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E-Coli, Symbiosis?

Link:

https://vimeo.com/219704953

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Art Historical Image: Week 12

When I think of beauty of common work, and coming together as a means to have a positive effect on the environment, I think of the Vietnamese rice fields.  Acres of land where people have created a symbiotic relationship with the environment, a culture of cultivation and working together.  This is a brilliant example of the potential positive effects of the anthropocene.

Haraway’s Principle:

We must work together to create a better place.

Principle 2:

Thou shalt not be slothful.

Piercy’s Principle:

When making art in the environment, one must not always make art. There is beauty in a coexistence that is common and honest.

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Week 12

Haraway, D 2015 “Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Plantationocene, Chthulucene: Making Kin” 

Principle: 

We must work together to create a better place. 

Response from quotation: 

“I think our job is to make the Anthropocene as short/thin as possible and to cultivate with each other in every way imaginable epochs to come that can replenish refuge” (Pg. 2) 

Principle 2: 

Thou shalt not be slothful. 

Response from quotation: 

“We are living in times of “The Dithering”, a “state of indecisive agitation.” (Pg. 3) 

Piercy, M 2006 “To be of use” 

Principle: 

When making art in the environment, one must not always make art. There is beauty in a coexistence that is common and honest. 

Response from quotation:

 “The work of the world is common as mud. Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust. But the thing worth doing well done” (Pg. 1)

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Art Historical Image: Week 11

While I’m not sure what “living as form is,” I believe this photo is a good example of the weeks readings, regarding the negative effects of anthropocene, and how people take ownership of lands and excessively consume finite resources.

Stoll’s Principle:

When creating art in the environment, the artist must recognise he/she does not have exclusive rights over the space that the artwork occupies.

De young & Princen’s Principle:

Art in the environment calls for a response. People must recognise resources are finite and live within given means rather then consume excessively.

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Week 11

Stoll, S 2016 “No Man’s Land” 

Principle: 

When creating art in the environment, the artist must recognise he/she does not have exclusive rights over the space that the artwork occupies. 

Response from quotation: 

“Ownership is different from appropriation. It confers exclusive rights derived from and enforced by the state. These rights do not come from active use or occupancy.” (Pg. 2) 

De young, R & Princen, T 2012, “The Localization Reader: Adapting to the Coming Downshift” 

Principle: 

Art in the environment calls for a response. People must recognise resources are finite and live within given means rather then consume excessively. 

Response from quotation: 

“Positive localization, in contrast, is a process for creating and implementing a response, a means of adapting institutions and behaviours to living within the limits of natural systems.” (Pg. 5)

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Art Historical Images: Week 10

Its interesting how re-conceptualising something can apply the same principles to something else.  Lessons learned from other areas can be applied to different areas, as intelligent beings, we should aim to constantly evolve this process for the betterment of this world.

Kingsnorth & Hine’s principle: Art in the environment must prompt an “active” response

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Week 10

Young, A 2002 “Creating, Culling and Caring”

Principle: 

Create artwork that interacts with living things without hurting them. 

Response from quotation: 

“…create artwork that interacts with the community of living things without hurting them…” (Pg. 5) 

Kingsnorth, P & Hine, D 2009 “Uncivilisation – The Dark Mountain Manifesto” 

Principle:

Aspire to live in an earthly paradise. Art in the environment must continuously guide the next generation of artists, to achieve a better quality of life. 

Response from quotation:

“…earthly paradise, towards which human effort guided by calculative reason could take us. Following this guidance, each generation will live a better life than the life of those that went before it…” (Pg. 3) 

Principle 2: 

Art in the environment must prompt an “active” response 

Response from quotation: 

“Ecocide demands a response.” (Pg 9)

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E- Coli (Bacteria)

I haven’t quiet decided where I want to go with the video, however starting with an enlarged image of the subject seemed to be a good idea.

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Art Historical Images: Week 9

Dogs playing poker series, “A Waterloo”, 1906, &”A Friend in Need” 1903 by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, oil on canvas

This series of works was to originally advertise cigars.  It is an iconic symbol in American art history.  People have a tendency to anthropomorphise qualities and apply them towards animals, inadvertently we happen to liken ourselves to superficial qualities of animals without really trying to understanding them.

It is interesting to note that within the human concept of Utopia, we are harmonious with nature and animals, this is supported from ideas such as Garden of Eden, and Elysium, however we do not take steps to achieve this ideal world, and our idea of progress inadvertently makes this Utopia harder to attain. 

Smuts Principle:

To be accepted into the environment, one must aim to understand, and to adapt ones self, to live symbiotically with the environment.

Aristarkhova’s Principle:

All living beings have a right to this world. They are neither pet nor pests.

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Week 9

Smuts, B 2001 “Encounters with Animals Minds” 

Principle: 

To be accepted into the environment, one must aim to understand, and to adapt ones self, to live symbiotically with the environment. 

Response from quotation:

“… I’ve used the accepted scientific term, ‘habituation’. The word implies that the baboons adapted to me, that they changed, while I stayed essentially the same. But in reality, the reverse is closer to the truth.” (Pg. 295) 

Aristarkhova, I 2010 “Hosting the animal: the art of Kathy High” 

Principle: 

All living beings have a right to this world. They are neither pet nor pests. 

Response from quotation: 

“They are her strange ‘‘kin,’’ her ‘‘companions,’’ her guests of a new kind, neither pets nor pests.” (Pg. 5)

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Art Historical Image: Week 8

“Hollow Pursuits” & “Witching Hour” (n.d.) by Michael Kerbow

While not historical images, these artworks delve into the weeks concept of sci-fi.  Here we can see a horrifying, dystopian future, where man occupies all of space, including the subterranean. 

Kerbow’s work focuses on critically portraying humanities over consumption and pollution through sci-fi art.  He looks at “what could be” humanities future.

Singh’s Principle:

When creating art in the environment, the art must reflect humanities coexistence with nature. This must be done in a way that it impacts the viewer so that it is unforgettable.

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Week 8

Singh, V 2016 “Science Fiction in the Anthropocene” 

Principle: 

When creating art in the environment, the art must reflect humanities coexistence with nature. This must be done in a way that it impacts the viewer so that it is unforgettable. 

Response from quotation: 

“…absurd delusion that human beings live in a bubble isolated from the rest of nature; with nature reduced to a commodity, it can then be forgotten.” (Pg. 2) 

Meadows, D 1996 “Envisioning a Sustainable World” 

Principle: 

When creating politically charged art in the environment, one must strive for the greatest possible outcome, rather then be satisfied with an adequate outcome. 

Response from quotation: 

“The best goal most of us who work toward sustainability offer is the avoidance of catastrophe. We promise survival and not much more. That is a failure of vision.” (Pg. 2) 

Stephens, E & Sprincle, A (n.d.) “Ecosexmanifesto” 

Principle: 

When creating politically charged art in the environment, it is important to remember that projecting feelings of passion and unity is a more effective and amenable way of uniting people for a common cause. 

Response from quotation: 

“We will save the mountains, waters and skies by any means necessary, especially through love, joy, and our powers of seduction.” (P.g. 1)

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Art Historical Image: Week 7

Oil Spill #10 Oil Slick at Rip Tide, Gulf of Mexico, 2010, by Edward Burtynsky

chromogenic print, a photograph of an oil spill

While not a historic artwork I couldn’t stay away from this photo. I’m ashamed to say that I fin this oil spill beautiful, it looks as if the ledge of a landscape painting has been painted onto the deep, turquoise sea.

Saying that, this artist does pursue human impact on the environment, and focuses on Anthropocene, through use of photographic imagery, his works tend to feature large scale human impact, but is captured in an unreal and beautiful way.

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Week 7

Macfarlane, R 2016 “Generation Anthropocene: How humans have altered the planet for ever”

Principle:

Our influence over the environment is frightening, however this influence has the potential to be a gift to the world. When creating politically charged, environmental art, we must consider how we can utilise our influence for good.

Response from quotation:

"...in which human activity is considered such a powerful influence on the environment, climate and ecology of the planet...“ (Pg. 2)

Derrida, J 2010 “Hospitality“

Principle:

When creating art in the environment, it is important to remember that we are strangers entering the homes of others(animals).  While we may present ourselves, it is important to show respect, and to not take from the homes of others.

Response from quotation:

"... the stranger cannot claim the right of a guest to be entertained..." (Pg. 5)

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Art Historical Image: Week 6

“Cut Piece” 1964, by Yoko Ono

A passive performance, the artists stays motionless, while the audience cuts of pieces of her clothes.  Challenging the neutrality of the relationship between the audience and artwork (artist)

Bourriaud’s principle: When observing art, the spectator must study the dimensions of the artwork, and its relations to its historical context (period it was conceived in) and purpose.

Carruth’s principle:

Environmental artworks are often protests, when creating art in the environment, the artist must consider the public reactions and engage the viewer.

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Week 6

Bourriaud, N n.d. “Relational Aesthetics”

Principle:

When observing art, the spectator must study the dimensions of the artwork, and its relations to its historical context (period it was conceived in) and purpose.

Response from quotation:

“Artistic activity is a game, whose forms, patterns and functions develop and evolve according to periods and social contexts; it is not an immutable essence. It is the critic's task to study this activity in the present.” (Pg. 11)

Carruth, A 2013 “Urban Ecologies and Social Practice Art”

Principle:

Environmental artworks are often protests, when creating art in the environment, the artist must consider the public reactions and engage the viewer.

Response from quotation:

“cross boundaries of art, activism, and academe, social practice further invites environmental humanists to articulate the public engagements of the environmental humanities itself, that is to consider both the potentials and pitfalls for what we might call a scholarly social practice.” (Pg. 3)

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Field Guides

A field guide is typically used to identify different fauna, flora and minerals, usually in cases where two or more appear similar.  The first book I have chosen “Wood Chemistry” is about what separates wood plants from plants that do not have a woody (xylary) tissue.

Plants that produce wood are:

1)    Vascular plants – these possess a specialised conducting system that consists of xylem (wood) and phloem.  Plants that don’t have vascular tissue do not possess wood.

2)    Perennial plants – live for a number of years

3)    Possess a stem that persists from year to year

“I simply found this book interesting, for some reason I have never considered why some trees grow wood and others do not…”

“Problems of the self”

This book is about study of mankind and, in the end, of himself.  This book raises many points to do with the self, including psychology, the body, feeling, will, purpose, reason, knowing, continuity and unity.  It later goes onto other areas such as multiple personalities, and the soul.

“At the beginning this book was interesting, I’ve always been interested in learning about myself, however the book started become contradictory and existential, in addition to this it used a lot of jargon and assumes knowledge which I found frustrating.”

 “Wrestling”

I took this as a guide in the field of wrestling, it identifies and categories different techniques, it even has information about injuries, and creating teams for competitions.

“Great book, simple, concise, interesting and has diagrams to illustrate the moves and positions.  As a practitioner of MMA I found this to be quiet enjoyable.”

I also borrowed a bunch of books on martial arts in the library