Nam June Paik and More on The Residents

Nam June Paik is an innovator and creative individual that uses old tvs to create art. I loved his robots shown in class today. They are not only adorable but are amazing artistic. While there are other artists creating actual robots that can be used for daily life, Paik's robots have no reason other than to decontexturalize and appreciate the art. Another interesting artwork by Paik is the cello performance, where he created a tv bra and a cello that allowed the viewer to see the instrument as the performers wardrobe. I found this interesting because the musician puts so much time and effort into their performances, that over time the instrument becomes part of them and their life. Although his video art was great, he is also a great performance artist. One piece that I like was how he believed you didn't have to play the violin with the bow but instead dragged it behind him and then banged it against different surfaces. Once again we see artist reinventing the idea of something by taking it out of its original context, similar to sonic youth.
On another note, The Residents were presented again, but this time we got to see a live performance. I find it extremely interesting that we don't know who these people are performing. They're outrageous costumes and performance overall keeps you watching even it you don't like the music. Although their costumes are somewhat clown-like and frightening, you can see the influence that they have on today's children's characters such as on seasame street or other tv shows. They are trying to grab your attention through the soft, cute side where they are seen as very likable characters, instead of receiving negative attention. Creating a softer image allows them to reach out to several different types of fans instead of one particular group in order to sell more albums.

Electronic Music Continued...

Electronic music was continued today in class with features of a more array of cultural influences. I found the Colombian music from artists such as Toto La Momoposina, Sidestepper and El Savavin extremely interesting. Although I have no idea what they are saying since it is in a different language, the rhythm of the music catches your attention and involves you. The rhythms throughout different songs and groups could definitely be followed as the music progressed in age. While the artists are all creating new music from old, the influences can be strongly seen. Another interesting feature of today's class was The Residence, which was an experimental group where they never showed their faces. I love that they only made one minute videos because they felt that pop music was one minute features repeated over again, which I couldn't agree with more. What is the point of listening to something over and over again when you can just see and understand it in one short piece. Their influences could also been seen in artists like the Gorzillas which is a much more modern version. I think electronic music is totally a build up of what has been previously done but in the modern day, it sounds completely different due to its contextualization.

Electronic Music

Today begins the exploration of electronic music in class. The use of synthesizer was widely used in the 70s and 80s in order to create new music and push the boundaries of what music can be. I found it really interesting that one song could be used over and over again in order to create something completely different. For instance we watched the Rolling Stones song Satisfaction recreated by Dero, and Benny Benassi. Each creation was completely different from one another, however both influenced by the same work. Meanwhile songs that I have heard of before and like, were examined in a context that I have never thought of before. Depeche Mode and Nowell Vauge are artists that everyone has heard of before whether they realize it or not, however I never thought of them as contributors to an art movement. Although they were in a new music genre being explored at the time, it seemed that I was looking at the overall music of the decades rather than the music as an art piece that would influence the music we hear today. An artist like Lady Gaga is a just another artist pushing music to see what else can be created. Her influences can definitely be seen from the electronic music and style that developed throughout the 70s and 80s.

Crazy 80s Performance Art

Browsing though the works of 1980s performance artists, I found bizarre and completely new designs.  For instance the Squat Theater was something new where they had performances, movies, concerts etc. for the New York underground.  I love how they incorporated what was going on currently into what they were displaying.  The Black Generation movie featuring A. Poe, Blondie and the Ramones  definitely reflects the past, present and future.  Meanwhile, the Wooster group is extremely interesting seeing since it still exists today.  Seeing that it probably has only added on to its performances from those when it was just started in the 1970s.

Leigh Bowery however I find ridiculous and absolutely entertaining.  His crazy appeal, make-up and performances defy the limits and break them down.  What I find interesting though is that his clothing can actually be seen as influences of today's high fashion designers that are creating these out of the world like costumes for Vogue and other top profile magazines.  While no common person would wear these items, I find it hilarious that he does.  Each costume is bright and in  your face and always makes you turn and look.  The best part of the documentarywatched in class today, was the part where he was having tea in London at a fancy cafe where most rich, high profile people go.  Meanwhile he is standing there in this crazy dress, while everyone else is wearing suits and ties.  I find his really funny and he definitely gives you a new way to look at art.

Starlac, The Body is Obsolete

Starlac is an amazing artist who using technology to expand the use of the body and its functions. The robot-like designs model those that look to be in futurist movies and of outer-space contraptions. I love that his idea of using technology to work with the body is the same idea that is used in medicine. His creations, such as the virtual and robot arms are the exact designs and ideas that doctors and developers are using for amputees in order to give them back normal function and ability. The extent to which Starlac's art and its opportunities to give back mobility to individuals who have lost it in a variety of different ways is endless. Meanwhile such designs of Starlac's as the amplified body is overwhelming to think about, that one day walking down the street this monstrous robot/human could be next to you.
One interesting work of Starlacs that I found extremely interesting was the stomach sculpture. The designs of a camera to be able to go into the stomach and record what is going inside relates directly to procedures that are used in medicine today to diagnosis unknown ailments inside the body. His work makes you think outside the realm of function and appreciate the body as a work of art. Its ability to communicate with itself is beyond the human capacity to completely understand, yet our desire to know allows artist like Starlac to increase our knowledge by designing such art pieces that can double in meaning.

Xerox Project and Peformance Art Continued...

The Xerox project was extremely fun and turned out to be one of my favorite projects I've done in class so far. I'm tried to make the pieces look like one on each cork board that I used, while I started from my feet and went to my head. I incorporate some of my favorite things along with body parts to make it even more personal. I love the piece and how it turned out in the end.

Meanwhile, in class we continued with performance art. After exploring Gilbert and George and Orlan, I find that their pieces of art work and performances are bizarre and something that I would never think of as art. However since after viewing several pieces such as the singing sculpture and more of the artworks by both artists, I found that they are just continuing pushing the box and social norms. Gilbert and George's 2-D artworks that display themselves naked with a color, crazy background is really just a new dada or popart. Their singing sculpture definitely questions art and what is it and reminds me of the characters that are live sculptures in Disney or other theme parts, which obviously is a complete result of the influence of Gilbert and George.

Orlan on the other hand I found extremely interesting from her desire to redesign her body to create new art. Her African hybridization of herself are so well done that they seem like make-up and some sort of mask had to be used but to think that she used technologies such as photoshop is amazing. I thought it was also interesting that she created these figures from photoshop rather than doing it through plastic surgery. I think that these are creating art that would have never been thought of and as artists are extremely intriguing.

Fluxus and Juan Parada Lecture

Fluxus was explored in class today where we saw Neodada artists that were breaking the mold of art. Fluxus artists allowed for anything to be art. They opened to the doors for anything in life to be art, whether that be something positive or negative. For instance the Sonic Youth hammering a piano became art due to George Maciunus. Although may see this as disrespect of the instrument in front of them, they were creating a new way to look at the instrument other than its intentional purpose. Artists like Joseph Beuys created strange art that made people think in new ways. You had to figure out what the possible meaning, if any there was to appreciate the art. The felt suit for instance and other objects that he wrapped in felt was once used to keep soldiers warm during the war, now had a completely different meaning taking it out of contexts. The felt suit hanging on a hanger was not just a regular suit. The felt used created questions of why this material, who this belonged to and you want to know more about the person's life. The art makes you think beyond what you see in a new way that without artists like the Fluxus' we would still be thinking in the same ways, inside the box.
On another note, Juan Parada's Lecture on Friday, March 26, 2010 was very interesting. I found his thoughts on small business and how he runs his company completely through cloud computing and free resources genius. I never knew that there were such aids that could provide small business companies with programs that made their costs almost completely free. I feel that if you need a certain talent that you should search for that and make sure that you make your customers 100% happy, therefore if business owners must reach out to foreign workers to do so, why not take advantage. Another thing that I found very interesting was how Parada would pay his employees with computers, or video games if the currency rate was bad. I think its great since the worker gets paid accurately and its simple for the owner too. Overall I think the small business Parada runs is awesome based on what he does, however I agree with him that certain companies cannot run like and you must be self-sustainable. Once the company gets too big, the resources that he uses are now not to his advantage.