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Identity expressed through Music videos: Joshua’s tut.

I think this music video is taking an extreme history that is brutal in it’s way, and tried to construct a look and feel, a way with words and a way of expression that says “look here, this is what happened and this is how we are going to use this to strengthen our selves and who we are” the music video has a mix of showing the enslaved as well as the POC in a position of leadership and power. the contrast points to the past and then follows itself to the present where we have Youngsta, dressed in a contemporary take of the colonial uniform, in a space of colonial heritage, speaking about that history, how it played out and how that affects him now.  The edits with the shackled slaves in the boats, in a clearly present day cape town might be Youngsta’s way of hinting that slavery is still happening but it is just different. It’s more systematic and institutionalized now. that it is just more invisible. which i think is a truth. 

[yohguysimpson]

In Conversation with: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living 

Preface by Dominic Hirsch

So like this guy, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, is going to talk about something like physical impossibilities and our minds and the living and death. It was interesting for me to read what Mr. In the mind of someone living has to say on this topics particularly because this what In The Mind of Someone Living is really made up of. Especially the bit where he talks about someone living. That was my favourite bit because, as someone who is actually living, it is interesting to hear what someone dead thinks about the living.

The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living interviewed by Guy:

Guy: Hi there thank you for joining us for a conversation The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living. It’s an absolute pleasure.

The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living: thank you for having me.

Guy: so, Luke, do you mind if i call you that?

The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living: no no, not at all. Please go on. I get it.

Guy: thank you. So, Luke, I must start with the elephant in the room and ask, what is it like to be dead! What an extravaganza!

Luke: haha, well yes, of course. I knew you were going to ask me this. After all it is quite shocking. At first I was quite unprepared and unsure but as my creator, Mr. Hirst, explained to me - there is, in no way at all, any pressure to actually live! He explained to me that I am here to be looked at by people, of all creatures. He explained that my purpose is to float, just here, as you see me now in my tank, and just BE. That simple. My previous life was far more stressful. I see this life more like a holiday if that makes sense.

Guy: yes yes it makes perfect sense. Tell us about your ‘first life’.

Luke: well it was quite stressful you see, the other Elasmobranches - It’s what we “sharkes” call ourselves - and I didn’t really hang out that much. We are quite private animals but enough of that. I would do all the Elasmobranch, sorry “Shark” things, like eat some fish, swim around, scare some fish, bite a surfer here and there just to show them who the boss is, especially those humans down in Aus. Ooo they’re the worst! But I guess mostly i was kinda lonely, didn’t really have many hobbies, went through my days moping around. Other fish didn't seem to have time for me.

Guy: Oh I’m sorry about that I cannot relate at all whatsoever, please go on.

Luke: so now it is much better to be alive because there are people all around me all the time! It’s funny because once I had no friend and now I have so many I can’t even count them on my hands!

Guy: That is interesting. Would you like to talk about why your were created and put in a box, i wanted to know if you agree with what Mr. Hirst has done.

Luke: Well it is fascinating really, and i never really cared much for this type of thought before, you know, life and death and what what, but now that i have lived, and died and lived again i guess i have a different perspective. For example, you, you’ve never died right?

Guy: no.

Luke: Good. so you don’t know what death is like. Is that correct?

Guy no. that’s what i am trying to as-

Luke: SO! It is a physical impossibility for you to understand death because you have the mind of someone living. I am sorry, i cannot help you.

Guy: why not!?

Luke: because you are alive. You simple just will not understand at all.

Guy: well, can’t you at least try!?

Luke: nope. Sorry. Not worth it. Not worth my time.

Guy: well what else have you got to do?

Luke: i got things to do okay!

Guy: oh yeah like what Mr stuck in a tank in the Tate!

Luke: like… like, i got emails and shit i need to respond to...

Guy: EMAILS!

Luke: yes! EMAILS! and i am expecting some visitors so you should actually just go!

Guy: *sounds of mike muffeling and shuffling clothing followed by distant mumbles* F!%#@ You, you F!%#@ing Stooopid shark thing.

Luke: Thanks for coming!

[yohguysimpson]

Joshua Tut Assignment 1 - T2

1. Green Point Stadium  2. The Hillbrow Tower 3. The Castle of Good Hope

Write up:

The Castle of Good Hope was build in the 17th century by the Dutch. It was built on the coastline, however, the reclamation act of the 1930s/40s means that it now settles inland. The fort was built by the Dutch as a replenishment centre for passing Dutch East India Company ships as they passed the cape on their way to Indonesia. War becomes a threat and the fort became a form of defence for the dutch to hold the cape as theirs.  Although that was then, it’s history, and symbolism as a structure of the coloniser cannot be forgotten. That history that the Castle of Good Hope represents is deeply ingrained into the identity of this country, South Africa. That history and that fort have had to develop with their times as the fort became a prison and place of suffering for many, which is what many people see it be today, reminding them of the darker sides of history. It is interesting to see how this building has managed to stand for so long after all that it represents. It is glorified as the best-preserved example of Dutch East India Company fort, but here, for many people that commute past it daily, it might represent the darker side of history, which might not be too nice to be reminded of constantly as you wait for your transport at the station just next door. Now the Castle is host to many events including this year's electronic music festival and many more. 

[yohguysimpson]

Mitchel Tut Assignment 1 - T2

Mawande Ke Zenzile Sibhala sicima, 2016 - 17 Cow dung, earth, gesso and oil paint on canvas 133 x 184cm 

To Break this artwork down formally we can see (but mostly we are told) that the artist has used Cow dung and earth as mediums of paint. The colours are very earthy but used very monotonously, or simply, spread out over the surface of the canvas somewhat evenly. A small strip of pale greenish oil paint stands out separating the earth tones, creating what appears to be a horizon line. 

I know that Cow dung is used in Zulu culture as a means of construction and architecture as the Zulu people would and do create homes out of earth and cow dung, using it as a type of clay or concrete. This is a strong tradition which Ke Zenzile has learnt, developed and used in his paintings. I understand that this making process is a statement of culture and tradition. Ke Zenzile has used parts of his culture and combined it with a form of western culture (oil on canvas) to create, or rather further the conversation of cultural mixing. By mixing cow dung and earth with gesso, oil paint and canvas, the viewer could interpret this in two ways. Firstly, a statement that says - there are two traditions coming together to create art. The second and the harsher statement is - western culture is so ingrained and so apart of Africa, South Africa, that it is impossible to ignore, that it is never too far away, just like the horizon.    The latter statement refers to a long history of the continent and South Africa, and the relationship with Europe.  On another level, holding to the statement of the latter, this work, Sibhala sicima, Google translated reads as We write off. We write off what? who is doing the writing off? I think that the ‘We’ refers to the artist and his people, and the people he grew up with in the Eastern Cape. As for the ‘What is being written off’, I think that Ke Zenzile is trying to write off the influence of the west, or the colonizer. There’s an attempt to say, “Hey, look at all of our culture, look how rich the Zulu culture is. Look how beautiful it is and this is what it is about.”  I think that Ke Zenzile is trying to uplift this practice of using cow dung and earth as a medium and make a painting out of it and ask, or rather say, that this is okay because this is where this comes from, that people don't have to use just oil on canvas but rather you can use anything and it can hold ‘value’ because it is valuable. And now the word ‘Value’ because interesting because having work up in a gallery like, let's say, Stevenson, gives it some kind of value, but I think that Ke Zenzile is taking a stand against that type of institutionalized value system by not playing along with its tradition and using his own tradition and culture.  BUT The work was still made and exists in this type of institution and gallery system which means that, if this work is even about that, that there is some sort of shadowy game being played where the Artist gets to express themselves, but the western style commercial gallery gets your money, but so does the artist which they can use to make more work and critique the world around them but still have to show that work in a gallery space and so on and so on... 

However, this work is still representative of a culture whose voice has been silenced in the past, but now has room to shout which makes for interesting conversation and dialogue about the expression of culture in this country. 

WC - 619, 000, 000, 000.00

[yohguysimpson]

Cultural Appropriation: A Round Table

Questions and Answers: 

Q1. In the reading, there was a lot of talk around Cultural Appropriate being a trend. Is it a trend to call it out when it is happening or is the trend Cultural Appropriation as something that IS happening?  A1. I think that yes, it is a trend in both senses - but this isn't a bad thing. I think it is trending now because it is important to speak about and the generations now are beginning to develope these cultural identities, and people want that to be unique.  I think that people are also just fed up with being misrepresented and stereotyped into one role, or having their culture become a one-dimensional thing for people to look at. In reality, these cultures are complex and personal.  So it’s becoming a trend so that we can shed light on the misuse of cultures. I think people will get over calling it out too because right now If you call out cultural appropriation on certain platforms you’re considered strong and progressive.    The trendiness of it all becomes a problem when people are calling out people for the wrong reasons like gaining popularity. 

Q2. Learning from a culture that is not yours: If I learn of a culture and: witness it - engage with it - learn about it - learn from it - speak about it - use it and benefit/lose from it; is that a form of cultural appropriation?  A2. I think that it is because you have used cultures and you have benefited from it. If I use cultures to further myself as an individual, to make my self a better person for the world then must I stop because of appropriation? I think it is how one goes about learning and using that knowledge. 2 points came up in the tut: firstly that one must be, always, very respectful towards that culture and community and where that culture comes from. secondly that, for you it is a choice, for others, they were forced into that culture so you are actively involving yourself in culture by choice which is a privilege.  Towards the second point, I would like to ask: If I have come from a position where my Jewish culture was forced upon me and the laws of that culture became part of my everyday life - if I then decided to still learn from other cultures how does my privilege play a role then? I am not too sure. 

Q3. One of the speakers from the reading said this: When the enemy isn’t in the room, we practice on friends. A3. This isn't a question but I like it as a statement. That when you are alone, with friends you may feel free to exercise other cultures ways, but once you are in the presence of that culture and display what you have learnt.. you'll be wrong. also, the statement intends to make cultures into enemies which I don't agree with.  

[yohguysimpson]

Rip! A Remix Manifesto

Questions and Answers: 

Q1< How much money does a company like Time Warner make and how much of that is made through Licensing and lawsuits? 

A1< time warner through all of its various holes, makes $28.1 billion a year (2015) with $4.7 billion dolors made from licensing. this is a lot of money. I couldn’t see how much they made exactly through lawsuits but the weather makes a lot or not, It’s not their strongest point of profit, but I guess it’s maybe more than just money in this case. ownership. 

Q2< Why do we want to remix? 

A2< for example, Girl Talk liked to remix and he did it a lot.. but he could have just created those sounds himself if he wanted to surely.. maybe there is a thrill to the ‘stealing’ of it all.. maybe it’s the copy and pasting, cutting and ripping that he enjoyed. Maybe it’s the creating something out of something he enjoys. 

Q3< What is next for Remix culture? 

A3< I've been thinking about this question a lot and this is what I think, from the top of my head. I think western cultures will continue to remix where they can, however, they can.. find ways around copyright and fight back - and I think the big companies like Time Warner will win.  however, in Africa, I think it will be different. I don't think the remix culture will be that strong. I think people are far more interested in creating something new. something that isn't influenced by the west but rather, something that comes from their culture. Sounds that make sense to them and where they come from. I don't think African communities are too interested in being like  European or American communities. 

[yohguysimpson]

Career Roadmap: but paragraph.

Hi there,  I'm gonna lay out my roadmap like this because when I think I tend to think like this. most of my journal is done like this. in big paragraphs and long sentences and bad spelling and grammar but it helps me get my thoughts out and plan what I will do. I’m sorry if this is hard to read and brings your stress or annoys you in any way.  graduating at the end of the year seems exciting to me. over the past 2 years, I have made some good connections (i think) that I can hopefully use to gain more experience and techniques. this year however this year I hope to expand my network and name. my plan is to kinda take any opportunity that comes my way but not bad opportunities or clashing opportunities. like I won't work for someone that might be making or doing problematic stuff. some people I would like to work for would be Mitchell Messina, Atlantic house again, ed young, Debra Bell (family friend who I think I could probably learn a thing or 2 from) but mainly I want to reach out into other communities because right now my community is very white. I would like to work with artists dealing with a political identity that is current and contemporary like dada khanyisa. after 1 year of work and networking and even hopefully some residencies locally or internationally, I would like to come back and do that honors program. I think it’s actually I good idea that I will have a year between the postgrad and the honors because I think that my honors work might even come out being better and stronger because I would have time to think and feel it out for an entire year. sharpening it and solidifying it... or maybe I am wrong that is all a bad idea? also, can you do a masters without having done a honors course? because if I could I would rather just do that.  then graduate and not get signed by a gallery because that might be a trap. I would still like to exhibit in spaces but in group shows, exploring the world and how spaces work and how they don't work. hopefully, the work that I produce will put me in a good position. so hard work and clever wor is what I foresee. in terms of my work and medium - it has been constantly changing very rapidly... I have been pulled into so many different ways of making that I wouldn't say I have one way of making which might be a bad thing or a good thing depending on what I make? like if all my work looks different is it really that bad? works live in isolation nowadays anyway because of things like Instagram where you see one artwork at a time anyway.  the end goal I suppose is to work in the spaces of the artists that I admire so much in the world. work with them if possible. and then expand into other creative fields like film, advertising, and animation.  I think I am good at picking up skills quickly, at understanding boundaries and I am very patient with people and their practices. but my weakness lies in sharing and collaboration but I will take any opportunity to collaborate because it is a learning experience. communication is another one of my failures, formal communication if I am going to be specific.   otherwise, I am just trying to focus on the now because that is the task at hand. if I do good work now then ill get good work later and then ill do good work then. one step at a time. slow but sure. 

Thanks for reading my career paragraph :D

[yohguysimpson]

Fareed Armaly, Premiata Ditta Group  Sound documentation of interviews 

This pdf from, Relational Aesthetics, is the only documentation of this work I could find...  the artists' website was no help from what I saw.. although it is possible I looked over this project. 

[yohguysimpson]

Alix Lambert  Wedding Piece  Photographic print 1992

In this piece, Lambert, in six months got married to four different people, divorcing them all in record time.  

[yohguysimpson]

BS Refelction

The plan that I initially had for the next few years was to potentially study further but in terms of the working - approach the people I have come to know over the past few years studying and begin helping and assisting where I can. Picking up skills and techniques, learn about the art world, learn about other worlds, learn what other artists think, do and feel, learn what people are making and why. Eventually, appear in some small group shows here and there (if I can’t get into peoples shows, do my own shows based on what I have learned). Get involved in projects around Southern Africa, and online. Apply for residencies and programs all over the country as well as all over the world. I  kind of imagine myself do this for some time, figuring things out and I think that's okay. I don't think I need to have such a strict set of goals to hit.

If it takes me so many years to do this, then it takes so many years. To put it into a metaphor: if I am an archer, I would like to prep my shot, pull tight and aim steady, holding that arrow in place until I am ready to let go and hit the target. I don’t have goals but I know what I want.

I may fall into freelancing or working for some sort of company or even fall into the design world in some way or another… and that's okay if that is what it takes for me to be an artist.

The most interesting talk for me was the talk with Lukhanyo Mdingi, Claire Johnson and Dale Lawrence. These are people that started their own thing - not something I necessarily want to do but still something to learn from because they all show some sort of motivation, dedication, and joy in what they do and I think that is because they are doing what they love - and maybe that is something we could speak about in class. Doing what you love. And, something I have been thinking about lately is to just have fun with whatever I am doing because then I will do it better. To take risks, not to be scared and explore for the sake of exploring. Be kind and be respectful and be a nice person.

From when we graduate, I am excited. I feel ready, I feel prepared (somewhat), I feel like it will be fun and interesting.

[yohguysimpson]

Marina Abramovic  Victory  Photograph mounted on aluminum 50.5 x 50.5 

Tabita Rezaire  Download from the source  Digital Print  I am using Abramovic as an example of globalization because why is she here at the art fair in cape town? She is one of the biggest living artists... so big in fact that her work has reached the Cape Town art community - so Cape Town must be doing something right, or else why would such international names be here?  And Rezaires work is a good example of the bringing-togetherness aspect of globalization through the use of the internet as a source. Her works seem to come from all corners of the internet and that is what globalization does it’s self - so I think you can definitely see the link. 

[yohguysimpson]

Do Ho Suh  Rubbing/Loving 2016 paper and colored pencil. This artwork by Do Ho Suh is a strong piece of memory and discovery within a space. Do Ho Suh is an artist from South Korea who moved to New York. In this piece, Suh covers every inch of his apartment with paper: Floors, walls, doors, door locks, and even his house keys which remain in the door. He then takes a colored pencil and begins to color in every inch of the paper, recording the surface of the apartment. An act like this shows a great sense of sensitivity to space. Being a foreigner in the country new spaces would have become a major interaction for him and so his apartment becomes a strong place for his identity to grow. The act of rubbing shows tremendous care and respect to that space. Although the documentary we watched in the tut is far more devastating, I think this work captures the essence of the personal, the personal relationship people have with spaces. Suh never lost the apartment, and he was never forced out, however, in the same way, people have been forced out of their homes, they memorialize those spaces even in their minds. Suh memorialized this space as an act of respect towards it. I think a work like this makes you consider your space, how you live in it, how you respect it and then remember those that came before you. It makes you reconsider the spaces you occupy. In some way, I do think it is relevant to what we spoke about. 

[yohguysimpson]

Homework Task for the Chris Tutorial

1< a positive contribution would be that it brings people from around the world too cape town (i have no idea why that is a good thing though, people just say this all the time…). It is a place where you can see a lot of the most established artists in the country all in one place, competing. You get to watch galleries compete with each other for status and money, and that gossip is interesting. It’s pretty. It puts cape town on the map as an art center meaning more international art events and more eyes on cape town, which is good for artists who want to expand borders.

2> it’s not original like they say it is. People come to the fair and say ‘ooo this is just like that fair we went to in Zurich’ and then you think to yourself why is cape town not trying to be its own thing - why are we mimicking the thing that so many artists are trying to deconstruct? If our art is shit the world will think we are shit. It’s just a lot of money that stays in the hands of the mega-wealthy and international. It is a highly exclusive event and exclusionary. It promotes sellable art and not necessarily noteworthy art. Its all of sham and we love it.  

[yohguysimpson]

Homework Task for Rowans Tutorial

The first show that I respond to quite strongly, and immediately would be Simphiwe Ndzube at Stevenson, Uncharted lands and trackless seas.

First off, aesthetically, I find the works interesting and then I notice the way he has created a fictional world to express himself with. It feels as if Ndzube created a world because he wasn't sure how to say what he wanted to say in the world that he currently exists in, so for him to express himself, it might be easier to do so in a world that he knows better, which would be the dynamic world he has shared with us. But who is it for? Anyone?

When I see the work I think:

Everyday fabrics

Everyday clothing

Workers materials

Earth, land, ocean

Life and death

All these signifiers come from Nzubes reality. He isn't only creating a world from scratch but building onto what he already knows. He’s building a narrative based on what has really happened around him. These works speak strongly of land (a deep topic of tension within South Africa), labor and it’s exploitations, everyday life from the artist’s perspective, and life and death as an inevitability.

Nolan Oswald Dennis’ show at Goodman Gallery, Options, was another show that spoke on ideas of fictional narratives.

Dennis creates maps that aren't true to the sense of map, true as in representational to a western map. His maps are more organic and alive, developing like roots. His installation wall piece is none linear but coherent still - version of history. Mixed with all this fictional material are facts and words that are very true spoken by very real people. Dennis has built an imagined future based on current facts of past theorists, activists and in a more simple way, the physical land - he uprooted plinths of land as a recording of development and change. Dennis has created fake maps based on real facts. Maps of land, maps of thought and maps of words.

In doing this Dennis is trying to break down the hegemony in which history was recorded and provide people with an alternative recording of history that isn't centered around the recordings of the colonizer but rather the colonized.

But framing his work as ‘Fictional’ seems to be a misstep for me because what he is providing is truth and framing it as fictional might take away the weight of his push towards alternative thinkings as the truth?

Dennis’ work is one of those shows that I like more and more I think about it… it seems there is always something to learn when you look at this show, which I like.

[yohguysimpson]

The Late Show With Chris: Interview Questions

1. Yes. I kind of made the decision a while back that I am one and that it is something I will pursue - and I mean it in a broad sense because I think that the attitude of an artist can take you far and into many other avenues/careers. just because I call myself an artist does not mean I need to stick to the gallery wall.

2. It's fun and it gets me up in the morning. it gives me energy and that's important. When I have made a piece of art, or just played around with creation then I feel energized and active - like when I eat food or socialize or have some quality time alone, all these things full me up and give me energy. why would I want to do something that makes me tired?  

3. For me this is a very tough question because the media I use changes all the time... I've never consistently done one thing (which I am fine with), and sometimes that makes things difficult. I embrace change I sometimes I can thrive in it. at the moment I have a desire to use hessian and oil pastels, boxes and tapes and other cheaper packaging type materials but I know this will change and I can feel that it is already. also, why do artist need to have a coherent visual language at all - why do we need to adopt and conform the materials we use into a specific shape or form? I would love to walk into a show and see 20 works of art that are completely different but saying the same thing.  

4. At the moment I am interested in the idea of cognitive dissonance and the idea of tricking yourself into believing you are making the right choices or using that minimal effort to camouflage the cardinal problems that lie deep. I am also interested in spaces and worlds, and how they are built in our imaginations and how they are all around us - fictitious worlds

5. on a practical level it is probably size... I tend to stay quite small but lately, I've started to try and go a bit bigger and bigger. on a theoretical level, I would like to do more reading... I for sure do not read enough.

6. I would make a house out of hessian and cardboard, maybe even a tree, some birds and put a sun in the corner of the gallery space.

7. Start making art now.. don't wait until class starts.

8. I’ve been thinking lately about the idea of shows that are visually coherent and I struggle with this - my practice so all over the place and I go through ideas and materials pretty quick so I struggle to build a coherent visual language. why can I not produce work that doesn't look that same but speak about the same thing? and this isn't a new idea - group shows are doing it all the time. why do my works of art have to conform and stand with a uniform? One of my favorite artworks ever is by an artist named Shea Hembrey. what he did was put up an exhibition of 100 artists, one hundred artists that he made up. He becomes 100 artists and created each one of their works and the body of work is completely different everywhere you look. some works are heartfelt some of the silly and some are simple. so I think that this is something I would like to explore.

[yohguysimpson]

Mitchell Gilbert Messina: Freelancing Freelancer

Mitchel is an artist that has interested me for a while now and even one of the first artists who showed me a different perspective in the art that surprised me and made me laugh. I know hoe does some freelancing work but I want to focus on his variety of group shows and interventions he has under his belt. From what I understand he is not signed by a gallery yet shown in so many different shows… with works that have always captured my attention.

I enjoy them because the comments being made are quite serious and relevant to him, but also me or any other artist entering the art world - he then wraps it up in witty humor and cute visuals.

What I have learned is that you can have fun when you make art and serious art inst always the way to go, even if the subject matter is deep. Humour is attractive and it holds peoples attention, so it’s a smart tool to learn how to use.

[yohguysimpson]

Freelancing: thoughts and stuff

1> From what we were told the pros are that: you make your own hours you make your own rates, you decide what it is and is not what you want to be doing, who you want to work with and how much of your time you want to spend on what projects - as well as learning new skills with pressure on you, to focus you, and the ability to be your own boss (freedom).

What I don't like about freelancing is that: you make your own hours so you have to be incredibly self-disciplined, you don't have a salary so every month is different and the work you get (from what I have heard) isn't always that interesting.

2> I don’t think freelancing would appeal to me because I am someone who isn't very self-disciplined and when it comes to doing work that I don't enjoy, or have no interest in.. I will struggle to do properly or to my best abilities. That might sound a bit selfish, but if I cannot find anything in it that grabs me ill hate the work, and if I hate the work then I’ll do bad work.