Can an artist be considered successful, even if they don’t create something that can be hung up in a gallery? Absolutely. Ask Marina Abramovic, the grandmother of performance art. Since her debut in the 1970s, the Serbian artist has challenged social norms and blurred the lines between observer and participant. In works such as Rhythm 10 and Rhythm 5, Abramovic abused her body before spectators. She pushed further with her 1974 work Rhythm 0, in which observers were encouraged to use items ranging from honey to razor blades to a loaded gun on her as they wished, relinquishing control of her person and reducing her body to an object. Collaboration with the artist Ulay explored the female-male dichotomy and the extremes of human experience through violently physical tableaux involving slapping, screaming, and slamming their bodies repeatedly into wooden columns. This is juxtaposed with works of another extreme, in which they sit across from one another for days at a time without moving, talking, eating or sleeping. In 2010, Abramovic unveiled her work The Artist is Present at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where visitors were given the opportunity to sit silently with the artist one on one. Many consider this to be her most successful work, as she was able to connect with the public and teach them to fill themselves with emptiness and exist in the present moment.
My First Podcast: Behind the Scenes
Going from zero to podcast in a week was honestly pretty daunting. I’m what one might call a low-tech type person; I can often go weeks without touching my computer. But I am happy to report that producing this video wasn’t nearly as difficult as I thought it would be, and the end result actually gave me quite a sense of accomplishment. As an art historian, I thought it would be best to profile an artist rather than try to pass myself off as one. I love my “work space,” which is essentially a collection of art books, tear sheets and a lot of writing instruments, but I wasn’t convinced this would make the most compelling podcast. Better to play up my strengths, right? So I gathered together source images, a fittingly haunting royalty-free soundtrack, and my script, and I was ready to go. Like everyone else I know, I once had a boyfriend who was an amateur filmmaker, so I remember the hours and weeks of tedious editing. Was this going to be my fate? The simple answer is no. Of course, I wasn’t using a sophisticated, professional program, and this video wasn’t intended to be on the festival circuit, so the stakes weren’t exactly high. Still, I can’t help but be invested in my finished product and try to do as best as I can. I found it useful to let some fresh eyes watch the video and give me feedback on the pacing of the title card and other visual elements. I just had to get over listening to myself speak, and in the end I made it less “me” by hamming it up and using my most exaggerated Podcast Voice. Despite my fears, this project was actually pretty fun, and I can totally see myself making others (maybe people really WOULD be interested in my pen collection?). I can definitely see the value of knowing how to make simple informational videos for use in the classroom, for example assigning students to watch a short instructional video introducing a new skill or art form. It’s pretty exciting.
We've all seen the memes about group projects, but this project was pleasantly different. I was assigned to a great team of classmates, and we were able to work smoothly and responsibly, completing our assigned tasks while communicating and supporting one another. Go Team! As for the project itself, creating a sample stop motion video, I was a little hesitant at first. Actually, quite hesitant. Enter the Stop Motion Studio App, which is truly a life (and sanity) saver! The free app is so easy to use, with the option to either take a series of photographs within the app itself, or importing photos saved to your phone's camera roll. You also have control over the frame-per-second speed, adjusting to get the look you're going for. Fortunately, I was able to repurpose some birds I cut and painted for another class, and I decided flying birds would make a pretty sample video. It is not the best video in the entire world, but I was impressed that I was able to put it together with relative ease. I know that we have another animated video project to complete this semester, and I hope to be able to use Stop Motion again. But in the meantime I'll definitely need to find a tripod to get rid of that shaky camera work.
3D Model Design and Printing
Designing a 3D Model: Reflection
I will admit, this assignment was intimidating to me. I had a cute idea, though, and I wanted to make it work. I chose William the Egyptian hippopotamus as my spirit animal, because, well, I just find him really beautiful. And somehow, I thought that designing a hippopotamus in Tinkercad would be kind of like building a snowman, just assembling some spheres and add columns for legs, right? Boy, was I laughably naïve. After a few hilarious failed attempts at building a hippo model, I switched to Plan B. We also had the option to take a pre-existing model and manipulate it. So I turned to YouTube, the best resource when you have no idea what you're doing, to see what kinds of things you can actually do to a 3D model. That's when I came across a video showing step by step how to modify the model's resolution, creating what is known as a "Low Poly" figure. These faceted animals are all the rage, showing up on everything from t-shirts to tattoos. I thought this would be a great way to update Sweet William. I'll paint him blue and give him an updated lotus design. I definitely need to take some time to really learn Tinkercad and Blender, because it is an exciting medium and I think I will enjoy the challenge.
One of Us: An Animated Video
One of Us: A Reflection
Okay, I'll admit it, this video is rough. It was assembled quickly and haphazardly due to unforeseen circumstances, which may or may not have included procrastination. I had such great ideas for this video, I was imagining an elaborate Busby Berkeley-esque production, but it just didn't pan out. That would be awesome, though. My Sonny Angels deserve more than this simple video, and over the winter break I'm going to give this project another chance. I need to redeem myself.
Needle Felted Wool Llama Tutorial Video
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda: A Reflection
I have been looking forward to this project for a while, because I knew that I chose something fun and easy that I’ve done with students before. Needle Felting is relaxing and almost meditative — when you have plenty of time to do it right. And you don’t have to worry about blocking a camera’s view. I have so much respect for all of those YouTubers cranking out polished, well-produced tutorials. The lighting, the continuity, the script! A lot goes into making those videos. Not to mention the post-production editing and keeping track of clips. I could have done a much better job on this video, if I gave myself enough time. Procrastination is just part of my process, unfortunately. Having somebody help as a stand-in when setting up the camera would have made a huge difference. And it looks like it’s time for someone to get readers, as I kept holding my work close to my eyes and completely out of frame. Live and learn. I am very pleased with the soundtrack; a little Mark Mothersbaugh seems to give the finished product an air of credibility. I’m pretty happy overall with my project, and I could see myself making more on my own. Maybe a long form video of cross stitching would be nice. It sounds relaxing, at least.