Posts

Showing posts from July, 2009

I Need Your Help!

Hey guys. I'm working on the final project for the other class that Arturo teaches right before this course, called Interactive Storytelling. One aspect of my project involves an art hosting website that has a blog for four different types of art: Photography, Microsoft Paint art (Like Ernesto's), Graffiti, and Photoshop Images. The links to each blog are the following: MS Paint Blog Photography Blog Graffiti Blog Photoshop Blog Our intent is to have each of those blogs tell a story through images that people post, letting everyone interact by continuing the story set by other people. For the MS Paint and Photography blogs, we would like you to post any interesting photography or MS Paint images you have created (or if you find something online you can post it as well), then write a short, one-line, peotic sentence about what this image conveys. For the Graffiti blog we would like to have people post images of interesting graffiti they have seen at any point in their lives, or

Kenneth Anger's 42 Second Film

I find it amazing how Anger can condense such a dark and macabre mood into a mere 42 seconds. I watched it several times and each time I still got the same sense of creepiness and encroaching darkness.

Len Lye video of interest

Again, incorporates many of the tools and concepts we've been discussing...

Karmic astrology with Dane Rudhyar

Thought this was an interesting article, in keeping with our discussion of religion, karma, etc. (now, maybe I'm worried about my brothers, given their abuse of my Chatty Cathy doll....) Taken from: http://www.syl.com/astrology/astrologyofthepastkarmicastrologyanditsfoundingfather.html Astrology of the Past: Karmic Astrology and It's Founding Father Added: 11/23/2006 Karmic astrology was Dane Rudhyar's baby. At the heart of karmic astrology is the message of " matter ascends, spirit descends," which in laymen's terms refers to a constant state of consciousness which is achieved by making contact with past lives. Rudhyar lived by the ideal that every person has an astrological chart that functions with the capability of finding the way back to the "Source," also known as the "Past," no difficult feat... Dane Rudhyar-The Father of Karmic Astrology Born in the city of lights, Paris, France, on March 23, 1895, Dane Rudhyar would become a Uni

Dane Rudhyar

About His Life

Matthew Barney

Another Look: Merce Cuninngham

So i was looking at some more stuff about Merce, since i enjoyed reading and learning about his amazing dedication, and i stumbled uppon this: a very artistic and different video... I dont think this has beed posted yet, my apologies if it has, it was for a good reason im sure. this is pure art, even at what might seem - its strangest. Watch Merce Cunningham Beachbirds for Camera.wmv in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

How Art Inspired a Better Bomb

After looking at some of the images and videos and artists we've discussed in class over the last two weeks, I somehow fell into a fit of Faulknerian stream of consciousness (only fitting as it was a favoured style of Burroughs, Miller, T.S. Eliot, and more of the writer-contemporaries of these artists). Through the looking-glass door and down the yellow-brick hyperlinked road that is the web, this is where I landed. George Antheil, a composer and contemporary and collaborator of Jean Cocteau (whose film Orpheus was very avant-garde and inspired One Hit Wonder a-ha's "Take on Me" video, a marvelous piece of rotoscopic animation - see how it all goes in circles), is perhaps best known for his "Ballet Mechanique", a score originally designed to accompany a piece by a couple of French experimental filmmakers. Antheil described his piece as "Scored for countless numbers of player pianos. All percussive. Like machines. All efficiency. No LOVE. Written withou

Harry Smith

There are a few dissertations waiting here in 'Harry Smith'

Awesome Machinima: Divided Soul

I came across this today and couldn't help but be awed. It's amazing how advanced and sophisticated machinima can be. I highly recommend this. I thoroughly enjoyed it!!! Watch more videos of WoW

Merce Cunningham response

I didn't know much about Merce Cunningham so I decided to watch a few interviews on youtube to learn more about him. At first I didn't really like his style, but after a few views, it has grown on me. Cunningham was innovative. In the About the Arts interview, he mentions how dance doesn't require music and how it's better for the dancer to not rely on music. Evidence of this is seen when some of his students dance. It seems as though that music playing to the dance rather than the dancers dancing to the music (and I believe he mentions this in the interview as well). It is definitely different than what we see today, if you were to watch Dancing with the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance where how the dance routine is performed depends on the music. Although, in a 1981 interview, he and John Cage agree that music and dance are related by time and that time was really the only thing they would use to put the dance and music together. Cunningham didn't get to hear

Henry Flynt

According to Wikipedia: "Henry Flynt (born 1940 in Greensboro, North Carolina) is a philosopher, avant-garde musician, anti-art activist and exhibited artist often associated with Conceptual Art, Fluxus and Nihilism." He collaborated with La Monte Young and has been since associated with Fluxus even though he prefers to remain independent. Flynt coined the phrase "concept art" and has been responsible for alot of modern culture.

AT&T Blocks Google Voice on the iPhone

AT&T have once again overstepped their boundaries by blocking Google voice on the iPhone. Google Voice allows users to have one number across all of their phones and extends the functionality of many cell phones. AT&T see this as a threat and are forcing Apple to remove it from the app store. More info here: http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/07/27/apple-is-growing-rotten-to-the-core-and-its-likely-atts-fault/

Pioneer DVJ Scratch Orchestra_Parkinson

While researching Cornelius Cardew and the Scratch Orchestra, i came upon the DVJ scratch band performance at Pianofabriek on in 11 November 2006. This performance, in its incredible flow, really relates to something I have grown accustomed to, both my experience and by culture. In the first clip, the DJ's stick to the "unearthly" plot of UFO's and the extra-terrestrial, while the subject of the second part is "earthly', mainly depicting the nature and culture, frogs, politics, and the blues. This Scratch Orchestra, in his new light, really intrigues me. Part 1/2 Part 2/2 _________________________________________________________ ******************************************************************************** One more video that REALLY intrigued me, was performed by DJ Yoda. This music video express the ultimate rhythm and flow, the skill of the DJ, and the advancement of technology and multimedia.

iChing

The question was "Who is the greatest mascot in the world?" And here was the response: 29. K'an - The Abysmal (Water) -- -- ----- above K'an The Abysmal, Water -- -- -- -- ----- below K'an The Abysmal, Water -- -- The Judgement The Abysmal repeated. If you are sincere, you have success in your heart, And whatever you do succeeds. The Image Water flows on uninterruptedly and reaches its goal: The image of the Abysmal repeated. Thus the superior man walks in lasting virtue And carries on the business of teaching. Changing Lines Changing yin at the bottom means: Repetition of the Abysmal. In the abyss one falls into a pit. Misfortune. Changing yang in the second place means: The abyss is dangerous. One should strive to attain small things only. Chan

MUTO, a wall-painted animation

Image
http://www.vimeo.com/993998 Click on the link below the image. It's a fascinating graffiti animation that takes the scope of a simple animation and unveils it throughout an entire city block. Watch, listen, turn off your other senses and enjoy.

IChing

This was the answer to "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?" 61. Chung Fu / Inner Truth above Sun The Gentle, Wind below Tui The Joyous, Lake The Judgement Inner Truth. Pigs and fishes. Good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water. Perseverance furthers. The Image Wind over lake: the image of Inner Truth. Thus the superior man discusses criminal cases In order to delay executions. The Lines Change at the beginning means: Being prepared brings good fortune. If there are secret designs, it is disquieting. Change in the second place means: A crane is calling in the shade. Its young answers it. I have a good goblet. I will share it with you. Change in the third place means: He finds a comrade. Now he beats the drum, now he stops. Now he sobs, now he sings. Change in the fourth place means: The moon nearly at the full. The team horse goes astray. No blame. Change in the fifth place means: He possesses truth, which links together. No bl

Mondays with Merce

This is a demonstration video of Monday's with Merce.

iChing

Image
The answer to your question, "How long do we have left?" is: July 30, 2009 35. Chin / Progress above Li The Clinging, Flame below K'un The Receptive, Earth The Judgement Progress. The powerful prince Is honored with horses in large numbers. In a single day he is granted audience three times. The Image The sun rises over the earth: The image of Progress. Thus the superior man himself Brightens his bright virtue The Lines Change at the beginning means: Progressing, but turning back. Perseverance brings good fortune. If one meets with no confidence, one should remain calm. No mistake. Change in the second place means: Progressing, but in sorrow. Perseverance brings good fortune. Then one obtains happiness from one's ancestress. Change in the third place means: All are in accord. Remorse disappears. Change in the fourth place means: Progress like a hamster. Perseverance brings danger. Change in the fifth place means: Remorse disappea

Merce Cunningham

It seems to me that every person we read about or hear about in this class is always an acquaintance, friend, or collaborator with someone else we've learned about. All the innovators of our time seem to be connected together by their genius and their insight into the future. As I read about Merce Cunningham, I learned that he collaborated with John Cage, another person who we have previously talked about. Everything about Merce seemed to radiate a love of the bodily movement he excelled at. Several of his videos that I saw online were extraordinary. They grabbed my attention with their energy and seeming spontaneity. He used every aspect of the performance to bring the observer in. His use of projectors also stunned me by how well they meshed with the performances. Merce Cunningham was an innovator and explorer in the art of dance, his presence is sure to be missed.

My I ching result:

When will I find my purpose in life? Your Present Hexagram All is not what it seems. Sometimes, reality is like a hall of mirrors. Intrigues multiply like summer flies, and there are signs of discontent all around. This is a time of illusion and disillusion, disintegration, distrust and deception. When you find yourself trapped in a hall of mirrors, sometimes it is necessary to retrace your steps. Return to the familiar; take solace in what is firm and secure. There is no blame in holding back on progress now; indeed, it is your responsibility to keep your strength intact for the period of resurrection, which follows disintegration as surely as dawn follows the night. Discretion is the better part of valor. Good timing is especially important. Learn to focus on the essence of the problem and choose the proper moments for action, thereby avoiding futile effort. Be particularly attentive at such a time as this for changes that signal it's time to retreat. In the realm of personal rel

iChing Reading

The answer to your question, "Will my thesis show be successful?" is: July 30, 2009 26. Ta Ch'u - The Taming Power of the Great ----- -- -- above Kên Keeping Still, Mountain -- -- ----- ----- below Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven ----- The Judgement The Taming Power of the Great. Perseverance furthers. Not eating at home brings good fortune. It furthers one to cross the great water. The Image Heaven within the mountain: The image of the Taming Power of the Great. Thus the superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity And many deeds of the past, In order to strengthen his character thereby. Changing Lines Changing yang at the bottom means: Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist. Changing yang in the second place means: The axletre

Merce Cunningham and Sigur Ros

Merce Cunningham obviously was very influential in the art of dance, but also all of the arts. It was interesting to read about how he enjoyed using spontaneity and randomness in his performances. Two qualities one doesn't normally associate with dance. He lived, breathed, ate and dreamed dance. I watched videos of him still teaching in his world famous dance company up until the very end of his life. He had recently started these weekly podcasts called 'Mondays with Merce.' http://www.merce.org/mondayswithmerce.html They would show interviews with Merce and video of him teaching to the students of the dance company. Sigur Ros I went on the Sigur Ros website to read all about the band. I like how honest and frank they are about everything. It appears they started to get recognized in the United States around the second half of 2000. They signed with the MCA Records, not because they were offering the most cash, but because they were offering the most artistic freedom. It ta

Merce Cunningham

The New York Times Merce Cunningham died at that the age of 90, but he has never acted his age. He appeared in every production he made since 1970. Merce has been hailed as the greatest choreographer of all time though fame came internationally before it came nationally.

I Ching Online

Here is my I Ching question and answer. The answer to your question, "Will I get a job when I graduate?" is: July 30, 109 31. Hsien - Influence (Wooing) -- -- ----- above Tui The Joyous, Lake ----- ----- -- -- below Kên Keeping Still, Mountain -- -- The Judgement Influence. Success. Perseverance furthers. To take a maiden to wife brings good fortune. The Image A lake on the mountain: The image of Influence. Thus the superior man encourages people to approach him By his readiness to receive them. Changing Lines Changing yin at the bottom means: The influence shows itself in the big toe. Changing yin in the second place means: The influence shows itself in the calves of the legs. Misfortune. Tarrying brings good fortune. Changing yang in the third pla

Merce Cunningham: a true innovator

Merce Cunningham was innovator and genius like no other. I am not a dancer but what of his works I could find online truly moved me. He had a way to touch the audience through the beauty and the art of dance. My girlfriend is a huge So You Think You Can Dance watcher and I was not at all shocked that they paid a little tribute to him on their show. Modern dance is the most fascinating form of dance to me because it is not just the dance the different from the norm but the music, the props, the costumes, everything that stands out! Truly a devastating lost for the dance community and a sad day for the rest of the world. ~D~

I Ching Result

The answer to your question, "What can I expect from Mizushima, Kuroda and co. next year?" is: July 30, 109 13. T'ung Jên - Fellowship with Men ----- ----- above Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven ----- ----- -- -- below Li The Clinging, Flame ----- The Judgement Fellowship with Men in the open. Success. It furthers one to cross the great water. The perseverance of the superior man furthers. The Image Heaven together with fire: The image of Fellowship with Men. Thus the superior man organizes the clans And makes distinctions between things. Changing Lines Changing yang at the bottom means: Fellowship with men at the gate. No blame. Changing yin in the second place means: Fellowship with men in the clan. Humiliation. Changing yang in t

Merce cunningham

It must have been really interesting watching his live performances. The chance operation one really sounded interesting since no two show would be the same (actually they could, but it is late right now and I don't feel like doing the math for it right now). Not only that, the skeletal animations was kind of ahead of its time. He could have used the points and created a more realistic 3D performance (when they received the technology). Overall, the music and dancing world will miss him greatly for his performances and innovations.

my iching

The answer to your question, "Will I graduate with any sanity left?" is: July 30, 109 39. Chien - Obstruction -- -- ----- above K'an The Abysmal, Water -- -- ----- -- -- below Kên Keeping Still, Mountain -- -- The Judgement Obstruction. The southwest furthers. The northeast does not further. It furthers one to see the great man. Perseverance brings good fortune. The Image Water on the mountain: The image of Obstruction. Thus the superior man turns his attention to himself And molds his character. Changing Lines Changing yin at the bottom means: Going leads to obstructions, Coming meets with praise. Changing yin in the second place means: The king's servant is beset by obstruction upon obstruction, But it is not his own fault.

Rhizome

Thought the site was interesting to say the least. I love stuff like this on the internet! It says to me that you can always find any and everything on the net. Thought this video was cool so enjoy! ~D~

i Ching

The answer to your question, "How long will I live?" is: July 30, 109 47. K'un - Oppression (Exhaustion) -- -- ----- above Tui The Joyous, Lake ----- -- -- ----- below K'an The Abysmal, Water -- -- The Judgement Oppression. Success. Perseverance. The great man brings about good fortune. No blame. When one has something to say, It is not believed. The Image There is no water in the lake: The image of Exhaustion. Thus the superior man stakes his life On following his will. Changing Lines Changing yin at the bottom means: One sits oppressed under a bare tree And strays into a gloomy valley. For three years one sees nothing. Changing yang in the second place means: One is oppressed while at meat and drink. The man with t

Rhizome visit

Rhizome.org. as stated in class, seems a lot like our blog where people can post things relating to technology (and art). It seems that the site has a lot of influence of the 80s even though made in 1996. It has many abstract pieces. It does, though, have some influence from today. The most recent post from the music section involved compilation video of cats and pianos. It is supposed to be a version of Schoenberg Op. 11 Movements one, two, and three. It kind of reminds me of LOLcats. It was kind of funny to see people get their cats to lay on the piano or walk across it and have someone hold their the paws and play in an attempt to make a musical piece. One was even trying to bite the piano. The videos were pretty well compiled. The second movement cat version sounds kind of close to the original. I was not able to find the 1st or 3rd movement on youtube in their original versions for comparison. Below are the second movements in the original version and the cat version. Here is some

More summer reading for you

Since you'll have a few weeks off soon, I thought you might want some good reading for your beach time. If you're so inclined to continue to pursue research in digital culture with some thought provoking leisure reading, consider these: As you think about Panopticon, read No Place to Hide , by Robert O'Harrow, Jr., will scare the living daylights out of you in regards to our privacy (or the lack thereof). It chronicles the development of the real "big brother" world we live in now. And when you're done with that one, don't miss Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide , by Henry Jenkins from MIT. Both of these books will change the way you think of technology and how profoundly digital media are changing the way we live... whether we know it or not!

Mondays with Merce series

In my quest to research Merce Cunningham, I stumbled upon the "Mondays with Merce" series. It was fascinating to watch the interaction and get the "behind-the-scenes" perspective of the development of a Merce Cunningham production including the challenges and the passion they all share for the art they create. I'm STILL having woes with my links, so hopefully you can open this, or cut and paste it into your browser. http://dlib.nyu.edu/merce/mwm/2009-07-06/ Enjoy!

I Ching

The answer to your question, "Why isn't there peace in the world?" is: July 29, 2009 35. Chin - Progress ----- -- -- above Li The Clinging, Flame ----- -- -- -- -- below K'un The Receptive, Earth -- -- The Judgement Progress. The powerful prince Is honored with horses in large numbers. In a single day he is granted audience three times. The Image The sun rises over the earth: The image of Progress. Thus the superior man himself Brightens his bright virtue. Changing Lines Changing yin at the bottom means: Progressing, but turned back. Perseverance brings good fortune. If one meets with no confidence, one should remain calm. No mistake. Changing yin in the second place means: Progressing, but in sorrow. Perseverance brings good fortune. Then one obtains great happiness from one's ancestress. Changing yin in the third place means: All are in accord. Remorse disappears. Changing yang in the fourth place means: Progress like a hamster. Perseverance brings danger. Chang

I Chinging my future

Hmmmm... I need an interpreter! Do not act, but see the great man and tell him it's not my fault? Then, maybe, as long as I'm not arrogant, I'll get lucky? The answer to your question, "What type of career should I pursue when I complete my PhD?" is: July 29, 2009 1. Ch'ien - The Creative ----- ----- above Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven ----- ----- ----- below Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven ----- The Judgement The Creative works sublime success, Furthering through perseverance. The Image The movement of heaven is full of power. Thus the superior man makes himself strong and untiring. Changing Lines Changing yang at the bottom means: Hidden dragon. Do not act. Changing yang in the second place means: Dragon appearing in the field. It furthers one to see the great man. + Changing yang i

MCDC Wallpapers

While looking over the Merce Cunningham Dance Company website, I found their "wallpaper" section. I thought several were pretty cool. MCDC Wallpapers

Why is the sky blue?

The answer to your question, "Why is the sky blue?" is: July 29, 109 49. Ko - Revolution (Molting) -- -- ----- above Tui The Joyous, Lake ----- ----- -- -- below Li The Clinging, Flame ----- The Judgement Revolution. On your own day You are believed. Supreme success, Furthering through perseverance. Remorse disappears. The Image Fire in the lake: the image of Revolution. Thus the superior man Sets the calendar in order And makes the seasons clear. Changing Lines Changing yang at the bottom means: Wrapped in the hide of a yellow cow. Changing yin in the second place means: When one's own day comes, one may create revolution. Starting brings good fortune. No blame. Changing yang in the third place means: Starting brings misfortune. Perseverance

I Ching

The answer to your question, "Who coined the phrase, 'coined the phrase?'" is: July 29, 2009 18. Ku - Work on What Has Been Spoiled [Decay] ----- -- -- above Kên Keeping Still, Mountain -- -- ----- ----- below Sun The Gentle, Wind -- -- The Judgement Work on What Has Been Spoiled Has supreme success. It furthers one to cross the great water. Before the starting point, three days. After the starting point, three days. The Image The wind blows low on the mountain: The image of Decay. Thus the superior man stirs up the people And strengthens their spirit. Changing Lines Changing yin at the bottom means: Setting right what has been spoiled by the father. If there is a son, No blame rests upon the departed father. Danger. In the end good fortune. Changing yang in the second place means: Setting right what has been spoiled by the mother. One must not be too persevering. Changing yang in the third place means: Setting right what has been spoiled by the father. There will b

Merce Cunningham

Space Time and Dance http://ubu.artmob.ca/sound/aspen/mp3/cunningham2.mp3

iChing

The answer to your question, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?" is: July 29, 109 28. Ta Kuo - Preponderance of the Great -- -- ----- above Tui The Joyous, Lake ----- ----- ----- below Sun The Gentle, Wind -- -- The Judgement Preponderance of the Great. The ridgepole sags to the breaking point. It furthers one to have somewhere to go. Success. The Image The lake rises above the trees: The image of Preponderance of the Great. Thus the superior man, when he stands alone, Is unconcerned, And if he has to renounce the world, He is undaunted. Changing Lines Changing yin at the bottom means: To spread white rushes underneath. No blame. Changing yang

Merce Cunningham

Merce Cunningham was known as an American choreographer who was influential in digital culture. He was one of the first to take full advantage of chance by using the I Ching to cast moves in his dance pieces. He also explored motion capture and premiered at SIGGRAPH in 1998. The late Cunningham passed away Sunday the 26th and will be forever remembered in digital culture.

iPhone as an Instrument

This is a video of the band Dream Theater using an iPhone app in a live performance.

the I Ching

The answer to your question, "What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?" is: July 29, 109 12. P'i - Standstill [Stagnation] ----- ----- above Ch'ien The Creative, Heaven ----- -- -- -- -- below K'un The Receptive, Earth -- -- The Judgement Standstill. Evil people do not further The perseverance of the superior man. The great departs; the small approaches. The Image Heaven and earth do not unite: The image of Standstill. Thus the superior man falls back upon his inner worth In order to escape the difficulties. He does not permit himself to be honored with revenue. Changing Lines Changing yin at the bottom means: When ribbon grass is pulled up, the sod comes with it. Each according to his kind. Perseverance brings good fortune and success. C

The iPhone 3Gi

The onion ran an article on the iPhone 3Gi. This is an iPhone that is invisible to all but those who really really want it. For those who don't know the onion is a satirical news site that is usually good for a laugh. The sad thing is if Apple announced an imaginary iPhone it would probably go down about the same as this article depicts. http://www.theonion.com/content/news/apple_claims_new_iphone_only?utm_source=a-section

Merce Cunningham_Parkinson

The Following link directs toward a video and encorporate both Cunningham's dance with Scratch Orchestra and the Cut-Up Method in Multimedia. >>> http://www.merce.org/about_video.html

Observer and Participant, one and the same

Image
Ascott argues that in art, just as in science, an observer is now always a participant because the observing process alters the art itself. This is very similar to a chemistry term called the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle which states that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of any given particle since the observation process alters the very momentum of the particle. Thinking about how the human eye observes anything helped me understand this; to view anything, the eye needs to collect light that is reflected off an object. When the object is as small as a particle, this particle is affected by the light particles, or photons. These photons alter the trajectory of the particle when they bounce off into the human eye. So therefore, by the time the eye gets around to seeing a particle, that particle is already moving in a new direction, making it impossible to know both the position and movement direction of any particle at the same time. Now all that science babb

Problem with wikipedia

After discussion it in class, here is a true example of what can go wrong with wikipedia. Warning: explicit language Shows that you can't alway trust wikipedia (since it is user created). If someone has a political agenda, or if they want to be an a****le, then the could change an article to suit their own needs.

Good link on people not checking Wiki source

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0506/1224245992919.html

Rhizome

Image
To me, Rhizome is a blog with a sense of humor. This is an image that I found on a post under the "Google" tag. The post title was "Dead pixel in Google Earth (2008) - Helmut Smits."

Rhizome

As I looked through the Rhizome website last night I Was having trouble accessing blogger in class I have access but I went into the DIY section. The reason I chose this section is because I always do things my self from installing a light bulb to changing the way a piece of equipment is supposed to work. This is why I really liked the Bent 2009 site , it is really neat that there is a whole convention dedicated to people who like tweaking equipment mainly things with circuit boards but it could be anything. What is Circuit Bending?

Rhizome Exploration

I found Rhizome to be very similar to our blog site but with more organization. The tabs that I enjoyed most were the art tabs, because I love art. The drawing section disappointed me just a little bit becuase I expected more. In this tab there was only one or two real drawings, but overall I really liked the site as a whole.

Rhizome finding

Something I found on Rhizome. Trying to take SecondLife to real Life It's a different take on bring objects from a virtual world to real life (mainly by origami).

Alan Kay Response

The Dynabook seemed ahead of its time. It was like a blueprint for personal computer in that it had many things that are in the standard in PCs today. It had filing, editing, memory storage, different fonts, a Microsoft Paint type program, a music program with similarities to GarageBand, and animation programs. It makes me wonder what would have happened if it had been built and released back then. Would technology be more advanced today than it is now? Maybe with the how fast technology is moving today. New technology may been discovered faster. Although we didn't get the Dynabook, at least we got the Xerox because of it. It kind of reminds me of the many ideas that I have had that I end up throwing out or reformatting into something else because I don't have the means to make it at the current time or otherwise. But then this allows for ideas to grow and become better and maybe in a similar way PCs are better because they came later and had more time to work things out. I als

Rhizome

Looking through Rhizome, I wanted to know more about the site in general. What it's purpose was..."Rhizome is dedicated to the creation, presentation, preservation, and critique of emerging artistic practices that engage technology. Through open platforms for exchange and collaboration, our website serves to encourage and expand the communities around these practices." And it's run by the people at New Museum in New York.

Rhizome

I t seems to me that Rhizome.org, the website that " supports the creation, presentation, and preservation of contemporary art that uses new technologies in significant way", is an embodiment of all that we have gone over in class. The computer itself and all the technology we have today are very similar to the concept of the philosophical rhizome. " knowledge is negotiated and the learning experience is a social as well as a personal knowledge creation process with mutable goals and constantly negotiated premises ." The computer and the internet are the embodiment of the concept. Wikipedia allows for people to negotiate with knowledge, and turns everybodies learning process into a social process.

Rhizome

I felt like Rhizome kinda hit the nail on the head with what we've been doing. There were tags for everything we've done and more. I found the copyright tab to be the most interesting. I enjoyed this article about "The Pirate Google" .

Rhizome Composition

I found this while looking over Rhizome. Someone had posted a link to this artistic work. It makes for a unique and interesting composition. http://www.electricboogiewoogie.com/

Blade Runner - A Quest for Truthful Representations of Reality

I watched the movie Blade Runner over the weekend and found it to be very entertaining and surprised by its ability to not feel too dated even though it was made in 1982. The mood and lighting of the film is dark and wet which helps to hide much of the areas that could seem outdated. The film relates to Jean Baudrillard's idea of the simulacra. Baudrillard claims that our reality today is false, being replaced by signs and symbols. In the movie Blade Runner, the main character is looking to rid the planet of all false representations of human-beings, these being the replicants. In a way they are trying to get back to reality by ridding the planet of all that is unreal. There is a lot of talk and intrigue about the eye and how things are perceived in the movie. Replicants can be discovered by looking at their eyes, there are genetically reproduced eyes and then totally artificial eyes which are cameras. It is all about what the eye is seeing and if that in-turn is the truth or a per

Rhizome.org - Representation of a Digital Representaion of a Real Object

I was looking around the Rhizome.org site at all the various topics. I had to read about the sites history to fully understand what it was all about. There is so much information on the site I was wondering how all the topics had a relationship together. What I found out is that Rhizome is all about helping “emerging artist practices that engage technology.” After reading more about Rhizome, I saw how it would be easy to have so many different topics when dealing with technology and contemporary art. After looking around the site for a bit, I clicked on the 'Sculpture' heading and started to go through those articles. One topic peeked my interest and only because of taking Foundations of Digital Culture. It was a a store that had converted its layout and products to look like a what a store regularly looks like in Second Life. Where there were normally products they had large display ads showing what was for sale. These products could be purchased depending on what the daily Li

Alan Kay

Kay's predictions about the future with computers as a medium were not far from reality at all. The remark about computers one day replacing books is more true than ever, especially with the new Amazon Kindle which is a wireless reading device or essentially, a digital book. Of course, there are still notebooks, PDAs, etc. that can read digital books but it is not usually the main purpose. The idea of the Kindle is to actually replace the book and actually serves well as an interface as it removes some of the extra interface between the person and the computer, making it more intuitive to the user.

Rhizome: psychedelic

I found Phil Morton’s “SAIC Memo” on Rhizome. Made in the 80s, this form of psychedelic electronic art uses the Sandin Image Processor, a computer optimized for realtime audio/video procesing and a programmable video game made in 1974 to compute and process the content of the cybernetic communication system.

Livestream

Livestream is an interesting site that allows users to stream live video without any delay. http://www.livestream.com/

Blade Runner

Supercollider code

hi this is pat posting on Arturos machine. {SinOsc.ar(LFNoise0.ar(MouseX.kr(1, 50), 500, 600), mul: 0.5)}.play; copy and paste the above into your supercollider window for Mouse control of audio, should be fun! Pat

Found at Rhizome

Designing for Children

I found the fact that they began to design computers for children to be one of the most interesting parts of the reading. I've always noticed that he people who have the most trouble with computers are the ones who didn't grow up with them. This is because the learning process for a computer needs to be done during childhood. It's fascinating to me how this was almost a conscious decision in the mid 70s. For the first time in history the elderly appear to be the least intelligent because of technology. If they can't work a computer they must be unintelligent. This is untrue they simply missed their window to learn it in the early stages of life.

Alan Kay

This was an amazing chapter to read, I think it may be my favorite. This was astonishing to me, because it seems as if he predicted the future. How could someone of that time be thinking of technological advances the way he did. I asked myself many questions about Kay as I read this article. What would he think of if he was in the present? If Kay saw all the technology we have now would he imagine more and would he be satisfied? How do you fathom a device so powerful yet so advanced for the technology of your time? I really enjoyed this chapter and hope there are many more like this one.

Dynabook reading

Reading this reminded me of ancient civilizations that came up with technology and medicine 100's of years before other scientists "discovered them" While some of the things seem outdated (like the disk system), the overall idea remains the same for the laptops/ipods/etc. today. An item that can hold multiple information that can be withdrawn at any time. All the programs that he was talking are available today (word editing, animation, painting, audio compilation and player). Some of the other things he was stating are things people are doing now (doctors putting their medical information on software so that it is easier to transfer/pull up, composers listening to their own work through sound recordings). The way it looks to me is kind of funny and sad, we could have had laptops sooner, but alas it was not ment to be.

Way way ahead of their time.

The whole idea of the Dynabook was very impressive and way ahead of its time. But the part of the article that blew me away was Alan Kay's spot on thoughts about what such a device would mean and be used for. I was trying to contemplate how such notions could be imagined with only the technology they had to go on at the time. When he talked of an architect wishing to simulate three-dimensional space or a doctor could have all of his patients records on file, a composer hearing his composition while in progress, etc. These where ideas and thoughts that were nowhere close to being plausible at the time. For Kay to be thinking about using these computers more as personal devices and much more than just number crunching machines is just astonishing to me.

Kay & Ascott

KAY > Kay's ideas of creating a medium for creative thought, including pictures, animation, sound and text, was conceived in the 1970s and is still being tweaked and perfected today. The concept of synthesizing all of these medium into one, personal storage device sounds like today's laptop or iPod/Phone. The iPhone provides portability, easy navigation, the freedom to download applications and delete them as needed, as well as a camera, music .. and on and on. Ascott > Ascott points out that telecommunications and computing are one in the same. How people communicate with each other has been changed forever by the technology and consequently, so have accepted human behaviors. I think it is the human need to interact that keeps this "telematic culture" alive. Without the need to communicate "beliefs, ideas, media, values and objectives," where would technology be? Although some say that the threat of the "machine coming to dominate the human will&

100 Things Your Kids May Never Know About

Image
I really enjoyed this article, it shows how the progression of digital culture eliminates needs from world culture. The link is here: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/07/100-things-your-kids-may-never-know-about/ The list is here: Audio-Visual Entertainment Inserting a VHS tape into a VCR to watch a movie or to record something. Super-8 movies and cine film of all kinds. Playing music on an audio tape using a personal stereo. See what happens when you give a Walkman to today’s teenager . The number of TV channels being a single digit. I remember it being a massive event when Britain got its fourth channel. Standard-definition, CRT TVs filling up half your living room. Rotary dial televisions with no remote control. You know, the ones where the kids were the remote control. High-speed dubbing. 8-track cartridges. Vinyl records. Even today’s DJs are going laptop or CD. Betamax tapes. MiniDisc. Laserdisc: the LP of DVD. Scanning the radio dial and hearing static between stations. (Digit