The Documentary Scratch offered a truly insightful look on the history and nature of a music that I had previously been relatively ignorant about. It's interesting that so much information is to be had about a musical style that is still relatively quite young. The documentary did an excellent job of capturing the scratching phenomenon form then perspectives of many different artists and active participants.
Bill Viola's video art was truly astounding to me. There is something so pleasing about how he uses video to capture the essences of particular moments and actions, as well as more abstract audio and visual stimuli. He captures small things, like dripping water, a long hallway, a meeting between friends, and forces the viewer to pay attention to the smallest details and aspects of it.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Museum of the Moving Image.
I absolutely loved the trip to the Museum of the Moving Image. While I was familliar with some of the basic principals of film technology, it was great to see firsthand, up close, some of the early moving picture gadgets, as well as the modern techniques for animation and sound design. The museum features so many hands on, interactive exhibits, which are rare in many more traditional museums. I love these, because I am a very hands on learner. It is often difficult for me to retain knowledge and understanding unless I can play around with something and learn about it on a direct level. The most fascinating thing I saw there was definitely the spinning sculpture that used a strobe light to create an animated effect. I had never seen anything like that, and didn't even conceive that something like that might be possible. Coming away from the museum, I'd say I have a better understanding not only of film theory and technology, but of how the human eye sees and arranges images.
New Media Reader 649-733
1991: Cardboard Computers published.
1991: The Lessons of Lucasfilms Habitat published.
1991: Seeing and Writing published.
1991: You Say you want a Revolution? published.
1992: The End of Books published.
1993: Timeframes published.
These excerpts in the book tended to focus more and more on the nature of design in new media, and the implications of creating technologies for participants. Cardboard Computers discussed the importance of creating mock ups and testing technology through user participation, in order to better improve interfaces and human-computer interaction. The end of books offered an interesting insight on what hypertext and the web might mean to older media, and how the overarching medium of text expression could be used and adapted to a hypertext based world. Most interesting to me, however, was the essay about Lucasfilms' Habitat, the earliest massively multi player online game. Having played a couple of massively multiplayer games myself, I was unaware of how early the concept began, and just how complex its beginnings were. I always find that massively multiplayer experiences either suffer from being too much of a game or too little. For instance, I felt that World of Warcraft, while requiring that users work together to accomplish tasks and meet goals, the experience is still ultimately one of playing within a game space, as opposed to living in a virtual environment. Players cannot build things or affect the world of the game in any significant manner. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Second Life, which is not a game, but a pure virtual space, completely defined and constructed by its inhabitants. Because of its complete lack of narrative and game-like goals (most people seem to be in Second Life to make some cash), I found exploring Second Life akin to flying around a large, boring, virtual shopping mall. Very few online experiences have successfully provided I dynamic, malleable world in which an interesting communal game experience can also be had. Habitat is so fascinating because it seems that the development team dealt with similar issues, and the online world actually evolved certain simplistic forms of government based on user consensus and encouragement by the development team. In the realm of Massively Multi player games, World of Warcraft still reigns supreme, and all others are compared to it, and most recent MMO's all appear as failing to be World of Warcraft. I believe the next true evolutionary step for Massively Multi player entertainment will be an online space that can achieve a world that is truly dynamic and user, affected, yet also provide interesting, game-like interactions, challenges and narratives.
1991: The Lessons of Lucasfilms Habitat published.
1991: Seeing and Writing published.
1991: You Say you want a Revolution? published.
1992: The End of Books published.
1993: Timeframes published.
These excerpts in the book tended to focus more and more on the nature of design in new media, and the implications of creating technologies for participants. Cardboard Computers discussed the importance of creating mock ups and testing technology through user participation, in order to better improve interfaces and human-computer interaction. The end of books offered an interesting insight on what hypertext and the web might mean to older media, and how the overarching medium of text expression could be used and adapted to a hypertext based world. Most interesting to me, however, was the essay about Lucasfilms' Habitat, the earliest massively multi player online game. Having played a couple of massively multiplayer games myself, I was unaware of how early the concept began, and just how complex its beginnings were. I always find that massively multiplayer experiences either suffer from being too much of a game or too little. For instance, I felt that World of Warcraft, while requiring that users work together to accomplish tasks and meet goals, the experience is still ultimately one of playing within a game space, as opposed to living in a virtual environment. Players cannot build things or affect the world of the game in any significant manner. On the opposite end of the spectrum is Second Life, which is not a game, but a pure virtual space, completely defined and constructed by its inhabitants. Because of its complete lack of narrative and game-like goals (most people seem to be in Second Life to make some cash), I found exploring Second Life akin to flying around a large, boring, virtual shopping mall. Very few online experiences have successfully provided I dynamic, malleable world in which an interesting communal game experience can also be had. Habitat is so fascinating because it seems that the development team dealt with similar issues, and the online world actually evolved certain simplistic forms of government based on user consensus and encouragement by the development team. In the realm of Massively Multi player games, World of Warcraft still reigns supreme, and all others are compared to it, and most recent MMO's all appear as failing to be World of Warcraft. I believe the next true evolutionary step for Massively Multi player entertainment will be an online space that can achieve a world that is truly dynamic and user, affected, yet also provide interesting, game-like interactions, challenges and narratives.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Comics
I was thoroughly interested and entertained by the history of comics documentary in class. While comic books are such a major part of modern pop culture, their history and nature is largely unknown, and something which I have not explored much myself. I was unaware of the severity of laws against comics early on, which seems strikingly similar to the current debate surrounding violence in digital games. Debates about violence, corruption, and societal degradation seem to be the normal birth pains for any new and revolutionary medium.
My personal Favorite Web Comic is xkcd. It's sometimes above my head, as it often deals with advanced mathematics and computer science, things which I have very little grasp of, although I'm working on the computer science. However, the author takes al sort of geekery and silliness, and brings it to a charming, human level. His simple stick figure drawings serve only as background for his sarcastic wit and clever puns and situations.
My personal Favorite Web Comic is xkcd. It's sometimes above my head, as it often deals with advanced mathematics and computer science, things which I have very little grasp of, although I'm working on the computer science. However, the author takes al sort of geekery and silliness, and brings it to a charming, human level. His simple stick figure drawings serve only as background for his sarcastic wit and clever puns and situations.
New Media Reader pp:585 - 647
TIMELINE:
1986: Langdon Winner publishes Mythinformation
1987: Lucy Suchman publishes Plans and Situated Actions
1988: Michael Joyce Publishes Siren Shapes, Bill Nichols publishes The Work of Culture in the Age of Cybernetic Systems
1990: Lynn Hershman publishes The Fantasy Beyond Control
As the New Media Reader continues into the modern age, the essays contained therein are becoming less and less speculative and awe-struck by modern technology, and instead are increasingly focused on specifically how advanced technologies might shape society, art, and human interaction. Of particular interest was Winner's Mythinformation, which sought to put to rest the idea that technology will automatically bring about social change. I myself have been of the opinion that the internet and the availability of information will almost inevitably increase natural democracy. However, every new medium throughout history has increased the accessibility of information, most have not led to democratic utopia. Granted, of course, that the internet is unparalleled in nature and scope. This does not mean, however, that it cannot be controlled and bought. I also appreciated Nichol's exploration of simulation and interactivity in culture. Being quite interested in digital games and interactive entertainment, the nature of expression and culture within interactivity is a fascinating topic for me.
1986: Langdon Winner publishes Mythinformation
1987: Lucy Suchman publishes Plans and Situated Actions
1988: Michael Joyce Publishes Siren Shapes, Bill Nichols publishes The Work of Culture in the Age of Cybernetic Systems
1990: Lynn Hershman publishes The Fantasy Beyond Control
As the New Media Reader continues into the modern age, the essays contained therein are becoming less and less speculative and awe-struck by modern technology, and instead are increasingly focused on specifically how advanced technologies might shape society, art, and human interaction. Of particular interest was Winner's Mythinformation, which sought to put to rest the idea that technology will automatically bring about social change. I myself have been of the opinion that the internet and the availability of information will almost inevitably increase natural democracy. However, every new medium throughout history has increased the accessibility of information, most have not led to democratic utopia. Granted, of course, that the internet is unparalleled in nature and scope. This does not mean, however, that it cannot be controlled and bought. I also appreciated Nichol's exploration of simulation and interactivity in culture. Being quite interested in digital games and interactive entertainment, the nature of expression and culture within interactivity is a fascinating topic for me.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Eric Rosenthal
Eric Rosenthal's lecture on his current work was really gripping. While many of the necessary scientific and biological concepts for a more complete understanding were out of my experiential range, he has a way of explaining things that make them seem so obvious that one cannot help but assume his theories are correct. I was truly impressed by his modesty and reserve, which was considerable, considering he could quite possibly revolutionize both technology and biology.
New Media Reader 339-441
1974: Theater of the Oppressed is published.
1975: Soft Architecture Machines is published.
1976: Computer Power and Human Reason published.
1977: Responsive Environments published. Personal Dynamic Media published.
1980: A Thousand Plateaus published, Mindstorms published, "Put-That-There" published.
Mid-1980's: Boal returns to Brazil.
1985: Opening of MIT's Media Lab.
1992: Boal runs for political office and wins.
This section of The New Media Reader dealt primarily with philosophies and potentialities for human-computer interaction. I was especially interested in sections about responsive environments and virtual reality. Living in an age of constant and increasing human/computer interaction, seeing the history of the theory that computer should adapt more to people, and not vice-versa. Most interesting to me were sections, especially in Responsive Environments and Personal Dynamic Media, about using computers for education. Since their advent, children have had to take special classes and work hard to learn, over time, to properly use computers. I find great merit in the pursuit of computers and programs that can serve children and offer them greater education, as opposed to children being forced to adapt.
1975: Soft Architecture Machines is published.
1976: Computer Power and Human Reason published.
1977: Responsive Environments published. Personal Dynamic Media published.
1980: A Thousand Plateaus published, Mindstorms published, "Put-That-There" published.
Mid-1980's: Boal returns to Brazil.
1985: Opening of MIT's Media Lab.
1992: Boal runs for political office and wins.
This section of The New Media Reader dealt primarily with philosophies and potentialities for human-computer interaction. I was especially interested in sections about responsive environments and virtual reality. Living in an age of constant and increasing human/computer interaction, seeing the history of the theory that computer should adapt more to people, and not vice-versa. Most interesting to me were sections, especially in Responsive Environments and Personal Dynamic Media, about using computers for education. Since their advent, children have had to take special classes and work hard to learn, over time, to properly use computers. I find great merit in the pursuit of computers and programs that can serve children and offer them greater education, as opposed to children being forced to adapt.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Ingo Maurer
Before getting to the Cooper-Hewitt, I was skeptical about going to see Ingo Maurer's work. I thought I was going to spend an afternoon looking at designer light fixtures. As soon as we arrived however, and I saw a poster in the lobby of a hanging lamp made out of exploding porcelain Buddha's and chopsticks, I knew I was in for something a little more interesting. This feeling compounded upon arriving upstairs and looking at Maurer's "sketchbook" of interesting objects haphazardly arranged in sort of chunky, vague idea-forms.
The actual exhibit exceeded all of my expectation. Maurer takes lighting and transforms a space, creating a kind of electric sculpture that compliments and maintains synergy with the surrounding space. The most fascinating thing about his work is its general stylistic inconsistency. While certain motifs were repeated, like explosions and hearts, the works themselves echoed everything from Asian-style paper work, to art deco, to hypnotic blue installations. Knowing nothing about Maurer beforehand, I was quite impressed, and will keep an eye out for his work from now on.
The actual exhibit exceeded all of my expectation. Maurer takes lighting and transforms a space, creating a kind of electric sculpture that compliments and maintains synergy with the surrounding space. The most fascinating thing about his work is its general stylistic inconsistency. While certain motifs were repeated, like explosions and hearts, the works themselves echoed everything from Asian-style paper work, to art deco, to hypnotic blue installations. Knowing nothing about Maurer beforehand, I was quite impressed, and will keep an eye out for his work from now on.
New Media Reader 249-338
Timeline:
1970: Software Exhibition. Constituents of a Theory of the Media published
1972: Requiem for the Media and Television: Technology and the Society published.
1974: Computer Lib / Dream Machines published.
This section of the book departed from previous sections in that the book now starts to focus on media theory and philosophy, as opposed to the earlier more technical and historical documents. Constituents of a Theory of the Media was particularly engaging. Enzensberger clearly realizes that a massive change in media distribution and media experience is in effect, essentially foretelling many modern uses of the web in his suggestions on massive networks of video and new media distribution. I found his guarded optimism about the potential of new media refreshing amidst an often fearful environment when it comes to new technologies. In only a couple of paragraphs he refuted McLuhan's "The Media is the Message" doctrine, insisting that new media can and must be used to further democratize society. The essay, and Baudrillard's response, were clearly intentionally sandwiched between a section on the Software Exhibition, and excerpts from Computer Lib / Dream Machines, both of which, especially the latter, champion computers as being far more malleable, adaptable and potentially friendly than many let on at the time. Nelson's work, full of friendly language and colorful illustrations, predicts many of the uses of the personal computer, as well as many conceptualizations for presently existing programs. More than anything, the readings this week illustrated a departure from straight technical adcvancement, and became a theory and fortelling of mass personal computing, as well as mass participation in media.
1970: Software Exhibition. Constituents of a Theory of the Media published
1972: Requiem for the Media and Television: Technology and the Society published.
1974: Computer Lib / Dream Machines published.
This section of the book departed from previous sections in that the book now starts to focus on media theory and philosophy, as opposed to the earlier more technical and historical documents. Constituents of a Theory of the Media was particularly engaging. Enzensberger clearly realizes that a massive change in media distribution and media experience is in effect, essentially foretelling many modern uses of the web in his suggestions on massive networks of video and new media distribution. I found his guarded optimism about the potential of new media refreshing amidst an often fearful environment when it comes to new technologies. In only a couple of paragraphs he refuted McLuhan's "The Media is the Message" doctrine, insisting that new media can and must be used to further democratize society. The essay, and Baudrillard's response, were clearly intentionally sandwiched between a section on the Software Exhibition, and excerpts from Computer Lib / Dream Machines, both of which, especially the latter, champion computers as being far more malleable, adaptable and potentially friendly than many let on at the time. Nelson's work, full of friendly language and colorful illustrations, predicts many of the uses of the personal computer, as well as many conceptualizations for presently existing programs. More than anything, the readings this week illustrated a departure from straight technical adcvancement, and became a theory and fortelling of mass personal computing, as well as mass participation in media.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Burroughs, Paik, McLuhan
As I am currently about midway through, William Burroughs' Naked Lunch, I payed particular attention while watching the DVD on Burroughs. Although we only got to see a little bit of it, the DVD really offered a glimpse into the mind of the writer. Even in watching him speak during the interview, one can notice the style of thought that comes forth in his writing. My favorite aspect of the documentary was seeing the contrast between Burrough's writing, which is dark, violent, and often very grotesque, and Burroughs in a normal conversation, where he exposes himself as being extremely intelligent, articulate, and well read. This alone exposes that his work, although often haphazard, has very specific authorial intent.
Often when I think about video art, I think of what is on the screen itself. I look at how the artist manipulates and edits the film. I rarely take into account the surrounding environment. What Impressed me about Nam June Paik was not necessarily the video work itself, but how well he integrated video as form and content into large sculptures and installations. The DVD really offered insight into a wide variety of his work. It sparked in me a definite interest in the artist, and I will look deeper into his work in the future.
The DVD biography of Marshall McLuhan was a little bit silly, to say the least. The narrator used too much over the top language and description that felt out of place in a straight documentary. The animation of the Maelstrom was also overused and felt forced. That being said, the documentary was, once again, a very valuable insight. McLuhan's character did not come out as thoroughly in The New Media Reader as it did in the film. The DVD summed up his character very well. In the short time I learned about his faith and attitude towards life. Most importantly was the information about his opinion of technology. Although we did not get to see all of the four questions he said should be asked about a new invention, I thought the questions themselves were very well thought out and important in a technological age. His competing interest and fear of gregarious technology carry a vital message today.
Often when I think about video art, I think of what is on the screen itself. I look at how the artist manipulates and edits the film. I rarely take into account the surrounding environment. What Impressed me about Nam June Paik was not necessarily the video work itself, but how well he integrated video as form and content into large sculptures and installations. The DVD really offered insight into a wide variety of his work. It sparked in me a definite interest in the artist, and I will look deeper into his work in the future.
The DVD biography of Marshall McLuhan was a little bit silly, to say the least. The narrator used too much over the top language and description that felt out of place in a straight documentary. The animation of the Maelstrom was also overused and felt forced. That being said, the documentary was, once again, a very valuable insight. McLuhan's character did not come out as thoroughly in The New Media Reader as it did in the film. The DVD summed up his character very well. In the short time I learned about his faith and attitude towards life. Most importantly was the information about his opinion of technology. Although we did not get to see all of the four questions he said should be asked about a new invention, I thought the questions themselves were very well thought out and important in a technological age. His competing interest and fear of gregarious technology carry a vital message today.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
History of the Internet, Chess Pieces, Second Life, Ken Perlin
The History of the Internet documentary was very well done. It focused very well on the humble beginnings of the single most important technology of the past century. The film managed to get a huge amount of information and history across within an impressively short time frame. It also managed to explain a lot of technical aspects of the internet, like packet-switching systems, without resorting to too much unfriendly technical jargon.
Upon viewing the Documentary about John Cage's Chess Pieces, I found it to be a pretty heavy lecture, rather stale and void of passion. However, the film did do very well to cement John Cage as an amazing multimedia artist. Through Chess Pieces, he managed to create a piece that was both visually beautiful, but also had an accompanying soundtrack, all achieved through the medium of paint. Whereas a modern artist might use a computer to create a combined audio-visual piece, Cage used traditional media of paint and music composition to create something new through combination.
The articles on Second Life that describe car shows, orchestras, and performers, were really fascinating to me. Though the novelty of second life may wear off after a time, it holds an interesting role in cyberspace. Second Life exists as a virtual land of do-as-you-please, in which any user can create content, given the right skill set. However, this is essentially what the web is all about. In an age where more and more people are computer-literate, the web itself is a kind of second life, where everyone is now creating content and interacting based on that content. What Second Life really offers is a visualization in 3d space of shared content, which in and of itself is actually very important. The appeal of Second Life lies in the fact that it is simply the internet represented in 3d as a landscape. Instead of websites, Second Life users rent "sims", plots of land on which they can place any content they wish. Second Life's success lies in that it take the two dimensional display of a web browser, and brings it into a novel, three dimensional display. Whether it will evolve enough to last is difficult to say.
Seeing Ken Perlin's work first hand, as explained by him was a great view into the mind of someone so passionate about computer technology. While much of his work is related to AI, and replicating human though processes and theatricality, it is clear that he truly believes that computers can make the world a better place, and that technology is key in education. While playing around with the applications on his site was interesting and fun, hearing Ken explain the intent behind them really gave me a deep respect for him and his work
Upon viewing the Documentary about John Cage's Chess Pieces, I found it to be a pretty heavy lecture, rather stale and void of passion. However, the film did do very well to cement John Cage as an amazing multimedia artist. Through Chess Pieces, he managed to create a piece that was both visually beautiful, but also had an accompanying soundtrack, all achieved through the medium of paint. Whereas a modern artist might use a computer to create a combined audio-visual piece, Cage used traditional media of paint and music composition to create something new through combination.
The articles on Second Life that describe car shows, orchestras, and performers, were really fascinating to me. Though the novelty of second life may wear off after a time, it holds an interesting role in cyberspace. Second Life exists as a virtual land of do-as-you-please, in which any user can create content, given the right skill set. However, this is essentially what the web is all about. In an age where more and more people are computer-literate, the web itself is a kind of second life, where everyone is now creating content and interacting based on that content. What Second Life really offers is a visualization in 3d space of shared content, which in and of itself is actually very important. The appeal of Second Life lies in the fact that it is simply the internet represented in 3d as a landscape. Instead of websites, Second Life users rent "sims", plots of land on which they can place any content they wish. Second Life's success lies in that it take the two dimensional display of a web browser, and brings it into a novel, three dimensional display. Whether it will evolve enough to last is difficult to say.
Seeing Ken Perlin's work first hand, as explained by him was a great view into the mind of someone so passionate about computer technology. While much of his work is related to AI, and replicating human though processes and theatricality, it is clear that he truly believes that computers can make the world a better place, and that technology is key in education. While playing around with the applications on his site was interesting and fun, hearing Ken explain the intent behind them really gave me a deep respect for him and his work
Chelsea Galleries
I found Eddo Stern's pieces to be very thought provoking in their use of web and game popular icons to form new visual forms. His motorized shadow puppets were visually beautiful at first glance, and then hilarious when one recognizes the form of Steven Segal flexing numerous appendages, or Chuck Norris fending off a lion with his bare hands. His pieces dealing with online gaming forums were particularly revealing about not only gaming but cyber culture in general. In the anonymous realm of the internet and text-based forums, people are often more willing to expose themselves emotionally and politically than they might be in person. One piece, a face made up of icons and characters from World of Warcraft and other online games, presented excerpts from an actual online debate about a boy's Christian family and their conflict with his online gaming habit.
My favorite piece, perhaps of the whole day, was Daniel Rozin's Weave Mirror, entirely for its stunning visual appeal, and use of technology in a piece that felt so organic. Watching an entirely organic looking piece morph and shift in reaction to movement in real time was infinitely pleasurable. Rozin masterfully blended traditional aesthetics with high technology to create the piece.
The pieces we saw at Eyebeam all seemed to have one thing in common, being a theme of interconnectivity with the real world. The hut for sheltering illegal immigrants, the video balloon, and the mock airline were directly influenced by and commented on extremely current issues. The Airline used computer technology to the most interesting effect, being able theoretically to update itself in real time based on actual flights carrying prisoners around the world. This gave the piece and undeniable eeriness and immediacy.
My favorite piece, perhaps of the whole day, was Daniel Rozin's Weave Mirror, entirely for its stunning visual appeal, and use of technology in a piece that felt so organic. Watching an entirely organic looking piece morph and shift in reaction to movement in real time was infinitely pleasurable. Rozin masterfully blended traditional aesthetics with high technology to create the piece.
The pieces we saw at Eyebeam all seemed to have one thing in common, being a theme of interconnectivity with the real world. The hut for sheltering illegal immigrants, the video balloon, and the mock airline were directly influenced by and commented on extremely current issues. The Airline used computer technology to the most interesting effect, being able theoretically to update itself in real time based on actual flights carrying prisoners around the world. This gave the piece and undeniable eeriness and immediacy.
Dan Kanemoto and Dan Blank
I really appreciated the personal style and feeling put into every drawing of Dan Kanemoto's Letter From the Western Front short animated film. In a modern technological era when whole movies are done using entirely computer effects at massive budgets, it was refreshing to see hand painted and drawn images, augmented and set to motion using a computer. With this method, Kanemoto managed to merge traditional animation with computer effects and motion, to bring out the best aspects of each method.
Dan Blank's Shadowplay achieves a similar success, albeit with a different kind of animation. Everything three dimensional in the piece was created with clay and animated in traditional stop-motion. The two dimensional figures of the shadows and posters were then animated via computer. This particular style really succeeded in separating and contrasting the three dimensional, tactile world of the living, with the flat world of shadows.
Dan Blank's Shadowplay achieves a similar success, albeit with a different kind of animation. Everything three dimensional in the piece was created with clay and animated in traditional stop-motion. The two dimensional figures of the shadows and posters were then animated via computer. This particular style really succeeded in separating and contrasting the three dimensional, tactile world of the living, with the flat world of shadows.
To page 246 in The New Media Reader
TIME LINE:
1960's: Idea of intrinsic importance of medium gains popularity.
1966: Founding of E.A.T.
1968: ARC Technological demonstration.
The main focus of this portion of the book was on artists, mostly of the sixties, and their views and usage of New Media in art; as well as the meaning of computer and electronic media in the artistic sphere. What I found quite interesting was Macluhan's take on meaning within a medium itself. He describes a light bulb as being a medium in and of itself, as a transmitter of information. Any information actually transmitted, in the form of words or light, actually constitutes a separate medium. This led me to start thinking about the computer and the internet in these terms. A computer, while often a medium in and of itself, as become the main method for transmitting information and other media. The transition medium (computer, light bulb), may actually have more intrinsic meaning than the media transmitted.
It was ideas like Macluhan's that clearly led to the founding of the E.A.T. I have always been personally fascinated by the exploration of technology as a means of artistic expression, so this portion of the text was really interesting to read. The piece that I found most interesting in its melding of technical and artistic intent was John Cage's piece in which sound and light were generated by the nuances of a tennis match, which used a chaotic game to control the output of a rigid technological structure.
1960's: Idea of intrinsic importance of medium gains popularity.
1966: Founding of E.A.T.
1968: ARC Technological demonstration.
The main focus of this portion of the book was on artists, mostly of the sixties, and their views and usage of New Media in art; as well as the meaning of computer and electronic media in the artistic sphere. What I found quite interesting was Macluhan's take on meaning within a medium itself. He describes a light bulb as being a medium in and of itself, as a transmitter of information. Any information actually transmitted, in the form of words or light, actually constitutes a separate medium. This led me to start thinking about the computer and the internet in these terms. A computer, while often a medium in and of itself, as become the main method for transmitting information and other media. The transition medium (computer, light bulb), may actually have more intrinsic meaning than the media transmitted.
It was ideas like Macluhan's that clearly led to the founding of the E.A.T. I have always been personally fascinated by the exploration of technology as a means of artistic expression, so this portion of the text was really interesting to read. The piece that I found most interesting in its melding of technical and artistic intent was John Cage's piece in which sound and light were generated by the nuances of a tennis match, which used a chaotic game to control the output of a rigid technological structure.
Monday, October 15, 2007
pages 73- 189 of The New Media Reader
Timeline:
1950's and 60's: "Happenings" organized by Allan Kaprow and others.
1961: First appearance of The Cut-Up Method of Brion Gysin.
1962: Licklider assumes leadership of ARPA.
1962: Englebart writes Augmenting Human Intellect.
1963: Ivan Sutherland writes his essay on Sketchpad.
1964: Ascott's Construction of Change.
1965: Nelson's A file structure for the Complex, the Changing, and the Indeterminate.
1969: Second ARPANET node constructed.
1988: Englebart publishes A History of Personal Workstations.
I found the most interesting essays in this section of the book to be the essays on easing and encouraging interaction between humans and computers. Namely, Man-Computer Symbiosis and Augmenting Human Intellect. These essays, though written quite early in the computer age, still resound as we continue through the digital revolution. They champion the computer as having incredible potential as the most useful of tools. The essays suggest using the computer to carry out mundane, organization and mathematical tasks which might normally waste the time of a person. Using a computer for these tasks, leaves human researchers with the tasks that they are better suited for, namely creative and intellectual ones. A File Structure for the Complex further expanded on the theme of eased interaction, predicting (rather accurately) a filing system for computers, with many nods back to Bush's idea of the Memex machine.
This theme of human-computer interaction continued through Ivan Sutherland's essay about his Sketchpad program, essentially the progenitor of all modern graphical user interfaces and graphical drawing programs. It is amazing to me that after so long we are still looking for better and more efficient ways to interact with machines. One revolutionary innovation, which I believe will soon take the world by storm, is the use of multi-touch consoles and interfaces (TED video link). These interfaces introduce manual quasi-tactile manipulation to computers, which seems to me the next logical step after graphical user interfaces.
The New York Happenings, while not a digital phenomenon in and of themselves, certainly relate to the advent of the web as a creative and collaborative environment. The most interesting connection I found was that the happenings, much like the current incarnation of the world wide web, did not always have a clear delineation between performer and audience, or between concrete content and improvisation. Much like the web, these happenings were collaborations and conversations between and among the performers and the audiance. One might also draw a connection to virtual environments like Second Life, in which every user must invoke some sort of character in his or her Avatar, and occupy some fictional space.
1950's and 60's: "Happenings" organized by Allan Kaprow and others.
1961: First appearance of The Cut-Up Method of Brion Gysin.
1962: Licklider assumes leadership of ARPA.
1962: Englebart writes Augmenting Human Intellect.
1963: Ivan Sutherland writes his essay on Sketchpad.
1964: Ascott's Construction of Change.
1965: Nelson's A file structure for the Complex, the Changing, and the Indeterminate.
1969: Second ARPANET node constructed.
1988: Englebart publishes A History of Personal Workstations.
I found the most interesting essays in this section of the book to be the essays on easing and encouraging interaction between humans and computers. Namely, Man-Computer Symbiosis and Augmenting Human Intellect. These essays, though written quite early in the computer age, still resound as we continue through the digital revolution. They champion the computer as having incredible potential as the most useful of tools. The essays suggest using the computer to carry out mundane, organization and mathematical tasks which might normally waste the time of a person. Using a computer for these tasks, leaves human researchers with the tasks that they are better suited for, namely creative and intellectual ones. A File Structure for the Complex further expanded on the theme of eased interaction, predicting (rather accurately) a filing system for computers, with many nods back to Bush's idea of the Memex machine.
This theme of human-computer interaction continued through Ivan Sutherland's essay about his Sketchpad program, essentially the progenitor of all modern graphical user interfaces and graphical drawing programs. It is amazing to me that after so long we are still looking for better and more efficient ways to interact with machines. One revolutionary innovation, which I believe will soon take the world by storm, is the use of multi-touch consoles and interfaces (TED video link). These interfaces introduce manual quasi-tactile manipulation to computers, which seems to me the next logical step after graphical user interfaces.
The New York Happenings, while not a digital phenomenon in and of themselves, certainly relate to the advent of the web as a creative and collaborative environment. The most interesting connection I found was that the happenings, much like the current incarnation of the world wide web, did not always have a clear delineation between performer and audience, or between concrete content and improvisation. Much like the web, these happenings were collaborations and conversations between and among the performers and the audiance. One might also draw a connection to virtual environments like Second Life, in which every user must invoke some sort of character in his or her Avatar, and occupy some fictional space.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
New Media Reader pp. 35 - 72, and Borges Documentary
Timeline:
1940 - Vannevar Bush's "Iron Triangle". Military-Industrial-Academic.
1943 - British Colossus computers under construction.
1945 - Publication of Bush's "As we may think"
Early 1950's-Computerized billing systems are in use at businesses.
1951- Hopper programs the first compiler, programming languages enter use.
Pages 35-72 of The New Media Reader dealt very much with the thoughts of men who experienced the earliest stages of the computer revolution. As such, their writings are filled with wonder and concern at the power of the machine and the implications of that power.
The most interesting part of Vannevar Bush's As We May Think is of course the "Memex" machine. It is a theoretical precursor to the modern personal computer, and as a mechanical marvel represents only a fraction of the potentialities of the World Wide Web. Bush's machine can amazingly store huge amounts of data via microfilm and other methods of recording. He envisions scientists and scholars sharing data and links with each other to form not only new methods of storage but essentially new methods of research and thought. Little could Bush imagine the modern day computer. Free of mechanical parts like spools of microfilm, yet full of entirely digitized libraries. The power of the Web mirrors Bush's ideas of massive-scale information sharing, if all Memex machines the world over could communicate and exchange information and links with one another. Bush's work illustrates the power that new media have on imagination. Bush could see a computational and information revolution occurring in the near future, but the actual form it would take would be even more bewildering.
Turing's Computing Machinery and Intelligence is an interesting piece because it deals with all arguments about artificial intelligence and computer power in one fell swoop, even before the coining of the term artificial intelligence. He immediately disposes of unscientific arguments about the nature of the soul, among other theological issues. He even seems somehow opposed to using the word "intelligence" when describing a machine. His essay simply puts forth that one day a computer may be powerful enough to trick a human in his "imitation game" scenario. I found especially interesting his ideas on a learning computer which, instead of being fully programmed at inception, instead is "raised" like a child by a team of technicians. A computer programmed in such a way, it seems, would offer the best chance of winning at Turing's imitation scenario.
Like the other essay's, Wiener's Men, Machines, and the World About had an air of awe at the power now imparted unto humanity via our machines. He openly discusses that at this point almost anything is feasible, given enough resources and man hours he foresees the automatic factory and both its military and civilian uses. The most potent part of the essay, however, is his warning against technological idolatry. He compares technology to the biblical "golden calf" and reminds us how easily we become awe struck by our own creations. Perhaps the most important part of his message is when he writes, "We shall have to realize that while we may make the machines our gods and sacrifice men to machines, we do not have to do so. If we do so, we deserve the punishment of the idolators". Wiener seeks to remind us that it is we who control machines, and choose how to use them, not the other way around.
The documentary on Borges was interesting, especially as a supplement to the class, because it portrayed the author as he was, a rather lofty nontechnical sort of person. The Garden of Forking Paths has had a large influence on computer science and on the nature of the web. Yet, it can be said with some certainty this was not Borges' intent. As a writer of fiction, Borges' simply was making an interesting commentary on the nature of information flow through time, and our relationship to that flow. Borges serves as an excellent example of how all things influence each other. A lofty writer of short stories, often fantastical ones, is named as a major influence of the technological age.
1940 - Vannevar Bush's "Iron Triangle". Military-Industrial-Academic.
1943 - British Colossus computers under construction.
1945 - Publication of Bush's "As we may think"
Early 1950's-Computerized billing systems are in use at businesses.
1951- Hopper programs the first compiler, programming languages enter use.
Pages 35-72 of The New Media Reader dealt very much with the thoughts of men who experienced the earliest stages of the computer revolution. As such, their writings are filled with wonder and concern at the power of the machine and the implications of that power.
The most interesting part of Vannevar Bush's As We May Think is of course the "Memex" machine. It is a theoretical precursor to the modern personal computer, and as a mechanical marvel represents only a fraction of the potentialities of the World Wide Web. Bush's machine can amazingly store huge amounts of data via microfilm and other methods of recording. He envisions scientists and scholars sharing data and links with each other to form not only new methods of storage but essentially new methods of research and thought. Little could Bush imagine the modern day computer. Free of mechanical parts like spools of microfilm, yet full of entirely digitized libraries. The power of the Web mirrors Bush's ideas of massive-scale information sharing, if all Memex machines the world over could communicate and exchange information and links with one another. Bush's work illustrates the power that new media have on imagination. Bush could see a computational and information revolution occurring in the near future, but the actual form it would take would be even more bewildering.
Turing's Computing Machinery and Intelligence is an interesting piece because it deals with all arguments about artificial intelligence and computer power in one fell swoop, even before the coining of the term artificial intelligence. He immediately disposes of unscientific arguments about the nature of the soul, among other theological issues. He even seems somehow opposed to using the word "intelligence" when describing a machine. His essay simply puts forth that one day a computer may be powerful enough to trick a human in his "imitation game" scenario. I found especially interesting his ideas on a learning computer which, instead of being fully programmed at inception, instead is "raised" like a child by a team of technicians. A computer programmed in such a way, it seems, would offer the best chance of winning at Turing's imitation scenario.
Like the other essay's, Wiener's Men, Machines, and the World About had an air of awe at the power now imparted unto humanity via our machines. He openly discusses that at this point almost anything is feasible, given enough resources and man hours he foresees the automatic factory and both its military and civilian uses. The most potent part of the essay, however, is his warning against technological idolatry. He compares technology to the biblical "golden calf" and reminds us how easily we become awe struck by our own creations. Perhaps the most important part of his message is when he writes, "We shall have to realize that while we may make the machines our gods and sacrifice men to machines, we do not have to do so. If we do so, we deserve the punishment of the idolators". Wiener seeks to remind us that it is we who control machines, and choose how to use them, not the other way around.
The documentary on Borges was interesting, especially as a supplement to the class, because it portrayed the author as he was, a rather lofty nontechnical sort of person. The Garden of Forking Paths has had a large influence on computer science and on the nature of the web. Yet, it can be said with some certainty this was not Borges' intent. As a writer of fiction, Borges' simply was making an interesting commentary on the nature of information flow through time, and our relationship to that flow. Borges serves as an excellent example of how all things influence each other. A lofty writer of short stories, often fantastical ones, is named as a major influence of the technological age.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Post One
The short animated films by Chris Landreth were interesting not only for their tone, characters and story, but for the technical innovation they represented in the field of 3d animation. Bingo, based on a short improv sketch, depicts a man being convinced by a series of different creepy circus characters that he is actually Bingo the clown. He starts off doubting the statements of the other characters, but eventually accepts that he is bingo the clown. The film features highly advanced 3d animation and design for its time, considering it was created using the earliest version of Maya.
Landreth's later film, Ryan, is far more interesting and full of character. It is a biography of Ryan Larkin, a once great animator whose life fell apart, depicted as an interview between Larken and Landreth. The way the characters' and their environment congeal and emote together was a benchmark in animation, digital or otherwise. Ryan is a potent example of the ability to use high technology to convey powerful emotions. The world of Ryan is rendered as a surrealist, yet very believable version of our own. The life experiences of the characters are imprinted on their faces and bodies. Larkin himself is emaciated and wasting away. Whole parts of his face and head simply do not exist, yet somehow a full portrait is created through his mannerisms. The film was really an amazing marriage of art and technology.
I had alot of fun browsing around Ken Perlin's homepage. I loved reading his ideas on using technology for education. One of his Java applications was a basic sketch of an idea to use a simple, fun program to teach kids basic programming skills at a young age. In much the same way, he indicates, as we now read our children Dr. Seuss books to teach them to read more complex works later in life. It was alot of fun exploring the expressive properties built into just a few basic animations of a cube, or a simplified human construct. His work promises to further the expressive and educational abilities of the digital medium.
The film Microcosm was a real treat. I have seen many documentaries about creatures large and small, but none of been able to simply give such a close look at such small creatures, essentially letting them speak for themselves. The film's creators put many years of work into developing new technology for the film, but the effort was definitely worth the payoff. They have literally opened a window to a different world, one never viewed by the general public before. In the film, the insects become comic actors and actresses in a massive performance. The story of their mere existence is interesting enough to keep a viewer watching.
Similarly, Winged Migration, though I only saw a tiny bit of it, seemed like a monumental undertaking with a fantastic payoff. I can only imagine the difficulty of not only developing the technologies necessary but gaining enough trust from the birds to achieve that kind of close contact. Again, Winged Migration is exemplary of technology melding and fusing with a medium to massively expand its expressive and practical potentials.
The New Media Reader's two introductions serve as an excellent launching point for the focus of this class. The first introduction was a relatively linear history of new media, beginning with the dawn of the computer age in the 1960's, up through the end of the eighties as the computer revolution reached a peak. I discussed not only major computer scientists, but also authors, designers and philosophers who have had an impact on new media and the digital age.
The second introduction spent a great deal of time on searching for a kind of definition of "New Media". Whether as existing media augmented by computers, or media entirely based in computers. The interesting thing about defining New Media is that as technology advances and becomes increasingly bound to all media, any kind of definition becomes more and more blurred and inevitably useless.
The Garden of Forking Paths is cited often in the introductions to The New Media Reader as a major inspiration for computer scientists developing systems like html. The story centers around a non-linear book, through which the reader can progress back and forth, through many possible outcomes and story changes. An important part of the novel describes the book as being infinite without being either linear or looping. It is, in a sense, a massive web, continually splitting and expanding outward, sometimes referencing itself, sometimes ending wildly differently. At the end of The Garden of Forking Paths, The narrator murders the man who has explained his ancestors book to him. He murders him not out of spite or anger, but simply to deliver a message, as he is a German spy. He knows he will be arrested and tried from the beginning of the novel, yet he still commits the crime, an outcome which the reader does not expect from the way the victim treats and helps the narrator.
The short story is interesting because of its theme of the nonlinear. One can see the inspiration to computer programmers and the development of html as a nonlinear system, unlike the linear punch cards and computer systems of earlier days. The story may or may not be directly responsible for much of the computer and internet revolution, but it is at the very least an interesting way to look at and think about modern computer systems.
Landreth's later film, Ryan, is far more interesting and full of character. It is a biography of Ryan Larkin, a once great animator whose life fell apart, depicted as an interview between Larken and Landreth. The way the characters' and their environment congeal and emote together was a benchmark in animation, digital or otherwise. Ryan is a potent example of the ability to use high technology to convey powerful emotions. The world of Ryan is rendered as a surrealist, yet very believable version of our own. The life experiences of the characters are imprinted on their faces and bodies. Larkin himself is emaciated and wasting away. Whole parts of his face and head simply do not exist, yet somehow a full portrait is created through his mannerisms. The film was really an amazing marriage of art and technology.
I had alot of fun browsing around Ken Perlin's homepage. I loved reading his ideas on using technology for education. One of his Java applications was a basic sketch of an idea to use a simple, fun program to teach kids basic programming skills at a young age. In much the same way, he indicates, as we now read our children Dr. Seuss books to teach them to read more complex works later in life. It was alot of fun exploring the expressive properties built into just a few basic animations of a cube, or a simplified human construct. His work promises to further the expressive and educational abilities of the digital medium.
The film Microcosm was a real treat. I have seen many documentaries about creatures large and small, but none of been able to simply give such a close look at such small creatures, essentially letting them speak for themselves. The film's creators put many years of work into developing new technology for the film, but the effort was definitely worth the payoff. They have literally opened a window to a different world, one never viewed by the general public before. In the film, the insects become comic actors and actresses in a massive performance. The story of their mere existence is interesting enough to keep a viewer watching.
Similarly, Winged Migration, though I only saw a tiny bit of it, seemed like a monumental undertaking with a fantastic payoff. I can only imagine the difficulty of not only developing the technologies necessary but gaining enough trust from the birds to achieve that kind of close contact. Again, Winged Migration is exemplary of technology melding and fusing with a medium to massively expand its expressive and practical potentials.
The New Media Reader's two introductions serve as an excellent launching point for the focus of this class. The first introduction was a relatively linear history of new media, beginning with the dawn of the computer age in the 1960's, up through the end of the eighties as the computer revolution reached a peak. I discussed not only major computer scientists, but also authors, designers and philosophers who have had an impact on new media and the digital age.
The second introduction spent a great deal of time on searching for a kind of definition of "New Media". Whether as existing media augmented by computers, or media entirely based in computers. The interesting thing about defining New Media is that as technology advances and becomes increasingly bound to all media, any kind of definition becomes more and more blurred and inevitably useless.
The Garden of Forking Paths is cited often in the introductions to The New Media Reader as a major inspiration for computer scientists developing systems like html. The story centers around a non-linear book, through which the reader can progress back and forth, through many possible outcomes and story changes. An important part of the novel describes the book as being infinite without being either linear or looping. It is, in a sense, a massive web, continually splitting and expanding outward, sometimes referencing itself, sometimes ending wildly differently. At the end of The Garden of Forking Paths, The narrator murders the man who has explained his ancestors book to him. He murders him not out of spite or anger, but simply to deliver a message, as he is a German spy. He knows he will be arrested and tried from the beginning of the novel, yet he still commits the crime, an outcome which the reader does not expect from the way the victim treats and helps the narrator.
The short story is interesting because of its theme of the nonlinear. One can see the inspiration to computer programmers and the development of html as a nonlinear system, unlike the linear punch cards and computer systems of earlier days. The story may or may not be directly responsible for much of the computer and internet revolution, but it is at the very least an interesting way to look at and think about modern computer systems.
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