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Easy Come Easy Go

An animated GIF for Loopdeloop competition

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VILLAINS IN QUENTIN TARANTINO’S MOVIES

Movie director Quentin Tarantino, who made his first impressive entrance into the movie industry in 1987, raised multiple of controversies from the public media. His movies speak for themselves and differentiate them from other commercial film genres. They were filled with long and obscene dialogues, overflowed violence scenes, blood everywhere, and music in the 80s to the 90s. That’s the signature of Quentin Tarantino himself. Moreover, one of his best literary devices is how he builds the context and delivers to the audiences the breath-taking atmosphere of his villains’ appearances. Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds, Calvin Candie in Django Unchained and Mr Blonde in Reservoir Dogs will be the subject to discuss cinematically.

          Generally, his techniques of storytelling are undeniably enticing by subtly combining contextual building, violence and dialogue as one. Alternating short narratives from different characters’ perspectives make the storyline more coherently, although the duration of the movies often reaches two to three hours. Tarantino shows the consequence of the action first, and then later on in the movie, he explains everything.

 In Tarantino’s movies, violence becomes objective, flooding, naked, straightforward. However, it does not contain sorrow, melancholy, but humour, sarcasm, satire. It discriminates no good or bad guys; any character can be brutally killed as common sense.

 Naturally long everyday-life conversations make the movie so close to the audiences, as if they were involved in the scenes. The dialogues raise the curiosity. Viewers would focus more when they hear the word “virgin” or “big d*ck” in the conversation of the gang in the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs. Unruffled swearing as unappalled violence.

 Switching between languages does not raise distraction, but increase the insecurity, danger, provocation. For instance, the Hans Landa switches between English and French in the conversation with the farmer in order to confuse the Jews underneath the floor.

 America pop culture appears smoothly, uncrude. It was subtly delivered in every frame, gesture of the characters, accent, camera angle, colour tone, lighting, … Pulp Fiction is a number one example. It represents realistically the overall contemporary America society in the 90s.

          Tarantino’s villains appear as a tiger who calmly crouches the bush, waits, plays with the prey and then finish them. They were portraited as most abstract as possible, with relaxing music background, slow appearance in a far distance scene, calm gestures, sometimes ruthlessly, … Every element makes the audiences ask: “Who is that? Who is coming? Why their appearance affects other characters attitude? …” Their “friendly” introducing gesture gradually lures the victims in the trap, plays around with them. When they are sure that their prey is in their claw, they finish their business.

Hans Landa appears in the distance with his Nazi soldiers, under The Verdict (Dopo la condanna) music theme. He approaches, serenely interrogates the farmer’s family. As soon as he knows the Jews are in the house, he changes from French to English in order to set them in the traps, and then finish them.

Mr Blonde stands on one legs, leans his shoulder on the pole, peacefully sips his drink, intervenes in the fight of Mr White and Mr Pink. He dances and tortures the cop under Stuck in the middle with you by Stealers Wheel, slices his face and cut his ear off with a razor.

In introduction scene, Calvin Candie sits on the fancy couch, smokes his long pipe, watches the wrestling. In dinner scene, realising that he is being fooled, he puts the skull on the table and threats with biology lesson on submissiveness, tortures the maid Hilda, …

        This dissertation, will focus on technical cinematic skills that Quentin Tarantino used in his movies, along with psychology theory such as gaslighting in his villains. All of such combined elements which make his movies so impactful and unforgettable.

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Ocean Pollution 6

Graphic Media Animation

 My animation for Graphic media project, Not my f*cking problem, was about how we treat trash in general, and plastics specifically. I chose desaturated colour palettes for polluted world in order to make it more tedious and nebulous. Music theme Symphony No. 5 by Beethoven would match the fast pace of each scene appropriately. The animation aims to expose the insensitivity of our society, when we dump things we do not need or cannot make profit out of. Every character tries to get rid of the things they do not want by pass it to others. Deeper interpretation will be explained below.

In the opening scene, the animation introduces water section in convenient store, labelled “Water maybe”. Water is one of our most basic needs, but we do not know the liquid inside the bottom contains. As the man takes a bottle off the shelf, the next one automatically replaces the blank spot. This scene indicates the speed of manufacturers’ mass production. No matter how much they sold, there are products waiting behind for the customers.

Child labour is mentioned in the scene, we all know about it, but we choose to ignore it even though the issue right in front of our nose.

The character neglectfully throwing coins at the machine shows how heartlessly we are treating others.

After being finished, the bottle is thrown, not  inside the bin, but on the ground, no matter how close the bin is.

 The trash man appears aggressively, grab and toss  the smelly bin away. He almost forgets about the bottle on the pavement, he  kicks it to the trash car.

 The car does not even halt long enough for the man  to do the job.

This is how we categorise trash. Different sections are made from different materials. The brightest, most valuable one is Profit. They do not want to deal with waste, hence, the dirties, most disgusting one is their choice, titled Not my f*cking problem.

The next part of the process is flushing the trash out onto the “never green” boat waiting on the plasticized ocean.

Wherever the ship goes, the sea has been polluted by our neglection. Resulting in lost of marine life. The ship appears hostile with blood stains on it, perhaps it hits other animals on its way.

This is an exaggeration of the ship polluting the world during its way to the dumping ground. From the beginning of the waste treatment process to the last step, deliver trash to elsewhere, the trash is always been treated carelessly. In real life, we are doing the same thing, however, we choose to ignore it. We do not know what will happen to the trash when we take it out of the door. By just putting the trash bag on the pavement, we think we get rid of it, but we do not.

Now the trash has arrived to its dumping ground. Seated there is a starving poor kid, waiting for something. This is third world and developing countries, where they lack of facility to recycle the waste. They cannot even deal with their own waste, not they have to solve the problem from wealthier countries.

He searches whatever leftover in pile of trash to ease his starve so he can make it through the day somehow.

This albatross bird is inspired by Chris Jordan. His body opens up, shows the skeleton inside, he is decaying while living. He searches for real food in mountains of trash.

The flock of birds dropping trash in the city as an act of revenge, or they just want to say “not my f*cking problem”.

Although the imaginary endings is the  Earth being piled up with mountains of waste, it is a warning that this is  our problem, we cannot act like we do not involve. Plasticized oceans are  global issues and it requires global solutions, especially from the  authorities.

Even though it is hard to imagine our world without plastics waste, we need to take actions immediately, whether it is just small doings. Together we can reduce the pollution range and keep it as minimum as possible.

 REFERENCE

 Seasteward (no date) Marine Debris and Plastic. Available at: http://seastewards.org/projects/healthy-oceans-initiative/marine-debris-and-plastics/

 DAWN (2018) There will be more plastic in the ocean than fish in 2050, moot told. Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1445587/there-will-be-more-plastic-in-the-ocean-than-fish-by-2050-moot-told

 Ritchie, H., Roser, M. (2018) Plastic Pollution. Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Available at: https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution

 European Parliament (2018) Plastic waste and recycling in the EU: facts and figures. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20181212STO21610/plastic-waste-and-recycling-in-the-eu-facts-and-figures

 Rohsska (2019) Ocean Plastics. Available at: https://rohsska.se/en/exhibitions/ocean-plastics/

 Snoad, L. (2019) Wang & Söderström on their watery identity and exhibition design for Ocean Plastics. Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/wang-and-soderstrom-ocean-plastics-graphic-design-digital-exhibition-310719?fbclid=IwAR2XDp3WBD3ECgqqKwG7sJltHlzwAhbl4SQyIWHCMPfVHKhIfdS7ctZusQY

 Mosbergen, D. (2019) How America is sabotaging the global war on plastic waste. Available at: https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/2019/05/22/how-america-is-sabotaging-the-global-war-on-plastic-waste/

 Phillips, R. (2015) Chris Jordan – Environmental Photographer of Mass Consumption. Available at: https://www.healing-power-of-art.org/chris-jordan-environmental-photographer-of-mass-consumption/

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Ocean Pollution 5

The artists tried

 Designers, artists, activists, … may share the same purpose, nonetheless, their way to work are different. Photographers like Chris Jordan would like to experience the scenario in person, by himself. He does not care much about what people think about his work. While Wang & Söderström enjoy working together, create with professionals. They express their personality through what they contribute, they make others look at the issues from their point of view and there is no doubt that their artworks shape the world in the future.

 Undeniably, there is thousands of environmental exhibitions and volunteer activities in the world. It is not impossible to find more artists and activists like Chris Jordan, Wang & Söderström, … They have the same purpose: to make the world better. They provide convincing scientific evidences, impactful photographs, inspirational galleries, … still, the situation barely changes, the statistics are rising day by day, manufacturers are passionately engrossing on mass production.

 It seems that contemporary art of ecology is making remarkable steps to build relationship between human and nature. However, the scenario can only be applied on wealthy countries; in developing countries, the majority of people does not put attention to art, art exhibitions are foreign and “hard to understand”. For example, in Vietnam, outdoor exhibitions are decoration to the public, young generation considers it as selfie checkpoints, some people even defecate on it. The shows do not either make distant echo or successfully make expression. They just approach to the minority and it is not the purpose of the exhibition.

 It is predictable that there will be more and more shows, foundations, museums, galleries establish in the future. They will inspire more people, doing more practical things with significantly positive outcomes.

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Ocean Pollution 4

1.      MIDWAY: A message from Gyre – Chris Jordan (2009- Current)

 Indeed, there is nothing more obvious and evident compared to real images and recorded documents. Chris Jordan has spent his life and career dedicated to bring the dire consequence of our consumerism and its impact on our environment. He is known as a photographer, artist and film producer based in Washington DC. In 2009, he revealed to the world a series of terrifying images of albatross birds in the Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. He told the story of birds hauntingly and emotionally, said Phillips (2015). The pictures are about dead and decaying remains of the species. Their body laid on the ground, skeleton exposed, stomach full of plastic pieces as they mistook the trash as real food.

By collecting thrown-away waste, the artists, with their dedicated hearts and ideals, add value and life to inanimate objects. What they are actually doing is making people put attention to it and make us think.

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Ocean Pollution 3

1.      OUT TO SEA? – Archaeology of the future

 Briefly speaking of next generation previously, what we leave for the next generation is an ocean full of plastic. Out to Sea exhibition, which is one of many projects of The Plastic Garbage Project, aims to introduce facts of pollution caused by plastic waste and raise public awareness of how we use and dispose of plastic mindfully.

 The Plastic Garbage Project has been in operation since 2012 in Museum für Gestaltung (Zurich) and on tour all over Europe. It is stated that the exhibition was successful, by taking more than 33 locations by their own costs, attracting activists to clean up beaches, fascinating schools’ visits, designing objects with plastic waste. The exhibition has become a platform for groups and individuals who are appealing to ocean pollution.

 Christian Brently, director of the exhibition, worries about the amount of plastics dumped in the ocean the recent years, marine species are feeding on micro plastic particles. Therefore, the food chain is contaminated with dire consequences for our health. The show displays the approximate amount of the waste being littered 3 tons per 15 seconds with real garbage, ranging from simplest household like plastic cups, shoes, cheap packaging, … Audience can feel the striking impact of the pile of trash spread on all over the hall’s floor.

The similarity of Ocean Plastics and Out to Sea? Is the both combines elements of contemporary art and science. However, instead of exhibiting very inspired beautiful designer objects like Ocean Plastics, the Zurich museum shows their collected decomposing plastic garbage,

“[…] we’re showing their legacy, which is also the legacy of our consumer society. Archaeology of the future today, there’s not a single square of kilometer of sea that has not been polluted by plastic objects. […]”, said Brently (2013).

 The exhibition has its deep history and inspiration. In 1997, captain Charles Moore encountered an enormous floating collection of plastic garbage while he was taking short cut through horse latitudes between Hawaii and Los Angeles. His discovery strengthened vague conjectures of many scientists about this horrendous phenomenon. After 12 years, in 2009, the idea for the exhibition started to form, by the growing amount of huge garbage vortexes and the article “Eine Ahnung von Apokalypse” (An Intimation of the Apocalypse). From 2010, the museum has many short-periods shows to raise people awareness of the situation. In July 2012, with the help partner Drosos Foundation, the finally exhibition opened and achieved significant success with 35.779 visits recorded until 28th October. From December 2012 to June 2017, the exhibition went international. It visited many Europe countries and had positive response from audience. Remarkably, the exhibition echoed its voice to Asia in 2015 thanks to the support of Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong.

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Ocean Pollution 2

Contemporary Art and Environment

 The numbers did speak, but our society did not answer. The statistics provided here is for overall view of the context we are going into, the main subject of the essay is for the aesthetics conceptual that dedicated artists and designers’ who are working hard days and nights to contribute to the solution, inspiration and vigilance.

 1.      OCEAN PLASTICS by The Rohsska Museum (Sweden)

 The exhibition, was hosted in Göteborg, Sweden, highly evaluated designers’ possibility and materials of the future through multiple design projects. They believe that designers play more roles to influence the future. They become alchemists, activists, social entrepreneurs, …

                      “Their involvement stems from interdisciplinary analysis, a collaborative spirit and a belief in design’s ability to contribute to the solution, rather than the problem.” (Rohsska, 2019).

 Rohsska Museum had Wang & Söderström to design and come up with graphic concept as the spirit of the exhibition. They are Copenhagen based transdisciplinary duo, composed of Swedish designer Anny Wang and architect Tim Söderström. They are famous for their previous public exhibitions, such as Common odd things (2018), Brutalist Cuisine (2019), Rock collection (2018), … They are all full of 3D printed objects with various of shapes and colours. Before Ocean Plastics (2019), Water matters exhibition (2018) was a successful step to deepen the discussion between scientific community and global issues.

 By questioning human relationship to the ocean, presenting approaches for cleaning up the seas, recycling existing plastics and exploring the merits of bio-plastics, the Ocean Plastics exhibition includes a range of conceptual design projects which tackle plastic pollution.

 The exhibition opened from 15th June 2019 to 5th January 2020, although I could not come there to experience it in person, at least part of it on the Internet still maintain their sense of breathtaking. Four themes were created:

 ·         Plastics and the ocean: In this part, the museum introduces how plastics are used and how they end up in the ocean.

·         Blue humanities: By highlighting fundamental questions about who and what we are, creators hope to blur the distinction between humans and the sea.

·         Staying with the Trouble: Through interdisciplinary collaboration, designers explore the possibilities and the commercial potential in collecting and recycling plastic waste.

·         From Cradle to Cradle: Since many synthetic plastics never were designed to be burned or reused in a safe way, designers explore biodegradable materials and bioplastics.

 By filling the room with deep blue background and intentional reflected lightings, they bring the audience with the sense of the sea, the actual polluted sea. The ocean surface is the main key word for the exhibition. It plays as a symbol of interface where us, land-dwellers, meet the oceans.

From the simplest things like the basket, to the architecture ruins, objects are arranged as if they were drowned, reflected their images on the surface. Among them are the sea small creatures and organism. The audience can see their reflections on it too. The designers have brought to the audience an overall context they are in, which is human beings are living with the issues for a very long time now, not just us, the ocean biology is within the theme as well.

The idea is best illustrated with the photograph below.

The 3D animation plays on repeat on the wall, with the height of his chess. A human silhouette appears pensively towards what he has made. Perhaps, he just stands there, waits for the water to get to his nose. For an imagining example, there is a child silhouette there to represents for the next generation, would he do something about it?

 When everyone leaves the exhibition, the symbolic value is still there, we do not see it with our own eyes, does not mean it does not happen.

 The show is more innovative to propose science-based solutions, suggesting appliance of biodegradable materials and bioplastics. Biodegradable materials can be decomposed by living organisms on land and in water. Bioplastics are plastic ingredients from renewable biomass sources, natural resources such as fats, oils, corn starch, …

Unfortunately, they are not long-term solutions, maybe human can take advantages of it in the present to come up with better recycle solutions in the future. Theoretically, biodegradable plastics can produce methane gas in landfills while decomposing. This gas intensely contributes to global warming. In the ocean, it divides into tiny plastic particles which are harmful to marine life. Bioplastics requires certain conditions to decompose, like high temperature, bioreactor landfills, …

 We did not have the chance to listen to their proposal, maybe they are feasible solutions with more advanced techniques discussed in the exhibition. Nonetheless, the show gives people hope. Snoad (2019) expresses interest and positivity to the show. She comments that the fluid water video is communicative which give plastic a voice and personality.

 Ocean Plastics exhibition has contributed to the fields of science and art language simultaneously. Audiences can feel the harmonious combination between science and aesthetics, not too much information of scientific knowledge, not too few the appearance of artworks. Eventually, when audience walk out the door, they can feel inspiration and remember what they learnt and experience, rather than making it water down into the environmental news, adds Snoad (2019).

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Ocean Pollution

ART AND PLASTICS

My last essay topic about ecology has broadened my view about the ocean pollution. Art and Ecology Now (2014) by Andrew Brown, provides a numerous of artists who cares about environment. Each artist’s work together reveals what is going on out there with the world, what we are affected by but we do not notice about it. Marine littering caught my attention the most, as it caused politically beneficial conflicts among Europe countries, America and Asia countries. Dealing with this issue, artists observe the situation as an opportunity to turn meaningless objects into something that make people think. My animation is inspired by various ideas and exhibitions from my research.

Where plastics came from

For more than a century, the evolution of plastics never stops, it involves the chemical modification of natural materials like nitrocellulose, collagen, galalite, rubber, … In 1855, scientist Alexander Parkes invented Parkesine, known as celluloid, mostly used in film industry and photography. Around 1838-1872, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was first polymerised, which brought about broad appliance on building and construction, health care, electronics, automobiles, … Ground-breaking invention happened in 1907, when chemist Leo Baekeland created Bakelite, known as the first synthetic and became mass-produced plastic. His invention came from a mistake in his chemical experiment, a thermo resistant resin, which is capable of remaining its form in high temperatures. The next innovative invention is nylon, first introduced in 1930s, to replace silk. After that, many scientific breakthroughs changed the world’s industrialisation politically and economically, such as the invention of Polystyrene in 1930s, Silicon in 1962, paperboard in 1980s, … Scientific revolution helped mass consumption and diversification to make enormous demand and supply, now the usefulness of plastic in product packaging is indispensable. Nowadays, the outstanding development of the economy was possible by the throwable and highly technical plastics.

Facts (part of them)

Despite its marvellous advantages to human life, the downside of this invention become more and more transparent with its negative impact to the environment. While politicians are arguing whose responsibility it belongs to, there is 14 billion pounds of waste, dominantly plastic, is dumped into the ocean per year (Seasteward, no date). Moreover, the amount of trash littered in the sea is expected to double by 2025, and there would be more waste and plastic than fish in 2050 (DAWN, 2018). Statistic numbers in the past forespeak the future.

Asia and poorer countries are being blame for littering into the sea from the rich. In 2019, Donald Trump accuses China and Japan of causing 80% of marine plastic pollution, to American are the one who have to take responsibility for the waste floating to their coasts. Wealthy countries are treating Southeast Asian countries like “dumping ground”, yet they are contributing to global plastic waste crisis (Mosbergen, 2019).

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Visual documentation of work

This sketch was built from the idea of the Mother Nature protection to the balance of the Earth. It would be multiple parts of flora and fauna meaningful symbols combine together as one. As further research of the readings, I tried something else more relevant to what I read.

On below second sketch, a cheerful theme was a part of the initial ideas. However, I often like to change the concept as I go and turn it into something that I usually do.

The dark theme was created and inspired by what I learnt through the lessons. Anthropocene The Human struck me the most with its valuable and striking documented frames. On the other side of world that we do not know about, humans are overexploiting the natural resources, animals are being hunted down and poached until they become extinct. However, most of us cannot do anything remarkable enough to change anything about it. Hence, what we are doing to the ecology now is the “no” answer to the coexistence with the natural world in the future.

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Discussion of work

My chosen readings were All animals are equal – Peter Singer and Art and Ecology Now – Andrew Brown, they both have such deep and broad concern on nature, ecology and animals that inspires many artists and illustrators, and someone who likes to present ideas by visual methods including me. Wide range images collection of Andrew Brown are truly impressive, some of them have the significant and direct impact as the readers go along with the text. The outcome of my graphic media project is inspired by multiple interesting study materials provided in contextual study class. 

This poster is expressing the world in the future when everything is not natural anymore, when all animals have to rely on technology to survive, because human has destroyed the world horrendously. The question for coexistence between human and everything else is raised above. The answer lies in the scene, animals with machine body parts have to feed on trash, and breathe by air purifier due to emission of superior levitating human.

Vaughn Bell, Personal biospheres, 2003-2004

Vaughn Bell brought to us a solution for the ill effects of urban environment when human can smell of nature everywhere they are, close to social distancing in 2020 because people must wear a mask to prevent diseases transmitted through the respiratory tract. Bell had many similar projects that make us think how it is like to be a mushroom and take audiences interaction to a new level, provided by Upchurch (2010). Netnoe (2011) added that she was struck by the immediacy and intimacy of the portable jungle, as the leaves tickled her head, the rich atmosphere of earth around her, … Normally, the tigers can feel their ambient environment naturally, in my poster, for all the green forest is no more, the tiger has to use that artificial jungle.

Along with these images from Starling and Aquin, Anthropocene The Human, which I watched during the class, significantly stunned me and made me think about Earth of the near future.

Starling is indulged in the ways man-made things come into being, someday, machine will be commonly be a part of, not only on humans, but also animals as well. The 2005 Turner Prize wrote that Starling makes an underprivileged but obvious work about the paradox of globalization and absurdity of mass production.

A deep discussion about Anthropocene The Human was exploited in the lesson, about its aesthetic and documented information perspectives. “This was it” tone of narrative voice struck everyone. No sentence of point of view adjustment was said, we just related what we saw of the other parts of the world to what we knew in order to reflect on it. In my opinion, ordinary people have no power to fix the problems, we watched the movie, we made posters and read articles to raise awareness of environment protection, however, nothing will be changed and we just accept it as it is. The movie was published in US and Canada only, nonetheless, there is no significant news of the improvement of atmosphere in those regions. Apart from this movie, many environment demonstrations by organized group of people were counted before the movie was made. If they succeed, there should not be this movie release.

 People might unite with activities for ecology, however, theoretically, philosophers and commentators are still argument on the battlefield of words. For instance, In Animal Liberation, Peter Singer mentioned classic controversies which attract many critics. Animal rights are still debating, at least since 1970s when it was seriously brought back to consciousness, the border between pet and food is vague, no total conclusion is made, the animals continue to be suffered.

 The whole research during the lesson conclude my not-so-bright future in my theme of poster. This is, rather than negative feelings about the ecology, a realization of our surroundings. I believe our little action everyday can change the world, such as just littering trash at the right place helps a lot. Although undesirable mood was produced during the research, I have faith in the world where human and animal can live in a fresh and pollution-free ecology.

  REFERENCES:

 Bell, V. (2010) Taking the mountain for a walk: Vaugh Bell’s playful ‘Think caps’ at Jack Straw in Seattle. Available at: https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/taking-the-mountain-for-a-walk-vaughn-bells-playful-thinking-caps-at-jack-straw-in-seattle/ (Accessed: 14 Jan 2021)

 Netnoe (2011) Biospheres by Vaughn Bell. Available at: https://artperspective.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/biospheres-by-vaughn-bell/ (access 14 Jan 2021)

 The 2005 Turner Prize (2005). Available at: https://www.exporevue.com/magazine/gb/index_turner05_gb.html (access 15 Jan 2021)

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Reading report: Art and Ecology Now - Andrew Brown

Reading report:

Art and Ecology Now – Andrew Brown

Andrew Brown introduced a nature-focused book, Art and Ecology Now, which contains a peaceful tone of voice to inform the achievements of many artists throughout the time, especially from 1960s. His book includes more than 300 colour illustrations and over 90 artists’ and activists’ engagement, from those who turn physical environment into their raw material for their art, to those who record and reflect back on nature. In the beginning chapter ‘At the radical edge of life’, Brown clearly introduces the challenge that artists are dealing with, in order to broaden our concept of the connectivity, erase the border between art and natural life and to change our attitudes and habits.

Initially, Brown obviously indicates that this book is not mentioning any political or environmental dilemma, but providing us a comprehensive view of contemporary art and ecology (Martin Spray, 2014). In this case, artists often collaborated with environmental specialists to answer the raised questions, so that both expertise can use their unique professional methods and techniques to improve their work. Intertwining knowledge between two or among many fields of subjects always bring remarkable achievement, such as the combination of biology and chemistry develops medical fields, etc. However, Brown does not backslide into scientists’ responsibility, he specifies that:

“Merely asking the questions is often enough […]. The artist is free to question and redefine anything or everything at any stage, to be wide-ranging and open to all possibilities.” (p. 8)

Brown uses the time chronicle to justify the effect of nature on art, art on our attitudes and our behaviors on nature, mentioned in the part The Root of an engaged practice. Specifically, he researches further back in history, from human’s reliance on nature for survival in thirty millennia ago, to the advance of technology today. Phillips (2015) agrees that Environmentalism is a contemporary phenomenon but not a new concept. Environment played a role in Romanticism in the early 19th century, not only in art, but also in literature. However, landscape and still-life paintings in the Renaissance in Europe did not focus on, or just used the environment as the background, mainly in order to serve the purpose of religious belief and nobles and express skills of artists. Hence, the influence of environmental art was not the main message that artists want to deliver.

The period of 1960s was not a random stage of art that Brown could choose at his will, it was the period of revolutionary thoughts and actions of avant-garde movements (Pantelić, 2016). Only since the explosion of Industrial Industry in Eighteenth century, uncountable amount of natural resources was exploited unrestrainedly, climate change has a clear impact on human more than ever, and with the popularity of technology, ecological art can reach to more audiences.

And artists’ works has been paid off by the positive actions of political leaders. Specifically, more national and city parks were created in Western country, Yosemite Valley became the first national park by Abraham Lincoln’s act.

Brown arranges the powerful illustrations on two sides and the content in the middle, as if he was leading us through his collection of artworks by his speech. This method makes the reader have to halt and contemplate the picture, sometimes it is a little off-pudding to switch around the text and the pictures. Debatty (2014) added that with the impressively selected number of artworks, she found it truly important and stimulating. However, it would be better if the readers can discover more pioneering works, rather than the year of birth of each artist under their name, recommended Debatty (2014). By reading the introduction of the book only, the readers can be easily misled to understand that Brown just concentrates on the works of American and Europe artists specifically. Not until the following chapters of the book did he mention photographs of desertification in China, and brief information of Lake Chad in Africa.

Published in 2014, Art and Ecology Now still brings its value through time and attracts remarkable respect from readers. It can be positive inspiration for many artists, activists and the public in the future. This book is similar to a journal that records achievements of effort to conserve and protect the environment, and can be thickened up year by year. In the At the radical edge of life, Brown objectively summaries the broad view that the book contains, from the ancient art on walls and ceilings, to practical activities by political leaders in order to directly raise the controversial issues.

REFERENCES:

Brown, A. (2014) ‘At the radical edge of life’, in Art and Ecology Now. London: Thames and Hudson, 2014), pp. 6–15.

Phillips, R. (2015) What is environment Art?. Available at: https://www.healing-power-of-art.org/what-is-environmental-art/ (accessed: 12th Jan 2021)

Pantelić, K. (2016) 1960s Art and the age of Pop. Available at: https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/1960s-art (accessed: 12th Jan 2021)

Debatty, R. (2014) Book Review: Art and Ecology Now. Available at: https://we-make-money-not-art.com/art_and_ecology_now/ (Accessed: 13th Jan 2021)

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Reading report: All animals are equal - Peter Singer

Reading report:

All animals are equal – Peter Singer

 In All animals are equal, strong arguments with an unruffled tone of voice were vividly described by Peter Singer. Previous controversial prejudices and entitlements of Racial and Sexes liberation movements were also subtly brought back to debate in order to question and build foundation for nonhuman animals’ rights. Many arguments in his book until raise intense discussion nowadays. Peter Singer (1995) brought to us a very controversial topic to discuss and obviously made his point from the beginning paragraphs:

“I am urging that we extend to other species the basic principle of equality that most of us recognize should be extended to all members of our own species.”

Historic liberation movements demand “the expansion of our moral horizons”. Starting with the Feminism and Black Liberation, Singer convincingly pointed out that the prejudices in our attitudes to a particular group, whether it is human or not. Frankly indicating that Animal Rights was a parody to humiliate women’s right, rather than a serious subject, Singer mentioned Taylor Thomas, who disproved Wollstonecroft’s reasonings supporting for feminism in 1792. This case was 182 years old when Singer first published the first edition in 1974. Nowadays, the revolution for women’s rights is greater than ever, and the public can see how wrong and conservative Taylor Thomas was. Singer became one of the first philosophers to trigger and fight for the rights of the animals, maybe not in his time, hopefully the nonhuman can have a brighter future. However, Singer mentioning other liberation movements does not have total comparation and contrast on animal liberation, rather than relating the same previously violated problems.

On which scale do human use to decide between animal to be slaughtered and made an indoor pet? Or why we treat one superior than others? It is close to case of races liberation movements nowadays, Black Lives Matter revolution (BLM) for instance. However, animals cannot be able to demonstrate for their rights when human violates. Relating the problem to intelligence or physical aspect, Singer did not bring the argument further.

Singer claimed that the real issue is the concept of equality, which intertwines and affects individuals or sentient animals. “Equality” does not mean “the same”. The principle of equality is not an explanation, but a direction to show equal concern for all who can be able to feel, human or not. It was clear that humans and animals are different, the principle of equality could not be perfectly applicable. Many aspects were exploited, from intelligence, sentience, capability, … to clarify the border which species is superior than the others. In this case, Singer bluntly refuted arguments of other philosophers that considered animals do not have rights (p. 8). To consider human suffering as mattering superior to nonhuman suffering is speciesist (p. 9). Most modern humans are speciesist, viewing on the aspect of common practices involving eating, raising, and experimenting on animals. Even most philosophers have been speciesist, which many defend by appealing to “human dignity”. They took it for granted and applied the customs and habits of human on animal:

“[…] to have rights, a being must be autonomous, or must be a member of a community, or must have the ability to respect the rights of others, or must possess a sense of justice.”(p.8)

They could bring about dire consequences, even animals mass extinction in the future. If they applied those conditions on new born babies, they could not have rights as adults.

Singer’s point on differentiating interests and desires of animal and human is implicit. He argues that because animals desire not to have pain which is the same as human do, Studebaker (2013) claimed that this was the consequence of false equivalence between desire and interest, between personal perspectives and facts. Studebaker extended the argument with plants, bacteria, protists, viruses, …, which all have purposes and functions although they do not conscious of what they have.

Villanueva (2018) added that precision in comparing agony between individuals of different species is not necessary. In modern world of animal exploitation, without important conflicts of interests, suffering can be willingly prevented, either self-evident or easily established.

           Animal liberation movement is an intense controversy which needs a wide range of fields, not just philosophy. This debate can continue millions of words long, hence, it would be unfair to fully commend on Singer’s argument, especially when it is just 9 pages long and published in 1995, also his book is continuously updated until now. Despite criticisms, Animal Liberation still remained highly convincing, with sharp reasonings and coherent explanations.

 REFERENCE:

Singer, P. (1995) ‘All animals are equal’ in Animal Liberation. 2nd ed. London: Pimlico. Pp. 1–9.

Studebaker, B (2013) A critique of Peter Singer. Available at: https://benjaminstudebaker.com/2013/02/28/a-critique-of-peter-singer/ (accessed: 14th Jan 2021)

Villanueva, G. (2018) Against animal liberation? Peter Singer and His critics. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318167743_Against_Animal_Liberation_Peter_Singer_and_His_Critics (accessed: 14th Jan 2021)

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“Escaping from the cage”

The time-based outcome of Graphic media project.

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Documentation and Discussion of Your Project

Documentation and Discussion of Your Project

My production of graphic media related to identity project is a time-based outcome.  It is about why we should see the world with our eyes in person, not by looking through the lenses of the camera. The character accommodating inside the black-and-white world of camera is the metaphor for not having the personal point of view. He must escape and integrate with the nature himself. Falling off the edge is also an act of being brave. Getting out of the box/ cage to join with the colourful and wonderful world is to be free of faceless (no identity) cover. I hope this can be a motivation for those who are virtual living, to stop posting pictures on social media for virtual fame and forget about their reality in physical world. (Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtpBYf3Xndc )

Holding a camera up is a way to swap individuals’ identity to the camera, now they will become “the camera guy”. Photographing people means a part of their identity is on the picture. Since birth, the camera has changed the way people view the world, they see the world through its lenses and photographs it records. This essay will not refute the advantages of the camera, it will dig into identity through/ behind/ in front of the camera.

“In the course of a life, we never “graduate” from working on identity; we simply rework it with the materials at hand.” (Turkle, 2011, pp. 158). Sometimes, the materials in our hands are reworking itself. Seeing the world through the camera is hiding behind it. We help the camera to see, and allow it to be our substitute eyes; then it becomes us. People say “look at the camera” not “look at that guy” or “look at me”. In this case, where is the part of our self- the one who actually holds the camera? We are still there, but we become the case/ tripod/ camera holder/ …We lose contact with the outer world. Our role changes behind the camera.

We do not spend much time to think about where our eyes should move (except when we do life-drawing or look for things). However, the camera needs us to choose where to focus on within a limit range of screen frame (normally it would be the center), while we can freely scan and shift our eyes at one distance at a time (Helzer, 2018). The world in our eyes is different from the world in the camera lenses, no matter how cutting edge it is. Hence, we adjust our expectations to capture what we see equivalent to what the camera can do. In order to satisfy ourselves, people use the settings of camera to bend reality, and even with the computer software such as Lightroom, Photoshop, … The camera captures the brief moment in time and we reproduce it to achieve satisfaction. Consequently, after that process, its first meaning cannot be found in what it says, but what it is (Berger, 1972, pp.21). Seeing a panorama or 360-degree photo is nothing comparing to contemplating the awe of the landscape with our own eyes.

Who would we present our representation to? A person looking at you or a person pointing a camera at you? When you or someone take picture of you, what/ who would you “cheese” at? Do we intentionally correct our emotions and appearance in front of a camera or it makes us to? When we are in the frame, we tent to adjust our clothes, hair, …; stop our facial emotion, body language for a few seconds; … in order to appear at the best of our self, in the picture. Then we check the flattened self, if what we take does not meet our expectation, we do it again. Unlike portrait picture, we cannot move the whole mountain next to the river to get the best shot, or move the building away, instead of that, we choose different angles by moving our self away from where we are. In a concert, we barely see the performance because it is full of people or we are too far away from the stage, we hold up our phone camera, not to only record it, but also see what the camera sees. If the camera could talk, it would say “Want to see it? Then hold me up!”. Hence, whether people are behind or in front of the moment-capturing device, we are serving it to satisfy our self.  (I feel like as if I was Turkle until this point.)

It is undisputable that how we often find the simplest interpretation to call or point of the name of subjects we are talking about. Besides, we must differentiate between the active elements and affected objects; in this case, the photographer, things appearing in the frame and the camera. From that, we evaluate our self, such as who we are in the context, to play the roles we have and adjust our action accordingly. It is considered respectful to others when we are nice and neat; dedicative when we take photos. It will happen if we have good intention with the camera, of course, this essay does not instigate or stimulate bad purposes.

“Camera lenses let us capture images we’d never be able to see with our own eyes, but those images are no less “real” – they’re just different”, says Helzer (2018). Being different does not mean it is bad. Surely camera does have effect on our behavior and identity according to our positions relative to the camera. Hence, having the appropriate responses to the context is the right answer to represent our nature of identity. We should be working on our identity with it, not letting it work on our identity.

REFERENCES:

1, Turkle, S. (2011) ‘Always on’, in Alone Together: why we expect more from technology and less from each other. pp. 151-170.

2, Berger, J. (2008) Ways of seeing. London: Penguin. pp. 21.

3, Helzer, C. (2018) Seeing through the eyes of your camera. Available at: https://prairieecologist.com/2018/06/06/seeing-through-the-eyes-of-your-camera/. (Accessed on 20th November 2020).  

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Comparing two author’s responses to a selected artist.

 In Alone Together: Why we expect more from technology and less from each other, Turkle examines how technology having more of our intimacy than our relationships with people. While people are more connected than ever, individuals also become lonelier than ever, which is her focus on chapter 8: Always on. She illustrates how people have become so used to carrying out our emotional lives via gadgets and social networking it has led to the “emotional dumbing down” of our society. The topic raises multiple of opinions of Courrier and Stafford on aspects of identity including agreements, intermediaries, counter-argument.

People are paying more attention to their virtual self on cyberspace. Nonetheless, teenagers are not shaping their own identity on the internet at their will, communication technologies are reflecting and shaping their values. “To those who have lost a sense of physical connection, connectivity suggests that you make your own page, your own place”, said Turkle (2011, pp. 157), to live in virtual places, Second Life. Adolescents can control their perfect relationships with their moms and friended friends, hang out in ‘virtual bars, restauraunts and cafes’, role-play games that more real than themselves in physical real.

 “While her argument is significantly one-sided, I do believe it holds great truths”, states Courrier (2011), a fine writer and a formidable critic, technologies are preventing people from becoming their true selves in real life, because cyberspace is where they most themselves (Turkle, 2011, pp. 159). When people have the freedom and ability of becoming whoever they want, they will take their chance and build up what they dream of.

 To reduce the heat of the problem, Courrier also debates solutions to the anthropologist’s topic. He reckons it would be over-fantasizing in order to just only admire the images adolescents creating on the Internet. It would be better to turn their fantasy into motivation to strive for improvement, perhaps they can become what they dream about, and overcome their relationships’ difficulties in physical life. Cyberspace is not “real”, but it has the relationship to the real. It is undeniable that the in virtual space, people will have more confidence of showing of themselves, being who they are selectively, overcoming of fear to make a conversation. Individuals try to escape their shyness and low self-esteem. In 2015, the anthropologist answered to a interview question that she did not have intention to give up her phone (even after mentioning numerous miserable people in her books), she just needed to make use of positive advantages of it, restated Turkle (Adams, 2015).

 Against the opinion of professor of MIT, Stafford, a cognitive scientist, argues that Turkle’s assumptions are old wine in new bottle. He reckons that Turkle’s argument seems to state that there was never a time human trying to escape from frailty and ambiguity, dissatisfactory relationships. “It isn’t that we are newly dissatisfied with our relationships, that we are newly struggling for authenticity. The eternal uncertainties we have of ourselves and each other are given a new light by technology” says Stafford (2011). When people have problem with their relationships or identity, they either find a way to solve it or run from it. Difference than before is, now, people having a place to do it. They transfer their problem from real life to virtual world. Of course, it is often better or fantasy version of themselves.

 People have found a new way of communication and they are making the most of it. Individuals on the Internet care about their representation in order to impress other users. Hence, they keep updating things about themselves, others or news. They are not always online, they are distracted by the sense of being online. For instance, students using mobile phones and laptops in Turkle’s class, people texting in conferences, this phenomenon happens everywhere. If not for mobile, students will be distracted by their friends or things outside, they are not concentrating. It is unwise to equaling impulsive needs and habit to addiction, or converting negative reactions of people to harmful technology. Technology is not bad, bad application makes it bad. Technology does not seduce anyone, people are using it without disciplines.

 However, excessively virtual living (act of spending too much time on the Internet, overconfidence of appearance and self-esteem) results in losing sense of identity in real world. Virtual space now will give them a sense of “influencer”, which is illusion of power.

            On the point of the breakdown of individual’s emotional relationship with human and more of virtual intimacy. She reasons that true relationships, “between what is true and what is “true here,” true in simulation” (2011, pp.153), “the network prepares us for the “relationships with less” (less risks and pain)” (2011, pp. 154), “Research portrays Americans as increasingly insecure, isolated, and lonely” (2011, pp. 157). Turkle expects that people will start to reclaim their privacy, to turn back to their relationships with physical people; still, she reckons that the seduction of technology is a tough challenge (Lange, 2013). In another interview, she adds that she brings up and builds her relationship with her daughters not to depends on too much on technologies (Adams, 2015).

Courrier (2011) agrees with her on this because human’s virtual relationship cannot provide “surprises and the rough patches of looking at the world from another’s point of view, shaped by history, biology, trauma, and job.” Love relationship requires mutual combination of minds, physical affection, physical dedication to each other.

On the contrary, “now we wish for romantic relationships without betrayal and inconvenience, previously this is what we wished for too”, rebuts Stafford (2011). It is mighty irksome that Turkle assumes vagueness, disappointment and fear of disconnection are not a novel part of online relationships; they are part of the human condition (Stafford, 2011). Turkle’s acrimonious arguments easily lead to harsh refutation.

            Technology’s nature is to help people’s lives better, hence, having the idea of refuting it is wrong. To make the best use of virtual world, individuals must have sufficient knowledge to understand how they effect on it and how it impacts back on them. Take time to use the Internet, do not let the Internet take your time.

           Constant reliance on communication technologies cannot replace physical interaction in human relationship. Equivalence the downsides of cyberspace to society’s vices makes Turkle’s books pessimistic and negative to read, although they are valuable to the way we use technologies to complete our identity.

   REFERENCES:

 1, Turkle, S. (2011) ‘Always on’, in Alone Together: why we expect more from technology and less from each other. pp. 151-170

2, Stafford, T. (2011) Why Sherry Turkle is so wrong. Available at: https://idiolect.org.uk/notes/2011/04/27/why-sherry-turkle-is-so- wrong/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed. (Access: 17th November 2020)

3, Courrier, K. (2011) An inconvenient conversation: Sherry Turkle’s Alone together. Available at: https://www.criticsatlarge.ca/2011/08/inconvenient-conversation-sherry.html (Access: 19 th November 2020)

4, Lange, C. (2013) Sherry Turkle: ‘We losing the raw, human part of being with each other’. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/may/05/rational-heroes-sherry-turkle-mit (Access: 19 th November 2020)

 5, Adams, T. (2015) Sherry Turkle: ‘I am not anti-technology, I am pro-conversation’.  Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/oct/18/sherry-turkle-not-anti-technology-pro-conversation (Access: 19 th November 2020)

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Reading Report Task – Identity

Alone together -Turkle Sherry

Always on

     Antipodal title of the book attracts readers’ attention by the first glance, Alone together (2011) by Sherry Turkle, however, this essay will concentrate on Chapter 8: Always on particularly. This chapter focuses on how the intimacy and changes in attitude of people with their communication technologies. Specifically, it is concerned here not with the political uses of the Internet but with its psychological side effects of mobile phones, e-mail, text messages, and online interaction in America. Turkle targeted on a range of people she met at conferences and at Parisian dinner parties and some strangers in millions she encounters on the subway. Those who seem to give priority to online users rather than people who they are physically being with. She further discusses the habit of online role-playing video games by teenagers, making changes that they would like to make in real life by investing in different virtualized personas for themselves.

     To understand Turkle’s point of view, charts above providing data of the tendency of American using mobile phones since 2004, which gives more information of the year 2011, when Alone Together was published. Those statics emphasized the various of opportunities for exploring identity offered by computers and networking.

Turkle does not negate the advantages of communication technologies, she briefly claims it and deeply digs into the downside of the Internet devices. After a decade of developing, smartphone brought into positive impact on business, education, medicine, …; but “we all are cyborg right now”, said Turkle (2011, pp. 152). Resulting, Second life is born, on which she claims is a virtualized space where people are investing their feelings and time on. Here, she differentiates “real life”, in which people are physically living and “cyberspace”. An individual, two worlds.

People can join in variety of overlapping and non-overlapping cultural and sub-cultural groups; therefore, they have different identities at different stages that structure their cultural identity (Communication Theory, 2015). People’s new cultural identity is cyberspace. They contribute on communication, by text, email, mobile phone, …; build virtual society and identity with social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo, World of Warcraft, … Each individual on the Internet contribute to virtual cultural community, with their unique personal life history and experience.

Consequently, multiple of definitions are redefined. People who are online is users; chatrooms, websites and social environment are multiuser domains (2011, pp.157), the act of using a mobile phone is considered as watching their lives “scroll by” (2011, pp.163).

Turkle exploits on young generation to clarify her points. She says rendered virtual self are “often the fantasy of who we want to be” (2011, pp. 153) and “lived out parallel lives” (2011, pp. 158). Our relationship on social media changes: “individuals as a unit. Friends become fans.” (2011, pp.168). Cyberfriends are not trustful to share with when certain events happen, such as being ill, children’s success celebrations or death of parents. Overconcentration on video games is popular as:

“[…] the virtual environments were most compelling because they offered opportunities for a social life, for performing as the self you wanted to be.” (2011, pp. 158).

In Turkle’s previous article she produced in 2008, Always on/ Always on you: The tethered self, she provided an example of Julee who role plays her own relationship with her mother with controllable results. She reused her argument on becoming invisible identity. Specifically, book-released-in-2008, Peter’s identity become anonymity, invisibility; and Turkle is treated as if she was not on the train since a drunk man on his phone being loud (2011, pp.155). She might misjudge the latter situation as misunderstanding of impoliteness. Handful of further miserable examples of Internet addicted persons she mentioned which cannot be confirmed whether they are legit, can be easily found in her books.

 If Turkle’s negatively evaluating process of communication technologies applies on any others problems, it will fit. In daily life, even before the invention of the Internet, people at anytime, anywhere have to deal with unsatisfactory relationships and poor intimacy and authenticity one way or another. We cannot consider friends on Facebook trustworthy or not, also in real life, we select those who can be trusted in a group, a team, … We wish for perfect relationships with the loved ones. We want to buy things in our wish list. Most importantly, we always want to show our most idealistic, impressive identity of ourselves to others. Hence, individuals collectively choose who they want to be on the social media. People would not (or at least intentionally) wear gown to job interview or put a drunk picture of themselves on portfolio or do any misbehaviors. The virtual space is one of many raising platforms which reflects on real life struggles.

 According to sociology, new concepts will be accepted and considered appropriate by majority of community in aspects of cultural phenomenon, patterns; language; social structures; gender orientation. In this case, Turkle is on the minority side. Articles with disagreement on her books are available broadly on the Internet. Stafford (2011) had a knee-jerk dislike since he points out her anecdotal assumptions on relationship between human and human or human and robot. He indicated the public had the same moral panic over the invention of mobile as mass production of books. Stafford agrees that we have had this mutual issue for decades; however, he could not find her clarify the outlines of the problem or debate any solutions. Masnick (2012) added Turkle’s argument became was not convincing as he continued in his Podcast.

      My chosen object represents a number of aspects of my identity is a camera. This would be more relevant to Turkle’s points only when I choose to post my photos on social media. I will reveal my identity through the pictures, which reflect my choice of subjects, angles, shooting set-ups, … I partly agree with her on:

“In the course of a life, we never “graduate” from working on identity; we simply rework it with the materials at hand.” (2011, pp. 158)

Completing identity is an everlasting progress. The more I photographs I take, the more fluent I am. I enjoy hiding myself behind the camera and looking through its lenses since I can be on behalf of it. To be more specific, people would feel less awkward when I point my camera at them as if I became the camera or invisible. It is better than their reaction to me be creepily staring at them. Moreover, my intimacy to the camera are making bond together as it is by my side on every journey. I have gradually built my image of me with my camera in my friends’ mind and they are getting used to it.

      In this digital age, self-promoting on the Internet is crucial, I must represent my identity of illustrator and drawing skills for getting known to company and recruiter. Moreover, acknowledging of my doings to the Internet and the Internet’s impact on me is the best method to make use of virtual space. Alone together still provides a valuable knowledge on the negative impact of communication technology unquestionably, along with it, contradictory responses are also reliable consultancies.

  REFERENCE:

1, Turkle, S. (2011) ‘Always on’, in Alone Together: why we expect more from technology and less from each other. pp. 151-170

2, Turkle, S. (2008) ‘Always on/ Always on you: The tethered self’ in Handbook of Mobile communication studies, James E. Katz (ed.). pp. 121-137.

3, Mobile Fact Sheet (2019). Available at: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/ (Access: 17 th November 2020)

4, Cultural Identity Theory (2015). Available at: https://www.communicationtheory.org/cultural-identity-theory/ (Access: 17 th November 2020)

5, Stafford, T. (2011) Why Sherry Turkle is so wrong. Available at: https://idiolect.org.uk/notes/2011/04/27/why-sherry-turkle-is-so-wrong/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed. (Access: 17 th November 2020)

6, Masnick, M. (2012) Sherry Turkle Says Technology Is Making Us Lonelier Because We Spend Less Time Alone, Or Something [Podcast]. 24th April. Avaible at: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120423/14264618618/sherry-turkle-says-technology-is-making-us-lonelier-because-we-spend-less-time-alone-something.shtml (Access: 17th November 2020)

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Camera

     My chosen object is a Canon camera. It differentiates itself from others models by being attached “EOS 200D” in front of it; however, it is the same, comparing to that model during its mass production. Hence, it was personalised by having a sticker on its back. Beside my sketch books, it is must-have object in my backpack on every journey.

     The camera legally became my property since I purchased for it. Personally, not only does it belong to me, but also reflects me as the owner, the autopilot case, amateur photographer. The camera becomes my hard drive in order to keep my memories, my relationships, my hobbies, my secrets, ... Since it does not attach on me internally, I can share others my photographs visually. However, it is flattened, no depth of field, no life; I cannot estimate how far is it from objects to objects in one picture.

 My relationship to the subjects changes as well. People become the models, the focus, centre of frame, which means that it can contain others’ identities, or at least a particle of their reflection, the photographs I take belong to others as well. Social aspect of identity is our senses of who we are depends on our ability to imagine how others perceive us, how we affect others response by the way we represent our self (Ellemers, 2020). Depending on others’ cognition, I have new roles, varies from I am nobody, to I am a young Asian student/ tourist who wants to photograph things, and to professional aspects such as my camera model, lenses, operating gestures of the camera, chosen perspectives, angles, compositions, …

 Elliott, A. and Birtchnell, T. (2014) stated self-identification is cultural identity, a sense of acknowledging where we belong to (a group, a people, …); which levels we are at; or how we imagine other perceive our identity. The camera categories its owner into photography group to learn new skills from. People may think that phone camera quality nowadays is high enough to replace a mechanic camera due to its convenience; however, it cannot change its lenses; adjust exposure, ISO, shutter speed, … I have one new eye to capture scenery; nonetheless, sometimes instead of sharing what I see, I share what I feel, by observing and sketching things down on my notebook. In photography, they vary into major categories such as portrait, landscape, daily-life, animal, object, … I can belong to multiple of groups at the same time. In each smaller group, it will have beginners learn from my photos, professional photographers give advices to others. Their common is commenting on the outcomes of camera. In trading group, my camera can be evaluated at different prices. Hence, I can be a seller or a buyer.

     Having a camera is nice as long as I know my role in the present and context because it is respectful to know who I am, what subject in the picture I am taking and who is in charge, the camera or me.

REFERENCES:

Ellemers, N. (2020) Social identity theory. Available at: https://academic-eb-com.ezproxy.mdx.ac.uk/levels/collegiate/article/social-identity-theory/604139 (Accessed: 15 November 2020)

Elliott, A. and Birtchnell, T. (2014) ‘The trajectories of social and cultural theory’ in Routledge handbook of social and cultural theory . Oxfordshire, England ;: Routledge.