David LaMotte was a speaker unlike the others I had seen this semester. He seemed to have more of a fine tuned since of purpose inhis line of work through his music, charity, and activism. some of the other artist, simple porposed their work but did not express the emotional dichotomy of the art for the world they are creating. David LaMotte has used his unique style of music to continue his lifestyle and maintain/advertise his charity for Guatamalan schools called Pegs Patnership.
His Pegs Patnership, that he showed a video to explain the workings of the organization, provided educational need to children where it was unavailible due to lack of ample schools and funding. He would raise money directly for the support of these areas and cause a change for good in the world.
He all empathesized the importance of causing a change which is actually very simpe, it is just a matter of finding the right thing to focus on.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Thursday, April 12, 2007
The Mandrake
I saw the Mandrake this evening, and what made it even better was half off tickets night. Megan did a good job with the opening self-mocking Niccolo Machiavelli and his position in intellectual society society. I like the costumes mix of the Italian harlequins along with formal garb mixed with masks that fit their character traits. I especially liked the boner costume. The was confusing at firs bad made more sense as the plot came into fruition. The humor and cunning kept this comedy going. The student that played Brother Timothy fit his character perfectly. I would have liked to see more interactions with set.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Must we learn: the Armenian genocide lecture by Pr. Richard Hannisian
Richard Hannisian is the director of the Near East studies at UCLA, he has authored and edited many books in the field and collaborated an article on Armenia in National Geographic. His father was born in Armenia. When he started the lecture he started with the mysteries of genocide; why a race or government tries to selectively eliminate a race or tribe of people. Though he is not a genocide scholar, he addressed the many other infamous genocides that have occurred over the 20th century. During the year of 1915 the Turkish government killed 1.5 million Armenians by the newly established order of the Young Turks, who were Turkish college students that brought down the Sultan. There was no blood shed in this coup.
After the Balkan Wars, the Ottoman Empire suffered grave lost of their most valuable territories in Eastern Europe. However, they still had their territories in Asia Minor which consisted of several different ethnic groups: including Armenians, Kurds and Arabs. The big division between the Armenians and the rest of the Empire was religion. Armenians were primarily Catholic while the rest was Islamic. And after the Russo-Turkish War and the Treaty of Berlin, The russians announced that they were the protectors of the Christains in the Ottoman Empire. This automatically gave the government the impresssion that all Armenians were PRo-west, Pro-Russian and against Russian ideals. Over the years during, WW1 the armed forces participated in rounding up Armenians for forced evacutions and had mass murders done. It didnt take that many people to kill alot of people.The Turkish people could not speak against the strocities without harsh punishment or even death. Even After so many years and many people speaking out the turkish government still denies the event even occured. So does texas.
After the Balkan Wars, the Ottoman Empire suffered grave lost of their most valuable territories in Eastern Europe. However, they still had their territories in Asia Minor which consisted of several different ethnic groups: including Armenians, Kurds and Arabs. The big division between the Armenians and the rest of the Empire was religion. Armenians were primarily Catholic while the rest was Islamic. And after the Russo-Turkish War and the Treaty of Berlin, The russians announced that they were the protectors of the Christains in the Ottoman Empire. This automatically gave the government the impresssion that all Armenians were PRo-west, Pro-Russian and against Russian ideals. Over the years during, WW1 the armed forces participated in rounding up Armenians for forced evacutions and had mass murders done. It didnt take that many people to kill alot of people.The Turkish people could not speak against the strocities without harsh punishment or even death. Even After so many years and many people speaking out the turkish government still denies the event even occured. So does texas.
Jusst as promised the concept statement with sketches
I am going to go ahead with the Bicycle Party Barge, this idea will incorporate many things that I consider unique to St. Mary's- Parties, Bikes, Boats and Sustainability. The craft will contain some mini projects that will come together to create the single installation. The planned area of the project will be on St. John's pond behind the library. Details and progress will be posted vigorously.
I. Several bicycles converted into either a power generator for the necessary party necessities such as lights, music and a fridge filled with drinks (soda of course). This all depends on the power output of the bikes and the needs of the appliances. The other bike will be put into the power of a paddle wheel to propel the boat. I came foresee this will be the most frustrating and time-consuming facet of the project, but also he most important.
II. The second part will be the the platform of the raft. A way to incorporate reused materials would be to use interchanging coke bottles which will be tied together like a net. This will make the boaat bouyant and lightweightThe demonsions are unknown for now until I find the estimated amount of weight that could hold at least 6 to 7 people plus the bikes and appliances. Also, a material needs to be found that is lightweight, cheap and can be drilled into.
III. The third portion will be the paddlewheel attached to the back. Two bike rims will be used for the frame and a material will be attached to push the water. Another lone bike will be used to power the wheel.
IV. The fouth portion will be the building of the pontoons on the sides. I figure this is the easiest way to keep the boat afloat. I don't think they will have to be too tall because the heaviest part of the boat will be the people standing upon it.
When I was doing research for this portion of the project, I stumbled upon a man in Maine how did infact create a pontoon boat using Coke bottles as the source of floation, however he used electric motors, shopped at home depot for his materials and probably had a large amount of time and money to invest.
Here is the link http://www.instructables.com/id/ENIT5DJRCVEPYT3RE9?ALLSTEPS
Or, if pontoons do not work, I could create bubbles around the sides of the vessel that would keep the boat stable in the water.
V. the fifth portion of the project would involve the steering and the manuevabilty of the barge. Two rudders will be attached to the back of the boat and attached to a steering wheel in the center of the boat. The wheel will definitely be a bike wheel. The rudders will be of a mater ial unknown.
Or. If there were two paddle wheel constructed then the rather than having a steering system there whould be two people peddling. One would drop out in order to make a turn.
VI. The sixth step would be the finalization stage, to make it really look like an official party barge. A canopy will be constructed. ( I might FIND some bamboo for that) or some sort of material. Railing would be installed and bike furniture would be welded together. Also, Painting and stuff.
All of this can happen if the right materials are present, the location is secured, and all of the plans mentioned above go smoothely.
The Idea generation
Part 1: Hot Topic (no not the lame store that conforms the fashion sense of non-conformists.
My original intention for this installation is it to be outside, as well as it to quite large. Since my time at this college will be relatively short ( I will only be here for about one more month, I really wanted to create something that was uniquely St. Mary’s in an inside joke kind of way. A large amount of material will be scarce to find, have decided on the medium of bicycles. Bikes are everywhere, and almost everyone has one. When the school first announced the Free Ride Program (R.I.P.) it made national news for the next step of a college campus to go green.
The SMCM area is literally covered with old and neglected bikes that area just rusting on the sidewalks and looking like large pieces of garbage. Since this week is Campus awareness week, could contribute be helping pick up some the bike corpses around campus. Risky, hardly.
Part Deux: Artist Andy Goldsworthy“I have often found that apparently ordinary places yield extraordinary things.”
When the last article we read (the really boring one by Nick Hayes) really addressed that an installation needed to have a real incorporation of space- why was the object chosen to be put there and only there- I remember reading/watching a documentary of Andy Goldsworthy. I put some more research into his methods and also picked up a copy of his book, Time from the library. His writing from the introduction was exactly what I wanted to hear for my line of potential work.
He states: “Time and change are connected by place. Real change is best understood by staying in one place.”
Hearing that really makes me think of the first time I got here to about now months later.
Most of Goldsworthy’s work involves ephemeral matters of nature, nothing best shows the time and change of a piece by seeing it naturally decay from erosion or the tide. Ice, Snow Sticks, Mud, Moss, Leaves, Peat, Rocks, Ash, Sand, Clay, Flowers are all in the palette of this artist.
I will focus more on the broad concepts of Goldsworthy’s installations and his ideas as an artist rather than a single piece. In the work sand extending the roots of trees it clearly shows the facets the natural curvature of nature and how it breaks itself down. Another piece the rock structure taken up by the tide shows the resistance of the material compared to the tide of change. I also shows how in a short time of a day, the space of the beach can be completely transformed by the tide.
Just to help out my initial medium he did mention the bicycle within his book. ”[I] Traveled by bicycle which is unusual for me. On the bicycle it was difficult to stop.”
Bold words Mr. Goldworthy. Bold Words.
Part Three: I made the connection.
I have decided to embrace the landscape of our beloved college bestowed to the Saint of Mary. I have realized what places show the uniqueness of the school, the college, the way of life…………………………………………….The trees.
Yes it may sound hokey, but the trees in this area, really do define the region, if there was no forest to be protected would the on campus group SEAC be as aggressive; probably not.
So thus far the equation is Bikes + Trees + Art=?
Not that simple of a problem, so lets see how other people have addressed it.
This is a website for modern way of storing bikes in Geneva, Switzerland called bike tree, it is solar-powered and uses state of the art technology. Kind of a techologically adavaned tree.
Here is a picture of a bike that used resources from trees, kind of a commensalist relationship between the two.
Here is what happens when nature especially trees ( more the parasitic worm infection in the tree) get angry at bikes
Here is another idea someone put out there. I could put a record player out of the bike.
Or even have the bike create power so I can have lights or any appliance the possibleities are endless.
Idea one: THE BIKE TREE
I will weld many parts of bikes together to make it look like a tree. I will weld all of the pieces together, as well as place it in the forest somewhere. This idea spurs from the aspect of nature in Goldworthy’s work however I will not be using nature materials as a medium. I will go the opposite direction by using metal and other manufactured materials. This will say that natural materials are just as ephemeral as non-natural ones.
Idea 2: THE BIKE ROOM
I will want to have several bikes attached to generators and power converters than have any appliance possible to make the conditions more comfortable like fans, music, anything . the more people inside the more comfortable they will be, These are based on another artist Virginia Valdes whose installation Wasteland is based on clean energy and recycling. The link is here if you are interested.
Idea three: PARTY BIKE BOAT,
Off my original idea of a party barge discussed several weeks ago, I would get two bikes and convert them into paddle boats, Then I will attach a stage around it and paddle around the pond on a Friday evening. This has not too much to do with Andy Goldsworthy’s work.
Sketches will be soon...
My original intention for this installation is it to be outside, as well as it to quite large. Since my time at this college will be relatively short ( I will only be here for about one more month, I really wanted to create something that was uniquely St. Mary’s in an inside joke kind of way. A large amount of material will be scarce to find, have decided on the medium of bicycles. Bikes are everywhere, and almost everyone has one. When the school first announced the Free Ride Program (R.I.P.) it made national news for the next step of a college campus to go green.
The SMCM area is literally covered with old and neglected bikes that area just rusting on the sidewalks and looking like large pieces of garbage. Since this week is Campus awareness week, could contribute be helping pick up some the bike corpses around campus. Risky, hardly.
Part Deux: Artist Andy Goldsworthy“I have often found that apparently ordinary places yield extraordinary things.”
When the last article we read (the really boring one by Nick Hayes) really addressed that an installation needed to have a real incorporation of space- why was the object chosen to be put there and only there- I remember reading/watching a documentary of Andy Goldsworthy. I put some more research into his methods and also picked up a copy of his book, Time from the library. His writing from the introduction was exactly what I wanted to hear for my line of potential work.
He states: “Time and change are connected by place. Real change is best understood by staying in one place.”
Hearing that really makes me think of the first time I got here to about now months later.
Most of Goldsworthy’s work involves ephemeral matters of nature, nothing best shows the time and change of a piece by seeing it naturally decay from erosion or the tide. Ice, Snow Sticks, Mud, Moss, Leaves, Peat, Rocks, Ash, Sand, Clay, Flowers are all in the palette of this artist.
I will focus more on the broad concepts of Goldsworthy’s installations and his ideas as an artist rather than a single piece. In the work sand extending the roots of trees it clearly shows the facets the natural curvature of nature and how it breaks itself down. Another piece the rock structure taken up by the tide shows the resistance of the material compared to the tide of change. I also shows how in a short time of a day, the space of the beach can be completely transformed by the tide.
Just to help out my initial medium he did mention the bicycle within his book. ”[I] Traveled by bicycle which is unusual for me. On the bicycle it was difficult to stop.”
Bold words Mr. Goldworthy. Bold Words.
Part Three: I made the connection.
I have decided to embrace the landscape of our beloved college bestowed to the Saint of Mary. I have realized what places show the uniqueness of the school, the college, the way of life…………………………………………….The trees.
Yes it may sound hokey, but the trees in this area, really do define the region, if there was no forest to be protected would the on campus group SEAC be as aggressive; probably not.
So thus far the equation is Bikes + Trees + Art=?
Not that simple of a problem, so lets see how other people have addressed it.
This is a website for modern way of storing bikes in Geneva, Switzerland called bike tree, it is solar-powered and uses state of the art technology. Kind of a techologically adavaned tree.
Here is a picture of a bike that used resources from trees, kind of a commensalist relationship between the two.
Here is what happens when nature especially trees ( more the parasitic worm infection in the tree) get angry at bikes
Here is another idea someone put out there. I could put a record player out of the bike.
Or even have the bike create power so I can have lights or any appliance the possibleities are endless.
Idea one: THE BIKE TREE
I will weld many parts of bikes together to make it look like a tree. I will weld all of the pieces together, as well as place it in the forest somewhere. This idea spurs from the aspect of nature in Goldworthy’s work however I will not be using nature materials as a medium. I will go the opposite direction by using metal and other manufactured materials. This will say that natural materials are just as ephemeral as non-natural ones.
Idea 2: THE BIKE ROOM
I will want to have several bikes attached to generators and power converters than have any appliance possible to make the conditions more comfortable like fans, music, anything . the more people inside the more comfortable they will be, These are based on another artist Virginia Valdes whose installation Wasteland is based on clean energy and recycling. The link is here if you are interested.
Idea three: PARTY BIKE BOAT,
Off my original idea of a party barge discussed several weeks ago, I would get two bikes and convert them into paddle boats, Then I will attach a stage around it and paddle around the pond on a Friday evening. This has not too much to do with Andy Goldsworthy’s work.
Sketches will be soon...
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