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[humanitea]

The Elementalist's Manifesto

Our lives are shaped by the elements. Creations of the earth around us that enchant us and shape us into the people we are to this day. The elements have shaped our history and age with us through time and space. Connections to these elements connect us to our lives, making them feel all the more fulfilling when we live freely with what surrounds us in the moment. Forget the suffocation of conformity and obligations of fitting in line. The elements never stay in line, they are chaotic - ever changing - a beauty that should never go ignored.

Feel The Fire

Look upon the red, twisting iron statue in awe. Look at the intricacies of the choreography, the music, the energy. Something as simple as a statue formed for the sake of aesthetics in a park tells the stories of many who have crossed the passage of time. The energy surrounding you feels intense, a buzzing urgency to start dancing in the middle to the street. What else is one to do when presented with a melody accompanied by beating drums and blaring horns? To be embraced by the burning flames of so many passions fills you with an indescribable warmth and euphoria.

Feel The Air

Simple pleasures come and go every day. We proceed with our daily lives in a routine motion of up and go up and go. Between these duties, we have a moment to travel and choose to get lost in the sound of the wind blowing past our open windows - or…you can touch the dial and feel much more. Feel the air shift with the languid, echoing acoustic - filling you with a sense of calm as you begin to sway with the melody while your mind shifts to connect the dots between the lyrics and your life. Take the effort to relate to the music you listen to, broaden the horizons to include a multitude of genres to keep things fresh and suited to your moods. Listen to unconventional pieces that include disjointed tunes or odd lyrics - you’ll find the air feels much more familiar when you do.

Feel The Earth

When you live in the city, it’s hard to disconnect yourself from the towering buildings around you. Many of these cities wind on for miles - jungles of intersections and discombobulating twists and turns within the freeways. Past these overwhelming stimulants lies the foundation that was provided for us to build on. The little patches of green and weeds between the concrete beckons you to be a part of it. Join it in the growth of the world around us; shaped by the elements that lie in the greenery. It’s unpredictability consumes you and welcomes you with a motherly warmth. Mother earth urges you to feel the trees, explore the terrains that she provides, embrace the unpredictability.

Feel The Water

From the moment we are born, our minds wander and explore the stimulants. Processing every bit of information in a continuous flow. Our minds expand further and further as we grow, absorbing every string of words, every conversation, every last conversational outcome in our lives playing a pivotal role in pushing us along the stream. Some families make a routine of goig to church, where one is presented with the words of the sermons, the choir, the gospel. Our minds are always thirsty for the knowledge of what lies beyond the veil…is there a higher power out there? Searching for the sacred books lies a river of knowledge. Words that have stood the test of time - floating down the long, winding riverbend - never changing in terms of composition…but still timeless.

Feel The Silence

Our lives are shaped by the elements. Each carry their own forms. All of which are well known as they lie everywhere we turn - overwhelming us with emotions of what we feel. Is the air electrifying and you feel the need to dance? Violins are playing a melancholic tune and you need to cry? Each emotion has its own element and sounds associated with it. But I think our most pivotal moments of growth come within the silence. Silence is powerful. It can be a calming moment that allows us to truly feel what’s around us…or it could create a suffocating void that consumes us whole in times of great distress. It can be the shock of a betrayal by someone you love, it could be your thoughts as you see the person you love. Embrace the quiet and the opportunity of self reflection it provides.

[humanitea]

The Golden Page - An Ekphrasis

The age old writings

Scribbles on a shining page

Each prose carries words of wisdom

Words of warmth and light

It’s as though the page could glow

Bright…Shimmering…

My fingers trail the paths

Riddled in rusted gold

They twirl in an instant

A cacophony of paths

Infinite…Choices…

This testament

The will of Jesus in gold

Words dancing along

Leading us

Instructions.

_____________

Analysis

I chose this particular piece because as I was flicking through the pages of my textbook, I was caught by surprise by the unique patterns of the piece and when I read the paragraph correlated to the piece, I was amazed that it was the design of a paper used in a historical book. The fact that the pages are so intricate in detail and were stated to take more than half a year to perfect - I was completely enamored. I decided to focus on the context of the page’s design, as it was made to hold the four gospels of the new testament. I felt that the page’s design captured the spirit of the gospel - the outline of Jesus’s life and death. It feels as though the page itself was a visual representation of Jesus’s life; a holy aura surrounded in shimmering gold. Personally - the words and life of a deity is essentially the blueprint of humanity and life itself. Live a humble life, love those around you, pursue your passions, and eventually - welcome death as a part of life. Although Jesus’s death was a torturous experience, it is known that he did it for the sake of the sinners to cleanse them. Perhaps, death acts as a cleansing for all - maybe beyond the veil, we have a chance to be cleansed of our scars and pain, to be remade into something beautiful.

[humanitea]

Not Seen On TV: Re-Enactment

Sometimes, video art can achieve so much more than television can. Any show nowadays has long - convoluted plots, intricate character arcs and development, and recently - cinematography that makes some of these shows look like they were produced to be a movie. Comparably, video art can achieve a strong message with so little, sometimes without words even being spoken during the piece.

I was very fascinated by Francis Alys and Rafael Ortega's Re-Enactment and how loud its message was upon first viewing it. Upon first viewing it, my initial thought was the bystanders. This was an extremely busy street with vendors, pedestrians, children - and yet - everyone seemed to keep walking on to their everyday lives despite a man brandishing a weapon in public with little to no clear indication of his intentions with the weapon. How could everyone just standby and watch this man walk around with a weapon? Were they scared?

A part of me was curious about this piece and I wanted to expand on it more, so I did research into the piece to see if I could find some cultural significance. Evidently, both side by side videos were filmed within the same day as “...Alys was able to both negotiate his release from police custody - ostensibly through bribery, a common practice in negotiating with the police.” (InVisable Culture, 2015). This article gave me the idea to look at the video through a different lens that considered the culture. Is it possible that this video art was created with the intent of calling out this flaw within the police in Mexico City? I feel looking at the video again, I’m seeing how there is a far more genuine reaction in the first instance of the art - the cameraman being a good distance away from the man, the occasional cuts that still maintain a distance from the man, the police’s sudden reaction once he was spotted and how ‘rough’ they were. The second ‘re-enactment’ takes a bit more of a cinematic approach with multiple cuts and shots that feel queued up, some people taking notice of the man (probably because they can also see the cameraman), and the police’s gentler - staged approach when apprehending the man now that their participation was involved. Maybe this was done strategically so Alys and Ortega could capture a flaw of the police. The fact that Alys was arrested for the initial incident, but was released due to negotiation/bribery, only to then recreate the scene again with nearly the same outcome - it poses the question if this is normal for the police in Mexico City and if they allow repeat offenders to bribe themselves out if under the right conditions.

Citations

Author, written by I. V. C. (2015). Performing the document in Francis Alÿs's re-enactments (2001). InVisible Culture. Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://ivc.lib.rochester.edu/performing-the-document-in-francis-alyss-re-enactments-2001/ 

[humanitea]

Hamlet Scene Analysis

Hamlet is regarded as one of the greatest productions of all time and I find that phrase to be an accurate complement of Shakespeare’s greatest work. Shakespeare cleverly sprinkles little hints of foreshadowing and irony in his works and I feel that the scene I’m analyzing is full of references to this. After speaking with the ghost of his father, Hamlet takes on the task of avenging his father by murdering Claudius. To enact this plan with the idea that he could lessen the punishment for murder, he goes around in order to convince everyone he’s gone mad - a plea of insanity of sorts. One person he approaches is his potential wife, Ophelia. He insists he never loved her and to ‘get thee to a nunnery’ - completely rejecting her while simultaneously telling her to leave, potentially to save her from the fallout of Claudius’s death. Ironically, this ends up unintentionally being one of the reasons Ophelia goes mad and commits suicide as a result of the heartbreak of Hamlet’s words and actions when he also unintentionally kills her father. 

I watched a clip from the 1996 film adaptation of Hamlet to get a visual representation of the scene and I have to say, I’m impressed with the staging and blocking of the scene. The movement of the actors during Hamlet’s rant drives the point he’s trying to make himself look mad. Kenneth Branagh, the actor playing Hamlet - does a wonderful job of interacting with the set to enhance his performance. When I read the script, I never thought Hamlet was shoving Ophelia around as he ranted, so it was a pleasant surprise that added on to the interpretation I had in my head.

I personally chose this scene because I feel as though this scene gave the most insight into Hamlet's mind and how he wishes to set the events of the play in motion. This scene gives me a sense that Hamlet is clever and goes above and beyond to essentially gaslight his lover into thinking he’s insane - while making his act look convincing.

[humanitea]

Exploring A Scene

Blackkklansman is a film that follows a rookie undercover detective, Ron Stallworth, as he infiltrates the KuKluxKlan by utilizing his voice over the phone and utilizing a white coworker to attend meetings in person. The film beautifully captures Stallworth’s acceptance of his race and his efforts to sabotage the KKK from the inside in a time where white nationalism was on the rise. The film is beautifully paced with comedic beats that hit every time while still keeping a maturity to handle the message of racism. The scene of Stallworth initially attending a Black Panther meeting undercover is shot beautifully with his face in the frame with black shadows as he is internally taking in the leader’s speech - contemplating his race and developing a new understanding of himself.



The film I am analyzing today, Barry Jenkins' "Moonlight", is a film that follows Chiron throughout his childhood to adulthood. The film is split into three "chapters" or acts that follow Chiron's childhood, adolescence, and adulthood - all of which come together to explore his sense of self, sexuality, and community. This film is very intimate, in the way that the cinematography of the film makes us an active participant within Chiron's place trying to navigate ourselves as a closeted gay man against a masculine dominated world that labels him as a slur from his childhood before he could even understand what gay means.

One scene that stood out to me emotionally, was an intense scene where Chiron's childhood friend (and crush)- Kevin - is manipulated into hitting Chiron as a hazing ritual by a bully, Terrel. This scene escalates to a group of bullies ganging up on Chiron and beating him viciously. This scene is backed by the cinematography of the scene. It begins with a point of view shot behind Chiron, effectively placing the audience in his shoes as he walks outside. This shot continues and catches onto the bully, Terrel, beginning a tracking shot that keeps him in the frame. This shot follows Terrel circling around Chiron (us) as he’s shoving people, often glancing at us, but clearly showing malicious intent. This tracking shot is dizzying and disorientating, placing us in a place of discomfort and on edge for what is about to happen. The shot finally stops on Kevin’s face as Terrel urges him to hit Chiron. The camera cuts between the two, showing Chiron’s confusion and Kevin’s shock. Props to the actors for showcasing the emotions the two characters feel in this scene, from Kevin’s fear of punching his friend due to peer pressure to Chiron’s confusion and hurt from this betrayal. When the bullies gang up on Chiron, the audio for the scene goes silent, showcasing Chiron’s shock in the moment of someone he trusted betraying him. This scene shattered my heart in two, as the previous scene showcased Chiron’s trust in Kevin. He was able to confide and open himself up to his best friend about his sexuality - only for Kevin to cave to peer pressure, to beat him because he was given a label that was deemed unacceptable by a masculine society.

[humanitea]

The Strange and Unusual

Photo #1: Rusted Memories

An image of a broken, rusted monitor or television set of some kind. Although this pile is seen as nothing but rusted gunk that has given into the passage of time to be forgotten, it can be seen as a time capsule of what once was a form of entertainment that brought joy to an individual.

Photo #2: Wonderland

A photo of an art project once presented by a close friend of mine, the sculpture is a box with a hole that gives the viewer an eye view of a cacophony of old bears, lights, mirrors, and hanging cards. This piece was presented as a reflection of childhood and can be seen with two interpretations: Either as a reflection of what was once a wonderful world of comfort and wonder that only a child can see or a rotting discombobulation of what could have been if there is a history of abuse.

Photo #3: Street Lights

A photo of what looks like simple streetlights, but it is a famous art exhibit in California known as “Urban Light” by Chris Burden. The interactive sculpture consists of 202 restored street lamps from the 1920’s and 1930’s. These street lamps once lit the streets of Los Angeles, a simple product of its time that may appear simple, but it brought light to the dark.

Photo #4: One Way Call

A photo of a graffitied phone booth within the Doll’s Kill store in Los Angeles, most conservative individuals will look upon this art as crude and gaudy. But the phone booth has a satisfying combination of colors that is enhanced by the black lighting that makes the phone booth arguably stand out from the black background. The writing by the phone itself states “I called to say I luv you” and “Wish you were here”, implying a positive connotation with the potential call.

Photo #5: “Unleash your inner ___”

A photo of a white sign from the Dolls Kill store in Los Angeles, the sign leaves the blank open to interpretation depending on the person observing the image. It calls for you to accept the parts of you that you keep buried inside and appreciate those parts.

Photo #6: Growth

A photo of vines growing to the point of consuming a good portion of an abandoned structure. This image is honestly gorgeous as it shows the unpredictability of nature, it’s a living entity that has its own hive mind that grows regardless of how much one could cut it down. It progresses and gets far more wild with each attempt to subdue it. 

[humanitea]

Musical Theme

For my themed playlist - I chose Growth. We all like to think that at one point or another in our lives, we have grown in some aspects be it mentally, physically, emotionally - we’ve all made some form of progress that has either pushed us forward slightly or significantly. My own growth has centered around gaining a sense of self; the initial loneliness, the risks, the confidence, the imposter syndrome, the realization, and the affirmation. 

After Dark - Mr.Kitty (Electronic)

For this song, I get a sort of haunting feel from it. The tempo consisted of simple composition with an echoing acoustic to convey a languid mood. The lyrics present a connection to another individual in a way that is distant and hesitant, longing to make a connection. Connecting to the world that feels so isolated from an individual when they’re thrust headfirst into it.

Freak Like Me - Halestorm (Rock)

Compared to the previous song, this is an energetic song that acts as a rally cry in a way. Any instance of the lead singer Lizy singing “You’re a freak like me” is paired with the guitar chiming in consonance to give the words more power. It is a call for acceptance for the strange and unusual parts of a person. 

Woman - Doja Cat (Rap/Hip-hop)

This song has a simple tempo that sounds alluring and seductive - however the lyrics convey a message of the acceptance of femininity and placing more importance on yourself especially if you're a woman. This song makes me feel like I can love myself and my identity because I know my worth.

Who Is She? - I Monster (Electronic)

Like all of the songs within this list, this song has a simple tempo but at one point divulges into a few measures of disjointed, dissonance of electrical noises that feels psychedelic in a way. I put this song in this playlist because it conveys the moments in growth where we fall back and feel a form of imposter syndrome. Who are we? Is what I’m doing my own actions or the actions of a persona that isn’t us? The song feels dizzy, disorganized, hazy of what there is to personhood.

From The Embers - AmaLee (Electronic)

This song begins with a haunting glide of instrumentals before embracing a slightly fast but sharp tempo that hooks the listener in before giving a “floating melody" to pair with the beat. The vocalist of the song is enhanced by the instrumentals in a consonance that presents a firm, confidence. Despite falling back, we can be assured that we’re making progress in our growth. 

Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac (Country)

This is a personal song that presents my own growth. The song uses a steady melody between the guitar and keys in order to create a peaceful tune that lulls me and makes me feel most like myself and at peace.

[humanitea]

Plotting the Plot of a Grocery Associate

This morning I clocked in for my job at a wholesale grocery store. My coffee was prepared with the usual six french vanilla cream and seven sugars - yes, I am sane. I go through the usual motions of my opening routine; sanitizing my area to wipe off the dust kicked up by the renovations on our store, placing my produce and product cheat sheets by the register because it takes a special kind of sadist to think that a normal person can memorize over 100+ six digit product numbers, and finally counting my drawer to ensure it’s even. Not a bad start. The mornings are usually slow, with only me and Tracy up front - so we take advantage of the slow period to look through the special orders, knock out our health and safety cleaning packet, and reorganize the front snack shelves - today loaded with snacks and dips. What could go wrong with only two people working a grocery store on a Friday?

Now we’re standing…standing…standing…hm…what’s with grocery stores playing love songs?...weird…oh yeah, a customer. Scan their items, slap them in a box, smile and wave. Same motion for a good three hours with five more to go. Okay, a woman is coming with a loaded cart - nothing new- wait. Why does she have another cart…another…um…four carts overflowing with product. No big deal…WHY IS EVERYONE SUDDENLY COMING TO CHECK OUT?!  Over six or so people are now waiting in line, shifting uncomfortably and huffing because now they have to wait for me - a twig of an associate who gets paid 15$ an hour - to scan all of her carts. As I’m scanning, she chimes in that she needs BIG boxes, not the small ones I’m using - oh, and make sure to place the tortillas under the cans - oh, and shift that meat to the size so I can squeeze the cheese in -oh, and did you scan that product that she moved to the other cart without you scanning it?

Wait - I have a walkie talkie. We have backup staff.

I call frantically for backup and it’s almost like the gods opened the gates of heaven and slapped two angels on earth as Tracy and Sandi get to work on the other customers, while I take my sweet time dealing with micromanagement in a human being. The reason she was buying over 7000$ worth of product? A Barbecue for her Super Bowl Party. Huh - forgot that was a thing. I was able to complete the transaction with my sanity in check and my usual practiced smile before I immediately closed my drawer to prepare for a break. Is it early? Yes. But my sanity requires a recharge period in the form of microwavable chicken nuggets - stat.

[humanitea]

Fire Dance

Today I will be covering a sculpture that I hold close to my heart - not only due to nostalgia - but now with a deep appreciation of what it represents for my community. “Fire Dance” was a sculpture commissioned by David Black, a pro-architectual monumental artist for the City of Fort Myers Art Committee. Anytime I visited downtown with my mother, I would always be awestruck by the bright red sculpture that stuck out vibrantly against the surrounding greenery of the park. 

The subject of the sculpture was stated by Black to be an interpretation of the park’s energy and vitality during events - “We walked right into a jazz festival. Fire Dance incorporates the sounds of the music and the noise of the crowd. Circles within circles; it’s active, open, airy and rhythmic, just like jazz.” (David Black). The statue stands tall and open with swirls of iron that captures a sense of a powerful, flowing energy that truly captures the City of Fort Myers - particularly during its many public events. It adds a bright pop of color to an otherwise normal park, making the park recognizable at a first glance and memorable for tourists.

I feel as though this statue captures Fort Myers vitality - especially post hurricane Ian. This statue and the park are currently blocked off by large fences to assess damages from the hurricane. I do not know of the statue’s condition currently. But I felt drawn to speak about this piece as it reminded me of the city and its powerful energy despite a horrific crisis. I can only hope that the piece is safe and in good condition.

[humanitea]

Analyzing Abstract Art

Today, I'll be personally analyzing the piece "Standing Female Nude" by Pablo Picasso.

Observing the piece for the first time presents a cacophony of straight lines and basic shaping or cubism - closer details present a human form. Some lines and circles form the head, others form the legs, arms, breasts, feet, etc. This comes together to present the female form.

Upon observing it for some time I felt more in tune with the piece as the smaller details such as the use of simple shading - and just the color black being used to present a sort of “bland" appearance - caught my attention. This is by no means a criticism of the piece, but praise. Black is considered a base static color, to present the beginnings or the inner workings of a piece. The plethora of black lines presents an image that can change with the viewer.

Personally, I consider this piece a manifestation of the phrase “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”. Commonly, beauty is subjective whether a person sees a more petite woman or a curvier woman beautiful - this piece embraces every form of beauty within the female form. I felt very engaged to fill in the blanks with what I consider beautiful and I found myself intrigued by what others may see, I considered even the things that are considered by society to be different or unique as beautiful. The piece made me feel a deep appreciation for the female form and how unique it is.

[humanitea]

Introduction <3

Hello Everyone!

My name is Rhianna Sampson, I have lived within Florida for the past 20 years and enrolled into FSW with the personal goal of transferring to FGCU to get a degree in criminal justice. I’m happily living with my three cats; Shiver, Perry, and Chip. I love all things nerd culture, particularly anime and videogames. My favorite series I’m currently binging is Bungo Stray Dogs. Outside of that, I also love to read classic literature and go on spontaneous adventures with my friends. Whether it’s a new cafe in my area or a 200+ mile drive to a mall just to explore -I see every new place as a new adventure.