Engagement Journal

Art 415

12/18/2019

As this is the final day, I just finished up the presentation and just getting ready to present.

12/16/2019

NO CLASS

12/11/2019

I started working on the final presentation, and waiting on getting the prints so that we can trim them and have them fit the jewel case.

12/09/2019

The website is finished, I got ash to help me with the descriptions and over the weekend we were able to get the PDFs to Cromar so that they can be printed.

12/04/2019

I was absent but we are closer to the finish line than before. All I need now is to work on the descriptions for the CDs on the website, I’m not sure what Ash needs to finish on.

12/02/2019

Came back from break, couldn’t do much on the project because of working pretty much all of break but the one thing I changed was get rid of the one product that was either gonna be poster or a book because Ash knew that he wouldn’t have enough time to complete it in time for it to be printed.

11/25/2019-11/29/2019

THANKGIVING BREAK

11/20/2019

Since we still don’t know what the 3rd item will be, so I will help Ash out to collect a part of the song credits so that we can get closer to the finish line. I hope break will give us time to do get things done.

11/18/2019

I couldn’t find out how to change it so I put the opacity back to the drop menu. Now we need to figure out what the 3rd product will be for the “store” so I can finish the rest of the website.

11/13/2019

I finally figured out how to change the logo for the site identity and it looks so much better than the place holder image. The only thing that I need to find out is the opacity for the drop menu so the text is more visible than the background menu.

11/11/2019

Got a good portion of the website made before the weekend, just need to figure out how to fix the logo for the site identity and other little things.

11/06/2019

We had our presentation today because we weren’t ready to present Monday. It went well but we didn’t have enough feedback because we didn’t have much to show.

11/04/2019

We need to work on our presentation because we were ill prepared for today by the fact that work on it over the weekend.

10/30/2019

I am continuing to build the website and try to work on the presentation, probably won’t get a chance to get to the presentation.

10/28/2019

I hate “balancing” work and school work. I’m awful at it. Slow progressing with the website, and it’s coming along ok?

10/23/2019

With class starting I wanted to work on my project but just wasting my time trying to figure out with drop out menu. But the shelter in place happened and that took up the entire class.

10/21/2019

With a busy week last week and a busy weekend, I’m still falling behind on this project. I am hoping to get back on track this week. Fingers crossed

10/16/2019

Running a little behind on the project, got every text in the body to be seen more clearly. But, not everything is in progress that I’m needed to do.

10/14/2019

With class starting I had all the text customized fully, just need to work on making the text clearer to see.

10/09/2019

Walked in to class with the expectation of fully customizing the text and everything else. Which should be very easy to do.

10/07/2019

Presentations are today for the 400 level and I am ready to present. I just want to finish the look of the website for the front page. I would do it at home if I didn’t have other work outside of school.

10/02/2019

With my presentation done, I am able to work on continuing coding the website. But, I believe the 314 class is presenting today so I will pay attention in the beginning.

09/30/2019

Visiting artist came so we didn’t really have the presentations, so I worked on my presentation outside of class cause I wasn’t all too well to work on it in class.

09/23/2019

I think I will probably be behind on the class calendar because I didn’t work on the website because I had work that got in the way. I just need to figure out how to properly code in css

09/18/2019

So, I walked into class with something under my belt. I know how to get to the custom css page for our website/blog. The only thing is I am not that good with coding in css.

09/16/2019

Came to class, I already feel today being one of those days. I really need to figure out how to have custom css in the psu sites.

09/11/2019

Came into class ready to start my research on how to build the website for our project. I haven’t had the time to do it outside of class but I will try my best to keep up with the whole process

09/09/2019

Came into class a few minutes late because I forgot what time it started for 2 1/2 seconds. But, I am ready to start the day

09/04/2019

Came back after a three day weekend, and I am not really ready to be back. But, I am just ready to start working on what I need to do.

09/02/2019

NO CLASS – LABOR DAY

08/28/2019

Second day of class and I came into class to work on my learning contract and thesis with the semiotic square.

08/26/2019

It was the first day of class of a new semester.  We went over the syllabus and what we are expected to do throughout the semester.

Thesis Statement with Diagram

Art 415

This project is an audio and marketing package focusing on the distribution of digital and analog formats of a compilation album. Due to streaming services, the sales of Vinyl and CDs have plummeted. While Vinyl sales have been starting to rise over recent years the sales of CDs have barely started to gain traction but as of recent there are CD exclusive releases. This project came into mind with the intention of helping boost sales of both Vinyl, CD, and cassette releases. There is something special when owning a Vinyl or CD. You get to hold an artists copy of  their work whether that maybe the audio on the Vinyl or CD. As well as the packaging that was designed for that project. With streaming services you as a consumer lose a sense of ownership, touch and quality of audio.

The physical product will be produced to look like a CD you would buy in the store. It will include a booklet, the back inlay, CD art

A website will be designed with the intention of acting as a record label’s or musician’s website “promoting” and “selling” the compilation album. The website should look and function like a professional website.

All of this is a mock up and will not be produced to be sold.

(We’re not ready to be fully sued)

Module 6

Art 122Y

I think we don’t need a Post Postmodernism because of the fact we are still living in a Postmodernism era. We are continuously evolving with all of the digital advances within the art field world.  Pluralism is sufficient enough to describe and support the contemporary works. Living already postmodern world it would seem redundant to live in a post-postmodern art world. With postmodernism we have already broken the rules of what we should do to make “good art”.  Art and how we make art is subjective and up to the creator and their own intentions, skills, and personal experiences. Postmodernism doesn’t really have rules and the rules that it does have are more like guidelines because with postmodernism we can make however we want and with whatever we want. Pomo theoretical framework does still apply to postmodernism art work. It gives art its structure and or backbone. Essentially Pomo theoretical framework applies to the rules for art across the board.

Ed Ruscha is an American Postmodern artist born in 1937. Ed Ruscha is a great example of Postmodernism because of how he applies text to his artwork. He applies text and canvas with his piece Custom-Built Intrigue, 1981. This piece is just the phrase “Custom-Built Intrigue” painted on a blue and orange like canvas. From May 6-June 30, 2017 in New York Ed Ruscha had a show titled Custom-Built Intrigue: Drawing 1974-1984 which has various colored canvases with various phrases and quotes. He maintains the Postmodern framework by having multiple meanings in his artworks. In his Custom-Built Intrigue, it represents how there is multiple custom ways to interpret this piece to have it be intriguing.

Another artist would be Yayoi Kusama, who is a Japanese contemporary artist. Kusama has touched base on various mediums of contemporary art from painting, film, poetry and fashion. She uses shape, pumpkins and lines in her work. Kusama’s work has been described as unified and repetitive with her use of usually incorporating her signature polka dots. With her piece Kusama with Pumpkin, 2010 she has big pumpkin piece with polka dots and the color orange and black used throughout the piece. The color and polka dots are present in the surrounding installation and her own dress she designed herself.  She is able to maintain the framework of Postmodernism by having symbolism within her work as well as repetition of said symbols in the piece like the polka dots. She also incorporates this within the room that her pieces are occupying. Her artwork usually has polka dots infused with her work or fashion. Her fashion style can be defined as camp. It is usually over the top and fun. Camp fashion is still relevant in today’s media. Camp was the theme for the Met Gala in New York City on May 6, 2019.

I also have created a piece of work that would possibly considered postmodern. While looking at Ed Ruscha’s work, I realized how my piece resembles his pieces. It involves photo manipulation as well as text manipulation within Adobe Photoshop. With the bright colors and careful thought of what I wanted the symbols represent, I feel that it fits within Postmodernism.

Both these artist have and will continue to develop and create artwork in the postmodernism era of art. All these pieces that were discussed have the necessary structure to be considered postmodernism art. I don’t think it would be possible or necessary to develop a post-postmodernism art movement or at least not now. With technology the countless possibilities for art is endless. The past movements will always have some influences on future art and artists themselves.

References:

“Ed Ruscha: Custom-Built Intrigue: Drawings 1974–1984, 980 Madison Avenue, New York, May 6–June 30, 2017.” Gagosian, 12 Apr. 2018, gagosian.com/exhibitions/2017/ed-ruscha-custom-built-intrigue-drawings-1974-1984/.

Editorial, Artsy. “The Top 14 Living Artists of 2014.” Artsy, 19 Jan. 2015, http://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-the-top-14-living-artists-of-2014.

“Yayoi Kusama.” Artnet, http://www.artnet.com/artists/yayoi-kusama/.

“Yayoi Kusama.” Yayoi Kusama | Whitney Museum of American Art, whitney.org/Exhibitions/YayoiKusama.

Module 5

Art 122Y

In Cindy Sherman’s Untitled Film Series she definitely captures innocence of theory in the work. While that wasn’t exactly how she planned the series to come out it has attracted many theorist-critics.  The series captures innocence throughout the series. Each photo in the series portrays Sherman in various outfits, hairstyles, and settings. Sherman is essentially portraying a character in each photo. The lighting, perspective and the different poses all have influence on the tone of each picture. What I like about the series is how Sherman does capture that tone of innocence. Every Character in the series looks as if a random person was taking pictures of various women even though they’re all just Sherman in different costumes.

I feel that Sherman has the ability take certain themes or mediums and incorporate them into her work without fully relying on theories. When theorists and critics react to Sherman’s art this gives her the ability to see their points of views and what they believe which theories she uses help Sherman continue making interesting pieces. This allows Sherman to be able to continue making really interesting pieces of art without essentially thinking to much about the theories herself. In The Sex Pictures Sherman is expressing female sexuality. She is either the model in each picture or she is taking pictures of odd like sculptures she makes herself. I believe she is again using innocence in her work. I believe this series takes a darker approach to female sexuality as the imagery is either creepy and uncomfortable. This can be relatable to women who have been sexual and or exploring their own sexuality. Exploring sexuality can be uncomfortable and sometimes unfortunately scary for many. In one of the photos Sherman is portrayed blotting her shorts near her genital area which can represent a woman’s monthly period. That can be relatable for a young girl going through puberty and experiencing that for the first time. In one of the sculpture like photos you see a sculpture of a women. The women is naked and her face is a mask of an elderly women. There is a sculpture of a vagina that has pubic hair and there is something sticking out of the vagina. This could represent what society and what views they have on beauty standards. In today’s world women are told to be completely hair free except for the hair on their scalp. Pubic hair and armpit hair is considered to be gross on women which is ridiculous since we all have armpit hair and pubic hair. The elderly face mask could represent how society believes that when you reach a certain age you don’t like to engage in sexual activities and if you do then you’re gross or weird.

I don’t think an artist has to always be consciously be guided by theory. I think it’s done for an artist to start with a theme and build from that. When an artist has completed their work I think it’s important for them to think about what theory they believe is associated with their work. This gives them the ability to discuss those theories with critics and theorists. It is important for an artist to understand theory so that they can properly showcase and talk about their art. Some creative consequences on a personal or global level could be the backlash of the themes of the work. If the art talks about difficult topics this can offend some viewers and cause controversy. It is important for that artist to be to talk and stand by their work so they can bring awareness to the issues or viewpoints they bring to life within their work.