Creative Gallery

Here's my Creative Gallery video



Credit to A.R. Rahman for the music "Jai Ho" from the Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack.
All other video, stills and audio are created by me and you are free to copy, edit, remix, etc. as you see fit.

To see the finished project and a list of contributors please visit my facebook image. Or here (if you are not on facebook)

The final research paper thst inspired this can be read here.

Progress of Creative Response

Credit: Music = "Jai Ho" by A.R. Rahman from the Slumdog Millionaire Soundtrack

This is the video I have right now for my creative response. I still want to add another couple pictures of the board itself and I will be uploading a picture of the completed board to facbook and tagging the contributors so that the tag will have tagged them back. I really enjoyed working on this project.

I am still unsure about the music. Bob Marley's "Stir it Up" is also in the running but it is a little awkward with the videos because they have been sped up to decrease the running time. However, I feel like that song evokes more of the feeling and tone of the project (and it's in English so it is a tad more engaging). Might change, might not, "Jai Ho" has a lot of good energy and meaning behind it too. I am also looking at reorganizing the clips that play over the music. Clips were rigorously and judiciously chosen, but placement might need reworking. Let me know if you've any opinions on these ideas.

So Much Fun, hope everyone enjoys.

<3

My silly, mean movie

or see it in another version on YouTube:

Final Research Paper

Please enjoy my research paper, found here.

My Story

Here is the start of my hypertext story. Check it out.

Here's a map for a possible story (probably will be deleted).


View Lost in a larger map

Thoughts on the Project and Creative Response

I'm feeling better about my own research paper. In many ways I feel like I have too many good ideas to expand upon. I'd like to focus on the development of the tag and its continued relationship with society. However, I feel I could present a argumentative paper about graffiti versus art and advertising in support of creative commons equally as well. I hope to narrow down my focus soon and build my actual body pieces for the paper. I still feel like I'm not properly managing my time though. I have so much work to do for my design classes that I have to force myself to remember to work on this (and other) class work.

In terms of the creative response I think I have a good idea (if I can get the time and motivation to follow through that is). I'd like to do a video about graffiti as social media. In the video I would provide a large board and invite people to come and 'tag' it with their own graffiti. As the people contribute, they will eventually interact with each other and create new images. In this way people would be remixing and erasing and copying all at once. I think I might also provide some stencils so that people who don't feel comfortable with their own artistic abilities can contribute. In this way I will have some standard pieces for comparison as well as an example of instructional graffiti. I think it would be really interesting, though time-consuming. I might want to use acrylic paint rather than spray paint to reduce drying time, air quality issues and provide greater medium control for the participants.

Jessica Center: Paper Draft

Follow the link below to read my first draft of my research paper. It is needs a lot more research references and to be fleshed out further, but I feel that it presets a few of my ideas very clearly.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AYdrli-s5I-ZZDZrNDJoY18yN2N0cGZ6OWdm&hl=en

Reflection: In this draft of my essay I feel that I am most successful in presenting my overall argument as well as some key connections. I still need to do a lot of work in getting specific examples and citing my resources. Obviously it is still a little short, but I feel that once I add specific referenced examples to bolster my arguments that I will have a lot more text.

Thinking About the Essay

I am a little worried about the essay. I'm starting to worry that it will be much more opinion than fact. I know how I feel about the subject but am unsure of how to tie in my research. I'm also having a hard time pinpointing what resources are appropriate for my arguments. I think I need to have a firmer idea of the parameters of the essay. Is it supposed to be argumentative? I imagine it must be, but in that case I need to be able to support my opinions with solid resources. I'm also a bit worried about the time frame, although that has a lot more to do with my personal schedule with other classes.

I want my essay to communicate how I feel about copyright and art. How the current copyright laws discourage individual creativity and create an enclave for those designated as 'artists' or 'authors' to become static and pretentious. I want to use graffiti to illustrate this point. I feel that graffiti is a good medium to show my perspective on the issue. I understand that creative work should earn the creator benefits, and I am not actually opposed to the idea of paying to use someone's work or design. Rather, it is the exclusion of using their ideas in one's own ideas that bothers me the most. In this way, people who choose (when they choose) can purchase goods and services that therefore pay and benefit the creators of those things, whether they be clothes, novels, furniture, or art. On the other hand, a person could also choose to create or do the service themselves. When the latter occurs I feel that people should not be punished for using existing precedence to build upon, such as taking inspiration from a designer or author that they enjoy and making their own versions.

I feel that graffiti is a good example for my point but that it might be a bit vague and narrow of an example to convey the bigger ideas that I want to present. I need to know how much of the essay should be exploring the example itself or using the example to open up bigger issues and discussions. Should graffiti be my running theme or the subject of the essay? Hopefully we will get a little more into the specifics of the essay in the next few class periods and I will get a better idea of how to approach my essay.

Perhaps a basic outline for my paper could be:

Introduction
Overview of current copyright laws versus how I perceive they should be
Presentation of graffiti as a forum of multimedia writing that supports my view
Examples exploring graffiti and it's relationship to topics of authorship and value
...
...
...
Conclusion

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AYdrli-s5I-ZZDZrNDJoY18yNmN2Yzd3eGNq&hl=en

Link to my current Diigo report

If you follow the link below you will see the current report for my diigo links that I am using in my project.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AYdrli-s5I-ZZDZrNDJoY18yNWd4ZjliZ2Ru&hl=en

My Topic Thus Far

In reflecting on my topic and the research that I have done up till now I feel rather confident. I am really excited about the topic, and all the research I've been doing has given me ideas for projects of my own. I think I've really fleshed out my opinion on the subject of graffiti and the notions of copyright and ownership. I worry that my view is rather radical compared to many. I do feel that a creative public commons is best and that any benefit an artist gets beyond commission or credit is just extra. I also worry that a lot of my resources are on the offensive side when it comes to language. I'm not always certain I want to reference something that could offend people if they choose to check it.

I feel like my topic and my opinions are together but I'm also not sure how to use my resources in a paper format. I think I need to spend some time thinking about what exactly I am pulling from each resource and where that information is in the resource. Perhaps I will use the diigo highlighted when I get my computer back. I feel like my topic is very different from what others in the class are doing and that might make it hard for my topic to relate. Similarly it might be the reason why I seem to have to go in roundabout ways to get suitable sources for my topic.

Ultimately, I feel like I am at a good place with my topic. Thankfully, I still find it interesting, perhaps even more now than before. Hopefully the end result will be as cool as I am imagining.

Visual Proposal

A visual presentation of my proposal ideas can be found at:

http://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AYdrli-s5I-ZZDZrNDJoY18wZzg4cXIzdzU&hl=en

Authorship

Authorship is a very complex issue in the world today. Many of the readings we've had in this class have mentioned that most works of literature and art in the past were actually created through significant collaboration. Some have said that all authors are merely products of the world around them; therefore, all their works are likewise influenced by their influences.

It is my opinion that the idea of an author as a single individual wholly responsible for the work he or she creates and deserving of total control over the representation, presentation and proceeds of their work, is a modern concept. When the value of authorship was measured in social renown, there was no need for copyright laws, indeed many well known artists had studios full of underlings to actually paint their paintings. Also, prior to the worldwide dissemination of ideas available since the internet has taken off, it was easier for authors to get recognition for their work and harder for others to steal. Now, anything that is put on the web can be copied by just about anyone else and presented without credit or even with false representation.

I understand that people don't want to have their hard work stolen and profits for their efforts going into different hands. However, I agree with the earlier ideas that authorship should be valued by social renown. The profit for being a successful author should be in their popularity and public opinion. With value allocated in this way it is possible for all people to be authors and for all works to be shared, recreated and remixed. I feel that authorship is not something to be set beyond the scope of the average person. The feeling that I am capable of great creativity and thought equal to that of published and printed authors makes me more confident in my abilities and willing to work hard. On the other hand, I feel that when authorship is set beyond the average man's scope it represses the creativity and abilities of average people simply because they feel that such things are beyond them. On the whole, I feel that people are more successful when the majority of the population feel empowered and capable, than if they feel separated from creative values.

Revised Proposal

Technology has impacted every corner of our lives today and it goes far beyond the internet. Today artists have the ability to manipulate light and movement as much as paint and paper. I propose to write on the subject of multi-media writing in relation to the Free Art and Technology movement and the work of the Graffiti Research Lab. These organizations dedicate themselves to artistic expression and the freedom for individuals to create and experiment with art in their lives. This deals with issues of authorship in that artists are constantly reproducing and remixing the works of others as well as sharing their methods and mediums. In this way any one can be an artist and have ownership of what they create. However, the ideal of the artists involved in these groups is to have a world where artistic credit is nothing more than appreciation and the end results as well as the ability to recreate art are accessible to all.

The most critical issue facing these two groups is the freedom of creative expression. Is there a significant difference between graffiti and advertising? Both groups have had members imprisoned for their creative acts because they fall into the category of 'illegal graffiti.’ What is it that gives value to advertising that is not inherent in a single wall showcasing creative expression using paint and light?

What does ownership or authorship of art really mean? Some artists see the reproduction or remixing of their work as theft while others see it as creative expression. The Free Art & Technology group openly state that all their work is public domain and is free for all to "enjoy, use, modify, snipe about and republish." If this is the case then what does it really mean to be an artist? Can anyone be an artist?

I intend to explore the concept of ownership and authorship in terms of the artistic movement groups and societal views as related to modern forms of graffiti. I endeavor to find how art gains value and what impact modern technology has had on such value.

Bibliography:

“F.A.T. Free Art & Technology.” F.A.T. Free Art & Technology. http://fffff.at/. 9/14/09.

Holopainen, Shannon. “Six Theses On The TAG.” Art Crimes – The Writing on the Wall – graffiti art worldwide. http://www.graffiti.org/faq/holopainen.html. 9/14/09.

Hung, Wu. “Zhang Dali's Dialogue:
Conversation with a City.” Project MUSE. http://muse.jhu.edu.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/journals/public_culture/v012/12.3wu_hung.ht. 9/14/09.

Juarez, Geraldine. “kopyfamo’: free copyright for the masses.” F.A.T. Free Art & Technology. http://fffff.at/kopyfamo-free-copyright/. 9/14/09.

Powderly, James and Evan Roth. “Graffiti Research Lab.” Graffiti Research Lab. http://graffitiresearchlab.com/. 9/14/09.

Werwath, Timothy. “The Culture and Politics of Graffiti Art.” Art Crimes – The Writing on the Wall – graffiti art worldwide. http://www.graffiti.org/faq/werwath/werwath.html. 9/14/09.

Proposal

I propose to write on the subject of multi-media writing in relation to the Free Art and Technology movement and the work of the Graffiti Research Lab. These organizations dedicate themselves to artistic expression and the freedom for individuals to create and experiment with art in their lives. This deals with issues of authorship in that artists are sharing methods and mediums and constantly reproducing and remixing the works of others. In this way any one can be an artist and have ownership of what they create. However, the ideal is to have a world where the credit is nothing more than appreciation and the end results as well as the ability to recreate art are accessible to all.

Possibly the most critical element to these two groups is the freedom of creative expression. Is there a significant difference between graffiti and advertising? Both groups have had members imprisoned for their creative acts because they fall into the category of 'illegal graffiti'. What is it that gives value to advertising that is allowed to wallpaper entire city blocks that is not inherent in a single wall showcasing creative expression using paint and light? I feel the answer to this is highly tied into money. Many property owners want to be able to decide before hand what they allow to be posted on their premises; graffiti, however, does not allow for this.

The essential point is that art should be free. Any person should be able to recreate or remix anything they want for means of their own expression. As described above this meets much resistance when faced with issues of ownership. However, many artists have openly and actively created their art from the influences and beginnings of other artists. The Free Art & Techology group openly state that all their work is public domain and is free for all to "enjoy, use, modify, snipe about and republish."

The websites that I will primarily be using are the Graffiti Research Lab homepage (http://graffitiresearchlab.com/) and the Free Art & Technology homepage (http://fffff.at/). Some related sites are the eyebeam research site (http://eyebeam.org/research/research-groups) and the project compliation site of Evan Roth, a movement founder (http://evan-roth.com/).

Plagiarism - Response

These two articles were quite interesting to me because they expanded upon topics that have bothered and impacted my life for quite a while. Probably the most significant aspect these articles discussed (in my opinion) is the growing "contamination" or "anxiety" involved in creative endeavors of all- and multi-media. I feel the obsession with copyright and intellectual property is scaring people away from writing and thinking creatively because it creates an idea in the back of people's minds that their thoughts are likely not original and then one shouldn't bother. This is extremely depressing. I remember coming to realizations about literature and philosophy that made me so proud of myself and my cognitive abilities. However, seeing those conclusions printed in all or part, and generally paraphrased, in print works serves as a disappointment and discrediting of my thought process. It almost becomes more productive to rely solely on published works and citation when writing rather than fear the repercussions of accidental plagiarism.

The examples given of sampling in the arts throughout history indicate to me that, for a long time, the value of art was in the greater concepts and ideas presented by the artist. Reproduction for the purpose of generating a new concept seems like the furthest thing from the current idea of plagiarism - like the cut-and-paste writing style. It seems to me that current copyright laws focus on the surface of art, but this is exactly the aspect that, by its very nature, should exist in public commons. It tells people that their ideas are invalid unless they can be expressed by some surface image other than what has existed before. How can this be in a generation where movie plots are reduced to boy-meets-girl concepts months before the release? Or perhaps this is the reason behind this sense of copyright?

ENGL 303 Class Discussion

I feel like I grew up during the rise of the digital age. My family got its first computer when I was about 7. It was not connected to the internet and only displayed in orange and black. We used it to play games like solitaire, Frogger, Minesweeper and mah-jong. I don't remember quite when we got our first internet connected computer but I know that it was a bulky PC desktop which feels lightyears away from the slim MacBook Pro that I use today. I don't feel my family used the internet much until I was about 11 and that was still fairly limited.
I do not consider myself a "digital native" although I feel very competent in using digital technology now. I feel this way because I can think back and remember how significant changes in technology were to my family's usage and acceptance of the internet.
I can not pinpoint early memories of using the internet. They were probably during my early teen years following the news about my favorite singers and TV shows. Likewise I find it hard to think of a time that I was really inspired or had a strong emotional response with the internet. Usually I find that I react to the information being related rather than anything about the internet itself. I have been impressed with how much information is available now that wasn't before due to the internet; but, that has been a ongoing realization.