Final project, one observation of the week

After determining details for my final project, I came to observe other everyday object, mostly garbage-like objects. Empty water bottles around my house, recycled papers in school, even wrinkled and crumpled junks caught my eyes. Also, because light is such an attractive medium for an art, brightening the space by creating a whole new space, light installation art became a new interest of mine as well. If I could brighten up the world with garbages, things that we throw away and ignore, I would be more than happy to be an light installation artist, or light related artist. As many people today are trying to save the earth, I want to join in, too, but I’ll help in my own way. I’ll transform dirty things to a creative things that people can’t ignore, but follow. That was my observation/plan of the week

Final project news item 3

–I love “funtheory”. This is a trash bin but it has a sound in catch people’s ears. I thought this was a transformation of a garbage can, too in quite a different way. Usually, garbage bin doesn’t give people entertainment. But this transformation led people to enjoy throwing the garbage away. By this new garbage bin, people see throwing garbages as a fun thing to do. More people gather garbages and put into the bin. I think this is such a great and happy transformation.

Final project news item 2

`Earth` takes viewers on `breathtaking` global journey

(CNN) — A polar bear falls through thin Arctic ice while searching for food for his family. A humpback whale guides her calf on a perilous 4,000-mile journey. A herd of African elephants in search of water battles a sandstorm in the Kalahari Desert.

These dramatic scenes await viewers in “Earth,” a feature-length documentary hitting theaters Wednesday for Earth Day.

For British filmmakers Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield, surveying the whole planet for Earth’s most exotic species and magnificent landscapes was a daunting task.

“We wanted to tell an epic story about the whole planet,” co-director Fothergill told CNN in an interview. “We spent a record 2,000 days in the field. We filmed in 46 countries worldwide, on every continent.”

Fothergill and Linfield shot the footage for the film while making “Planet Earth,” the Emmy-award-winning nature series that aired on the BBC and the Discovery Channel in 2007.

But the filmmakers say “Earth” is not just a remix of the previous project.

“The movie has over 40 percent original footage. It has a very distinctly different story line than the TV series,” said Fothergill, who believes small TV screens don’t do justice to the images he and Linfield captured.

“Earth” is the first of a series of movies set to be released under the newly branded Disneynature label — a spin-off of “True-Life Adventure,” Disney’s first nature documentary series of the ’40s and ’50s.

Nature movies have made a big impression on national and international audiences in recent years. The 2005 documentary “March of the Penguins” cost roughly $3 million to make and sold over $127.4 million in tickets worldwide.

Disney plans to release one feature-length film a year. The next one is “Oceans” in 2010 followed by “Big Cats” and “Chimpanzees.” In honor of Earth Day 2009, Disney promised to plant a tree for each person who goes to see the movie on its opening weekend.

“Earth” examines the resilience of life in the face of ever-present danger through three stories of mothers and their young: polar bears in the Arctic, elephants in Africa’s Kalahari Desert and humpback whales in the tropical oceans. Thirty-nine other exotic species from all corners of the world get supporting roles.

The film is narrated by James Earl Jones, and George Fenton composed the score, which is performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

–Even though my outcome for the final project was different from the original concept, this article followed my base concept. I wanted to show how the Earth is dying at this moment. One instance was the garbage mountain I used for the previous project. The concept for changed project became how the garbage can be used in a different way, and in a pleasurable way to us. That concept orgininally came out from my thought of dying Earth. While reading this article, I felt like there are many people who are concerning about Earth and actually run around to save Earth. I was really glad. By this documentary movie, I wish more and more people get interests in Earth and in saving Earth.

Final Project news item 1

Wallpapering over the trash

(CNN) — American artist C. Finley has taken it upon herself to perform interventions in the street. She doesn’t help addicts kick their habit, but wallpapers dumpsters, what she classes as “urban interventions”.

Part of her motivation is to make us question our own wasteful consumer habits.

“I want to inspire people to rethink consumption and urban waste,” she told CNN via email.

So far the 34-year-old from Missouri has beautified dumpsters in LA, New York and Rome using scraps of wallpaper given to her by fellow artists and photographers.

“This is a considerate way of asking people to look again. I think genteel and delicate hand silk-screened wallpaper has a transformative effect on the brutish dumpster. I believe we are responsible for our city, to do what we can to transform, from the top down and from the dumpster up.”

Now living in Rome, C. Finley first thought of the project while transforming a shipping container into an arts installation in the port of Los Angeles.

During the long days, she began to wonder how a baroque pattern on an anonymous metal container would look.

“I was already painting on wallpaper and using it in collage, but I wanted to make an intervention that would transform trash and the way we think about it. I think with these urban ‘throwaway zones,’ people do their best not to look at them because they’re ugly,” she said.

“Wallpapered dumpsters transform environmental activism into unexpected beauty. I like to think of these interventions as polite graffiti. This project is an inquiry into urban waste, free art, and notions of femininity, beauty and domesticity.”

So far Finley says the public has reacted to her work “with a lot of love.”

With 15 more rolls of donated wallpaper she has dumpsters belonging to more high-profile owners in her sights before heading to back to Europe — and hopefully getting a grant to continue the wallpaper dumpsters and other projects.

“I am day dreaming of working with the Mayor of New York. I also have an interactive graffiti project happening around urban waste zones. It is a large, yellow wheat paper pasted to dumpsters or near throw away zones. It resembles an office message pad, but other people fill in the blanks, time, date, name, and message.”

–This article seemed beautiful. This is so needed. People, including myself, don’t see dumpsters as beautiful things. The way to change that point of view is through art. Since the visuliazation dominate people’s minds and people’s choices, and we can’t change that whatsoever, we should change that visulization. If the world joins this project, everywhere would be garbage-less. There would be no such thing as garbage mountain, of course.I didn’t realize, but I wanted to transform the garbage, because I wanted to give a new, clean look to the garbage.

Final project; 10 images

–I would call this project as “New Light” project. I was thinking of using a garbage like object and I thought of the plastic bags. Then I thought what I can do with this plastic bag. Then I came to get interests in concept of transformation. I’m going to put a fake candle into each plastic bag and attatch to it and make it like 80 of them. Then tie it to a string and light out the street with airs filling plastic bags. I’m going to, of course, do this at night, and I’ll video-tape it or take pictures. Then I’ll hang the plastic bags and shoot out the projector of image or video on those. Video will be just like few seconds placed in a loop.

Final project text 3

London’s Old Vic to show art in labyrinthine tunnels

The theatre run by actor Kevin Spacey plans to hold screenings, performances and exhibitions in the disused spaces beneath Waterloo station

london. The British capital has a dramatic new venue for contemporary art. London’s Old Vic theatre, which is run by the actor Kevin Spacey, has acquired the lease on a cavernous labyrinth of disused tunnels beneath Waterloo station.

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// The new space, which has been named the Old Vic Tunnels, will be used for performances, film screenings and at least four curated exhibitions. The lease for the tunnels was acquired for £100 from Lambeth Council and is valid for one year. Hamish Jenkinson, director of the space, says he hopes to renew it next year.

“My hope is to be able to convince some of the big collectors in England and abroad who have vast collections hidden away in storage that they should bring these out and show them [with us],” says Jenkinson.

As well as these exhibitions, all theatre productions in the space will include “elements of art”, according to Jenkinson, who says he has “big ideas” about what could be done if the funding can be found. He says he is in talks with Joe La Placa of All Visual Arts—who represents artists Paul Fryer and Alastair Mackie among others—and art dealer Steve Lazarides.

Lazarides is planning a show in October to coincide with Frieze Art Fair, which is “loosely based on Dante’s Inferno. I might line up ten guys with pit bulls on chains at the entrance to set the scene for people coming in”, he says.

The Old Vic used the tunnels for a free two-week performance in May 2009 entitled Tunnel 228—a collaboration with the theatre company Punchdrunk that was sponsored by Bloomberg. Actors posed as workers cleaning railway tracks in a performance inspired by Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Work by 20 artists including Antony Micallef, Paul Fryer and Janet Cardiff & George Bures Miller was also on display.

–This is quite a short article that doesn’t really explain the specific concept nor idea behind the exhibition, but I chose this article for this quote. “All theatre productions in the space will include “elements of art””. For my final project, elements of art will be included for every single object I use, every space I use. Plastic bag will be art, as well as lights. My room will be art, as well as outside the street will be art. In order to do that, they’ll have elements of art. Elements of shape, space, texture, form, line will be significant for my project. Since I’m going to photograph the object of plastic bag with lights adopting the space, the object’s own texture, form, line, and shape will play a huge role.

Final project article 2

There’s a lot of talk about major changes brewing on the planet and in the lives of those who inhabit it. Some describe how the shifts in the magnetic poles affect people. Others refer to the prophecies for 2012 and the period leading up to Transformation. Many simply appreciate the seasonal cycles and the renewal qualities of springtime. Whatever the reason, multitudes are being called to transform their daily lives, relationships, lifestyles, work, and beliefs. Indeed, people are being asked to both acknowledge and align with their own Truth. This takes courage in a society that, in many ways, promotes stability, security, and the steadfast commitment to long-term goals; it takes guts when so many judge change as undesirable or frightening. Change, however, is inevitable and many are both hearing and following this call for transformation, refashioning how they spend their time and who they spend it with.

The maxim “nothing is constant but change itself” used to stress me out. In many ways, I too am resistant to change, yet my life is a testimony to Susan Jeffers’ book: “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway”. I have listened to strong inner urges to live in various places around the world, switching between careers as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, an artist / arts administrator, and a student. I have also loved deeply, yet lovingly let go of relationships when their purpose had been fulfilled. Each chapter of my life has gifted me with a clearer understanding of myself and others and equipped me with the tools to embark on the next leg of the journey. Fortunately, the inner and outer promptings were sometimes blatantly clear and followed with ease, acceptance, and excitement. Often, however, periods of frustration, confusion, fear, grief, and resistance were needed to help me become conscious of my soul’s summon to the next metamorphosis. In some cases, these adjustments were within my existing jobs or relationships – yet other times they were away from them. Whatever the case, each shift was founded on a strong faith and, in the bigger picture, was perfect. Even the caterpillar needs to molt its skin several times before becoming a butterfly.

The Call for Change
There are many ways that change beckons us. Sometimes, we simply know it is time; a calm sense of resolve settles within us. Other times, an opportunity ignites great excitement, showing that this new path is clearly in alignment with who we truly are. Occasionally, however, a growing sense of dissatisfaction and depression signals a need to be or do differently. If it is not heeded, it can lead to a state of dis-ease. It is important to note, though, that not all discomfort is a signal for correction. Discernment is essential to recognize the difference between a soul yearning for transformation and the growing pains one can experience when stretching comfort zones along the way. Indeed, a goal that still drives us may require challenging steps. At times, however, we are called to let go of long-lived goals as their purpose was only to bring us to this point. This can be very uncomfortable, especially when our self-image is tied to elements of our lives, be they goals, careers or relationships. Furthermore, letting go of what no longer serve us can be painful when others frown upon our choices. Unfortunately, our natural evolution, unlike a caterpillar’s, is sometimes impeded by social, financial, or psychological influences.

Creating Room for Change
Metamorphosis takes both time and space. First, embracing a new path might require planning even when our new direction is clear. For instance, one may need to save up for the next step. Second, cocooning can be very useful, especially in times of overwhelming confusion. Clarity can often be gained by temporarily retreating from a situation, providing an opening for our Higher Selves to communicate through meditation, journaling, dream analysis, counseling, etc. Another way is to create a complete vacuum, trusting that an answer will then reveal itself. For example, last fall, I concluded that my teaching position no longer aligned with my greater needs. Instead, I wanted to spend more time with my art. Although I had no idea what that would look like, I was brave enough to not renew my contract. It was only once I had given my notice and created that vacuum that my new path became clear. At a gallery event, a friend handed me the university’s Certificate of Art & Design program guide. I got so excited that I knew this was my answer. I was then shocked to discover that the courses are in the same building I taught in – something I was oblivious to until I was ready to know. Room for change can take many forms – its goal though is always to build up enough energy and clarity to create that life worth living.

Ultimately, the art of transformation is a spiritual practice that enhances every area of our lives at one time or another. Decidedly, change is healthy – as long as the motivation for it is in line with Love and Truth. One only needs to hear and then respond to the call. In the end, there is nothing quite as rewarding as spreading our wings and flying whole-heartedly on our unique trajectory, with purpose and passion. Are you willing to listen to your Higher Self when it beckons you to the next step on your evolutionary path?

–While thinking of the concept of transforming the everyday object into something new, I questioned myself whether I was creating an art, or creating just a new design of light, or even inventing a new object? I wasn’t sure, but I believed it was an art, because that’s what I wanted to do. But while reading this article, I figure out that my work is really an art. Art is something that changes the world. The world can’t grow if there’s no transformation in art. This text is not related directly to my project of creating a new function to a plastic bag, but it was related to my concept behind the project. I could come up with the idea of brightening the street by this article, from the word “change the world”.

final project text 1

The visible world and the world of sight, as is well known, is the world of light. Art as the field of the visible – as painting shows – has always been bound to the universe of light. Albert Einstein solved the mystery of light’s essence in 1905 through wave-particle duality. Light is both an electromagnetic wave and a current of particles. It is a form of energy that in a vacuum would travel at a speed of 299,792,458 meters per second. When light hits a prismatic structure it divides into different wavelengths that are visible as colors. Its brightness is measured in lux and lumen describes the stream of light, or the amount of light that is emitted from a source of light.

Painting has concentrated primarily on the depiction of natural light and the wave phenomena that are known from optics and other areas. It is only since Heinrich Hertz discovered in 1889 in Karlsruhe, »that electric waves reproduce exactly like optical waves« [Max Planck, 1894] and have the same speed, i.e., that there is a real and symbolic relationship between light and electricity, that a universe of artificial light has had its influence on all of us.

Very few media have revolutionized and democratized our living space in the last hundred years as much as electrical light has. The most diverse areas of everyday life, of working life, consumption, media, etc., have transformed through artificial light – and so has art. Since the beginning of the last century, artificial light has increasingly illuminated ever more streets, shop windows, billboard signs and houses in an unprecedented abundance and form. We reside in cities and gardens of light. Observed from airplanes and satellites, the nighttime Earth glows like a cluster of stars. Light works become artificial stars that change the visible world and change people’s lives as a whole. Ever since the victory over the night and the sun, we have lived in paradises of artificial light.

For nearly a hundred years, artists have confronted this immaterial medium in the form of light bulbs, luminous substances and neon tubes, glowing LEDs and powerful floodlights. Art has increasingly turned from the illusionary representation of natural light to the real application of artificial light. The artwork is transforming itself from a representative screen depicting the wave phenomena of natural light – the prismatic decomposition into rainbow colors – into a real sender of electrons and photons of artificial light. Artists create autonomous, luminous objects and rooms, and even illuminate entire landscapes.

The electrification of the world inspired artists of different genres such as Futurism, Constructivism, Kinetic Color Music and the Bauhaus. Through art directions such as material painting, film, Kinetics, and Op Art, immaterial artificial light created an independent medium: light art. Light art pioneers such as László Moholy-Nagy, Thomas Wilfred, and Zdenek Pesánek illustrate the great elementary attraction this medium has for artists. At the same time, this can be seen in the 1920s avant-garde films by Hans Richter, Walter Ruttmann, Viking Eggeling, and Oskar Fischinger.

Through extensive room installations, new presentations and reconstructions of historically significant light objects, installations and environments, the exhibition demonstrates how, in the second half of the twentieth century, especially in the 1960s, the medium of light inspired a growing interest in numerous European artists groups and how these artists dealt with light, color, and movement. Excellent work groups such as ZERO [Germany], GRAV [France], and Gruppo T and Gruppo N [Italy] document the beginning of immersive and interactive, even virtual environments. Many artists hereby implement light not just statically, but also tie it with kinetic elements. It is possible to view fascinating works in this context by the artists Nicolas Schöffer, Jean Tinguely, and Gerhard von Graevenitz. The ZKM|Museum for Contemporary Art’s spectacular exhibition offers the first presentation of the classical highlights of light art, and here, the most recent contemporary art reveals surprising references to earlier works. Early positions of prominent artists such as Dan Flavin, Bruce Nauman, Keith Sonnier, James Turrell, Mario Merz, François Morellet, Ferdinand Kriwet, and Maurizio Nannucci elucidate the use and importance of artificial light in Concept Art, Op Art, Arte Povera, etc.

–This was a part from a curatorial concept of a exhibition titled, “Light Art from Artificial light”. I thought the curator’s view of light and the concept of light related to my project. She believes that everyday life, common things could be transformed by an artifical light. For my project, I’m trying to say that everyday object, that we see too often that its importance is not realized, could be transformed into a thing that can change the space, and the world. I’m using a common plastic bags, but gave it a new function as a floating street light, artficial light. Since light art is the new interest for me that I haven’t thought about before, I came to realize the importance of artificial light once more by reading this article. “The visible world and the world of sight, as is well known, is the world of light”!!

final proect video clips

All three videos are similar, dealing lights and effect of them on space. These videos showed the closest image of my ideal visualization of final project. I wanted lights to be interacting with the space, and outside. They’ve shown the environment around the light and lights adapting to the space. These videos create many different colors on air. That was also related to my project since my lights will up in the air as well. They won’t have different colors, but because of that, these videos seemed to be helpful for me.