Jennifer and Kevin McCoy

I currently completed a piece that I have mentioned briefly before, that involved pulling cartoons from my personal childhood form my memory and subjecting myself to them as an adult. While engaging in this act and eating a bowl of Trix cereal (Trix are for Kids) I was trying to reference the moments of bliss experienced as a child when engaged in such activities. Some of the context of these cartoons were darker and though they probably taught me life lessons in ways that I have not completely deciphered yet, I feel the response I got for the work is a result of my in ability to talk about the piece, or have give the piece the time and research it deserved. Though excited about the completion on the piece, I am now excited to revisit it in some new way socially and politically to bring something to the viewer. Looking at the work of Every Anvil (2001) by artist couple Jennifer and Kevin McCoy I feel there approach to commentary on cartoons is a good example of directions that such research could move toward for me.

Every Anvil (2001) is a video database of shots from over one hundred episodes of Looney Toons cartoons from the 1940s and 1950s. Each shot is indexed according to categories of violence and physical extremism such as ‘Every Explosion,’ ‘Every Flattened Character,’ and ‘Every Scream.’ The McCoys devised an interactive installation in which visitors (or participants) choose which disks to play according to the ‘action’ or ‘emotion’ they want to see.

Similarly, Every Shot, Every Episode (2001) contains literally that: every shot of every episode of the 1970s television show, Starsky and Hutch, which viewers can watch according to their own tastes for the content of certain scenes. The computer now rearranges the dramatic content for prime emotional impact according to the desires of the viewer.

An interesting aspect of the McCoy’s work is that they write their own programs -- and along the way arguably turn the tedious task of writing code into an art form.

"There isn't a shortage of visual and sonic effects offered in commercial programs. But when we want to combine different processes to achieve a certain aesthetic or per formative effect, we often can't," said Jennifer McCoy. "If we make a software tool ourselves, we can customize it easily. Plus we instantly know how to use it, of course."

I am not necessarily interest in the programming aspect of their work, however their work is a lesson in content and what it is you want to say to your viewer or participant about that content and what is the best rout for the content to be experienced. This is not to say that I couldn’t see myself learning programming in the coming years to integrate into my work, but right now I am very excited about the idea of editing imagery in simple ways to convey messages, whether that be programs as simple as photoshop, or by editing clips in Final Cut.

Jana, Reena. "Real Artists Paint by Numbers." WIRED. 6 Sept. 2001. Web.

Rush, Michael. Video Art. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print.

Ken Feingold

In looking for media artists that have worked with their childhood as inspiration I found artist Ken Feingold. Growing up in a significantly different time and situation, Ken’s search for his childhood is much different than my own, but the concepts and ideas, as well as approach is something to be learned from, in trying to better articulate the concepts behind my work.

At the center of Feingold’s work, Childhood/Hot & Cold Wars (The Appearance of Nature), he writes: I have undertaken a search for my childhood TV memories, a kind of archaeology of those images and sounds that I remember, or see now, as having been formative in my understanding of what was going on in the world. I grew up watching television programs I saw in my first years. The thoughts of my childhood emerged amid constant references to world war, the atom bomb…and promises of endless progress in a fantastic technological future in which I would be visiting other worlds.

I spent my childhood visiting worlds of my own via cartoons and I think this is an opportunity to look deeper at what these cartoons informed me of. What were the social and political situations of the time and how were they represented in these cartoons, how can I express this to my viewer?

Another source of inspiration for a piece that I have been contemplating via the appropriation of two robotic dolls known as the Teddy Ruxpin, is Feingold’s pieces that consist of heads of his creation that question their own existence. In his work If/Then, allows identical heads in a cardboard box that talk to each other in an attempt to determine who and what they are: “I wanted them to look like replacement parts being shipped form the factory that had suddenly gotten up and begun a kind of existential dialogue right there on the assembly line.”

Collins, Judith. Sculpture Today. London: Phaidon, 2007. Print.

Druckrey, Timothy, and Charles Stainback. Iterations: the New Image. New York City: International Center of Photography, 1993. Print.

Rush, Michael. Video Art. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print.

Jim Campbell

One thing that I have kept in mind when reading about the works of Alan Rath was the human interaction that is crucial to his practice. In searching for other artists whom work in a similar vein, I found artist Jim Campbell. With a lower-tech approach Jim Campbell is interested in looking for intuitive ways for viewers to interact with systems.

In attempting to create systems that respond and progress in recognizably non-random, but un-predictable ways, he has tried to create works that have a destiny of their own. His most recent work, inspired by artificial intelligence, investigates people’s connections with the information age.

In Library (2003), all but the faintest evidence of surveillance is erased. People entering and exiting the New York Public Library are filmed by the artist and then rendered indistinct by Campbell’s technological manipulations. The result is a haunting testimony to the fleeting nature of life itself and, becomes a memorial to all those anonymous people who have been photographed, passed through information systems, and then abandoned as useless data.

Druckrey, Timothy, and Charles Stainback. Iterations: the New Image. New York City: International Center of Photography, 1993. Print.

Rush, Michael. Video Art. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print.

Alan Rath

Alan Rath’s work aesthetically is as appealing to me as say the work of Tony Oursler, I think more than anything what draws me in the is the human nature that exists within the technology of such artists works. I was directly influence by Alan Rath’s pieces such as When is Now, 2001. I like the idea of eyes being portrayed through a monitor and giving the cold nature of technology a life of sorts. For Rath he says “I was interested in the tradition of people looking at art, and art being a passive object that people go visit.” “This is the first time that art can actually look back at you, It would be interesting if objects being observed could recognize you, the way people remember a piece.”

To interact with a Rath Sculpture is to be suddenly confronted with an awareness of our own behaviors, warts, social programming, and all. We are being mocked up and gently mocked by Rath’s robots, an experience resulting in both sheepish grins of self-recognition and existential wonderment at the oddity of our own attitudes. I this way it is said that Rath’s work is slapstick, commenting on our every day clumsiness i.e. wondering around attached to our ipods looking up occasionally at our own trajectory.

Much of Rath’s appreciation for his work comes after the objects have been created and are placed in the gallery for human interaction. Commenting on this interaction he says “I’m surprised when I notice people being intimidated by machinery,” “They took a machine to get to the museum, and they’re wearing machines. I like people who can accept the playful quality of it, and jus appreciate the experience.”

I am careful when looking at work such as that of Alan Rath to not be consumed by the allusion that such work could be within my grasp technically in a small time frame. It is not necessarily my intention to want to crate robots, and or kinetic sculptures, for me I think it is more the relationship he is able to set up through the imagery alone, it is this component that I think is most interesting. Much like my interest in the projections of Oursler’s work. It takes an insane amount of skill to produce works such as Rath’s. He is an artist that studied physics and electrical engineering a the Massachusetts institute of Technology. Co-Chair of the Science Board at the Santa Fe Institute, Murray Gell-Mann, writes: Rath is able to design and build his computerized sculptures all by himself, and they appeal to he scientist in me as well as the art lover. One can think of these creations as robots, but that word seems to imply that they serve us in some banal capacity. Instead they serve to entertain us, stimulate our thoughts, play on our feelings, and excite our imaginations.

Bing, Alison. "Meta Mechanics." Sculpture Sept. 2006: 35-39. Print.

Rath, Alan. Alan Rath: Robotics. Santa Fe, NM: SITE Santa Fe, 1999. Print.

Druckrey, Timothy, and Charles Stainback. Iterations: the New Image. New York City: International Center of Photography, 1993. Print.

Mary Lucier

I took a specific interest in the video work of Mary Lucier via her piece titled Forge (2000). The piece features the raging flames of a forge where hardened materials were being shaped into industrial goods, steel shelves perhaps. Exposing both the usefulness and the devastation of heat, Lucier uses the forge as the place to examine the complex relationship between human and the natural elements. Of course with my love for casting metal Lucier’s piece allows me to see opportunities for using video to portray the ideas that hold my interest in casting metal. The life of the metal is a concept that I had been trying to portray through several failed attempts at exposing small cast figures just after being poured in the mold. Though these pieces became more of experiments and less of finished pieces the things I learned from the experience combined with seeing other similar works has given me new ideas for work such a this. Wanting to pull away from the figure and work more with video Lucier’s piece is inspiring.

Exposing both the usefulness and the devastation of heat, Lucier uses the forge as the place to examine the complex relationship between humans and the natural elements. Using a digital technique called ‘nesting,’ in which one image is placed inside another, Lucier intensifies the flaming activity inside the forge by multiplying it in front of the viewer’s eyes.

There are similar parallels with Lucier’s work and that of Fabrizio Plessi, in terms of the natural and the technological; ideas that I am constantly juggling myself. She began as a still photographer as well as Performance artist. She also incorporated technological interventions in her work, as in her 1975 Air Writing and Fire Writing. Multiple video monitors, lasers, prerecorded audio texts and other elements contributed to energetic ‘techno-performances’ that reflected her profound and, as it turns out, enduring interest in air, fire, and earth.

"INCONVERSATION Mary Lucier with Phong Bui." Interview by Phong Bui. The Brookly Rail. Mar. 2007. Web.

Rush, Michael. Video Art. New York: Thames & Hudson, 2007. Print.

Michael Pinsky

I studied the works of Michael Pinsky in order to get yet another perspective on the use of technology within nature. Although all of Pinsky’s works do not necessarily always follow these themes, he has completed a few works that set up interesting conversation on the subject. One such piece is that of Weather Cluster. This piece was a response to Earth’s increasingly violent weather. This digital “chandelier” of 30 flat screen monitors hanging in UK’s Clacton High School’s Auditorium in the main atrium, depicts weather conditions that are transmitted by students taking photos and recording data form around the world that is transmitted to a living cpu.

With this work Pinsky hints at the tenuos frailty of technology, remarking that in a work such as this, “the software and the hardware, have to be incredibly robust.” The thing that intrigues me about Weather Cluster is that is trusted by Pinsky that the upcoming generation will appreciate the extent to which their personal and political decisions will impact the global climate and human health.” This intrigues me in terms of the collaboration aspect of the piece and the need for a team of people to keep the piece alive and running well. I find working in a large scale collaboratively, especially among students, is an excellent avenue for artists to work in.

I appreciate Pinsky’s ability to make large works that are not just privately commissioned works, but performative large scale works. Such is that of Symposium, 2001, where Pinsky cut a car in half and mounted one half on the edge of the Wilmington Swing Bridge, and the other on a nearby bank. The two halves were reunited to one when the bridge swung shut. Not only do the two car halves come back together, but they trigger the car alarm. I will be the first to admit that it is difficult for me to think in such a large manner, however I respect and will continue to discover artists that are working in such a way, as to gain more knowledge.

Dillon, Laura. "Commissions." Sculpture Dec. 2006: 20. Print.

Watt, Janet. "Charting a Course." AN Magazine July 2003: 28. AN Magazine. Web.

Tony Cragg

It is not necessarily his work, or even his material that draws me in to Tony Cragg. It is his words of honesty about his practice that I appreciate and have learned from. He believes that we should not leave the shape of the future to politicians and businessmen–there should be some other activity, even if it is only a very small activity, such as sculpture, to find new forms, alternative shapes that would help to produce better imaginations, better dreams, better fantasies, because we would have a better, stronger visual language.

This is a voice for the language that I am engaged in with my own work. I want to create work that evokes the imagination and fantasy. Living in this space is healthy for growth. Finding out how to use our hands and our minds together in such a way to get out of what Cragg calls “this dull reality.”

For Cragg, historically, Sculpture has just begun, just now, and he says, “I think that it has the possibility of becoming something completely new and very important.” “It is an investigative medium in a direct sense.” Following this statement it was exciting for me to learn that Cragg experiments often as he moves along and has changed both his objects and materials several times in his career. This helps me put perspective on the mere three years of graduate studies and though it seems entirely overwhelming at times with all the material and conceptual choices at hand, this investigation is on the beginning of my journey, something I need to allow myself to be constantly reminded of.

Collins, Judith. Sculpture Today. London: Phaidon, 2007. Print.

Harper, Glenn, and Twylene Moyer. Conversations on Sculpture. Hamilton, N. J.: Isc, 2007. Print.