The Thinga-ma-Jam project was one that spawned from a visitor we had in Justin Boyd's sound class. Dr. bleep from bleep labs came and gave us a hands-on on how to build your own thingamakit. http://bleeplabs.com/thingamakit/ I then took this and enclosed it in a handmade wood and metal control panel. The Thingamakit makes all kinds of noises which are modified by the person playing it, using the various dials which control tone, pitch, and tempo. The thingamakit has an output so you can amplify or further modify the sound out if it. The premise for my project was to make a video out of found footage that viewers could then use the thingamaKIT to make a score to the video. The two items, the Thingamakit and the portable DVD player were placed on a children's play table, designed to be inviting for viewers to play with it. I think I will further display to thingamajam in the future to get a wider reaction than was available at our New Media open house.
Yes Yes Yes Festival took place at High Wire Arts, April 11th 2009. Coordinated by joseph Raines and Ray of High Wire Arts, This was the first year for the festival to take place. Located off N. St Mary's at Josephine street High Wire is a great gallery with much anticipated showings to come. With Music setting the event off all day bands such as Mombasa Code, Tornahdo, We The Grenada, The psychics, YoshiMoto, with a few others. Inside the building Joseph Raines, Zag, Ray, and Veronica were showing paintings drawings and mixed media collage. In the front room of High Wire was the video installation section of the gallery. Artists included in this section were Joshua Hurt, Mauricio Guidino, Utah Snyder, Zag, Daniel Davis, Michael Stoltz, Ray, and few others. In addition to installations there was a screening room adjacent to the painting and drawing gallery showing a mixed group of videos produced by a variety of artist. Other mediums of art made there way into the Yesx3 festival including hair styling, and Vintage clothes.
The Ann Arbor Film Festival was a complete and total success from my standpoint. From our accomodations at Jacob Mendel's house, to my burger from Mr. Greeks; Ann Arbor was an exceptional time. After getting settled in, our group consisting of Mauricio Guidino, Utah Snyder, Kat, Joshua Hurt, and Myself made our way to the opening gala at the Michigan Theatre for opening night. In addition to an open bar, opening night had the first set of screenings of which "Western Spaghetti" by PES caught my eye.
The following morning, students from the University of Michigan and the University of New Mexico joined our class for a student screening in the Argus room at U of M. It was interesting to see the variety of films made under the same set of guidelines, but with different scenery, instructors, and equipment. Everything from found footage, to technically challanging animations were shown. I chose to show the video from my recent installation "Minute-ness," last seen at Luminaria.
The next few days were spent hoofing around Ann Arbor watching Films and checking out the city. I checked out everything from the Art facilities they had at U of M, to the Bar scene and many things in between. Highlights from the various screenings would include Don Hertzfeldt's work and discussion to "Rip, a remix manifesto" (http://www3.nfb.ca/webextension/rip-a-remix-manifesto/) putting the icing on the cake. This film, by Brett Gaylor was a great watch and something all schools should promote for the better understanding of "what is art" and the topic of "fair use."
A personal favorite of things to do in Ann Arbor was the 16mm Kodak "Stop by Shoot Film" workshop. As a touring event, Kodak sends out experienced cinematographers to teach how to set-up and use a 16mm motion picture camera. Originally signed up for only the 1pm saturday class, I was able to return and experience the class one more time at 4pm. It worked as follows: 20 minute introduction of the camera and film as a medium, one-by-one got to set-up test the lighting, and shoot what we wanted. After the film gets developed in Kodaks Detroit-based lab they are sending each participant a DVD of what was shot. Overall a great experience.
San Antonio's only city-wide art night of the year was a booming success both for the city and artists featured in the event. I was very proud to be apart of the New Media exibit in the convention center this year because of the well -composed article in the SA Current a few days prior to the event. Throughout the night our UTSA New Media Gallery was full of people. Viewing the pieces shown with a smile on their face, onlookers were from all walks of life. Minute-ness, my video installation, viewed by many was commented by Sarah Fisch of the San Antonio Current as being "resolved" and "thought provoking."
Keith Loutit is an artist I discovered recently who is doing amazing things. Loutit, is an Australian based photographer/ videographer who has a unique style and sense of imagery. Using a camera as a tool he is able to construct images which are part of the everyday but unique in style. It is this reason I chose this artist to show the direction I would like to go to with my next video project for the semester entitled Min-Ute-Ness.
Last thursday I attended a Panel discussion at the downtown UTSA campus. This panel discussion, Moderated by Justin Boyd, consisted of Dan Anderson ,director of the Bearded Child FF, Chris Cogburn the No Idea Festival director, Michele Monseau director of 3 walls, and Jason Kahn "cut" record label director. The topic of the discussion was entitled DIY & the Avant-Garde. The discussion, held in the Frio Street Buildings Riklin auditorium, made the point to talk about the situation of the present artist community in the United States. Discussions varied from technology affecting the artists process and the way an artists represents themselves to the Art initiative set forth through the election of Barack Obama. Each person on the panel had the opprotunity to share with the audience their inspirations and driving factors that make them the artist they are. The discussion gave me a chance to hear new means to push my artistic direction.
Film Festival
On friday the Bearded Child Film Festival took place in the same room the Panel Discussion was in. Directed by Dan Anderson, the Bearded Child Film Festival is a traveling screening showcasing "experimental" films from artists all over. Compared to other film festivals I have attended, this one was the most interesting/entertaining to me. Many of the Films had an emphasis on humor which I really enjoyed about it. There were however, quite a few varieties of film and video works there. Lasting about an hour and a half, the festival showed what someone can do on their own. Director Dan Anderson puts a lot of work into selecting quality videos and films to screen, and it showed. For thorough insight into the details of the festival check out myspace.com/beardedchildfilfestival
I recently made it out to the McNay art Mueseum for the first time. I had previously been on the grounds of the museum but had yet to go in. The main focus for my visit at the McNay was the Tobin art Galleries, specifically the American Concepts and Global Visions from the AT&T collection. AS a photographer, I was most interested in the dissection and viewing the photographic medium, however, there was some paintings and Sculpture in the round that interested me. In the AT&T gallery there were various pieces by artists including Ansel Adams, Andy Warhol, William Wegmen, Man Ray, Walker Evans, and Many others. What I stressed to look at the most was admiring the process that each artist went through. Each piece was displayed well and it was nice to read a bit about the different means of photographic processes. Gelatin Silver prints composed most of Ansel Adams' work, where other artists like Michael Rovner had Chromogenic prints. Others there were ektacolor, Dye transfer prints, or Toned photogravure. I spent a little time in the older sections of the McNay but didn't spend much time there. I really enjoyed the newer portion of the McNay, as it seemed to complement each piece more than the older, spanish style architecture of the old wing. It was the focus of lighting and material in the new building that provide a contemporary museum environment. Overall it was my first formal museum visit in almost a year and it really was exciting to see.
The most recent video piece I produced entitled [re-seet] was intended to be a self-portrait revealing a theme of religion. Many forms of religion exist today and it is life's physical experience which nutures this aspect of our lives. [re-seet] or Receipt is my stab at revealing these things about myself, Nature being the constant. In using an actual receipt to symblolize myself, the piece of paper floats about the outdoor world seeing and experiencing a variety of things. One shot specifically resembles my feelings toward Catholic Christianity, the denomination I was raised under.
Davis James is a photographer and videographer currently undergoing his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio. James, working as a freelance photograher, has had recent accomplishments including published Photographs in the San Antonio Current and Dig BMX Magazine.
His artwork: composed of photos, video, and elements of performance, is human in nature with a focus on Physical experience and life journey's. Never kept indoors for too long, James explores the unknown and leaves very little "rocks" unturned.
This semester Davis James has set out to bring all the formal elements of artwork in once piece; I.E. mixed medium including, but not limited to, Sculpture, Photograpy, Video, and performance.
In his first project Davis aims at using minitures and stop motion techniques. Using this he hopes to hone in on the theme of physical experience, in a physical but not practical scene.
The "All Ladies Video Review" held at the Blue Stars Satellite Art Space highlighted 6 different female video artists. Among these 6, 2 especially stuck out: Michelle Monseau and Anne Wallace. Michelle Monseaus "Isabel" (2008) is composed of a 2 channel digital video projection. This video is a part of an ongoing series called "Gone Again with Isabel". On the Artist Foundation of San Antonio website, Monseau comments on her series...
Using a motif of “sleeping” as the main metaphor, I am interested in how we get to the point of being figuratively “asleep” while we are conscious—do we simply lie down and drift off pleasantly because it is the easiest response? Do we take a nasty spill and become unconscious? The repercussions of the propensity toward escaping are hinted at in the images, but are definitely not spelled out.
"Isabel" features both a woman and a man sleeping on the street in front of a huge bank building. The walls look as if they have stood there forever, while the sleeping people are only passing through this reality for a brief moment. Maybe Monseau is also commenting on people's tendency to fall down before something that appears to be bigger and more powerful. By panning up to the sky and back down to the people it does seem as if the artist is emphasizing the small, fragile-ness of the people and the enduring physical monstrosity of the building by comparison.
In contrast to the detached, philosophical lens of Michelle Monseaus, Anne Wallace created a deeply personal, haunting piece called "Dream". Within the gallery brochure is the source of Anne's inspiration...
...an installation about childhood, memory and loss, in particular my younger sister's death.
In "Dream" a woman plunges underwater and scuba-dives through an empty house. Sometimes the sound of scuba breathing is replaced by the sound of hospital equipment. Then the woman is transformed into a fish. It's hard to write about the meaning of this video experience because it is so subconscious in nature. Does the artist wish she could become a fish so the sad blue world she lives in makes more sense? While this installation leaves logical interpretation up to the viewer, the sad and slow feeling of loss was instantly and constantly communicated.
