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(11/09/19; Memorial Chapel, Labyrinth Lights)

At Memorial Chapel the original plan was to view a beautiful display of lights in the labyrinth, but the rain affected the lights functionality. Instead I was able to sit down and relax before finals while enjoying snacks and music. As I talked with a friend of mine we opened up about personal matters such as our faith. I think the peaceful piano playing in the background made the atmosphere more peaceful and interactions between myself and others easier. It was also my first time inside the chapel and I liked the feel of it and the (art style) tree at the center of the alter.

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(11/08/19, Stamp Art Gallery, Still Here: Art on HIV/AIDS)

I liked the layout and pieces used in this exhibit at the Stamp Art gallery. I was drawn mainly to three pieces the quilt and the words posted on the wall. I thought what the quilt represented (a memoir of people who died to HIV/AIDS) was very touching and it made me realize how important art is to telling history. I also found the two pieces above very powerful because of the meaning behind them. I was really draw in by the way the artist used words with some visual design aspect (large text or paint and color) to make the viewer aware. I personally am enamored by words and the power they hold when we play around with them to bring out a message, so I loved how Shan Kelley effectively did this.

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(Monday October 21, 2019; the David C Driskell Center; Uncommon Collections, selection from fifteen collections)

I enjoyed the entire collection at the David C Driskell center because of diversity and individuality in each piece that came together in the end, connecting almost to one central theme. In this particular piece, Walnut Groove, by artist Joe Overstreet, I was amazed that what I originally thought was a sketch in the background of his piece was actually the light reflecting off of the wire in his piece and casting a shadow. I spent a large amount of time staring at the piece trying to figure out if it was actually a drawing or shadow in the background and I found it really interesting that he was able to create that sort of mind game. I’m not sure if it was originally his goal to have the work display that way but I believe either way it added something nice to the piece, leaving some mystery for the viewers to explore. Out of all the pieces at the exhibit this is my favorite.

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(Thursday, September 12, 2019; STAMP Pyon Su from 6:30-8:30pm; CULTURE Shock) 

At Culture Shock I was able to enjoy learning three different dance lessons one about popular afro beat dance moves, another about stepping, and the last one was a dance lesson for a popular kpop song. In the beginning I just thought the event would be purely performances, but I got to enjoy actually getting up to move and learn these fun routines. I really enjoyed learning the step to Drake’s nonstop, but I quickly learned that I did not have the energy necessary to pull it off flawlessly. I thought it was cool that the step team also did community service projects in the local area and this reminded me of community service day with Scholars Arts when we were encouraged to give back to the local community throughout our time in college. 

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ARTECHOUSE: LUCID DREAMING 

Emma Weisbaum: TURNED ON (Read Receipts)

TOTUS: Spoken Word and Poetry Showcase 

What did you see/hear/learn that was completely new to you? (2 points)

I had two completely new experiences during the NextNOW2019 fest, once being lucid dreaming and another the silent disco. As someone who focuses largely on written art I don’t often go out of my way to attend art presentations, but I think what intrigued me the most about both of these events was the design of them. In Lucid Dreaming I liked that our movement stimulated the movement of the objects in front of us. During the silent disco I liked the option of choosing what I wanted to listen to as I danced with my friends around me until my headphones fell off (it was truly something different).  

What was your favorite performance/experience? Why was it your favorite? (2 points)

My favorite experience was the spoken word and poetry showcase because I got to enjoy and meet some many talented poets and and pieces of poetry. I loved the dark environment and the cool background that projected the poet’s words as they spoke because this made the experience something I could experience in more ways than one. I was really excited and nervous when I was given the chance to actually present my own poetry and spoken word to the people there because it was my first time showcasing my work to large a crowd of strangers. Overall, the experience was enjoyable and fun. 

What instances did you notice where artists were collaborating or working beyond the boundaries of a particular arts discipline? How do you think collaboration and interdisciplinarity are helping to push the boundaries of what we understand art to be?  (3 points)

I noticed in the poetry showcase that there was a mixture of visual art and written art. At first I was a bit confused by the mixing of the two, but as time went on the visual art became very appealing. I think that the use of visual art in connection to poetry and spoken word is powerful and getting to experience it first hand on Saturday was really nice. I think that collaboration and interdisiplinarity are helping to push boundaries by enhancing each traditional art form. As in this example from the poetry showcase the mix of visual and written art shows us that art can effectively connect with a wider range of people no matter which form they prefer, as well as exposing them to an art they haven’t explored before because they didn’t understand it.