World Changing Response # 2 - Global Culture & Film

Living on a shrinking planet has demanded us to broaden our perspectives – film is an excellent way to understand the lives, places, and cultures foreign to us. Film also illuminates histories, hopes, and dreams of other cultures. The evolution of digital cameras and editing software has made film more accessible for people’s use versus wealthy producers. This allows smooth transitions between cultures while still maintaining individuals to retain their cultural identities. As film emerges it does so with strong national identity.

For example, Nollywood has grown out of Nigeria and is known for it’s low budget though widely distributed films in open-air markets. The Nollywood films are rooted oral storytelling such as traditional folktales and family based dramas. Nigeria has a growing demand for these local films, which creates local jobs. While piracy and government funding are an issue some filmmakers have taken Nollywood to the next level by touring their films in international film festivals. Jeta Amata’s Amazing Grace (2005) is a good example of the power of globalization as it is one of the few Nollywood films in circulation in North America. The growing film industry recognizes the power in addressing touchy social and political issues. Before Sunrise (2006) is a product of feuding border nations (Nigeria and Cameroon) coming together to produce a film which the major theme that love is greater than hatred or vengeance. Nollywood’s success has inspired other African countries such as Kenya and Uganda to start their own film industries. These emerging African cinemas prove that creativity - not standardized industry and hefty budgets – is what’s needed to produce a good film (Steffen 368-373).

Steffen, Alex. World Changing: A User’s Guide For The 21st Century. New York: Abrams, 2008.

World Changing Response # 1 - Lagos

agos, Nigeria is a largely overlooked megacity and is also one of the fastest growing cities. If Lagos continues to grow at its current pace, Tokyo and Mumbai will only outnumber it in 2015. Most residents live in slum neighborhoods made of whatever materials are available. A majority of the houses do not meet government approval and are with out electricity or sewers. Raw sewage submerges entire parts of the city during the rainy season. It is estimated that half of the population is infected with malaria. Poverty is severely prevalent as many residents live on less than a dollar a day. Lagos is also viewed as the most dangerous city in the world. The “rent-a-cop” officers wield machine guns and half wild dogs. The ratio is 1 officer per 1000 tenants. Lagos’ diversity is exemplified in the 250+ languages spoken in the streets due to the amount of people pouring in searching for a better life. Lagos also has a huge underground economy where a living can be made while still searching for a better opportunity; being business-savvy is a survival skill. The general success and thriving nature of Lagos is due to the Nigerian’s ability to turn dysfunction into productive urban forms such as trade or modes of transportation. (Steffen 279-280).

Steffen, Alex. World Changing: A User’s Guide For The 21st Century. New York: Abrams, 2008.

Jenny's Automatist Exercise

Each square was approached in a completely different sense. Some included drawings and stories, while others included writing and ideas. The first of the four boxes includes a baseball, a crab, and headphones, TV. When given terms, these are the shapes that came about. The next, regarding the injury, is a series of words and arrows, giving us a sense of the event but not full details. The third box lists superstition, growth, boundary, target, and natural world as responses to the shapes drawn on the blackboard. The final square depicts a pillbox dispensing pills into a pill bottle regarding their memory of medicine.

To my surprise, these squares become a narrative when you see them all together. The first square includes a baseball and a bat (among many other shapes). The square to the right depicts an incident involving a rock and a baseball, ending in a cut and blood. The underlying idea of exercise, sports, and baseball is clearly seen in between these two stories. It is intriguing, because the baseball and bat were just objects floating in the first image, but become part of a story in the second. The result of the incident was blood and injury, which directly correlates with the medical image below in the next box. Though pills aren’t directly used to cure cuts, there is a clear relationship between injury and medicine. And finally, next to this medicine lies a box with words that do not relate to each other, but can be related to medicine in many ways. Superstition, growth and boundaries all apply to situations that can compromise or enhance human life. People cross boundaries and sometimes get hurt. If they are hurt, they grow and improve to feel better.

These bits of information are not separate chapters of a story, but incidents of cause and effect. Specifically, we can classify them as injury and cure. To be specific, I have split each of the pieces of information on this piece of paper (disregarding the lines) into these categories. Injury includes baseball bat, crab, baseball, playground, spin, rock, ground, cut, blood, superstitions, boundaries, target. All of these objects can be dangerous, lead to a disaster, or are associated with danger and injury. That leaves us with headphones, television, parents, candy, medicine, growth and the natural world. When someone is recovering from an injury, they take support from their loved ones, relax with music and movies, and hope to grow from both medicine and faith.

Composition wise, as a piece, the paper has a nice balance between image and text. Two boxes are solely image, and two are solely text. It is interesting, because the text and image create a pattern being that they are aligned in diagonals. The images are more abstract in that they come with less information, and the series of words are more informative. The balance between ink and led is also a visually interesting, but has no relation to the content of the boxes.

Not every piece of every box has an underlying meaning relating to consumerism, but some do more than others. The baseball and bat, and playground are eye openers, in that they show a progression in our society. When asked to describe our first injury, this person described one in that he or she was outside, in nature, playing at the playground with a baseball and bat, causing her injury. This made me remember of my childhood, where we were not very influenced by video games and television. We spent much more time outside. Cuts and scrapes were the types of injuries that we encountered, because of our experiences outside. Now days, kids are more likely to get brain injuries from staring at the computer or watching the microwave pop their popcorn. Consumerism is most definitely a driving factor in this progression. This goes for medicine as well. We don’t associate the healing with the actual contents of the pill (the herbs and chemicals and materials that are actually going inside of us), but with the coated caplet and pill bottle that they are in. When you walk into a drug store, these are what you recognize and associate with medicine. The packaging of containers and advertisements in hospitals and doctors offices has changed our perception of medicine. It is readily accessible, and not difficult to attain. Consumption, and production has made this possible.

The actual exercise (as opposed to the results of the exercise) did not seem to me as anything cult-like. Yes, we did follow instructions, because that is what school is to us. We learn from teachers, take exams, and follow their lead in order to grow and change. I don’t feel that consumerism has caused this. Yes, it is a factor in the way in which students obey their teachers because of the new attitudes of our youth, but it is not something that is unoriginal or different to us. We have much experience in agreeing to go along with instructions, and I do not feel as though it was ‘manipulation’ as Lasn would say. I even think that some people work better under direction. Hearing what they should do, or having a specific time frame in which they can do it often gives them a drive to do better or more efficiently.

Lasn, Kalle. Culture Jam: The Uncooling of America. New York: Eagle Brook, 1999

Sally's Automatist Excercise

Observations: Reading the four squares in from the top left clockwise around to the bottom left I do see the exercise as a narrative. First, there is simple, geometric, numbered order though with a slight disarrangement in the end between the circular patterns of numbering the shapes (5,4,7,6). The second square describes how the person felt when the fluke occurred; “dizzy head” and “blank…” Everything seemed fine but now something has disrupted the pattern. What is the cure? Medication. Medication in all forms, pill packs to pop, capsules in bottles, syringes to inject, and liquids to drink. Medicate to regulate, to get back to order, an effort to get back to how things were in the beginning. The results are upside down and catastrophic; “magnet, communism, toothbrush, top toy, jellyfish.” They have significantly diverged farther away from the first square. Reverting to the source has evolved into a new problem. Something along the way corrupted the original order and the means to restore it. Small signs are shown in the first square but the mystery lines in the line between the medication and the words. The diving lines are where the real investigation should take place.

Analysis: my observation was largely influenced by Lasn’s discussion of the media’s ability to manipulate our thoughts and large corporations to disrupt order. His discussion of the history or corporations really resonated with me: it makes sense that we were skeptical of large powerhouse companies and what happened? How could we let them take over and give corporations the rights of an individual citizen. Our government ruled and passed it! I really parallel this exercise to the historical growth in power of companies. Something small sent the shapes out of wack, like the civil war. It slowly happened before we got the chance to realize making us dizzy and leaving us blank. Consumerism threw a majority of the American population into a depression from the 1950’s on and as a result the pharmaceutical companies are legitimizing our distress with all their drugs. Associated words like “magnet, toothbrush, and top toy” all have to do with consumerism. I picked the words based on products I bought that resembled them. My associations with the forms that brought forth “Communism and jelly fish” were more freely associated. However something in the “Communist” form resembled enough iconography or symbolism to embody the political movement. Perhaps I chose this because Communism was largely effective through propaganda and media advertisements. The jellyfish I would like to think is my one response that went against the grain and still defines me as an independently thinking individual. Not a brain washed member of a cult.

world changing response 7 or 8

One of my favorite things to do in the whole entire world is taking showers. I can easily take up to three in one day! Although “shower time” is my favorite part of any day, I also realize how much water I’m using. In “Recycling Shower”, (page 188) they discuss alternative ways to shower, which include conserving water by recycling it. Developed by a design student in London, Peter Brewin, a system was created which filters the water once it goes down the drain, and then is brought to a comfortable temperature, and is then reused. This design is mentioned to be great in drought prone areas, as well as help individuals save money on some utilities. While this design seems to be a great idea, one that would benefit society, do we really think that bathing in recycled water would appeal to many people? I for example do not know how thrilled I would be to be showering in water that I have already used, even if I knew it had been filtered. Aside from my own opinions, if its believed that this would be a good addition to society as a creative solution to a major problem, why is this new design for a shower not being introduced into our daily lives, and our own personal bathrooms?

WR Prompt 7&8: Automatist Exercise

-Hannah Höch, Cut with the Dada Kitchen Knife through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch in Germany, 1919, collage of pasted papers, 90x144 cm, Staatliche Museum, Berlin.

Throughout this class, we have been discussing the far reaching tentacles of influence of our capitalist (production driven/ consumer oriented) society. We have contemplated the intense and pervasive nature of consumerism through the perspectives of Leopold, Diamond, Pollan, Lasn, and of course your own experiences and observations.

Although we could choose several points in history (and art history) from which to consider the roots of today's issues and REACTION to those issues, I want you to consider the revolutionary, rebellious nature of Dadaism.

Dadaism (1920s) whose disgust and disillusionment with WWI (its devastating consequences as well as the 'bourgeois' values that, they believed, led to conflict) generated a movement of opposition. Dada rejected categories, labels, and all established "values" (both in the art world as well as broader society). Techniques that were developed during this turbulent, anxious, angry time would (arguably) influence later art movements* which would all have an important role in social commentary. Throughout your response, consider the degree to which Lasn (and perhaps yourself) are influenced by Dadaist priciples. (Definition of Dada below (*) and a quick search on Wikipedia should give you a good background).

Your assignment:
1) Scan your 4 squares
2) Discuss general observations about the nature of what was written/ drawn:
How does the content of each square relate to the others? Is there an interesting repetition of a theme? Is there a narrative implied by the juxtaposition of elements? What is the aggregate effect of the 4 people's contributions?

BE CREATIVE HERE. This is YOUR interpretation, so anything you see/elicit from the image is valid as long as you sufficiently support your statements. Look at the 4 squares as an artist/ poet/ designer/ creative person. Do you see this as an overall composition? Are they chapters in a story? Is it a map? Something else?

3) NOW, I want you to look at your Automatist Exercise and consider Lasn's main arguments: Consumer society, we're all in a cult, we don't think but do what we're told, etc. In a way, this exercise embodied that relationship (I told you to do something, and you all obeyed...) BUT each of your contributions was unique and came from you. In addition, you all knew, (and "agreed"), to go along with the instructions, whereas Lasn argues that you are unaware of your actions/choices being manipulated. So now, the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION is: How much of the content of your 4 squares could you interpret as being influenced by the broad reaches of CONSUMERISM? Do any of the shapes make concrete reference to production/consumption? How about more abstract associations?

IMPORTANT last notes:
- Remember this week's response is worth double.

- If you want to respond to the prompt visually you may, as long as you include an artist statement addressing how the visual work addresses the questions I've asked.

- You will need to post under "New Post" instead of in the comment section under this prompt. Please title your post: "(your name)'s Automatist Excercise"


* "Dada is the groundwork to abstract art and sound poetry, a starting point for performance art, a prelude to postmodernism, an influence on pop art, a celebration of antiart to be later embraced for anarcho-political uses in the 1960s and the movement that lay the foundation for Surrealism."
—Marc Lowenthal, translator's introduction to Francis Picabia's I Am a Beautiful Monster: Poetry, Prose, And Provocation

Surrealism, (a contemporary of Dadasim which was greatly influenced by Dadaist priciples) is Pure psychic automatism, by which one proposes to express, either verbally, in writing, or by any other manner, the real functioning of thought. Dictation of thought in the absence of all control exercised by reason, outside of all aesthetic and moral preoccupation.

Weekly Response # 6

Ekta Shah

Response #6

ADP III: techonology and the environment

When Lasn states that the consumerist, capitalist, and materialist tendencies of “ American” culture are unhealthy, he means that gap between people and nature is constantly growing as technology and materialistic goods become increasingly important. We are becoming more interested in technology that is faster and more efficient, so we companies cater to that need while consumers are drawn into these rapidly improving product. By using the adjective “ Unhealthy” Lasn is explaining how much of an obsession we have with objects, and how they have become an overwhelming part of our life to the point where our perception of what nature is, and our ability to enjoy as well as appreciate it have been skewed. One of the examples Lasn gave was families watching television during their dinners, instead of spending that time out of their days to have conversations and spend time together. I find that this varies in cultures, and is more prevalent in the American culture. When I spend time with my relatives in India, no one even thinks of having the television during meals, and because my parents grew up this way the same rules apply to our family at home. There is no television in our kitchen, and we are not allowed to eat meals in our living room. But when I see other families, many have televisions within view of their dining tables, and for others it is a tradition to eat on their couches while watching different tv shows. One example that I do not think is not completely accurate is the idea of “ the end of the American dream”. Overtime the increase in technology has created a change in our daily actions and perceptions of how we want to lead our lives, but I do believe that now in 2009 with the effects of global warming and other environmental destruction becoming apparent and well-known, there are many people that are trying to disconnect themselves with these things and live different lives. We have classes that teach us about the environment, and how to use sustainable materials. We have developed new concepts such as biomimicry and come up with new inventions to help solve our problems. Professor Trumpey has his own farm, while my other professor Jan-Henrik Anderson chooses to lead a lifestyle without a cell phone or car. I have become more aware of food packing industries, vegetarianism, veganism, eating local etc. So with the increase in consumer culture, I think there has also been a recent increase in the awareness of how this culture can negatively affect our lives and what we can do to improve.

Lasn, Kalle. Culture Jam: The Uncooling of America. New York: Eagle Brook, 1999