Teclopolis

I also think that creating a video using the multiple theme would be really cool. Last year I watched a short science film during science week 2011 called "Teclopolis". It is a video made using every day objects that depicts how technology is taking over the world and we can't really escape it.  It has been described as "a whole civilisation running towards its inevitable destiny, while a super 8 camera searches for a lost love" (http://2011.riverrunfilm.com/films/teclopolis).  Yes, it is 12 minutes long, but well worth watching in my opinion.

What will it be?

I have been thinking really hard about what direction my assessment piece will take.  Last semester I made a painting about the birth of my first child and the death of the oldest living woman at the time, a sculpture using 850 swivels threaded on fishing line, and finally made prints using Manet's "Boy with a pitcher" and Darwinised it by giving him an NT stubby to hold instead.  I had a lot of fun creating all these pieces and now this semester we need to use the same themes to create a digital piece.  This might take the form of a book, a film or an animation for example.

Our lecturer Cornelius showed us a great website http://www.blublu.org/ and we watched the video Big Bang Big Boom.  I would love to make something like this but in 6 weeks that is kind of impossible!

Have a watch of the video.

Video Art

This video art installation by Sonia Falcone is amazing.  Lights and colours seem to dance in this work.  From the muted blue tones to explosions of bright multi colours accompanied by a complimentary music track.  I think this work is amazing and I feel almost mesmerized when watching it.  I felt very disappointed when it came to the end and would love to be able to see this installation in person.

Sonia Falcone Art

I have stumbled across Sonia Falcone Art, with works including paintings, sculpture installations and video art.  Truly lovely works to me and I wish there were more of them!

http://www.soniafalcone.net/category/gallery/

The Hai Gallery in London describes Sonia's work as a balance between natural and artificial, whilst respecting both as important domains.

Bill Viola

I have been looking at work by Bill Viola today.  His work is creative and can be very confronting.  Below is his video art work from 2004 titled "The Raft".

A very violent and emotional work.  Bill said that this work was commissioned for the 2004 Athens Olympics, showing a cross section of humanity.  They are waiting and then suddenly bombarded by powerful jets of water, knocking them down in a violent manner.  After the wave of destruction the people then start to get up and check on each other.  Bill said that he wanted the work to show people being able to withstand the onslaught and get back on their feet and go at it again.

"The Raft" eerily resonates with "The Raft of the Medusa", a very famous work from 1818 by Theodore Gericault.  This is the work below:

Gericault's 'Raft' shows the aftermath of the sinking Meduse in which over 140 people desperately clung on to the raft and hoped for life.  In reality only 15 people survived.  I think it's very simple to compare the meanings of the two 'Raft' works - surviving disaster, the glimmer of hope, strength in adversity, but I also tend to think that the works are also about chance.  Sometimes there is no reason for the terrible things that happen in life and bad things happen to good people all the time.

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog for Introductory Studio SVA103 at CDU.
It looks like an exciting semester ahead, creating art with a digital focus!