Video Art: Insomnia

I was really nervous to do this project. I was in fear that I would do it all wrong because I have a lack of video experience and technique. When thinking of a topic to center my video art around, I wanted it to be on an issue that somehow related to me. I thought what better topic than insomnia….it’s finals week. I focused my video on insomnia and the delusions a person would get when going without sleep for long periods of time. Since my video skills aren’t up to par, I tried to make up for it by creating a mix of songs that sounded trippy/delusional to go along with my video. The most difficult part was to try and match the music with what was taking place in the video. Although I wasn’t very good at it, I really enjoyed this project and it really opened my eyes to viewing video as art. This project makes me want to further my understanding and skills with video art, and I definitely want to continue working with it.

Jim Campbell

Jim Campbell has some incredible installations, some of the best I've seen. I think it is so clever the way he uses all of these elements that some artists never even think of. One of his installations made me laugh because I could easily relate to it. Obsessive Compulsion 1988 is an installation of a woman washing her hands for long periods of time, then it shows her in the shower. A couple years ago I went through a stage were I was overly obsessed with washing my hands to the point where my hands became so dry.

Maybe I'm easily ammused, but I think Jim Campbell's works were he captured the shaddows of people walking are absolutely BRILLIANT! I would absolutely love to do something on the lines of that. I love black and white photography but besides that I think it looks cool and I was so amazed with how he actually accomplished it ( by taking a picture, and in the same spot recording those who are moving in the same setting). I love them all! I am going to post some of my favorites below.

Tourists at World Trade Center

Grand Central Station 

Pipilotti Rist

I really like Pipilotti Rist. I think her works of art are really interesting, upbeat, and vibrant. Her pictures where she incorporates body parts into nature are gorgeous. It is entertaining to see how she connects the human body with different aspects of nature.

On the other hand, Im Not The Girl Who Misses Much...is a little bizzarre and repetitive, but you can see that she is comfortable enough with herself to wear a black dress with her breasts revealed as she hops around the screen saying the same thing over and over again. I find her to be a free spirited person just by the style of her pictures and video art.



Performance Art

For my video project, I decided to show how easy technology has made it for us to communicate with another person in public without actually talking. In the video my brother and I went into Mcdonald's on a Sunday morning when it was really crowded. We arranged it look like we were on a date and everyone around us thought everything was perfectly normal until we started communicating using the computer programs Microsoft Sam (my brothers voice) and Microsoft Anna( my voice). This almost reminded me of online dating in a way. I was really pleased with this project and how it turned out because at first I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do. The only thing I was disappointed about was that because of all of the background noice, it is difficult to hear my computer talking throughout  the film. I posted the script that my brother and I used below. I hope you enjoy it!

Taylor: Hi Ryan it’s so good to see you! I have missed you so much!

Ryan: Hi Taylor. I missed you too. How do you like going to school in Tampa?

Taylor: I like it a lot, I just wish that I was going to school a little bit closer to home.

Ryan: Yes. I know what you mean. Me mom and dad miss you around the house.

Taylor: Anyways. How is eighth grade going for you?

Ryan: It is good. It is a lot of work though. But I have a ton of friends.

Taylor: That is so good to hear. What are your plans for the rest of the day?

Ryan: I wanted to go to the movies to see the new movie Due Date with the guy that’s in the movie the hangover.

Taylor: Oh that’s great! I wanted to see that too. Maybe we could go together.

Ryan: Yes. I would love that. I will look up the times and we can figure something out.

Taylor: Perfect.

Ryan: Did you want to get some breakfast?

Taylor: No thank you. I already ate. I just came here to meet with you. You can get some food if you want.

Ryan: I’m okay. I’m so glad that you decided to meet me here. We need to plan another date like this the next time you are home on break.

Taylor: Yes definitely. The next time I’m coming home is December sixteenth and I will be home for a whole month. Isn’t that great

Ryan: Yes that will give us plenty of time to catch up and spend some time together.

Taylor: I know. I can’t wait!

Ryan: Well I have to get going. I will call you later about the movie times.

Taylor: Alright. Take care. I will talk to you soon.

Ryan: Bye.

Taylor: Bye Ryan.

MUSIQUEconcrète:

After learning about concrete music in class, I had a new understanding of the type of music I listen to. Whenever I think of music I think of instruments making the sounds. In this case, concrete music deals with sound, but the sounds are not necessarily made by musical instuments. In concrete music, musicians will make music from just about anything that makes a sound. They do this by producing the sound with an object, recording it, repeating it, and sometimes even playing it backwards. This is how beats are made in most of the music I listen to today.

Concrete music was first developed in the 1940's by Pierre Schaeffer when refering to concrete music he refers to the word jeu, from the verb jouer, which in english means "to play" aka "to enjoy oneself by interacting with one's surroundings", as well as "to operate a musical instrument".

This style of music created by Schaeffer has influenced a series of different artists such as Stockhausen who is known as one of the most important, but controversial electronic musicians. His style is a lot different than the style of other musicians. He recently passed away in 2007.

Leigh Bowery: the male Lady Gaga 1961-1994

Leigh Bowery, walking art, Lady Gaga's inspiration, fashion designer, performance artist..you name it, he's it!

I would have to say that Leigh Bowery is one of my favorite performance artists. He literally does whatever he feels and I like that about him. He has outrageous costumes that he wears just about anywhere and he doesn't care who sees him.

Bowery and two other men Guy Barnes and David Walls were an inseparable trio. They were referred to as "the three kings" and they would all wear outfits designed by Bowery.
After the trio split, Bowery worked as a club promoter at a club called Taboo. Taboo was radical and intense just like Studio54.

Bowery blames his radical sense of style on his insecurities. He would wear large, flashy costumes to exaggerate his size and he would sometime use the costumes to hide behind. Bowery was considered gay, but he did have multiple relationships with women.

"I want to be the Andy Warhol of London"- Leigh Bowery

Interesting Article: Bowery Vs. Gaga http://www.artandculture.com/feature/1842

Laurie Anderson

Laurie Anderson is a performance artists who uses a combination of her improvised story telling and autotuned music. I really like her single "O Superman". When we first listened to it in class I knew that I was going to like pretty much anything Laurie Anderson created.

When she did her live performance art pieces she used intruments that she created herself to suit her style. For example one of the instruments she created was a tape bow violin that used magnetic tape instead of horse hair. She also created a talking stick that resembled a baton but could  imitate and record a variety of different noises.
Anderson was really great for combining technology and art; electronic music.