While visiting a rainy Brissy I thought I'd take the opportunity to visit the Gallery of Modern Art (aka GoMA)to check out the current exhibition 21st Century: Art in the First Decade.
I tell you if you have a spare couple of hours if you happen to visit the QLD capital it's well worth your while swinging by. The exhibition is one of the most amazing I've ever seen with some extremely impressive works. It's kid friendly with lots of activities for all ages, and best of all it's free!
The collection is broad with pieces gathered from all over the globe. They are beautiful, mind boggling, reflective, fun and interactive.
My standouts include:
- Celeste Boursier - Mougenot's From here to ear which includes real finches!
- Olafur Eliasson's The cubic structural evolution project, I managed to catch this one at the MCA in Sydney but it's still fun to play with white lego while surrounded by impressive structures
- Leando Erlich's Swimming Pool, you figure this one out!
- Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaina's Lightning for Neda. A beautiful and intricate piece
- Damien Hirst, For the love of God, laugh. Wow!
- Carsten Holler's Left/Right Slide, a fun alternative to the lifts and stairs. Fun? Who thought a gallery could be fun!
- Bharti Kher's The skin speaks a language not its own
- Yayoi Kusama's Soul under the Moon. Another amazing piece in which you walk into a black cube and you truly feel like you're in space.
Hopefully this bite size of the collection has given you a taste to check it out! It's on till April 2011.
In conjunction with the exhibition are screenings of sci - fi films from over the last century. A retrospective on our various imaginings of the future (utopian and dystopian). Here's the link for all you cinefiles out there
Monday, January 10, 2011
Sunset Sounds (without sunsets)
After Field Day I prepared myself for the next festival – Sunset Sounds set in the Brisbane Botanical Gardens. Spread over two days the festival is a lot more relaxed than others that are one jam packed day. After having an amazing time at last Sunset Sounds I was looking forward to heading north once again to enjoy music amongst the trees.
As people excitedly began waiting in line it became apparent that it would take A LOT longer for those who bought their tickets through Moshtix compared to Ticketmaster. Luckily I was with the latter and got in straight away, my friends were not so fortunate and missed the highly anticipated performance by Cloud Control.
Despite having seen Cloud Control many times at various venues this was probably their best gig. Their performance led by the frontman Alister Wright was fresh and energetic, and as usual the impeccably dressed Heidi Lenffer was mesmerising as the sole female of the band. The highlight of the set was no doubt Gold Canary with a bit of improv thrown in.
Perhaps Cloud Control really do possess some magical spirits with their music as after their set wrapped up the heavens opened and it continued to rain the entire festival. Luckily I brought my poncho which I purchased two yes ago (yes I’ve been lucky enough to attend sunny festivals during that time). Here I am in my cool poncho!
It was great to finally see Hot Hot Heat live as I have admired this band from afar for the last couple of years, and they did not disappoint. I also swear that the guitarist was checkin me out (he totally was!).
After a bit of Ladyhawke we schlepped it over to the River stage for Tame Impala, who have really tightened up their festival performances. Pretty much every song they played went down a treat.
It was tricky to decide between The National and Public Enemy, but with the weather starting to put a dampener on our festival spirits we opted for Public Enemy as after their Field Day efforts we were guaranteed a good show. They didn’t disappoint and I think it was even better with the rain. Flavor Flav gave the same sermon again rousing the crowd.
While waiting for Interpol to don the stage dj Baio played music to keep the crowd interest. By this stage everyone poncho and sans poncho were soaked and it was really starting to get chilly.
Even thought Interpol were mesmerising with their music we had to call it a night halfway through the set as it was just too wet for us. Lucky for me a kind young man carried me across the small river that had appeared at the exit making it rather difficult for us to cross.
On day two after praying to the gods for some relief of the rain, these wishes clearly went unanswered as it continued to bucket down the entire day. Thus we postponed our trek to the festival which unfortunately meant that we missed out on a few bands such as Children Collide.
Upon entering through the festival gates we were faced with mud and slush as far as the eye could see. After mocking the people wearing big, heavy wellingtons at the beginning of the festival boy did I feel silly, and dreaming of my starry gumboots sitting neatly in the corner of my room far, far away in another state. At least we had picked up plenty of wet weather supplies with double the poncho! It was like a rainbow of ponchos, with almost everyone utlising the dodgy plastic.
After stocking up on beverages it was time to hit the music scene and first up was the Peaches dj set. This was amazing and exactly what you need when it won’t stop raining at a festival. Playing awesome tunes accompanied by back up dancers in odd outfits certainly got the crowd moving.
After a brief viewing of slightly lacklustre Washington we had to move on to Joan Jett. Washington could certainly take a leaf out of Joan Jett’s live performances as Joan totally brought it. Kicking off with Bad Reputation it just got better with Cherry Bomb, I Love Rock and Roll, Crimson & Clover and Do You Want To Touch Me. Whether it may be down to the recent release of THE RUNAWAYS film or there were a lot of Jett fans it was a highlight of the festival for me. That lady is a show woman through and through and knows how to get a crowd going!
It was then time for the headliners, The Klaxons. They received a huge reception, however the sound was a little disappointing so it was difficult to truly appreciate their performance. After hearing all my fav Klaxon tracks we quickly hopped over to the Yacht Club DJs at the Hibiscus stage. One of my favourite dj duos in the country they had sympathy for the audience who were dancing in the rain and mud, and made it a hell of a lot easier with their outrageous mixes. I love those crazy boys!
Although there may have not been any sunsets at Sunset Sounds this year it was still a good one in which I discovered new music and had fun dancing in the mud. Can’t wait to do it again next year!
And for your musical pleasure I present Ms Joan Jett!!
As people excitedly began waiting in line it became apparent that it would take A LOT longer for those who bought their tickets through Moshtix compared to Ticketmaster. Luckily I was with the latter and got in straight away, my friends were not so fortunate and missed the highly anticipated performance by Cloud Control.
Despite having seen Cloud Control many times at various venues this was probably their best gig. Their performance led by the frontman Alister Wright was fresh and energetic, and as usual the impeccably dressed Heidi Lenffer was mesmerising as the sole female of the band. The highlight of the set was no doubt Gold Canary with a bit of improv thrown in.
Perhaps Cloud Control really do possess some magical spirits with their music as after their set wrapped up the heavens opened and it continued to rain the entire festival. Luckily I brought my poncho which I purchased two yes ago (yes I’ve been lucky enough to attend sunny festivals during that time). Here I am in my cool poncho!
It was great to finally see Hot Hot Heat live as I have admired this band from afar for the last couple of years, and they did not disappoint. I also swear that the guitarist was checkin me out (he totally was!).
After a bit of Ladyhawke we schlepped it over to the River stage for Tame Impala, who have really tightened up their festival performances. Pretty much every song they played went down a treat.
It was tricky to decide between The National and Public Enemy, but with the weather starting to put a dampener on our festival spirits we opted for Public Enemy as after their Field Day efforts we were guaranteed a good show. They didn’t disappoint and I think it was even better with the rain. Flavor Flav gave the same sermon again rousing the crowd.
While waiting for Interpol to don the stage dj Baio played music to keep the crowd interest. By this stage everyone poncho and sans poncho were soaked and it was really starting to get chilly.
Even thought Interpol were mesmerising with their music we had to call it a night halfway through the set as it was just too wet for us. Lucky for me a kind young man carried me across the small river that had appeared at the exit making it rather difficult for us to cross.
On day two after praying to the gods for some relief of the rain, these wishes clearly went unanswered as it continued to bucket down the entire day. Thus we postponed our trek to the festival which unfortunately meant that we missed out on a few bands such as Children Collide.
Upon entering through the festival gates we were faced with mud and slush as far as the eye could see. After mocking the people wearing big, heavy wellingtons at the beginning of the festival boy did I feel silly, and dreaming of my starry gumboots sitting neatly in the corner of my room far, far away in another state. At least we had picked up plenty of wet weather supplies with double the poncho! It was like a rainbow of ponchos, with almost everyone utlising the dodgy plastic.
After stocking up on beverages it was time to hit the music scene and first up was the Peaches dj set. This was amazing and exactly what you need when it won’t stop raining at a festival. Playing awesome tunes accompanied by back up dancers in odd outfits certainly got the crowd moving.
After a brief viewing of slightly lacklustre Washington we had to move on to Joan Jett. Washington could certainly take a leaf out of Joan Jett’s live performances as Joan totally brought it. Kicking off with Bad Reputation it just got better with Cherry Bomb, I Love Rock and Roll, Crimson & Clover and Do You Want To Touch Me. Whether it may be down to the recent release of THE RUNAWAYS film or there were a lot of Jett fans it was a highlight of the festival for me. That lady is a show woman through and through and knows how to get a crowd going!
It was then time for the headliners, The Klaxons. They received a huge reception, however the sound was a little disappointing so it was difficult to truly appreciate their performance. After hearing all my fav Klaxon tracks we quickly hopped over to the Yacht Club DJs at the Hibiscus stage. One of my favourite dj duos in the country they had sympathy for the audience who were dancing in the rain and mud, and made it a hell of a lot easier with their outrageous mixes. I love those crazy boys!
Although there may have not been any sunsets at Sunset Sounds this year it was still a good one in which I discovered new music and had fun dancing in the mud. Can’t wait to do it again next year!
And for your musical pleasure I present Ms Joan Jett!!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Dancing In The Field
After a nice little post NYE sleep – in I woke to a beautiful sunny day, weather perfect for a festival. Although it was a hot day this did not deter the masses to continue the New Year’s celebrations at the Domain in Sydney for the 10th Field Day festival.
With a broad musical line up including Justice, Trentemoller, Public Enemy, Mystery Jets, and Duck Sauce (think the Barbara Streisand song) there was something for all to get the feet dancing.
After managing to successfully run the gauntlet of security checks (the most thorough I have experienced at any festival) we finally made it into the inner sanctum of beats. Essential to any festival day our group strategised, choosing a meeting spot and listing our must see acts, afterwards scattering our separate ways for the first round of bands. My first pick was the local dj duo Canyons. Although many festival goers were hiding in the shade from the biting sun Canyons still managed to get a few to dance with a decent audience resting on the grass. As always they spun some obscure yet fun disco tunes. Bouncing from Canyons onto the last few songs of Chromeo we were in the thick of it with the people all around us singing along to their songs.
It was now time to take a break from the beating sun and grab some overpriced refreshments. With my mediocre burger and expensive beer in hand I took the opportunity to do a little people watch and check out the festival fashion. This is always a favourite past time of mine as a festival is always an excuse to wear outlandish outfits. Field day seemed to lack the really bizarre costumes with people being more conservative in their wear. The fluoro phase has well and truly been replaced by the early to mid 90s grunge and pop look. The general theme appears to be short denim shorts with miscellaneous top or the flower print jumpsuit (short leg type), these were accompanied by those black sandals with the high ankles. For the boys it was overwhelmingly the shorts and singlets. Luckily there weren’t too many bad fake tans.
After our little rest we planted ourselves at Centre Field waiting in anticipation for The Rapture. Although the band have only released two albums (and not recently either) they attracted a strong following and got the crowd going with their catchy songs. The Rapture were followed by Duck Sauce accompanied by a huge blow up duck on stage. They whipped the crowd into a frenzy with their hit Barbara Streisand, not a body was still!
It was time for another break, while we sat under the shade of the beautiful Morton Bay Figs we enjoyed the refreshing tastes of the cocktails the festival was offering. I opted for the Pimms vs Gin which were so damn tasty!
Wrapping up our drinks break the group headed over the Left Field to catch Mystery Jets. Although I was only familiar with a couple of their songs I quickly became a fan with their catchy choruses and their onstage charisma.
It was then time to make the difficult decision between seeing Art vs Science and Aeroplane. In the end Aeroplane won out as I had seen Art vs Science several times during the year. By all accounts it was the right choice as Aeroplane spun some awesome tunes and from Daft Punk to Sebastian Teller to The Cardigans.
To round up the day it was time for the headliners Justice who made the crowd go wild. After dancing our feet off we made a quick visit to Public Enemy and as Chuck D said it’s not the size of the stage but what you do with it and that certainly applied to Chuck D, Flavor Flav, DJ Lord and their entourage. Although not being familiar with too much of their discography they certainly were a highlight with their energy and attitude. Flavor Flav wrapped up the set with a rousing speech on power. So remember people fuck racism and separatism. Peace and togetherness equals power! Thanks Flavor Flav!
These words stayed with us as we wandered home after a good festival.
With a broad musical line up including Justice, Trentemoller, Public Enemy, Mystery Jets, and Duck Sauce (think the Barbara Streisand song) there was something for all to get the feet dancing.
After managing to successfully run the gauntlet of security checks (the most thorough I have experienced at any festival) we finally made it into the inner sanctum of beats. Essential to any festival day our group strategised, choosing a meeting spot and listing our must see acts, afterwards scattering our separate ways for the first round of bands. My first pick was the local dj duo Canyons. Although many festival goers were hiding in the shade from the biting sun Canyons still managed to get a few to dance with a decent audience resting on the grass. As always they spun some obscure yet fun disco tunes. Bouncing from Canyons onto the last few songs of Chromeo we were in the thick of it with the people all around us singing along to their songs.
It was now time to take a break from the beating sun and grab some overpriced refreshments. With my mediocre burger and expensive beer in hand I took the opportunity to do a little people watch and check out the festival fashion. This is always a favourite past time of mine as a festival is always an excuse to wear outlandish outfits. Field day seemed to lack the really bizarre costumes with people being more conservative in their wear. The fluoro phase has well and truly been replaced by the early to mid 90s grunge and pop look. The general theme appears to be short denim shorts with miscellaneous top or the flower print jumpsuit (short leg type), these were accompanied by those black sandals with the high ankles. For the boys it was overwhelmingly the shorts and singlets. Luckily there weren’t too many bad fake tans.
After our little rest we planted ourselves at Centre Field waiting in anticipation for The Rapture. Although the band have only released two albums (and not recently either) they attracted a strong following and got the crowd going with their catchy songs. The Rapture were followed by Duck Sauce accompanied by a huge blow up duck on stage. They whipped the crowd into a frenzy with their hit Barbara Streisand, not a body was still!
It was time for another break, while we sat under the shade of the beautiful Morton Bay Figs we enjoyed the refreshing tastes of the cocktails the festival was offering. I opted for the Pimms vs Gin which were so damn tasty!
Wrapping up our drinks break the group headed over the Left Field to catch Mystery Jets. Although I was only familiar with a couple of their songs I quickly became a fan with their catchy choruses and their onstage charisma.
It was then time to make the difficult decision between seeing Art vs Science and Aeroplane. In the end Aeroplane won out as I had seen Art vs Science several times during the year. By all accounts it was the right choice as Aeroplane spun some awesome tunes and from Daft Punk to Sebastian Teller to The Cardigans.
To round up the day it was time for the headliners Justice who made the crowd go wild. After dancing our feet off we made a quick visit to Public Enemy and as Chuck D said it’s not the size of the stage but what you do with it and that certainly applied to Chuck D, Flavor Flav, DJ Lord and their entourage. Although not being familiar with too much of their discography they certainly were a highlight with their energy and attitude. Flavor Flav wrapped up the set with a rousing speech on power. So remember people fuck racism and separatism. Peace and togetherness equals power! Thanks Flavor Flav!
These words stayed with us as we wandered home after a good festival.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
It Doesn't Feel Good
How It Feels is the new book by Australian thespian Brendan Cowell. This book came highly recommended to my by a couple book loving friends who’s opinion I rate pretty highly, however in this case their sense of taste may be a bit off the mark as this book made me want to throw it across the room every time I open it.
The story centres around Neil Cronk, a boy from the Shire desperate to break out of the white conservative, middle – class area. The book spans 10 years of the life of Neil and his friends, high school girlfriend Courtney, and best mates Gordon and Stuart. The novel focuses on various important times and events in their young lives, uni, travel, career, marriage and babies. Cowell divides the book into 3 parts, covering an ‘era’ – end of school, uni, and travel/career/marriage.
To me these aspects of life are an attractive element of the book as they are events and rituals that many young Australians can relate to (including myself), however for me that is where the interest ends as the protagonist Neil is such a self absorbed arsehole that it is difficult to look beyond this unsympathetic character and really engage with the story and the serious issues (suicide, rape, self – doubt, drug addiction – yes it has it all!) that Cowell writes about. It is not until mid in the third part that we begin to see some semblance of a human being that feels when Neil is faced with a crisis that seems to penetrate the tough exterior that he has built. However it is only a fleeting glimpse of the man, and honestly it is too late in the piece to engender any sympathy toward the man.
In reading this novel I expected to not only follow the journey of these characters, but also travel them, feeling like I can care for their wellbeing. Setting aside the problems I had with the personalities, How It Feels simply feels superficial. It covers a lot of ground without getting into the nitty gritty, Neil bounces from one situation to another with a bit of navel gazing thrown in. Suffered from anxiety issues in the bedroom – Neil has. Hands up if you have issues with your absent father, oh Neil’s hand is up. Oh no your best friend was a drug addict that committed suicide and no one told you for a day, shit that happened to Neil too! What, your girlfriend was attacked round the back of a Tescos which killed your unborn baby? Yep happened to Neil. I bet that sent you spiralling into an Ice addiction just like Neil. I’m sure you get the point.
The other major problem I had with this book is some of the laughable language that is used. There are some cracker quotes in here that provide some comic relief rather than the serious and thoughtful tone that is intend. Let me entertain you with some of the corkers……………
“Standing over the circle [toilet], piss came out of my dick. Then I put my dick back in my pants and opened the bag of speed I’d bought from one of the dwarves”.
“If you want to kiss someone, kiss me, Swanna whispered in my ear. And so I did, with roughness and teeth. Even in this kissing I wanted to make violence on Gordon’s head”.
Pondering How It Feels, I concluded that Neil is a spoilt brat rather than a tortured artist. The novel has plenty of shock value in it, however by the end I was so bored I just wanted it to be over. Suicide is a major theme of the book and by the end I was so desperate for Neil to commit it because I could not stand him any longer. I won’t tell you if I got my wish….
If you’d like to read some more reviews of Brendan Cowell’s book here you go! It appears this book has polarised the masses.....
The Enthusiast
Literary Minded
The Book Club Nerd
PS Brendan - it's Springwood, not Springbrook as you describe in the book
The story centres around Neil Cronk, a boy from the Shire desperate to break out of the white conservative, middle – class area. The book spans 10 years of the life of Neil and his friends, high school girlfriend Courtney, and best mates Gordon and Stuart. The novel focuses on various important times and events in their young lives, uni, travel, career, marriage and babies. Cowell divides the book into 3 parts, covering an ‘era’ – end of school, uni, and travel/career/marriage.
To me these aspects of life are an attractive element of the book as they are events and rituals that many young Australians can relate to (including myself), however for me that is where the interest ends as the protagonist Neil is such a self absorbed arsehole that it is difficult to look beyond this unsympathetic character and really engage with the story and the serious issues (suicide, rape, self – doubt, drug addiction – yes it has it all!) that Cowell writes about. It is not until mid in the third part that we begin to see some semblance of a human being that feels when Neil is faced with a crisis that seems to penetrate the tough exterior that he has built. However it is only a fleeting glimpse of the man, and honestly it is too late in the piece to engender any sympathy toward the man.
In reading this novel I expected to not only follow the journey of these characters, but also travel them, feeling like I can care for their wellbeing. Setting aside the problems I had with the personalities, How It Feels simply feels superficial. It covers a lot of ground without getting into the nitty gritty, Neil bounces from one situation to another with a bit of navel gazing thrown in. Suffered from anxiety issues in the bedroom – Neil has. Hands up if you have issues with your absent father, oh Neil’s hand is up. Oh no your best friend was a drug addict that committed suicide and no one told you for a day, shit that happened to Neil too! What, your girlfriend was attacked round the back of a Tescos which killed your unborn baby? Yep happened to Neil. I bet that sent you spiralling into an Ice addiction just like Neil. I’m sure you get the point.
The other major problem I had with this book is some of the laughable language that is used. There are some cracker quotes in here that provide some comic relief rather than the serious and thoughtful tone that is intend. Let me entertain you with some of the corkers……………
“Standing over the circle [toilet], piss came out of my dick. Then I put my dick back in my pants and opened the bag of speed I’d bought from one of the dwarves”.
“If you want to kiss someone, kiss me, Swanna whispered in my ear. And so I did, with roughness and teeth. Even in this kissing I wanted to make violence on Gordon’s head”.
Pondering How It Feels, I concluded that Neil is a spoilt brat rather than a tortured artist. The novel has plenty of shock value in it, however by the end I was so bored I just wanted it to be over. Suicide is a major theme of the book and by the end I was so desperate for Neil to commit it because I could not stand him any longer. I won’t tell you if I got my wish….
If you’d like to read some more reviews of Brendan Cowell’s book here you go! It appears this book has polarised the masses.....
The Enthusiast
Literary Minded
The Book Club Nerd
PS Brendan - it's Springwood, not Springbrook as you describe in the book
Monday, October 25, 2010
Acceptable in the 80s
One of the drawcards for my visit to the Powerhouse Museum was the 80s exhibition, The 80s Are Back. This is a great exhibition that highlights various aspects of the 80s, obviously the music and fashion dominate the exhibition, but it also covers politics, toys, computer games, sub - cultures, sexuality and design.
One of the key thoughts I took away from the exhibition was how technology and culture have developed and changed over the last twenty to thirty years. The most obvious indicators of this change was the technology, particularly computers, computer games, and mobile phones.
During the decade these technologies were taking off however still not widespread as they were expensive and despite being cutting edge, basic. For example the exhibition notes that the mobile phone was a sign of success due to its expense yet it was quite clunky (and chunky!).
Computer games had basic graphics and narratives compared to the complex games that we play today.
Vinyl, boomboxes and walkmans dominated our music listening habits. Mixed tapes, remember those!
This exhibition highlights how humans still valued technology and utilised it, however, it was less pervasive in our lives back in the 80s as it is today. The examples of our immersion are quite obvious such as the Internet, devices such as computers, iphones, ipods just to begin with.
I highly recommend a visit to the exhibition, it’s a lot of fun and reminds us where we came from and the changes that Australian society (amongst many others) have undergone.
Just to get you in the mood here are some rad music clips!
New Order: Blue Monday Live - Check out the drum machine in this clip
Severed Heads - Dead Eyes
Although this clip of Kraftwerk is from the 70s it gives a great narrative on the development of things to come ....
This legacy has carried through the 90s and we have now witnessed a renaissance of the 80s in the new millenium when we thought we had left them far behind....
Datarock: Computer Camp Love
Ladytron: Discotraxx
One of the key thoughts I took away from the exhibition was how technology and culture have developed and changed over the last twenty to thirty years. The most obvious indicators of this change was the technology, particularly computers, computer games, and mobile phones.
During the decade these technologies were taking off however still not widespread as they were expensive and despite being cutting edge, basic. For example the exhibition notes that the mobile phone was a sign of success due to its expense yet it was quite clunky (and chunky!).
Computer games had basic graphics and narratives compared to the complex games that we play today.
Vinyl, boomboxes and walkmans dominated our music listening habits. Mixed tapes, remember those!
This exhibition highlights how humans still valued technology and utilised it, however, it was less pervasive in our lives back in the 80s as it is today. The examples of our immersion are quite obvious such as the Internet, devices such as computers, iphones, ipods just to begin with.
I highly recommend a visit to the exhibition, it’s a lot of fun and reminds us where we came from and the changes that Australian society (amongst many others) have undergone.
Just to get you in the mood here are some rad music clips!
New Order: Blue Monday Live - Check out the drum machine in this clip
Severed Heads - Dead Eyes
Although this clip of Kraftwerk is from the 70s it gives a great narrative on the development of things to come ....
This legacy has carried through the 90s and we have now witnessed a renaissance of the 80s in the new millenium when we thought we had left them far behind....
Datarock: Computer Camp Love
Ladytron: Discotraxx
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Museum of Power
Over this rainy weekend I visited the Powerhouse Museum, which I haven’t done in years! I highly recommend it if you have a spare afternoon.
The Powerhouse Museum has many exhibitions, but the two I will highlight are Cyberworlds: computers and connections, and Artefact H10515. The former provides a historical narrative that follows the development of computer technology from the late 1800s to now. The exhibition also tackles the various aspects of technology. From early computers, to science fiction characters, to music synthesizers, to the world of cyborgs (specifically Stelarc and Alan Turing), various artefacts are on display.
The latter, Artefact H10515 is a huge plastic cube that contains a computer image of some sort of underwater creature. When you touch the cube, the creature inside reacts, however you are also able to ‘feed’ it with your own treasured artefacts. The museum subscribes to the idea that individuals posses items that they value and perhaps the public may also appreciate. You are able to upload images of your items onto a computer that is linked to Artefact H10515 and at a particular time it will appear somewhere on the creature. Here’s a clip to demonstrate how it works.
When visiting the museum it becomes clear, particularly through these exhibitions that the dependence on technology we have developed is significant. As Turkle discusses in her article, ‘Witherpsycoanalysis in computer culture’, technology has a profound impact on how we behave. She writes, “Technologies are never “just tools”. They are evocative objects. They cause us to see ourselves and our world differently” (2004:416). Cyberworlds demonstrates this understanding not only through artefacts, but also through various interactive activities. For example can you still solve mathematical equations without the aid of a calculator, or an excel spreadsheet?
Artefact H10515 is a fabulous example of how technology is not just a tool, but is impacting the way we see ourselves. The Powerhouse Museum clearly believes that there are many mundane items worthy of exhibition as they are important to people. Thus the Artefact H10515 is a vessel in which we can easily have our objects of sentimentality displayed for a brief moment in time. It allows us to see what objects our fellow citizens value in an imaginative way. This technology caters to today’s world, which allows us to gain a different perspective on the world around us.
Reference
Turkle, S. (2004) ‘Wither psychoanalysis in computer culture’ in Kaplan, D. M. (ed) Readings in the philosophy of technology Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, pp. 415 - 429
The Powerhouse Museum has many exhibitions, but the two I will highlight are Cyberworlds: computers and connections, and Artefact H10515. The former provides a historical narrative that follows the development of computer technology from the late 1800s to now. The exhibition also tackles the various aspects of technology. From early computers, to science fiction characters, to music synthesizers, to the world of cyborgs (specifically Stelarc and Alan Turing), various artefacts are on display.
The latter, Artefact H10515 is a huge plastic cube that contains a computer image of some sort of underwater creature. When you touch the cube, the creature inside reacts, however you are also able to ‘feed’ it with your own treasured artefacts. The museum subscribes to the idea that individuals posses items that they value and perhaps the public may also appreciate. You are able to upload images of your items onto a computer that is linked to Artefact H10515 and at a particular time it will appear somewhere on the creature. Here’s a clip to demonstrate how it works.
When visiting the museum it becomes clear, particularly through these exhibitions that the dependence on technology we have developed is significant. As Turkle discusses in her article, ‘Witherpsycoanalysis in computer culture’, technology has a profound impact on how we behave. She writes, “Technologies are never “just tools”. They are evocative objects. They cause us to see ourselves and our world differently” (2004:416). Cyberworlds demonstrates this understanding not only through artefacts, but also through various interactive activities. For example can you still solve mathematical equations without the aid of a calculator, or an excel spreadsheet?
Artefact H10515 is a fabulous example of how technology is not just a tool, but is impacting the way we see ourselves. The Powerhouse Museum clearly believes that there are many mundane items worthy of exhibition as they are important to people. Thus the Artefact H10515 is a vessel in which we can easily have our objects of sentimentality displayed for a brief moment in time. It allows us to see what objects our fellow citizens value in an imaginative way. This technology caters to today’s world, which allows us to gain a different perspective on the world around us.
Reference
Turkle, S. (2004) ‘Wither psychoanalysis in computer culture’ in Kaplan, D. M. (ed) Readings in the philosophy of technology Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, pp. 415 - 429
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Black Sheep Online/Offline
Where do you find inspiration for art? For several years various artists have been turning to Google to find it. The Annual Google Exhibition requires the artists to google the chosen word or phrase at the same time on the same day. From there the artist chooses a website of those selected by the algorithm, and create an artwork from it. This year the phrase was ‘black sheep’.
The range of artworks was rather eclectic considering the fact that they were all based on the same phrase. From an electric sheep pinned on the wall to sketches of an English Pub called the Black Sheep, the imagination of the artists had clearly been led down different paths. When explaining the rationale behind this initiative the organisers write, “Black Sheep attempts to engage with a crucial, creative discourse about how the arts are not simply consumed and disseminated, but also fuelled by the immersive realm of online space”. Essentially what is being suggested here is that what is found on the internet can be a source of inspiration for creating art, rather than simply being a supply of artistic work.
The algorithm may lead us down the same path on a specific search, but this example is a visual illustration of the ‘journey’ that is taken when moving beyond that first page of results, and suggesting that an element of randomness still exists in the google search.
The range of artworks was rather eclectic considering the fact that they were all based on the same phrase. From an electric sheep pinned on the wall to sketches of an English Pub called the Black Sheep, the imagination of the artists had clearly been led down different paths. When explaining the rationale behind this initiative the organisers write, “Black Sheep attempts to engage with a crucial, creative discourse about how the arts are not simply consumed and disseminated, but also fuelled by the immersive realm of online space”. Essentially what is being suggested here is that what is found on the internet can be a source of inspiration for creating art, rather than simply being a supply of artistic work.
The algorithm may lead us down the same path on a specific search, but this example is a visual illustration of the ‘journey’ that is taken when moving beyond that first page of results, and suggesting that an element of randomness still exists in the google search.
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