Retinal Persistence

When I looked up this word, it wasn't the easiest thing to understand. It seems that many scientists and psychologists have dubunked this theory and now believe in others. What I assume the term means is that our brain fills in the blank spots between frames of an animation, which gives us the perception of motion. The first thing that I think of when I read about this is gestalt. In gestalt, which would most likely take place on a still image, our mind is able to fill in certain parts of an image. For example, if you have type, if part of a letter is cropped off the page, or is obscured by another image, we still know what that letter is, since our brains fill in that information for us. After looking this up to make sure my terminology was correct, this type of gestalt is consiered "closure." This would be similar to retinal persistence, when the brain fills in the gaps in time of an animation.

Abelardo Morell

There was a point in time when I was very much into black and white, analog photography. That time has long since past, but it definitely influences how I see certain types of photography. I find that when looking at his photographs, it is difficult for me to view and analyze them as works of art. My mind is clouded by a strange nostalgia, if you can call it that, and I mainly find myself paying attention to the processes by which he would have come up with those photographs. This is a little odd for me, since I normally do not have that feeling when looking at photography. I think that what is different about him is his interest in alternative photography. When looking at his images made by means of a camera obscura, I find myself thinking about how much time it would have taken to set up and what variables he would have had to play with to come up with that image. I devoted a lot of time to pinhole photography, so I view those particular works of art as simply very large pinhole photographs (which essentially they are, except for the size of the "camera" and the fact that the art is in the image itself, not a piece of paper that is processed from the image.) I think that those images actually make me a bit uneasy, as I remember the frustration of not having a view finder and guessing expsure times (which don't even deal with the camera obscura, but I somehow still have that association.) When I really take time to look at them, I find them incredibly beatiful, it just takes me a while to get my mind past the technical aspect of the photography. I have to say though, I was dissappointed that I did not find any pinhole photographs on his website.

This artist definitely has a very noticable style. He takes pictures of things you wouldn't normally think to take pictures of, like the photograph of his box of tissues. I think that for him, the art is in the contrast that he gives those objects. By manipulating his box of tissues in a certain way, he actually changes it into a very interesting photograph, which I don't think it would have been had it been taken in color without any color adjustment; it would have just been a box of tissues. Pretty much all of his photographs have a very similar level of contrast to them (which gets me thinking about the development process and moving my focus away from the photographs themselves.)

Overall, I think that he is a very good photographer. He has a very unique style and uses processes that many have forgotten about. When looking at his website, there is definitely a lot more to take in than those of most photographers out there.

1) The Dancer's Life @ 0:32

http://youtu.be/w5piJOje2Xo?t=32s

This part of the scene was filmed from above, giving an overhead view of the actors. The lights in this scene are set up so that they display a pattern onto the ground. Given that the lights are overhead, they also diplay that pattern onto the actors, especially from this angle. Light is probably one of the most used uses of technology in theater, but I thought that this small excerpt from the play was important, because it used the light in a very creative way. Looking at the characters from that angle, it makes it look like they are connected to their surroundings. Especially since they are dancing, it adds to the overall aesthetic of the performance. It is common to see colored lights set the mood in a play, but I have rarely seen something where the lights look almost like a piece of art on their own.

2) Where You Are @ 0:00

http://youtu.be/UwLKmfaCTbw

At this point, a set of bars, almost cage-like, drop down to the ground. This is a very obvious use of technology. This shows how technology can be used to change the scenery of a play in the middle of a scene. You no longer need to close the curtain to put the actors into a different atomosphere; you can do it while they are acting. The bars are also used to create very interesting, geometric shadows on the floor of the stage, further enhancing the change in atmosphere. Later on in the scene, some of the bars are lifted back out of sight, giving less of this backdrop, probably so when more characters came onto the stage, it would be less of a distraction. The scene would definitely have an entirely different feeling if those bars were not there.

3) Cabaret @ 1:30

http://youtu.be/TCkZI3RKT3A?t=1m30s

The character here sings that "the orchestra is beautiful," and suddenly, a platform of several musicians and their instruments rolls onto stage. It is later shown that two men are pushing said platform. Since the platform rolls in fairly quickly and looks pretty heavy (it contains four women, a drumset and a piano, although the piano might be fake, giving it less weight) it seems like those two men wouldn't be able to push it at that speed, without the aid of some sort of technology. It is possible that the platform is motorized and the men are not really pushing it at all, or are merely steering it. I suppose the men could potentially push the platform on their own if they were stong and it had wheels, in which case there would be no electronic technology being used; however, the wheels could be considered a form of non-electronic technology. Anyway, if there was some sort of motor on the platform, then the use of technology would not be blatant. It would be hidden, giving the illusion that the men are quickly pushing the orchestra in. I find this important, since I am sure technology is often used in theater without the audience realising it, to make something happen on stage that would either be very difficult or impossible to do otherwise.

4) West Side Story @ 2:25

http://youtu.be/d_lbeersIS4?t=2m25s

At this point in the musical, the storyline switches from excited dancing to a more serious, intimate moment between two people. As the girl walks on stage and this transition happens, the lights in the background switch from a energizing red to a calm blue. The mere changing of the color of the lights created an entirely different mood for the scene. I find this interesting, since only the color was changed, but this simple change is all that is needed to change the entire mood of the set.

5) La Cage Aux Folles @ 1:14

http://youtu.be/1CJ23vPxvYo?t=1m14s

Here, the actors are lifted off stage, as others go to the right or left. In most plays, exits are done by the characters walking offstage somehow. In this case, technology allows them to do what otherwise would be impossible: rise out of view. Since the characters are in the middle of a very visual, flashy dance, this effect makes their exit more dramatic, which definitley fits in with the rest of the scene.

6) Bye Bye Birdie @ 0:28

http://youtu.be/BqHjBIJKzRc?t=28s

The characters are standing on some sort of rotating stands. While in most cases, actors would do some intense, balet-inspired turns in order to create the spinning effect, here the stands to the twirling for them; they just hold on. It also gives the musical a more modern look. Since the musical plays rock music, it might not seem fitting that the actors would be dancing using classical moves. The spinning stands fit in with the rock music more. So here, the use of technology is used to create a differentiation from the past. Since rock music is fairly new, they do not want to use dance moves that are not. They want to create something original to emphasize the originality and hype of this new type of music.

7) How to Succeed in Business @ 0:33

http://youtu.be/mAlkS2P3JA4?t=33s

Here you can see the background of the stage quite well. As one can see, it contains colored, hexagon lights. This is clearly an over-the-top background, in that it is fairly complex, being large, multi-colored, light up, and not really resembling any scene in real life that I can think of. So in this case, technology can be used for pure aesthetics—the lights are not used merely to light the stage. Throughout the scene, the lights change colors, for what seems to be no reason, other than to exagerate the already intense visual effects.

Faculty Art Show

I went to the opening night of the faculty art show, here at UT and had a lovely time. I always love going to art galleries, especially when they feature pieces that either use newer technology, or are about more modern subjects. It is not that often that I get to see shows that feature animation and other forms of art that were created on the computer (I think the refractory exhibit last year was a huge exception. And clearly electronics alive, but that is not my point.) I rarely get to see "graphic design" in galleries, so I felt quite at home when I was there.

It is a little bizarre being at an exhibition where you know almost every artist. In a way, I feel more awkward writing about the pieces, having taken classes with the artists.

But as I was saying before, I enjoyed being able to see the more current subject matter. For example, Doug's RoboChrist (not sure if that is the actual name) is something that I saw last year. At the time I was very much in awe with the single frame that he had printed up from what he had completed so far. His animation work and ability to create something realistic were phenominal. I'm not sure why, but the way he portrayed Christ viusally really brought out the meaning of his piece. This year, being much farther along with the animation, I was able to see the last scene of robochrist bowing to a clapping audience, which turned out to be very powerful. I think that the topic of worshiping technology could end up being cliche. However, I think Doug executed the idea really well, making it more original. As a viewer, I felt really drawn into the scene, and I think his work has the ability to make one see that subject matter in a way that is somehow different than how one was seeing it before.

Santi's work about homosexuality had a similar impact. Since Santi created the piece and will likely read this blog, I will go less in depth. But I will say that homosexuality is something that, even today, is extremely controversial. The poem that was chosen for the piece was beautifully written, and the visuals took it to a whole nother level. I was quite impressed with the camera work and the way the man was portrayed. The work was good enough that even some still shots from the film could have a stong impact if displayed by themselves. It really took a subject that might make some viewers uncomfortable and forced them to consider the position of a homosexual. I prefer work that is to the point, but in depth enough that one can spend time thinking about the work's meaning and its impact, and I think that both pieces that I have mentioned so far have that impact.

Valle also chose subjects that were more current (such as portraying people like Lady Gaga, Paris Hilton, and Michael Jackson superimposed with older religious paintings.) His materials were of course very different, being a painter. Using materials, like gold leaf, and shellac gave the paintings a very distinct feel. His were also intriguing, due to the many layers that his paintings had, making the viewer move closer to them, trying to see the many details that blend into the whole. I think that his work also has the sameto the point, yet in depth attribute.

Breaking away from the more "edgy" artwork, I figured I should mention some of the ones that were a little more traditional as well. Santiago, your photography was absolutely beautiful. It was a little unexpected to see those photographs, when I am used to your work being more intense and contraversial. But they were truely incredible. Another one of my favorite "traditional" pieces was one of Chastain-Elliotte's. Much of her work consists of landscape paintings. I have to admit that I am not normally a fan of landscape paintings. I've noticed that she has a way of giving each painting it's own distinct characteristics. She does not stick too much to a style so that all of here paintings look the same, except in different locations, which I think some landscape painters do. I loved her Park Snowy Scene (if I am reading my handwriting correctly.) It had a really intense beauty and feeling to it, with the contrast of the dark trees to the scenery behind them. When I first looking at the painting, I imagined an entire landscape in my head, and what it must have felt like to have been there. I was a bit surprised when I went closer to further analyze it, realising how simple the painting was. If I remember correctly, the painting basically had about four colors. The trees were painted almost as silhouettes. Yet with the painting's simplicity, I find that I would much sooner buy that one than one from an artist who paints landscapes that look almost photographic. I'm sure that she has the capability of something incredibly realistic, but I am glad that in many cases she lets the painting speak for itself.

Madama Butterfly

The short animation was an interresting and very effective way of taking a story that is hours long, and compressing it into minutes, without losing the emotion. I had never seen the actual opera, so I was very moved by this clip and experiencing the story for the first time. I found the use of sound quite interesting. In a normal opera, the characters would be singing. However, the animators decided to use the opera music as background music, like a soundtrack. This made the animation seem like it was lacking a dialogue. When watching it, this made me think of how much we can say and express of our emotions to another human being, without speaking a word. An interesting part of this clip was when the ship was coming and the music briefly changed to something a little bit more "fun," as opposed to the highly expressive and emotional music that is played throughout most of the piece. I view this as a way to show how much the father changed during his absense. While the opera started by portraying him as a very emotional, caring guy, when his ship came in, he was no longer the same person, although the mother was. The fish metaphor was interesting, but I didn't find it necessary. I think it was more of a way for the animators to symbolize her giving birth without showing her giving birth. The fish breaking out of his tank was like the baby coming into the new world. However, I am wondering if I missed any different meaning in the artists' intentions of that part.

1929 vs. Today

Economics might be the most confusing subject for me. As far as I know, the Great Depression was caused by a crash in the stock market, in which US citizens had invested too much money, causing many to go bankrupt. Of course, the majority of people were not stock owners, but when a certain percentage of people lose money, it has a ripple effect. Businesses close, employees are laid off, banks dry up and average people can no longer access their savings. I'm sure there are a multitude of other factors leading up the Great Depression, but that is how I view it. The crash in the stock market had an effect on Broadway, and lead to an end of many of the aspects and culture of "the Roaring Twenties." The importance of Broadway started to decline, when films began to feature people talking and having conversations (as opposed to just singing,) due to the advancement of technology. Around the same time, the radio was also invented. Since people were now watching "talkies," and finding other forms of entertainment, Broadway was not taking in as much revenue. They were becoming unable to support the salaries of people like the Gershwins, who then went to Hollywood, also making Broadway less appealing to the public. I'm sure that the lack of money during the depression was also a factor, in that people would be less likely to afford a broadway show, and would rather listen to something like the radio, which they didn't have to pay for. Live performances weren't as "interesting," when you have something new, like the radio. The depression caused a rise in the popularity of songs, such as "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" which were appealing and relatable to pretty much everyone. That particular song was enven banned from the radio at one point for that reason. So, of course, with technology, comes censorship.

While I do not enjoy talking about the recession that we are in, it does have some similarities to the Great Depression. Due to the fact that this country is extremely partisan and divided, many people will have their own opinions as to what caused the recession that we are in. As far as I am concerned, there was (and still is) too large of a difference between the rich and the middle class (not to mention those who are below middle class.) A large part of this has to do with the Bush era, where large tax cuts were given to the rich, widening that difference. Many will counter that argument by mentioning the "trickle down affect," but I won't even bother mentioning that. I could go into the decline of the housing market, rise in forclosures, bankruptcy, and unemployment, but that is not really the point of this blog. While I am not entirely sure how technology was affected, judging by my point of view from living in today's society, I can make some guesses. You will notice that certain stores, such as Borders Books and Blockbuster are closing. While these stores used to be very prominent and take in quite a bit of money, times have changed. People no longer buy CD's from Borders. They use the internet to purchase individual songs, or even just download them illegally, causing the music business to lose revenue. Books are even starting to see a decline. We now have the Kindle and the iPad, both electronic devices that one can read on, instead of flipping through the pages of a tangible book, causing many bookstores to go out of business. Regarding movies, many are downloaded or streamed, causing places like Blockbuster to lose their purpose. When someone does want to view an actual DVD, they order it from Netflix and have it mailed to their house. Like music, movies are also commenly downloaded illegally, seeing as how people are unable to afford them. I'm sure that movie theaters are having an impact as well, due to people not being able to afford the tickets. While I have not actually looked into this, I know that my friends and I are unable to pay the money, and I somehow doubt we are the only ones....

Baroque/Classical Music on TV

Not an actual commercial, but AMAZING:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiwH_vFscQg

More Beer!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu-VFJYHWZA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLQ5LlDrN1E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeTuTj7AuiI

Cliche Prelude:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3mJz4hJxI