Meow Wolf

Meow Wolf is an organization that has over 200 employees and many collaborators. It started in Santa Fe and was created to provide out the box artists a safe zone to truly be themselves.  No judgement, no rules, no worries.  Just a place for them to create art that is honestly true to them and how they want to express themselves.  It was created by a group of people who wanted to stop conforming to the normality and rules of the art world.  They wanted to be themselves, they wanted to be weird and free.  This vision and journey reminded me of the House Music beginnings.  They both wanted a place that could promote people being themselves and being accepted fully and completely.

They aren't particular about the artists they work with.  They work with any and everyone.  What they're going for is people with a "radical imagination".  Whether it's paintings, graffiti, digital artworks, or even literal trash hanging on the wall, people are encouraged to express themselves however they see fit.  

For the future, they are looking to expand and continue fostering their relationships with the artists they work with.  They want to help their artists explore opportunities within their exhibitions and even outside of their exhibitions.  They are literally just looking to share their vision of being open-minded when it comes to creativity and breaking out of the normal script of what art is.  

Video assignment

https://youtu.be/wIcUNf2asdI

This video is a small collage of videos that I have done with my sons.  It's not all of the videos we've done but it's a few of them showing the progression of our at-home activities.  We love to create together and both of my sons are interested in different aspects of the film industry.  My oldest son and I act together and have made a couple films since we've started the venture.  We create skits, films, and many other fun things that pertain to filming almost nonstop.  I decided to work with this video because of what it shows, an evolution.  The last video in the series of videos is something I captured while doing another video my oldest son was helping me with.  As I was filming and directing, I noticed my youngest son taking a liking to the camera.  He was watching what I was doing and mimicking me.  I let him take over for the filming and I recorded the situation.  My youngest was directing and being the cinematographer while my oldest was acting.  I can see a future where we are all making films together and fully collaborating in different aspects of the filmmaking process.  

I was inspired by Ryan Trecartin and one of his films in particular, "A Family Finds Entertainment."  It shows multiple people in a family doing various activities that entertain them.  This made me think about my own family and what we do to entertain ourselves.  I feel what we do to entertain ourselves is going to be something we build on for today and our futures.  

When House was Born

The birth of house music wasn't solely about music. It was about bringing people together and making them feel welcomed.  It provided people with a vibe and it provided people with an escape.  House music wasn't just created out of nowhere, it evolved.  It started out with people not really knowing what they were doing, djs would mess with records, scratch them, play them backwards, etc.  They used turntables and records to dj.  Some would record their dj sessions on mixtapes.  People would then take the mixtapes and re-record them passing them through the city.  

It's interesting to see how house developed because it seemed to also be the birth of underground music.  In Chicago, the music was not accepted and there was even an incident where they were burning records fighting against disco.  There was also gang activity to worry about that could limit the musical experiences.  All of these obstacles only inspired the djs and fans of the music to go deeper underground.  I believe them going deeper underground with what they were doing also forced them to go deeper into their music and bring forth more soul and spirit to the house music.  House music was basically born to bring people together and provide a sort of safe haven for minorities.  

Musique Concrete

Musique Concrete is important because of the capabilities it provided to musicians. Introducing a tape recorder changed everything.  Before, musicians were only able to play their instruments in a live circumstance.  Just playing it through and that was how it was taken in by the audience/listeners.  When a tape recorder was introduced, it gave artists the ability to record sounds, play them backwards, etc. They had the ability to manipulate the sounds and use them over and over to create a different sound.  You would be able to take an instrument with limited range, only like 3 strings, play those 3 strings one way and then play that sounds backwards using a tape recorder to create a different sound.  

Collage

For our collage piece, we gathered onto Zoom so that way the three of us could collaborate in real time with each other. Over the call we discussed the project and how we wanted to go about it. One of the challenged we faced was the fact that none of us have much skills when it comes to using Gimp or Photoshop. We knew that whatever idea we came up with would have to work best with our current skills and resources.

After a short time of throwing ideas around we decided that we wanted to create something relevant to what we are going through today. Our original plan was so make a collage of a bunch of pictures and object that relate to the Corona Virus and our lives in quarantine. Eventually, our idea morphed into an Andy Warhol-inspired grid, where 6 separate photos containing letters would spell out COVID-19.

After assigning each of us two letters, we ended the zoom call so we could go take individual photos of ourselves holding up pieces of paper with our given letters. Once this was complete, we sent our photos via email to Jose, who volunteered to piece the collage together.

COVID-19 is an extremely relevant topic in our lives today and many artists are creating fantastic pieces of work in response. Andy Warhol was very aware of the times and often create pieces that gave art viewers a snapshot of modern life. Even when Warhol created his collage-type pieces, where the same photo is repeated over and over again, not every photo is exactly like the other. Some change in color, others change tone. Similar to this, our collage will be essentially the same photo, with the same concept, but the letter and person holding it will change.

We chose to create something inspired by Andy Warhol because of his everyday approach to creating art that pertained to everyday occurrences.  He would create are that you would see news about in the news or the papers.  Violence, death, etc.. We chose him over other artists like Hosh and Duchamp who would also create art on relevant topics, but most of theirs would come from a place in particular like women's suffrage and women's issues.  Warhol didn't focus on anything in particular, he would address any and everything he felt a need to put on display.  

Worlding Worlds

The wording worlds video was a very intriguing take on what we're experiencing in our world today.  One of the concepts I was most attached to was the point cloud concept.  The creator was looking for a way to find a home between cultures seeing that she was Etheopian and American.  Finding this home between cultures she was constructing a home immaterially. Her creation had an interesting take on memories and she was looking to reclaim the narrative in the identity of her memories.  She explained a creation that she had put together and it was mimicking actually memory and how it can be fragmented.  She pointed out that when you got closer to the object, it would appear more abstract and intangible, but from a distance, they would become more discernible images.  This was portraying how memories actually work.

Another concept related to the former self was extremely brilliant as well.  It seemed as if it was addressing how all things in this life, in this world, are all part of the same universe.  It mentions contributing to a future self and says it can be anything like a Gardner, a healer, a rebel, a miracle, a resurrection, half human, half animal, a ghost, and much more.  This had me in a state of open mindedness and I was fully accepting of the many things this universe has to offer.  It immersed me with the thought of endless possibilities.

Another concept related to the after-life.  There are many views on the after-life whether it be heaven, hell, or hell's many different levels, etc. It addressed the thoughts and views people had on these after-life concepts.  What the creator did was take this concept and apply it to the internet. He showed different levels of what he believed was the infrastructure of the internet and what it looks like visually.  Instead of using numbers like 1's and 0's, he used celestial looking beings to portray this image of what he felt the infrastructure of the internet looked like.

I chose these three concepts because the made me feel very connected with the world and its possibilities.  It made art and our worldly evolution seem very connected and it was much deeper than surface level concepts.  It all felt culturally, spiritually, and humanly connected all at once.  I think what this art says about our current world is that we are in a transition, and evolution period.  Art being portrayed in these manners may very well be the new norm very soon, and people will have the opportunity to experience art from the comfort of their own homes one day. Art that makes them think much deeper than just enjoying the visually creative aspects of the work.

Andy Warhol

One of my main takeaways from learning a little about Andy Warhol, was that he was a very free spirit.  He did not care about what people thought about him, at all.  He didn't always have a rhyme or reason for the things he created, he just did them.  During an interview, he was asked why he created a certain work of art.  His was response was bluntly, "I don't know".  I respect the outlook he had because he just did whatever he thought was right for him, nobody else.  

Another takeaway was the fact that he would take "things" and make "things" from them.  He called objects things, and he called his paintings and artwork "things".  He said anybody could do, or, nobody could do it.  I took this as being a message of whatever you see, whatever you feel, whatever you want, can be considered art.  

Warhol made creations that were relevant to the times.  He would take things in the news and shed light on them.  Death, violence, etc...  One very unique piece he created was of a specific electric chair that he seen in the newspaper.  Warhol was extremely creative and "out of the box", because that very piece he created with the chair was merely a photo reproduced. He took the newspaper photo, reproduced it, and made it a collage.  This is why he was so radical and difficult to understand because he would call things art that others wouldn't even consider to be artwork.  

Grid project

I chose to do a mailbox as my grid art project.  Grids originally started out as an organizational tool but in the 1920's it evolved as an artistic object. In the WWII era, they referred to other aspects of the paintings as opposed to the pure tangibility of the paintings.  They referred to the humanist, rationalist, and spiritualist side of the artwork.  I decided to take a similar approach to my art.  I decided to use a mailbox to shed light on a couple different qualities the postal service shares with our society. As we experience this corona circumstance, there is one thing people rely on and look forward to no matter what.  That's mail, whether it be e-mail or regular mail, we all count on it.  One thing it does is bring us together, it keeps us connected.  I believe that is one quality the postal service provides for the society, togetherness. Another quality the postal service and mail provides is perseverance.  Through rain, sleet, hail, and snow is one thing, but they have been delivering through the quarantine circumstances as well.  I created this art piece to show how the postal service is likely overlooked in the value they actually offer to our Nation and the world in that matter.  The postal service brings us together, mail brings us together.

The materials I used were a blank sheet of drawing paper and crayons. I chose these materials because they were on hand and would allow for the most versatility with colors.  

History of Computers

The history of computing has helped the modern day computer develop into what it is by the input and contribution of many different people and concepts.  Over time, there have been numerous additions to the technologies that have made computers what they are today.  

In 1948, the first program to run on a computer was introduced by Frederic Williams, Tom Kilburn, and Geoff Toothill which was their Small Scale Experimental Machine, (SSEM).  The "Manchester Baby" was built to test the first technology used for RAM.  It was called the Williams Tube. This is interesting and significant to me because now, RAM is a basic aspect of computers that we look for and evaluate with how we choose a computer that works for us in why we're purchasing one in the first place. Computers can be used for many things but if your primary use is to write papers for school, as opposed to online gaming, the RAM is something that will be considered and make a difference in performance.  

In 1956 a direct keyboard concept was introduced to computers by researchers at MIT.  Before this it was normal to use punch cards to input information for computers.  This is absolutely a revolutionary introduction because now, a keyboard is pretty much an essential aspect of computers and is a normal inclusion of computers when you buy one.  This goes for desktops and laptops and there are even ways to attach keyboards to certain devices like tablets.  

These discoveries are important in my opinion because upon their introductions and the evolution of computers, they are normal inclusions/considerations when buying a modern day computer.  

Muybridge

Muybrige is considered one of the great photographers/artists.  He didn't start out in photography, he was initially working in a library but after a stagecoach accident, he suffered damage to his frontal lobe. This is said to sometimes cause a type of personality change. When he came back taking up photography, he changed the way things were done completely.  He was extremely artistic and popular with the images he created.  One piece he photographed was a lighthouse and people placed in particular spots of the lighthouse and its surroundings.  The creativity really came in when he created the clouds and skyline himself. The image was taken without clouds but he added them in to bring a certain emotional feel to the photograph.  

One thing he is very well known for was his work with Leland Stanford and trying to figure out whether or not horses run picking up all four legs off of the ground at the same time.  The scientific portion of his work kicked in when he was actually taking the photographs and setting up to get the appropriate shots for his images.  He used chemicals with his photography, carried his own darkroom with him, and intelligently made his settings to try and capture the appropriate images.  The shutters on the camera was his challenge with the horses because he had to get the shutter to close fast enough to capture the images.  At one point, he set up a background of white sheets so the horses could run in front of it illuminating the horse itself.  He wanted to basically create stop motion.  He came up with a solution for the shutter issue, which tapped into the scientific side of things.  He lined up multiple cameras, used trip wires that were connected to the shutters, and when the horses would trip the wire running, it would trigger the shutter snapping a photograph.  This is how he caught the four legs of the horses off the ground all at once.  This made a stop motion type of creation and is how a cinema-like piece of art was introduced to the world.  

Stop Motion-Dedication to Ahmaud Arbery

https://youtu.be/auKvR4PC1Uo


This stop motion video was created in remembrance of Ahmaud Arbery.  The items used were a set of white headphones and a set of black headphones.  I worked to portray the story as I've heard it happen.  The white truck with the white headphones portrayed the father and son cutting Ahmaud off as he ran.  When being chased he turned to go the other way, there was another truck that pulled up and cut him off.  He turned to face the person who was chasing him, they fought and I portrayed him being shot by laying the headphone flat.  The two trucks fled the scene and he was left alone.  The end showed black headphones and white headphones coming together demanding justice for Ahmaud.  It showed the yelling at the Statue of Liberty which stood for America and the Freedom that we are all supposed to have.

Pierre Huyghe

This type of art really shows how people can use everyday things and call it art.  Art is interpreted however the viewer sees. Things like doors, broomsticks, wires, and much more can be viewed as art.  In this respect, I believe this is one of the concepts that most shows us that we can all be creators and anything we feel can be art, is art.  I admire the way he described the desire to build a world with his art.  This is significant to me because essentially we are all in the same world but having different worldly experiences. This is people like Pierre are able to take puppets and create their own worlds providing an experiences for viewers.  

Pipilotti Rist

I have witnessed art like what this artists has to offer before and I believe we are slowly transitioning into this being a new norm.  This type of art is inclusive to its viewers. It submerges you into the experience making it more about the experience and less about the art.  Some artists, we look at their work, and try to interpret what they were thinking, but Rist has art that explains what her thoughts were behind creating it.  I like this kind of art because of the way it portrays the artist's feelings and also gives the viewers an experience of these feelings at the same time.  

Raul Cuero

Raul Cuero One of the main things I took is that you have to be a good observant of nature.  Your creativity comes from within and how you perceive things/nature.  Nowadays people are bogged down by their technology but your own experience with things in life is what makes you a creator.  The kids today spend a lot more time indoors and less time outside which limits their exposure.  Another aspect of your creativity comes from your interactions with others.  I like the way he mentions "Good things take time".  This is important with success and in life.  Nothing immediately happens for you so you have to persevere through circumstances and continue moving forward.  This gives you experience for your creativity.  

Cave of Forgotten Dreams

This cave was very interesting in a very artistic manner and in other natural ways.  I was blown away by the pristine preservation of of the artwork in the cave and pretty much every other aspect of the cave like the bones, skulls, etc.  The cave is more than 32,00 years old so it is nothing short of incredible how everything has been naturally maintained.  One thing that caught my attention early on was the fact that the entranceway of the cave, inside the largest chamber, there were no paintings until the very end of entranceway where there would be complete darkness.  Were the artists being cognizant of the potential light coming in and tarnishing their artwork? Is this why they were putting their artwork at the part of the chamber where there would be no light? With this being kept in mind and the preservation of the cave, the artwork looked fresh, which is amazing given the age of everything.  

Something else I learned was the way they made some of the artwork.  There were animals that looked like they were running, fighting, and other things.  The fact that the artists drew what looked like 8 legs on a bison or other animals, made it feel like cinematic photography.  It feels like we could've seen the action that was being portrayed.  

Another fact that shed light on the significance of this cave was that there were never any humans living there.  This makes it feel like the cave was literally a museum type of ordeal. With the fact that there is some artwork that was spread between 5,000 years, it really makes it relatable to a museum. Even over a very long period of time, there was still artists putting artwork in the cave.  Another interesting part of this incredible discovery is the fact that there is one artist that can be followed.  There was a man that made red dots with his hands and he had a very distinct small finger because it was crooked.  The explorers went through the cave and came across more of his artwork and could tell because of the distinct shape of his hand.