a sequencing of information so random, so disparate in scale and value, ad to be incoherent, even psychotic.“ (Postman, 1985, p. xi)
This quote makes me reflect on the vast array of content on our social media feeds, where the algorithm shows funny and light content sprinkled with distressing images and news such as forest fires, genocide, or other humanitarian crises. The flipping back-and-forth between stand-up comedy, excerpts and viral TikTok dances to clips from war zones and dead children in Palestine is, as Postman says, “beyond incoherent and teeters towards psychotic” (Postman, 1985, p. xi). This almost certainly is detrimental to our collective psyche. We must compartmentalize what our screens present and become apathetic because engaging with all the content presented to us would be so overwhelming to our psyche that it would impede our ability to function correctly. Part of our brains must desensitize to exist in our digital world.
“People like ourselves may see nothing wonders in writing, but our anthropologists know how strange and magical it appears to a purely oral people – a conversation with no one and yet with everyone. Could be stranger than silence when encounters when addressing a question to a text? What could be more metaphysically puzzling than addressing an unseen audience, as every writer of books must do?” (Postman, 1985, p. 12)
This quote critiques how we don’t often consider the medium of written text and how it differs from oral speech. The nature of writing differs vastly from how we converse; because of this, so does the message. Therefore, conveying a message electronically differs in that it is a different mode of information sharing and the interpretation changes as a result of the medium change.
“’ The clock,’ Mumford has concluded, ‘is a piece of power machinery, whose ‘product’ is second and minutes.’ In manufacturing such a product, the clock has the effect of disassociating time from human events and this nourishes the belief in an independent world of mathematically measurable sequences. Moment to moment, it turns out it’s not God’s conception or nature’s. It’s man conversing with himself about and through a piece of machinery he created.” (Postman, 1985, p. 14)
This dialogue centred on the concept of the clock explores the commonplace understanding of our world and each other. It is an example of how our brains process and conceptualize through modes of our own making. We’ve collectively decided the terms and measurements that we widely acknowledge and use to process and understand our realities. Although they serve a function, they also shift us further from our innate ways of knowing that predate these forms of interpretation. By this same measure, when looking to the future, it is possible we will continue in this direction, shifting further away from our current modes and further into inventions of our own making, which can further skew our perception and understanding of reality.
Banners: “space that it claimed“
After brainstorming and trying out a couple of other ideas for this project, I finally settled on the phrase “space that it claimed.”
I initially wanted to place this banner on a fence in the school parking lot close to my home. Whenever I walk past, I notice a raised and warped area in the cement that appears to be getting larger each time. I assume it to be a tree that is now forcing its way through the cement. Unfortunately, the day I walked over to this area to hang up my banner, the parking lot was covered in snow and very hard to visualize.
I didn’t remember until later in the day I needed an alternative location for my banner. I vaguely remember seeing a tree growing out of a stump in Royal City Park back in the spring. I decided to see if I could find this tree, and because I still had the banner in the car, I hung it up and tried to take some photos. I soon realized that my phone was not equipped for quality nighttime photography, so I returned the following day with the banner to capture it in the daylight.
This tree could have been cut down due out of necessity due to illness or because it posed a hazard. Regardless, it reemerged, reasserting its place on the earth. It is a reminder of nature’s capacity to regenerate itself despite human interference and destruction. This banner in this location implies that the tree has agency in claiming its space.
Progress:
The initial phrase I had gravitated towards was “a recurring motif.” For this banner, I had planned to hang it up at a graffiti wall downtown Guelph. This space is continuously painted over white. However, graffiti art is repeatedly sprayed and stencilled over the white paint in an ongoing tug-of-war between the property owners and the various graffiti artists. The strong winds and my struggle to get the tape to adhere to the wall contributed to this idea not working out.
Another phrase I considered working with was “not the best.” I was first excited to use this phrase in an ironic location, but I also considered crumpling the banner, hanging it up and then photographing it alone or beside a celebratory or positive sign. I also considered using this banner to critique something, like a business that had unethical practices or did not make good products. Ultimately, I could not find a location that I was happy with.
Although I did not use this banner for the final image, I plan to keep it in my car and continue to passively look for a location to hang it up. I am sure I will find a space for it, but in the meantime, it will have to take up temporary residence at the end of this blog post, which is a reasonable place…just not the best.
At first, this statement doesn’t seem too troubling, but when you really think about it, the idea of endlessly smiling forever feels like a cruel fate. What made me connect deeply with this thought were moments involving people with depression or those facing death. It feels contradictory to the idea of smiling, which is supposed to represent happiness.
When someone dies, they’re left without emotion, stuck in the last feeling they experienced. This thought brought me to my older brother that passed away, I imagined him endlessly smiling. I plan to revisit his grave when I return home and retake this picture, placing the sign near his resting place.
Another moment that made me reflect on this statement was the effect of antidepressants. Although I’ve never experienced depression myself, I’ve lost loved ones and know people who are struggling with it. I’ve seen some become dependent on antidepressants, relying on them as their only way to feel happy.
The idea of “endlessly smiling” ultimately reveals itself to be more gruesome than it seems at first glance.
Toronto Trip
Video Assignment: PRIDE
Pride is often considered the deadliest of the seven deadly sins—a force that, while people may deny it, lies deep within us all. It begins innocently, as a sense of self-respect or accomplishment. But when taken to extremes, pride becomes destructive. It can morph into arrogance, stubbornness, and a dangerous sense of superiority, making it almost impossible to accept criticism or admit flaws. Sometimes, pride is all that remains. Let me paint a picture for you: imagine being beaten, oppressed, enslaved, and stripped of your humanity. You fight for freedom, but the world offers you only a diluted version of it. Every step forward is met with another push back, and you’re brought to your lowest point. When you have nothing else—no money, no love, no freedom—what else do you have left but your pride? Pride may be deadly, but in the end, it’s the only thing that keeps us human.
Visiting the Capstone and MFA Open Studios was a great experience that gave me a lot of insights on what this course and program would like it. As well as get to see in depth what each person’s individual interests and processes are. This was most fascinating to me especially since most studios involve a lot of each artist’s preparatory work and being able to talk to the artists allowed for very captivating conversations of on why they chose their subjects and their unique approaches.
Parents Video Assignment – Dear Mom & Dad
First attempt:
Second Attempt: Dear Mom & Dad
For my parents video, I decided to film my parents in a VHS style video playing like kids in the snow. At first, I wanted to use their performance to demonstrate how it’s important to stay youthful as you age and not take life so seriously. But upon watching the video I created, I discovered that this sequence was not only an odd playful video of 60 year olds acting like children, but also that I couldn’t recognize my parents anymore since this is not how I’ve known them. This brought up the reoccurring feeling of anger that I have had towards them for a while now. So, I decided to write a letter/poem about my anger towards them and wrote things that I wish I could talk to them about but know that I could never say. The choice to simply write my letter in a subtitle format throughout the video is to provide a contrast to the happy feeling of the video footage. I also chose to include the song “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher for an additional contrast of a happy loving song playing as the words from my letter are shown. I think it also adds more to this narrative due to the reality of Sonny and Cher’s relationship not being like this very popular loving song. Thus, even though I know my parents have loved and cared for me the best they can, the end result of this piece portrays how some may view my parents more like the happy video footage, but that hasn’t been the reality living as their daughter.
My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists by Bridget Moser Blog Post
To say the least, I perceived My Crops Are Dying But My Body Persists by Bridget Moser to be a very intriguing compilation that speaks on materiality, society and whiteness that has an emphasis of textures and humor.
What strikes me the most is the prominence of textures throughout the video. She uses objects and materials that all have very distinct textures that audiences would recognize. This lead me to understand the feelings she would’ve been feeling while interacting with the variety of materials, leading me to feel both uncomfortable and intrigued. Such as the braiding of cooked spaghetti, the (possibly) canned bean filled glove and the insertion of a mannequin’s foot into a shaving cream filled croc shoe. All of which are reminiscent of oddly satisfying compilations videos and calming role play ASMR videos.
I also found Moser’s inclusion of materialism in societies that white women particularly participate in to be done in a successfully comedic way. Specifically, the part she creates money cereal and spreads a ridiculously expensive facial cream onto white bread as if it were butter. Further, upon research I found that this “La Mer” cream that she uses retails from $145-$821 at select Sephora locations. So through these two performances, Moser demonstrates the ridiculousness of materialism in current society to use the most expensive beauty products in an extremely successful and humorous way.
Post Internet Video Art – Apology Video Culture as Performance Art
Our edited compilation final submission
For our Post Internet Video we wanted to explore the culture of apology videos made by internet personalities and specifically the performance aspect of them. Whenever someone with a platform either does something or has something from their past resurface that is incontrovertibly wrong, the oddly customary internet thing to do is to create an apology video addressing the allegations to try to convince their audience they are sorry or that they have changed. Although, there are many insincere commonalities within these videos that even further the act that these people put on to make their audience feel bad for them and take their side. Through our edited compilation, we wanted to demonstrate how these deceptive videos each follow an insincere performative template by grouping the clips that are part of the same category. This includes an intro describing how hard it has been for them, trying to play the victim, defensiveness for their actions, that they are going to take accountability, followed by ridiculous excuses, crying and finally how they are learning and growing.
Our first attempt: combination of a song and dance apology
Field Trip Blog Post
Sonia Boyce: Feeling Her Way
The first artwork that I was very drawn to was Feeling Her Way by Sonia Boyce in the AGO. The main interest to me was the expansive use of materials, such as the videos of the women improvising their singing, the auditory experience of their voices, the colourful geometric wallpaper, metallic sculptural elements that were reflective coming off the walls and used for stools, and the inclusion of the many displays of Boyce’s personal collection of analogue music media. Through the use of four Black female voices, the setting in the videos being the iconic Abbey Road Studios, and the inclusion of her archive being albums that involve British Black women, I learned the substantial extent of influence that British Black women have had in the music industry. Previously I was not aware of the large contributions made by this specific group of people to music. Of course I am aware of the large influence Black people have had in the music industry, but for the specific area of the UK I did not know British Black women made such a contribution. This is most likely because of the very white male singers and boy bands from the UK that have dominated the music industry from almost each decade. Such as from the 1960s Beatlemania, Oasis in the 90s and One Direction in the 2010s. So, as one who has been blinded by the white UK male music domination, I now understand that this is yet another example of Black voices being hidden but are getting the recognition they deserve through this Sonia Boyce piece.
Louise Noguchi: Crack
The second work I was very drawn to was Crack by Louise Noguchi at the AGO. This piece consists of a video projection with the audio being an eerie bird call throughout and the intermittently shocking crack of a whip. In the video, Noguchi holds a series of white flowers which includes the national flower of Japan, the chrysanthemum. Each flower is shown in a delicate and beautiful manner until the loud crack of a whip onto the flower caused them to explode. My takeaway from this work was that the building of suspense in video art successfully elicits engagement. This is because I found it very intriguing to view this serene seen continuously be built and then interrupted by the all encompassing unexpected crack of a whip that causes destruction to the flower and viewing environment.
Post Internet Video Art Research Post: Apology Videos as Performance Art
These are 3 of many apology videos done by internet personalities from the last 7 years. The first video is an apology video done by Colleen Ballinger for her very inappropriate behaviour with minors that came to light. She decided to curate her apology through a song called “Toxic Gossip Train” and she takes absolutely no responsibility in it. The second video is the apology done by Logan Paul for posting a video to youtube showing someone who died by suicide in a forest. In the apology video it is quite obvious his PR team told him what to say, lies throughout the video and makes excuses. The third video is Sienna Mae’s dance apology for allegations of sexually assaulting her ex-boyfriend. So, she dances to a Sam Smith song as a form of responding to the allegations.
key features of this genre: tone deaf, scripted, insincere, excuses, not taking responsibility, crocodile tears, performances
some weird variations: apology through song, apology through dance
shot very dramatically (lighting, angles, emotion), camera usually looking down on person, quality of footage varies but most have high production value
usually unedited, except for the weird variations
Banners Assignment
For the banner assignment I chose the sequence of words “our disinterested engagement” from the essay Dirty Words: Interesting by Tammer-El-Sheikh. I decided to use these words and photograph them in a lecture hall to criticize the education system, specifically how most teaching environments are not constructed for all types of learners and how most testing methods do not mimic real life experiences. I used this vivid childish colour scheme to also further this idea since it reminded me of letters you would see in elementary and secondary schools. This sequence of words had me thinking about critiquing education systems because I have heard a lot of shared experiences of education from elementary school to post secondary being delivered in very disengaging ways and uninteresting environments. This can work for a select few to still learn, but for the most part both children and adults need different ways of engagement to learn material. But little has been done to bridge this gap in education. So, we’re left with disinterested engagement from students throughout educational systems.
