Current Event: Video Games as Art

Pac-Man (1980)

The question of whether or not video games could be considered art has been a popular topic of discussion for quite a while. However, with an announcement from The Museum of Modern Art, the issue has been actively circulating around once again. On November 29, The Museum of Modern Art announced revealed that they acquired 14 video-games to be featured in their Architecture and Design collection.

The 14 chosen games include:
Pac-Man (1980), Tetris (1984), Another World (1991), Myst (1993), SimCity 2000 (1994), vib-ribbon (1999), The Sims (2000), Katamari Damacy (2004), EVE Online (2003), Dwarf Fortress (2006), Portal (2007), flOw (2006), Passage (2008), and Canabalt (2009).

In order to see if the games had artistic value, they were assessed on four-dimensions: behavior, aesthetics, space and time. (While the MoMA blog has a more extensive description of of the dimensions, Time.com summarizes them nicely). Additionally, the MoMA also chose the games based on their cultural and historical significance. While there are only 14 games at the moment, there are a total of 40 games that they hope to acquire in the future. (One of them being one of my personal favorites, Animal Crossing. YES!)

Animal Crossing (2001)

But what about the question of whether or not video games could or should be considered art? Interestingly, according to the Supreme Court, they are. I feel that art itself is something that is subjective, but there are people who disagree--and I do respect that. However, I still think that video games are very artistic. Even though I haven't had time to sit down and play a video game in a long time, I believe that there was much artistic value in the games I have played in the past.

Art you can eat!

Something I enjoy doing on my spare time is looking up baking recipes and watching Cupcake wars and Ace of Cakes. While I was looking up some cookie and cake recipes I came across a site called Crazy Cakes Inc. (http://www.crazycakes.com). They literally have the craziest cakes I've ever seen! Their motto is "Art you can eat", and they sure are right about that! Here are some cool cakes that you wouldn't believe are edible! Enjoy and be amazed!

-Tiffany Beaumont

A little laugh will help you pass!

According to http://www.helpguide.org, laughter is a great stress reliever. At this time, I know exams are coming up and papers are due.....but stop studying for a sec and get a little laughter in your system first. 

• Laughter relaxes your muscles for up to 45 minutes
• It lowers stress hormones
•  boost up your mood
• Eases anxiety and fear

 

So go on http://www.youtube.com and type in anything that will make your stomach hurt! Let's start with the 80 year old woman sky diving and elevator pranks! Enjoy!

-Tiffany Beaumont

Skiing as an Art Form

Last semester, my English teacher posed a question to the class, "what is art?" I sat back in my chair and reflected upon the question for a moment. At first I began to think of paintings or sculptures on display inside of an art gallery and I imagined that this is what most people thought of when they  consider the topic of art.

However, art can be found in many places depending on the person you ask.  I believe we can all agree that art is something that, through creativity, is intended to be pleasing in some way, whether it be visual or through one of the other senses. Following my presentation on skiing last week, I think you might find it easy to believe that I think skiing is a form of art.  Skiing is a form of creative expression that requires the use of skill and individual action. When skiing gets to a certain level of skill, each skier becomes their own artist out on the mountain. They have the ability to use their skill to make something that is physically and emotionally enjoyable to them and at the same time, visually appealing to others.

Filmer's these days do a great job capturing the essence of skiing through their video's and I think episode 4 of The Wonder Reels is another great example. As the song in the video says, "everything lies within the eyes of you". Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In my opinion, skiing is a beautiful art form.

My Teaching Credo

Being an education major, I'm always thinking about how I want to present myself as a (future) teacher. There are many things that I value and that I want to implement in my classroom. Therefore, I came up with a credo of what I believe a good classroom should be like and what I, as a teacher, want to strive for. Additionally, I designed a mini-poster to organize my thoughts. Here is the end result! (Click to enlarge.)

My Teaching Credo

1. Everyone is different and learns in a different way--so be accommodating. I believe in working hard to reach all students’ needs.
2. Grades should not be the primary focus of a classroom. I believe in having  students challenge themselves and understand the material without fear of failure.
3. Learning should be fun! I believe in fostering creative expression through a wide variety of activities that makes the learning experience enjoyable for everyone.
4. The classroom should be a safe and welcoming environment. I believe in making sure that students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and are never intimidated. 

Check out rapgenius.com

Many of today's rap stars write seemingly nonsensical lyrics.  On this website, members attempt to deconstruct the lyrics to ever rap song in existence-from the most complex to the most obvious. I recommend reading the analysis of 2 chainz's birthday song. It's hilarious. In order to access the site, you will have to quickly sign up and create an alias.

 

          

hitRECord

This past week I was fortunate to go home for Thanksgiving break. I was even more fortunate in that I was able to go see Joseph Gordon Levitt speak on behalf of his new undertaking, hitRECord.  

This project is a mass collaboration movement of the arts.  

Artist, singers, dancers, animators and many more post their material to the website, combine with others, remix and revise in an international effort for creative mashups.  

Some of my favorites include "Strawberry Bootlaces" and "Mademoiselle Noir."  

Through this project, JGL has also published two volumes of the "Tiny Book of Tiny Stories."  

Anyone can sign up.  

Push your creative boundaries and hitRECord!

Podcast #1: Middle School Music

In this podcast, I share with you three albums (and songs) that I enjoyed during Middle School. (What are some of your favorite songs from that time?)

Ideally, it would include the songs--but for now, I encourage you to click the read more and listen to the YouTube videos during the breaks of silence in the audio. (At 1.07 play "Fix You", "The Ghost of You" at 6.18 and "Running Out of Time" at the end.)

Enjoy!

Talk Write-Up: Live Theater

As I mentioned in class, here's a write-up of my talk.

The Flynn MainStage

In the past few weeks, how many of you watched a video on You Tube? How about watched a TV show? Went to a movie?

When you think about it, there are so many different ways that technology has enhanced entertainment. We now have Hi-Definition and 3-D and Blu-Ray. And for the last three decades, we have had several versions of surround sound.

The ideas behind these technologies are to make the audience feel like they are experiencing the action as it occurs on the screen. The entertainment industry is striving for the audience to have a real life experience. So I ask, isn’t technology wonderful?

I say yes, but, it can’t and should never replace the real life experience.

Movies, television, yes... All of these are incredibly entertaining but I want to argue that the truest form of entertainment is LIVE entertainment.

When I was in third grade, I had the opportunity to see Beauty and the Beast on Broadway with my class. Being such a huge fan of the animated film, I was skeptical about it being anywhere close to as good as the Disney version. However, I was proven wrong. When I left the theater, my nine-year-old self was blown away and my life was changed. When we were asked to write about what we liked about the show the next day, I remember writing: “It was real!” I connected with the characters more than I ever imagined. It also made me wonder if magic could actually exist—what could possibly cause the feeling I had?

The Lonely Biscuits-Everybody

The Lonely Biscuits are a new band that I came across on one of my favorite music blogs, Good Music All Day (which you should check out!). I guess you could describe these guys as the Dave Matthews Band with a blend of hip-hop. This song was released after Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast a couple weeks ago. It's message: Keep your head up, even when times are tough. Enjoy!

Throwback Thursdays Are Back!!

It has been a while since I have posted any songs for Throwback Thursdays and I apologize, I have been extremely busy. Without further or do, I have a little Notorious for you all to enjoy today, mixed with XX's 'VCR'. I love this mash-up (and mash-ups in general) because it offers a new sound to a song. Different instrumentals added to a track can change the vibe you get from the song completely, for better or for worse. It's all about finding the right ones. Enjoy!

"The Graffiti Mecca"

5 Pointz

Recently I was introduced to a place by the name of 5 Pointz in Long Island City, New York.  It is a block long abandoned industrial complex that has been transformed into an "aerosol art center."  Artists from all over the world submit their ideas, paint massive murals and individual tags.  The building houses over 200 studio spaces, owned by the developer Jerry Wolkoff.  Attracting stars such as Doug E. Fresh, Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Kaz, Mobb Deep, Rahzel, DJ JS-1, Boot Camp Clik, Joan Jett, and Joss Stone  It is a collection of all the great contemporary street artists and graffiti artists. The building is an ongoing process of art collection in the medium's intended form. 

For more information about 5pointz and their upcoming events be sure to visit their website

360° Book

Architect Yusuke Oono is the creator of this beautiful booklet. When left closed, the appears to be a small book, but flipping through the pages reveals a stunning assortment of carvings that together produces a 360° diorama. 

Oono managed to recreate the tale of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves through this method of these tiny carvings. He states, "I like finding new ways to express dimension, and it occurred to me to create this palm-sized book that opens out to form a 3D world." In order to make the details of this booklet, Yusuke Oono utilized a laser cutter. This project was a top winner in a Fab Cafe laser cutter design contest--and it deserves it!

I'm absolutely blown away by the detail that each page possesses, especially since the work itself is so small. He was able to capture the likenesses of the characters from the Disney film version of the story perfectly. I had never heard much of laser design before--but after seeing this, I am definitely going to do more research into it.

(Check out Yusuke Oono's porfolio for more pictures of the booklet.)

"Do It Live."

Nope this is not about that one time Bill O'Reilly decided to lose his shit, not that we all haven't been there at one point or another, don't worry bud.  

I received a text message a few days ago from one of my best friends in high-school by the name of Chris.  Chris and I haven't seen or really spoken to each other in about two years, nothing dramatic, we just drifted off into our separate lives in college.  He was on his way up to Burlington on a whim with one of his friends and told me he wanted to visit.  I can't explained how ecstatic I was to be able to catch up with him and hear about his life since we graduated.  Later, when I asked the two of them why they had decided so suddenly to come up to visit, they replied simply "Well... do it live."  

"Do it live." was their new motto.  No longer ask the question why, but rather, why not?  They finished their homework at midnight, and made the decision to drive to Burlington from Boston at 1 in the morning and were on the road six hours later.  It often pays not to plan.  Throw yourself into things.  Make a move.  Do not just sit there and wait for exciting things to happen, go after them.  Do it live, folks.  If we sit in fear of the outcomes or are held back by the voice of Doubting Thomas in our heads, we are going to miss out on life. 

So I urge you, as they did me, adopt the motto.  

Do it live.

Thinking about Math

Below I have provided the link to an article written by Alexander Nazaryan on The New Yoker's website that I recommend for anyone who regularly thinks about writing. The article is about math's relationship to prose and the state of postmodern literature in general. As someone who was too lazy to battle the frustrations of math further than calculus,  I have recently felt an urge to retry and solve my deficiency with numbers, in an odd way, through writing. I mean to say that the challenges of writing that frustrate me feel naturally similar to those encountered in math problems. For instance, when I start attacking a math problem it is generally a fun, creative first few steps that feel promising; then I realize, in my excitement or lack of precision, that I have done something but not the thing I intended to do, which was render the problem solved or complete. The exact same thing happens in writing. But as Nazaryan comments in the article and as I've noticed, today's writing standards seem to wrongly encourage this kind of clumsy progress through writing towards accidental ends. I could say more, but the Nazaryan's article says it better. Read it:

To Read the Article Click Here: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2012/11/writers-should-learn-math.html

Sounds

I was going through Brain Pickings (an wonderful blog recommended by Johnny Redox at Broke N' Ballin') and came across a post discussing sound. Within the post is an insightful video that, after watching it, really got me thinking.

I love music. It helps me sleep, helps me work, and calms me down when I’m stressed or sad. It is magical. I’m listening to it as I’m writing this post. But really… what is music? It is sound. Although, I think the more appropriate question is: what is sound and can it all sounds be considered music? As the video explores, sound is something that we are exposed to every day. Footsteps, cars honking, birds chirping—they are all sounds that impact our lives.

"We all live in a kind of super-saturated audio environment."

The various speakers of the video state:

“Listening to all this random, disparate noise and sound that’s going on around us right now … when you actually tune it in and listen to it, you hear pitches that are like singing together, you hear harmonies, you hear weird textures. It’s about paying attention to the individual components more than the overall effect. The more differences you perceive, the better your life is.”

The natural sounds of our lives can be considered musical in many ways. As the quote states, sounds are layered and textured—much like songs. There are different pitches and harmonies as well. When we go about our daily lives it is difficult to take the time and actively tune into all of the different sounds we hear. I turned off the radio to experiment with the notion of attempting to perceive differences in sound: I hear the faint hum from my computer, the clacking of the keys as I’m typing. I can hear the wind rustling the leaves of the trees around my house.

But are these sounds music?

Everyone has a different definition of what is considered musical, but to answer the question, I would prefer to think about what music means to me. In my opinion, music is a combination of sounds that have the ability to evoke emotions. Music is specifically constructed to do this—but can natural sounds produce the same effect? Personally, I believe they can. Upon reflection, there are many sounds that fill me with happiness, tranquility and nostalgia. Both songs and specific sounds can bring me back to a specific period of time.

"Sound can be beautiful."

For example, I was obsessed with the album “X&Y” by Coldplay when I was in eighth grade. Whenever I hear any of the songs from the album I can place myself in various moments of that eighth grade year when I was listening to it: posting to my Xanga, drawing, chatting on AIM, etc. I’m overcome by nostalgia. The sound of the ocean can also take me back in time. Just by hearing the movement of the waves transports me back to when I was seven and exploring the beach for the first time.

There are so many ways in which we are connected to the world, and as the video explains, sound is one of them. I don’t think there is a right answer to whether or not sound and music can be considered the same. However, sound plays a large role in what makes up most music. Natural sounds individually as well as music can both evoke emotion—and that emotional response is a large reason why I listen to music. Overall, I believe the sounds that surround us can be just as artistic as music itself.

For fun, take some time try to differentiate the sounds you hear. What are they? Are there any sounds that bring you back to a certain time in your life?

Until next time!

Three Art Blogs You Should Know

One of the best things about the technological age is the availability of information.  But that can often be more overwhelming than anything.  So I am going to keep this simple.  Here are three of my favorite art blogs I highly recommend to anyone interested in the current art scene.

Art 21

PBS created a series by the name of Art 21, profiling hundreds of living, working, artists from around the world.  This sparked their art blog with up to date profiles, show reviews, and interviews with these artists.  

Curbs and Stoops

Geared more towards the youthful rebellious types, curbs and stoops provides not only provides great interviews with working artists but also flawlessly balances the abstract, realist, conceptual, and political  works they profile on their page.

Vandalog

If we haven't realized by now, I have a sickening love for the street art movement.  

Stay educated.

Code Poetry

Since we are all working on designing our nameplate pages, I thought I'd share this book that I stumbled upon. It is, as the title suggests, a collection of poems made from...code! I need one.

Ishac Bertran began this project in February, 2012 by asking people to send him poems written in coding language. But why? Bertran explains, "Code can speak literature, logic, maths. It contains different layers of abstraction and it links them to the physical world of processors and memory chips. All these resources can contribute in expanding the boundaries of contemporary poetry by using code as a new language. Code to speak about life or death, love or hate. Code meant to be read, not run". After the invitation, Bertran received over 200 submissions, but chose 55 to include in the book called code {poems}.

Some of the "coding language" featured in code {poems} is HTML, C#, SQL, C++, Objective C, Applescript and Java. 

I think the entire concept of this book is beautiful. I've been playing around with HTML since I was 13 years old--and while I have much to learn, coding is something that is close to my heart. While there were only 100 copies of the book printed, the project site suggests that there will be a second edition of the book in the future.

(For more information and pictures, check out the project site.)

Until next time!

ARART: An Augmented Reality Application

Kei Shiratori, Takeshi Mukai and Younghyo Bak recently created an application that brings famous works of art to life! When a mobile device is held to a piece, "a new story will unfold, as if time trapped inside the painting has been stirred alive".

Additionally, ARART animates the illustrations within Alice In Wonderland as well as common objects such as records and CDs. The app uses the camera of the device to detect the objects, and if it is registered, the image will move. Watch the video below to see ARART in action.

This is incredible! What I really love about ARART is the use of technology to add depth, and potentially redefine well-known masterpieces as well as the world around us. Soon ARART will be available to download for free at the iTunes App Store. The creators plan to add even more features than what is shown. (I can't wait!)

(For more information, check out the project site.)

Until next time!

3D Street Art: This is Awesome!

3D street art is an emerging art form that is totally cool. These artists, known as "chalk artists", draw two-dimensional paintings using the street or sidewalk as their canvas.  When completed, the paintings give the viewer a 3D perspective when looked at from the right angle. Here are some of my favorites that I have found. Enjoy!

Edgar Mueller's "Hot River"

Julian Beevers "Coca-Cola"

Joe & Max's "Ninja Turtles"

Zeon Santos' "Pac-Man"

Manfred Strater's "Be careful where you park your car"

Julian Beevers "Crazy River"

Here is a video of famous chalk artist Julian Beever, aka the Pavement Picasso, drawing his "Crazy River" piece: 

And a link to a collection of 3D street art. Thanks for checking it out!

Jay-Z x Jack Johnson-Good Praying People. My mash-up.

Good Praying People

This is a mash-up of mine using Jay-Z's "Pray" and the instrumentals from Jack Johnson's "Good People".  Jay-Z is one of my favorite artists and I thought his smooth flow went nicely with Jack Johnson's acoustic guitar playing.  Enjoy!

My Mash-up

Here is my mash-up project. 

 It is a graphic portrait of Marilyn Monroe using quotes from Princess Diana. 

Hope you like it!

"Bad 25": A Review

"Bad 25" Album Cover

25 years ago on August 31, 1987 Michael Jackson released his third solo album (not including his solo work with Motown), "Bad". At the time of its release, "Bad" was not received as well as his previous album, "Thriller". However, it still managed to sell an impressive 30 million copies worldwide.¹ Additionally, "Bad" was the first album in music history with five consecutive number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man In The Mirror" and "Dirty Diana"). It also debuted number one on the Billboard 200, and remained within the top ten for 38 weeks.² The King of Pop moved into an edgier direction musically with "Bad", which proved how versatile Michael Jackson was and is as an artist.

The iconic lean from "Smooth Criminal"

The short films for the album, such as "Smooth Criminal" and "Bad" were equally as impressive and memorable as the album itself. These films not only showcased Michael Jackson's talent as a singer, but as an actor and dancer as well.

"Bad 25" is an amazing re-release of one of my favorite albums. The four-disc deluxe edition of the package consists of three discs of music and a concert DVD. It also includes two booklets of behind the scenes photos and stills from the Bad Tour, a double sided poster, and a sticker of the album cover.

Awesome Illustrated Quotes From Famous Authors

Here is the link to the blog:

I stumbled onto this web page and thought it was relevant to our current mash up project. Definitely, these illustrations enhance the words they portray, and the drawings feel literary because of the words.        

Renan Ozturk

Renan Ozturk

This past weekend my friend and I were passively discussing my new found love of rock climbing which I began doing this summer.  She started talking about a friend of a friend whom she had met a few years back that was a professional rock climber and a skilled artist.  Was there a more perfect match?  I did some more research and learned about Renan, the rock climber, artist, filmmaker, from Boulder Colorado.

It is possible I have fallen in love.

You can check out some of his films, more of his art work and a few of his sketchbooks at http://renanozturk.sites.livebooks.com/

These Are a Few of My Favorite (Art) Blogs!

The Internet is filled with many great art-related blogs, but I thought I would share with you the three I visit the most.

1. My Modern Metropolis: My Modern Metropolis is fantastic because it is not only one blog--it is an aggregate of multiple blogs. The site describes itself as: "a collage - our very foundation is made by the people, for the people. We're a hub to gather and share the little, intricate things that we find creative and inspiring in this world". Anyone can create a blog through theMET, and contribute art-related posts! What I love about this blog(-hub) is that it truly does rely on its contributors, and fosters a sense of community through sharing artistic discoveries. The large number of people who post to the site keeps the main page moving and updated--so you can learn about a new piece of art just about every day. I can spend hours going through the different pages and reading through everyone's posts!

2. Pretty Much Amazing: I discovered Pretty Much Amazing fairly recently, but I totally had a "where have you been all my life" moment when I read through it. The contributors of Pretty Much Amazing post regularly about artists that I'm familiar with--and artists that I want to listen more to! One of my biggest problems is when I become obsessed with artists or bands, while I love their music, it takes a lot for me to go out and research news about them. PMA is my hero because it keeps me updated! What I really love about PMA is that it covers news about a variety of musical genres. Pretty Much Amazing has detailed album reviews, general news about artists and bands, music video posts, and much more.

3. My Eclectic Depiction Of Life: What drew me to this Tumblr blog was its simplicity. Appropriate to the simplistic nature of the blog, the blogger only provides a short blurb about the pieces of art posted, along with links to the artist's website (if they own one) and the site where the work was seen. What I love about the blog (along with the fact that the blogger links back to the original source) is the layout. It is incredibly minimalist-ic--which lets the pictures do all of the "talking". The choice of layout makes the blog look visually appealing because it clearly emphasizes the art. The blogger manages to post about a wide range of artistic mediums. I definitely recommend checking out MEDOL if you're looking for a quick update into the artistic community.

The Rocks And The Rivers

When was the last time you thought of the rocks and the rivers? 

This blog is about art.  There are thousands of divisions and sub divisions within the term, all that should be treated with at least some semblance of respect.

  

One concept that I had never really considered until today was art within the natural landscape.  Thanks to StumbleUpon and Science Dump I took on a whole new perspective.  Now don't get me wrong, I have always thought of Earth as beautiful, but never as an entity of art itself.  

I mean there is no denying that the Earth is extraordinary (not since "Planet Earth" at least).  But now, try looking at it as a work of art. 

 I cannot help but focus specifically on the rocks and the rivers.  From the shifting plates that crash into one another and force towering mountains skywards to the small streams that over thousands of years carve away at the rock to produce vast canyons extending beyond where the eye can see.

I went digging on the glorious National Geographic photography page for a few examples I thought best illustrate my argument.

 Have a look and let me know what you think!

Rio Negro, Brazil

Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia

Eroded Landscape, Madagascar

Arizona Butte

Hot Springs, East Africa

Landmannalaugar, Iceland

Rice Terraces, China

Nature itself can be the greatest artist.