Sonja Hinrichsen

Not sure what to say. Hinrichsens work didn’t really impress me, landscapes don’t intrest me. But I did manage to pull a few things from the lecture. The first one is using projectors in different ways. Like having them on the floor and allow people to walk in front of the light, casting shadows and effecting how the work is viewed. Or projecting onto glass panels to create an intresting see through effect. Not only does her work use projectors she always uses the gallery space itself. One work involved photo graphs of nature, mostly the big leaf plants, it was very green (green as in nature not energy saver.) the gallery itself had large open windows so the outside became part of the work.
Hinrichsen has worked with interactivity as well. One project of hers was showing video of the city she was teaching in. random landscapes of life. Freeways, buildings, homes, gutters, etc. all were projected onto sculpture her students put together. To the side of the gallery was a map of the city and people were free to write on the map. People wrote down memories of the city. Reminds me of the last photobooth install. The black light and the highlighter drawings. Very simple but since the city was the peoples it was very meaningful to see what was written down. don’t think it would work as a touring art work.
The last thing I pulled from the lecture was that its ok to make art about what you like. Hinrichsen is intresting in writing and history. Like the history of a place. So I guess its ok when I use cartoons in my work.

Eddo Stern

First off, I LOVE Eddo Sterns work. I caught a glimpse of Tekken Torture Tournament a year ago and it blew me away. It brings notice to the disconnect with the digital world and the real. Would you do something when it had real consequences? I play a lot of first person shooters and I find I’m very suicidal in those games, always running at the enemy with a live grenade or a missile launcher at point blank ranger. Would I still blow myself up if it actually hurt me in the real world? The work also shows desensitizing effect videogames have on people. I’ve been a fist fight and they are not fun. Using your words is so much better then using your fists. But in videogames it promotes this primal violence, that its cool to be barbaric. Brings up thoughts of America Army players who join the military and stand around in live combat like it is a videogame.
Cock Fight Arena is pure awesome. Your get to dress like a chicken and participate in a cock fight? Just awesomeness. I think most people would see this and laugh and enjoy watching the game. But how is that different then watching an actual cock fight? This work pushes the interactivity of videogames. In a world of the Wii, where interaction is a common thing. Back when Stern first made that game, this was break though stuff.
Similar to the Cock Fight Arena, The Wayco game, Wayco Resurrection, also uses a user suit for controls. You wear a David Kersh helmet/mask and play as Kersh as you battle FBI guys. The game offended people because of the subject matter, but I know nothing about the Wayco incident. I try to think if somebody made a Columbine school shooting game, were you get to shoot innocent kids. People would be offended with a capital O, but how is that different from the Grand Theft Auto games were you get to car jack people? That might be a bad example since people are already offended with GTA and I know I enjoy the games.
Probably the big thing presented was Sterns handicap able videogame. Its hard to imagine how difficult that undertaking most of been. Working on a game were all people can play it, even deaf or blind people. I feel this project is more commercial gaming stuff then actual art. But you have to point out how many people handicapped people can enjoy interactive art?
The computer case mods are fun but I think most people will just see them as what gamers would use to decorate their homes. The keyboard castle was an interesting blend of analogue technology and digital technology. Reminded me of something close to steam punk.
Its pretty funny that Eddo Stern took a year off to play World of Warcraft. I call that Artistic Research. It’s a good way to inspire you and to give you enjoyment. The Kenetic Shadow Puppets are a great result from his time in WoW. In a world of facts and documentation elevating some of our popular images to the fantasy/mythogoly of old is great. Plus I could so envision Chuck Norris booting a Dragon in the head.
What I pulled from the lecture is that its ok to use what you love as an art medium. I’m always skidish when using my cartoons in my art because I’m afraid no one will take it seriously. But Stern is able to make this big statements and points using videogames. Looks like I’ve been afraid for no reason.

Iraqi Memorial Panel Discussion

The work put into the Iraqi Memorial is amazing. Tons of artist coming together to produce a body of work is very intresting. Being web based it has some pros over a physical monument. Last year I saw a video explaining what went into creating the Vietnam Memorial. All these ideas were rejected and only one being selected. So its nice to be able to view all the potential ideas. The down side of it being a web based project was pointed out by Patrick Lipkey. Physical monument has more impact then web/virtual based one. In this new world of fast technology its easy to forget something you read on the net. Plus everybody tend to have short attention and a physcial monument would make a lasting impression.
The idea behind the Iraqi Memorial is very thought provoking. I never took the time to think how many people have been hurt because the Iraq war. This desensitization because of the media is horrible. Saying 5 people dead and twenty injured is like so what? But when you sit down and think that each person is an actual person. It has more of a meaning. But a problem with that is the digital age when live in. after viewing each person they start to blend together and they just become numbers again. Its hard to show the harshness of war when your not in the war zone.