Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Postmodern
Ought we not to distinguish ethnography as an academic discipline
from doing and writing ethnography? As an academic discipline, at least
in the United States (and we have to recognize our parochialism) it is
an arena of contestation in which science and the humanities -- science
and art -- confront each other. Science has, of course, the (economic)
clout.
After I had written Tuhami, I was introduced at conferences as a writer and an anthropologist: never as an anthropologist and a writer. Was this simply a question of sonority? I think not, but those attitudes have been by-passed. Or have they?
My point is that the contestation between science and art affects them both. There is, in the theological sense, an apologetic, if not a defensive, dimension to ethnography s written. I cannot speak for others who do ethnography, but I am quite certain that this contestation influenced my field research and my findings, It is not a simply a question of rigor, systematicity, or objectivity. I am haunted, less so today than when I was a student, by the parti-pris of my interlocutors – my mentors, colleagues, and other insistent figues. Yet, in my most recent fieldwork, with the Harkis, I was troubled by questions of objectivity, even though I tend to look at claims of objectivity with considerable skepticism. I question the objectivity of objectivity. Wasn’t it Goethe who called attention to the fact that objectivity is subjectivity grasped?
But to answer the question: the doing of ethnography is an art as living is an art. We live our field research, despite methodological mystification. This is not to deny the importance of method and methodology. They -- their enactment -- are minimally social facts and have to be taken as such. They must not blind us, however, to the lived dimension of our research – to the lived resistance to order, coherence, and continuity. That too is a social fact. Ethnography has always to loop back, self-critically, on itself.
Yes, within our culture, the writing of ethnography is an art as is all literature. It is, despite itself, a literary form; in fact, a constellation of literary forms.
After I had written Tuhami, I was introduced at conferences as a writer and an anthropologist: never as an anthropologist and a writer. Was this simply a question of sonority? I think not, but those attitudes have been by-passed. Or have they?
My point is that the contestation between science and art affects them both. There is, in the theological sense, an apologetic, if not a defensive, dimension to ethnography s written. I cannot speak for others who do ethnography, but I am quite certain that this contestation influenced my field research and my findings, It is not a simply a question of rigor, systematicity, or objectivity. I am haunted, less so today than when I was a student, by the parti-pris of my interlocutors – my mentors, colleagues, and other insistent figues. Yet, in my most recent fieldwork, with the Harkis, I was troubled by questions of objectivity, even though I tend to look at claims of objectivity with considerable skepticism. I question the objectivity of objectivity. Wasn’t it Goethe who called attention to the fact that objectivity is subjectivity grasped?
But to answer the question: the doing of ethnography is an art as living is an art. We live our field research, despite methodological mystification. This is not to deny the importance of method and methodology. They -- their enactment -- are minimally social facts and have to be taken as such. They must not blind us, however, to the lived dimension of our research – to the lived resistance to order, coherence, and continuity. That too is a social fact. Ethnography has always to loop back, self-critically, on itself.
Yes, within our culture, the writing of ethnography is an art as is all literature. It is, despite itself, a literary form; in fact, a constellation of literary forms.
Experimentation
The formation of the countercultural movement in the mid 1960’s marked
the first cultural-revolution that utilized multiple media forms to
ignite society to action. It capitalized on a nation filled with youths
eager to experiment with increased liberation in all aspects of life.
This shift toward experimentation was backlash against cultural
assimilation into middle America that had occurred so rapidly during the
post WWII years. It encapsulated movements related to conflict in
Vietnam, Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, and the Sexual Revolution,
contributing to the intense passion of each cause’s respective
supporters. Nowhere was this desire for societal change more prevalent
than in music. Youth’s fervent desire for change in the fundamental
organization of American society manifested itself through music.
The emergence of new musical genre was one of the most notable means of expression for voices of the counterculture. While music had previously been characterized as black or white, young or old, the countercultural movement shattered those norms. 1950’s Rock and Roll, characterized by Elvis Presley, morphed and diversified into sub genres including pop, folk, acoustic rock, and electronic music. This diversification of music was linked to the increasingly prominent diversity of Americans, and the desire for true freedom of expression. During the countercultural movement, African American artists became more prominent and mainstream. As a whole, music became a much more open and free field of expression, open to experimentation with new sounds and alternative instrumental arrangements. Listeners were now free to explore the wide spectrum of musical genres, breaking down stereotypical barriers that had previously limited audiences.
Another fundamental role of music within the countercultural movement was to provide female artists with the ability to forge their own distinctive place within the music business. It provided a medium through which to comment on issues specifically related to gender, like the Second Wave Feminist Movement, and the Sexual Revolution, both intrinsically linked in the counterculture. Female singing groups emerged with a new sound and a new look. The Ronettes, The Crystals, and the Shangri-Las emerged in the mid 1960’s, attracting their own concert crowds without male singers accompanying them. Later, such talented performers such as Janis Joplin and even African American songstress Aretha Franklin would challenge traditional views of femininity with their confident and innovative musical sound.
Music during the counterculture was also increasingly politically charged and directed. Gone were the days of easy listening songs with feel good lyrics. Music became a powerful medium through which to drum up political support during rallies and protests. Artists such as Crosby, Stills, and Nash and Creedence Clearwater Revival wrote lyrics regarding specific political events, calling attention to the hypocrisy within government and calling for outrage among listeners. Music became a way of citing inequities within society and calling for an immediate countercultural response.
The emergence of new musical genre was one of the most notable means of expression for voices of the counterculture. While music had previously been characterized as black or white, young or old, the countercultural movement shattered those norms. 1950’s Rock and Roll, characterized by Elvis Presley, morphed and diversified into sub genres including pop, folk, acoustic rock, and electronic music. This diversification of music was linked to the increasingly prominent diversity of Americans, and the desire for true freedom of expression. During the countercultural movement, African American artists became more prominent and mainstream. As a whole, music became a much more open and free field of expression, open to experimentation with new sounds and alternative instrumental arrangements. Listeners were now free to explore the wide spectrum of musical genres, breaking down stereotypical barriers that had previously limited audiences.
Another fundamental role of music within the countercultural movement was to provide female artists with the ability to forge their own distinctive place within the music business. It provided a medium through which to comment on issues specifically related to gender, like the Second Wave Feminist Movement, and the Sexual Revolution, both intrinsically linked in the counterculture. Female singing groups emerged with a new sound and a new look. The Ronettes, The Crystals, and the Shangri-Las emerged in the mid 1960’s, attracting their own concert crowds without male singers accompanying them. Later, such talented performers such as Janis Joplin and even African American songstress Aretha Franklin would challenge traditional views of femininity with their confident and innovative musical sound.
Music during the counterculture was also increasingly politically charged and directed. Gone were the days of easy listening songs with feel good lyrics. Music became a powerful medium through which to drum up political support during rallies and protests. Artists such as Crosby, Stills, and Nash and Creedence Clearwater Revival wrote lyrics regarding specific political events, calling attention to the hypocrisy within government and calling for outrage among listeners. Music became a way of citing inequities within society and calling for an immediate countercultural response.
Phillies Game Garage Band
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Final Art Video
For the final performance art project I used a video of me pitching against the Philidelphia Phillies and cut in and out along with adding music to the background
Music Videos
MTV isn’t keen on playing music videos these days, but when it did,
it helped to define eras and careers, and became a phenomenon in its own
right.
The music video didn’t simply appear out of nowhere in 1981 when MTV opened. Rather, there were many music videos before this, but few were successful, thanks mainly to only occasional airings on weekly pop shows on TV stations around the world.
While music videos are almost exclusively watched on YouTube these days, this is only the latest stage in the evolution of a movie sub-genre that can be as elaborate as a feature film and as personal as a family photo.
In order to recount the history of this medium and show how it has evolved over the decades, we have taken a look at 10 of the most iconic music videos of the past 50 years.
The music video didn’t simply appear out of nowhere in 1981 when MTV opened. Rather, there were many music videos before this, but few were successful, thanks mainly to only occasional airings on weekly pop shows on TV stations around the world.
While music videos are almost exclusively watched on YouTube these days, this is only the latest stage in the evolution of a movie sub-genre that can be as elaborate as a feature film and as personal as a family photo.
In order to recount the history of this medium and show how it has evolved over the decades, we have taken a look at 10 of the most iconic music videos of the past 50 years.
Video Mapping
Video Projection Mapping is an exciting new projection technique that
can turn almost any surface into a dynamic video display. Specialized
software is used to warp and mask the projected image to make it fit
perfectly on irregularly shaped screens. When done right, the end
result is a dynamic projection installation that transcends ordinary
video projection. The goal of this site is to compile examples of
impressive uses of video mapping techniques.
"Each art has its own medium and that medium is especially fitted for one kind of communication. Each medium says something that cannot be uttered as well or as completely in any other tongue." --John Dewey
"Each art has its own medium and that medium is especially fitted for one kind of communication. Each medium says something that cannot be uttered as well or as completely in any other tongue." --John Dewey
Video Art
Early video artists tended to be those
involved with conceptual and performance art, and experimental film. These
include Americans Vito Acconci, John Baldessari, Peter Campus, Doris Totten
Chase, Joan Jonas, Bruce Nauman
and others. Others, like Steina Vasulka (born Steinunn Briem Bjarnadottir)
and Woody Vasulka, explored the video genre itself, utilizing synthesizers
to produce abstract works. Later exponents included Americans Sadie Benning,
Paul Chan, Gary Hill, Miranda July, Mary Lucier, Paul Pfeiffer and Eve
Sussman; the Canadians Colin Campbell, Stan Douglas, Lisa Steele, Bill
Viola and Rodney Werden. European video artists include the Germans Agricola
de Cologne, Dieter Froese, and Wolf Kahlen; the Poles Wojciech Bruszewski
and Miroslaw Rogala; the Britons Douglas Gordon, David Hall and Gillian,
the Italian Stefano Cagol, the Austrian Martin Arnold, the Swiss Pipilotti
Rist, and the Spaniard Domingo Sarrey.
Andy Warhol produced a number of video films now regarded as part of the genre. Representative sample of his works include: 'Sleep' (1963), depicting the 6-hour slumber of the poet John Giorno; 'Empire' (1964), an 8-hour film of the Empire State Building in New York City at dusk; and 'Eat', a 45-minute film showing a man eating mushrooms. In 1966, he produced 'Chelsea Girls' consisting of two films being projected at the same time, with a variable sound track to update viewers on the twin plots. This use of multi-imaging echoed Warhol's earlier multi-image silk-screen works like 'Twenty Marilyns' (1962).
Peter Campus (b.1937), one of the most important video artists of the 1970s, was a key innovator in studio camera work and video technology. His work 'Three Transitions' employed numerous processors, mixers and editors to record his own film-making. Other works by Peter Campus include: Double Vision (1971), Interface (1972), Three Transitions (1973), R-G-B (1974), Video Ergo Sum: Divide (1999), Video Ergo Sum: Dream (1999), Edge of the Ocean (2003), Kathleen in Grey (2004), Baruch the Blessed (2004).
Andy Warhol produced a number of video films now regarded as part of the genre. Representative sample of his works include: 'Sleep' (1963), depicting the 6-hour slumber of the poet John Giorno; 'Empire' (1964), an 8-hour film of the Empire State Building in New York City at dusk; and 'Eat', a 45-minute film showing a man eating mushrooms. In 1966, he produced 'Chelsea Girls' consisting of two films being projected at the same time, with a variable sound track to update viewers on the twin plots. This use of multi-imaging echoed Warhol's earlier multi-image silk-screen works like 'Twenty Marilyns' (1962).
Peter Campus (b.1937), one of the most important video artists of the 1970s, was a key innovator in studio camera work and video technology. His work 'Three Transitions' employed numerous processors, mixers and editors to record his own film-making. Other works by Peter Campus include: Double Vision (1971), Interface (1972), Three Transitions (1973), R-G-B (1974), Video Ergo Sum: Divide (1999), Video Ergo Sum: Dream (1999), Edge of the Ocean (2003), Kathleen in Grey (2004), Baruch the Blessed (2004).
Technology essential to art
Over the past several years, the acquisition of time-based
works (artworks that utilize film, video, audio, or digital technology
as essential components) by Smithsonian museums has increased
dramatically. Realizing that today’s technology is completely changing
how individuals and artists represent, portray, or express themselves,
the Smithsonian is intent on making Time-Based Media Art (TBMA) a
collecting goal and a constant presence in its exhibition spaces, along
with producing scholarly publications to deepen the visitors experience
with the works.
Just as rapid technological advances and innovations often
render yesterday's technology obsolete, time-based and digital artworks
present new and complex technical and theoretical challenges to the
professionals charged with collecting, cataloging, managing, conserving,
and exhibiting them. Beginning with the March 2010 symposium a
three-day series of lectures, panels, and working groups, the
interdisciplinary Smithsonian Time-Based Media and Digital Art Working
Group was formed to develop protocols and strategies, with input
from peer institutions and practitioners nationally and internationally,
for the acquisition, installation, and long-term care of time-based and
digital art.
Many of the tasks associated with the preservation of
media artworks are highly technical in nature and require a
collaborative cross-disciplinary approach to their care. As a result,
collections stewardship is dependent upon the development of workflows
and protocols that can lie far outside the traditional object-based
collections management systems. Caring for these special artworks has required extensive collaboration and cooperation.
Since 2010, the TBMA Working Group has launched a resource websit,
hosted roundtables, pursued several valuable learning opportunities,
and conducted surveys with the goal of identifying the most prevalent
collections care and staffing needs as they pertain to these unique
artworks. In addition to the issues confronted by art museums, these
initiatives provided opportunities to recognize the equal vulnerability
that history and science museums have to data migration that can create
the loss of important historic or scientific references. Concerns
include technological obsolescence, software incompatibility, and
equipment failure, all of which present a serious threat to this
important and rapidly growing category of the Smithsonian's diverse
collections. Interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to finding
significant solutions of mutual benefit.
Body Modification
Photographer Roger Kisby specializes in capturing intimate moments at public events. His portraits of porn stars off duty
taken at this year's Adult Video News Awards, stripped away "outer
performer aspects" to highlight stars' natural emotions; his photos at events such as SXSW, Afropunk, Comic Con, and, most recently, the 2015 APPCE similarly reveal authenticity under artifice.
In Kisby's portraits of APP Conference attendees, individuals show off their body modifications — including tattoos and piercings and implants — and their personal styles. "The point of this project was not to point and say, 'Look at these people, look at how weird they look,'" he explained. "It was to show the range of people that practice piercing or do it for a living or are enthusiasts."
I asked Kisby why he gravitates to photographing events. "From a logistical standpoint, it’s an easier time to get a bunch of people who are into one type of thing together," Kisby said. But the infectious, communal energy is an even more powerful motivator. "Everybody’s there to do this one thing, and it’s all about whatever particular interest they have; they don’t care if it’s weird or goofy or whatever, they’re all there to celebrate it. They feel safe and comfortable and happy." Kisby has no tattoos or piercings — "Maybe that’s why I was fascinated with it, because it was completely foreign,” he said — but his portraits are sensitive and relatable all the same. Click through to meet 14 of Kiby's muses.
In Kisby's portraits of APP Conference attendees, individuals show off their body modifications — including tattoos and piercings and implants — and their personal styles. "The point of this project was not to point and say, 'Look at these people, look at how weird they look,'" he explained. "It was to show the range of people that practice piercing or do it for a living or are enthusiasts."
I asked Kisby why he gravitates to photographing events. "From a logistical standpoint, it’s an easier time to get a bunch of people who are into one type of thing together," Kisby said. But the infectious, communal energy is an even more powerful motivator. "Everybody’s there to do this one thing, and it’s all about whatever particular interest they have; they don’t care if it’s weird or goofy or whatever, they’re all there to celebrate it. They feel safe and comfortable and happy." Kisby has no tattoos or piercings — "Maybe that’s why I was fascinated with it, because it was completely foreign,” he said — but his portraits are sensitive and relatable all the same. Click through to meet 14 of Kiby's muses.
Banksy
Banksy, a street artist whose identity remains unknown, is believed to
have been born in Bristol, England, around 1974. He rose to prominence
for his provocative stenciled pieces in the late 1990s. Banksy is the
subject of a 2010 documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, which examines the relationship between commercial and street art.
Banksy began his career as a graffiti artist in the early 1990s, in Bristol's graffiti gang DryBreadZ Crew. Although his early work was largely freehand, Banksy used stencils on occasion. In the late '90s, he began using stencils predominantly. His work became more widely recognized around Bristol and in London, as his signature style developed.
Banksy's artwork is characterized by striking images, often combined with slogans. His work often engages political themes, satirically critiquing war, capitalism, hypocrisy and greed. Common subjects include rats, apes, policemen, members of the royal family, and children. In addition to his two-dimensional work, Banksy is known for his installation artwork. One of the most celebrated of these pieces, which featured a live elephant painted with a Victorian wallpaper pattern, sparked controversy among animal rights activists.
Other pieces have drawn attention for their edgy themes or the boldness of their execution. Banksy's work on the West Bank barrier, between Israel and Palestine, received significant media attention in 2005. He is also known for his use of copyrighted material and subversion of classic images. An example of this is Banksy's version of Monet's famous series of water lilies paintings, adapted by Banksy to include drifting trash and debris.
Banksy's worldwide fame has transformed his artwork from acts of vandalism to sought-after high art pieces. Journalist Max Foster has referred to the rising prices of graffiti as street art as "the Banksy effect." Interest in Banksy escalated with the release of the 2010 documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, was nominated for an Academy Award.
In October 2013, Banksy took to the streets of New York City. There he pledged to create a new piece of art for each day of his residency. As he explained to the Village Voice, "The plan is to live here, react to things, see the sights—and paint on them. Some of it will be pretty elaborate, and some will just be a scrawl on a toilet wall." During that month, he also sold some of his works on the street for $60 a piece, well below the market value for his art.
Banksy's identity remains unknown, despite intense speculation. The two names most often suggested are Robert Banks and Robin Gunningham. Pictures that surfaced of a man who was supposedly Banksy pointed toward Gunningham, an artist who was born in Bristol in 1973. Gunningham moved to London around 2000, a timeline that correlates with the progression of Banksy's artwork.
Banksy began his career as a graffiti artist in the early 1990s, in Bristol's graffiti gang DryBreadZ Crew. Although his early work was largely freehand, Banksy used stencils on occasion. In the late '90s, he began using stencils predominantly. His work became more widely recognized around Bristol and in London, as his signature style developed.
Banksy's artwork is characterized by striking images, often combined with slogans. His work often engages political themes, satirically critiquing war, capitalism, hypocrisy and greed. Common subjects include rats, apes, policemen, members of the royal family, and children. In addition to his two-dimensional work, Banksy is known for his installation artwork. One of the most celebrated of these pieces, which featured a live elephant painted with a Victorian wallpaper pattern, sparked controversy among animal rights activists.
Other pieces have drawn attention for their edgy themes or the boldness of their execution. Banksy's work on the West Bank barrier, between Israel and Palestine, received significant media attention in 2005. He is also known for his use of copyrighted material and subversion of classic images. An example of this is Banksy's version of Monet's famous series of water lilies paintings, adapted by Banksy to include drifting trash and debris.
Banksy's worldwide fame has transformed his artwork from acts of vandalism to sought-after high art pieces. Journalist Max Foster has referred to the rising prices of graffiti as street art as "the Banksy effect." Interest in Banksy escalated with the release of the 2010 documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, was nominated for an Academy Award.
In October 2013, Banksy took to the streets of New York City. There he pledged to create a new piece of art for each day of his residency. As he explained to the Village Voice, "The plan is to live here, react to things, see the sights—and paint on them. Some of it will be pretty elaborate, and some will just be a scrawl on a toilet wall." During that month, he also sold some of his works on the street for $60 a piece, well below the market value for his art.
Banksy's identity remains unknown, despite intense speculation. The two names most often suggested are Robert Banks and Robin Gunningham. Pictures that surfaced of a man who was supposedly Banksy pointed toward Gunningham, an artist who was born in Bristol in 1973. Gunningham moved to London around 2000, a timeline that correlates with the progression of Banksy's artwork.
New Romantics
New Romanticism can be seen as a reaction to punk, and was heavily influenced by former glam rock stars of the 1970s such as David Bowie and Roxy Music. terms of style it rejected the austerity and anti-fashion stance of punk. Both sexes often dressed in counter-sexual or androgynous clothing and wore cosmetics such as eyeliner and lipstick, partly derived from earlier punk fashions. This "gender building" was particularly evident in figures such as Boy George of Culture Club and Marily (Peter Robinson).
Common hairstyles included quiffs, mullets, and wedges. Soon after they began to gain mainstream attention, however, many New Romantic bands dropped the eclectic clothes and make-up in favour of sharp suits.
New Romantic looks were propagated from fashion designer Helen Robinson's Covent Garden shop PX, began to influence major collections and were spread, with a delay, through reviews of what was being worn in clubs via magazines including i-D. The emergence of the New Romantic movement into the mainstream coincided wit Vivienne's unveiling of her "pirate collection", which was promoted by Bow Wow Wow and Adam and the Ants, who were managed by her then partner Malcolm Mclaren. However, the post-punk Adam Ant himself has always denied being a New Romantic, and reiterated this in 2012.
The band Japan also refuted any connection with the New Romantic movement, having adopted an androgynous look incorporating make-up ever since their inception in the mid-1970s at the tail-end of the glam rock era, many years before the New Romantic movement began. In an October 1981 interview, vocalist Sylvian commented "There's a period going past at the moment that may make us look as though we're in fashion." In another interview, he stated "I don't like to be associated with them (New Romantics). The attitudes are so very different." Of Japan's fashion sense, Sylvian said "For them (New Romantics), fancy dress is a costume. But ours is a way of life. We look and dress this way every day."
Similarly, the electronic duo Soft Cell also denied any connection to the New Romantic scene. In an interview published in January 1984, keyboardist Dave Ball reflected back on their first year of success (1981) and stated "At this time we were linked to the whole New Romantics thing, but we were never a part of that. It was just a trendy London club thing with Steve Strange."
Common hairstyles included quiffs, mullets, and wedges. Soon after they began to gain mainstream attention, however, many New Romantic bands dropped the eclectic clothes and make-up in favour of sharp suits.
New Romantic looks were propagated from fashion designer Helen Robinson's Covent Garden shop PX, began to influence major collections and were spread, with a delay, through reviews of what was being worn in clubs via magazines including i-D. The emergence of the New Romantic movement into the mainstream coincided wit Vivienne's unveiling of her "pirate collection", which was promoted by Bow Wow Wow and Adam and the Ants, who were managed by her then partner Malcolm Mclaren. However, the post-punk Adam Ant himself has always denied being a New Romantic, and reiterated this in 2012.
The band Japan also refuted any connection with the New Romantic movement, having adopted an androgynous look incorporating make-up ever since their inception in the mid-1970s at the tail-end of the glam rock era, many years before the New Romantic movement began. In an October 1981 interview, vocalist Sylvian commented "There's a period going past at the moment that may make us look as though we're in fashion." In another interview, he stated "I don't like to be associated with them (New Romantics). The attitudes are so very different." Of Japan's fashion sense, Sylvian said "For them (New Romantics), fancy dress is a costume. But ours is a way of life. We look and dress this way every day."
Similarly, the electronic duo Soft Cell also denied any connection to the New Romantic scene. In an interview published in January 1984, keyboardist Dave Ball reflected back on their first year of success (1981) and stated "At this time we were linked to the whole New Romantics thing, but we were never a part of that. It was just a trendy London club thing with Steve Strange."
Dan Eldon
Dan Eldon was born in London on September 18th, 1970, and from a very
early age displayed signs of an excellent sense of humor. When Dan was
seven years old, he and his three-year-old sister Amy moved to Nairobi,
Kenya with their parents, Kathy and Mike Eldon. His most vivid early
memory of Kenya was a confrontation with a baboon who snatched his
chocolate mousse and scratched Dan’s arm, leaving him with a healthy
respect for baboons and a craving for chocolate mousse.
In Kenya, Dan attended a British school where he developed a “schoolphobia” after being attacked too many times by a vicious math teacher, armed with a sneaker. He convinced his parents to transfer him to the International School of Kenya, attended by students representing 46 nationalities. There he blossomed, particularly enjoying such activities as staying in a Maasai village, a trip to the exotic Arab island of Lamu off the coast of Kenya, and climbing Mt. Kenya.
Dan was lucky to have many Kenyan friends, including Lengai Croze, who took him for many adventures in the gorge behind his home. Another friend was Lara Leakey, granddaughter of anthropologist Louis Leakey, who discovered many of the most ancient human ancestral bones in the world. Both Lengai and Lara lived next to the Nairobi Game Park, and were used to nightly visits from rhino, leopard, giraffe and lion.
In 1982, Dan narrowly missed being caught up in the coup in Kenya, but he was around to experience the aftermath of that political upheaval. Early on, he joined his journalist mother on her assignments, and soon was taking pictures, which were used in the local newspapers.
Dan started helping others from a young age. When he was 14, he started a fund-raising campaign for open-heart surgery to save the life of Atieno, a young Kenyan girl. Together with his sister and friends, he raised $5,000 but due to neglect by the hospital Atieno died.
When Dan was 15, he helped support a Maasai family buy buying their hand-made jewelry, later selling it to fellow students and friends. It was during this time that he started to create journals: fat, bulging books filled with collages, photographs and whimsical drawings. He often used satire and cartoons to comment on what he saw around him, but kept the journals as very personal statements, which he shared with only a few people.
During Dan’s high school years, he held many charity fund-raising dances in the “Mkebe,” a large tin shed in the backyard of the Eldon home. There, scores of students gathered, paying an entrance fee, which went towards Dan’s latest charity. Always looking for a way to raise funds, he also produced colorful tee shirts of his own design, and even launched a collection of brightly printed boxer shorts.
Dan graduated from the International School of Kenya in 1988, winning the International Relations and Community Service awards, as well as being voted most outstanding student by his classmates. He addressed his class, emphasizing in importance of crossing cultural barriers and caring for others.
Throughout his life, Dan was fortunate in being able to travel extensively, and had visited 46 countries by the time of his death. In addition, he studied seven languages in school and out of it. He returned nearly every summer to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, home of his grandparents, Russell and Louise Knapp. From the age of 8 to 18, Dan attended Camp Wapsi in Central City, Iowa, where he learned about Native Americans.
In Kenya, Dan attended a British school where he developed a “schoolphobia” after being attacked too many times by a vicious math teacher, armed with a sneaker. He convinced his parents to transfer him to the International School of Kenya, attended by students representing 46 nationalities. There he blossomed, particularly enjoying such activities as staying in a Maasai village, a trip to the exotic Arab island of Lamu off the coast of Kenya, and climbing Mt. Kenya.
Dan was lucky to have many Kenyan friends, including Lengai Croze, who took him for many adventures in the gorge behind his home. Another friend was Lara Leakey, granddaughter of anthropologist Louis Leakey, who discovered many of the most ancient human ancestral bones in the world. Both Lengai and Lara lived next to the Nairobi Game Park, and were used to nightly visits from rhino, leopard, giraffe and lion.
In 1982, Dan narrowly missed being caught up in the coup in Kenya, but he was around to experience the aftermath of that political upheaval. Early on, he joined his journalist mother on her assignments, and soon was taking pictures, which were used in the local newspapers.
Dan started helping others from a young age. When he was 14, he started a fund-raising campaign for open-heart surgery to save the life of Atieno, a young Kenyan girl. Together with his sister and friends, he raised $5,000 but due to neglect by the hospital Atieno died.
When Dan was 15, he helped support a Maasai family buy buying their hand-made jewelry, later selling it to fellow students and friends. It was during this time that he started to create journals: fat, bulging books filled with collages, photographs and whimsical drawings. He often used satire and cartoons to comment on what he saw around him, but kept the journals as very personal statements, which he shared with only a few people.
During Dan’s high school years, he held many charity fund-raising dances in the “Mkebe,” a large tin shed in the backyard of the Eldon home. There, scores of students gathered, paying an entrance fee, which went towards Dan’s latest charity. Always looking for a way to raise funds, he also produced colorful tee shirts of his own design, and even launched a collection of brightly printed boxer shorts.
Dan graduated from the International School of Kenya in 1988, winning the International Relations and Community Service awards, as well as being voted most outstanding student by his classmates. He addressed his class, emphasizing in importance of crossing cultural barriers and caring for others.
Throughout his life, Dan was fortunate in being able to travel extensively, and had visited 46 countries by the time of his death. In addition, he studied seven languages in school and out of it. He returned nearly every summer to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, home of his grandparents, Russell and Louise Knapp. From the age of 8 to 18, Dan attended Camp Wapsi in Central City, Iowa, where he learned about Native Americans.
3D Toy Weapon
For my 3D weapon I made a toy rubberband gun and created a fun little contraption. I learned alot from the 3D printing experience and how it all works. The printing took an extremely long time but the overall outcome made me happy.
Triumph of Nerds
The first true nerds were young men who obsessed over computer
programming. They would stay up for days at a time to program, not talk
to anyone, smell terrible, and fell in love with computers. They
developed the first more or less working computers and some
applications, better operating systems and such. Nerds created programs
for fun, tried to take over the computer market, and continued to expand
their knowledge.
The first computer developed by these nerds was developed in a garage in Silicon Valley. Every one of them built a version of a computer in their garages.Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs developed the Altair which worked by flipping a series of switches. Many programmers enjoyed this version, but thought it to be too annoying to work with. Grace Hopper developed COBOL which made it possible for them to advance much easier. More people created applications that made the display more attractive, and more fun.
With all the computer companies existing in the world, new companies could not really take off. Many of the major companies competed for ownership of the world’s computer users. IBM was in trouble, and in order to save themselves, they thought up a new idea: use non IBM products. That worked quite well, but Bill Gates (Microsoft) was still the wealthiest man in the world. So IBM called upon Bill Gates to create an operating system for them. All knew that Microsoft would be a million-dollar company soon. Compaq also developed and got a part of this action.
The first computer developed by these nerds was developed in a garage in Silicon Valley. Every one of them built a version of a computer in their garages.Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs developed the Altair which worked by flipping a series of switches. Many programmers enjoyed this version, but thought it to be too annoying to work with. Grace Hopper developed COBOL which made it possible for them to advance much easier. More people created applications that made the display more attractive, and more fun.
With all the computer companies existing in the world, new companies could not really take off. Many of the major companies competed for ownership of the world’s computer users. IBM was in trouble, and in order to save themselves, they thought up a new idea: use non IBM products. That worked quite well, but Bill Gates (Microsoft) was still the wealthiest man in the world. So IBM called upon Bill Gates to create an operating system for them. All knew that Microsoft would be a million-dollar company soon. Compaq also developed and got a part of this action.
Bill
Gates went on to become extremely successful. His goal was to have his
software running on every computer existing. His promotional launch of
Windows 95 was amazing, he cut down those who stood in his way, and made
his version much better. Gates used pictures instead or words in order
to make his OS more intriguing. Steve Jobs became a leader in the
personal computer world, unlike Bill Gates who developed Operating
Systems. Steve knew soon all computers would have graphical interfaces
much like these, or better. Steve knew the Apple 2 was running out of
steam, and they and to do something else. Steve Jobs had launched a
revolution. Mac also bought Adobe which developed a better graphic
interface. Then, Apple got rid of Steve Jobs, the worst things they
could have done.
In the time since this video was developed, Apple grew larger and developed the iPod. This iPod, the better MP3, which was better than the CD or tape player, or record player, sent Apple to the top of the chain. Apple created the special Mac (Macintosh) laptop. Microsoft continued to develop new operating systems such as Windows XP and Windows 7. Both of these launched and were spectacular. Though Apple was mostly known for selling iPods, they still developed computers. Microsoft and Mac continue to compete for the computer market. Steve Jobs also passed away.
In the time since this video was developed, Apple grew larger and developed the iPod. This iPod, the better MP3, which was better than the CD or tape player, or record player, sent Apple to the top of the chain. Apple created the special Mac (Macintosh) laptop. Microsoft continued to develop new operating systems such as Windows XP and Windows 7. Both of these launched and were spectacular. Though Apple was mostly known for selling iPods, they still developed computers. Microsoft and Mac continue to compete for the computer market. Steve Jobs also passed away.
The History of Gaming
The first recognized example of a game machine was unveiled by Dr. Edward. The game, based on the ancient mathematical game of Nim
was played by about 50,000 people during the six months it was on
display, with the computer reportedly winning more than 90 percent of
the games.
However, the first game system designed for commercial home
use did not emerge until nearly three decades later, when Ralph Baer
and his team released his prototype, the “Brown Box,” in 1967.
The “Brown Box” was a vacuum tube-circuit that could be
connected to a television set and allowed two users to control cubes
that chased each other on the screen. The “Brown Box” could be
programmed to play a variety of games, including ping pong, checkers and
four sports games. Using advanced technology for this time, added
accessories included a lightgun for a target shooting game, and a special attachment used for a golf putting game.
According to the National Museum of Art, Baer recalled, “The minute we played ping-pong, we knew we had a product. Before that we weren’t too sure.”
The “Brown Box” was licensed to Magnavox, which released the system as the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972. It preceded Atari by a few months, which is often mistakenly thought of as the first games console.
Between August 1972 and 1975, when the Magnavox was discontinued, around 300,000 consules were sold. Poor sales were blamed on mismanaged in-store marketing campaigns and the fact that home gaming was a relatively alien concept to the average American at this time.However mismanaged it might have been, this was the birth of the digital gaming we know today.
Grid Art
The grid method is an inexpensive, low-tech way to
reproduce and/or enlarge an image that you want to paint or draw. The
grid method can be a fairly time-intensive process, depending on how
large and detailed your painting will be. While the process is not as
quick as using a projector or transfer paper, it does have the added
benefit of helping to improve your drawing and observational skills.
In a nutshell, the grid method involves drawing a grid over your reference photo, and then drawing a grid of equal ratio on your work surface (paper, canvas, wood panel, etc). Then you draw the image on your canvas, focusing on one square at a time, until the entire image has been transferred. Once you're finished, you simply erase or paint over the grid lines, and start working on your painting, which will be now be in perfect proportion! Yay.
To use the grid method, you need to have a ruler, a paper copy of your reference image, and a pencil to draw lines on the image. You will also need a work surface upon which you will be transferring the photo, such as paper, canvas, wood panel, etc.
To draw the grid lines on paper, I would recommend using a mechanical pencil, so that you can get a thin, precise line. Be sure to draw the grid very lightly, so that you can easily erase it when you are finished.
To draw the grid lines on canvas or wood, I would suggest using a thin piece of sharpened charcoal. Again, make sure you make the grid lines as light as possible, so that they are easy to erase when you are finished. The benefit of using charcoal on canvas or wood, instead of using pencil, is that charcoal can be easily wiped off with a paper towel or rag, whereas pencil can be more difficult to erase.
The important thing to remember when drawing the grids is that they must have a 1:1 ratio. This is very important - otherwise your drawing will be distorted! Basically, a 1:1 ratio means that you will have the exact same number of lines on your canvas as you will on your reference photo, and that in both cases, the lines must be equally spaced apart - perfect squares.
Confused? It's quite easy once you get the hang of it. Let's see the grid method in action, and it will make more sense.
In a nutshell, the grid method involves drawing a grid over your reference photo, and then drawing a grid of equal ratio on your work surface (paper, canvas, wood panel, etc). Then you draw the image on your canvas, focusing on one square at a time, until the entire image has been transferred. Once you're finished, you simply erase or paint over the grid lines, and start working on your painting, which will be now be in perfect proportion! Yay.
To use the grid method, you need to have a ruler, a paper copy of your reference image, and a pencil to draw lines on the image. You will also need a work surface upon which you will be transferring the photo, such as paper, canvas, wood panel, etc.
To draw the grid lines on paper, I would recommend using a mechanical pencil, so that you can get a thin, precise line. Be sure to draw the grid very lightly, so that you can easily erase it when you are finished.
To draw the grid lines on canvas or wood, I would suggest using a thin piece of sharpened charcoal. Again, make sure you make the grid lines as light as possible, so that they are easy to erase when you are finished. The benefit of using charcoal on canvas or wood, instead of using pencil, is that charcoal can be easily wiped off with a paper towel or rag, whereas pencil can be more difficult to erase.
The important thing to remember when drawing the grids is that they must have a 1:1 ratio. This is very important - otherwise your drawing will be distorted! Basically, a 1:1 ratio means that you will have the exact same number of lines on your canvas as you will on your reference photo, and that in both cases, the lines must be equally spaced apart - perfect squares.
Confused? It's quite easy once you get the hang of it. Let's see the grid method in action, and it will make more sense.
21st century technology
Everybody seems to be talking about learning 21st century
skills, but what does it all mean for the classroom teacher who needs
better technology in education and more resources for tomorrow's
mathematics or history lesson?
Concerned about
preparing today's children for tomorrow's world, the Partnership for
21st Century Skills and International Society for Technology in
Education have drafted frameworks and guidelines that outline what our
students need to know to meet the challenges of the modern age. Mastery
of core content areas, such as language Arts (including English language
arts, reading, Spanish, etc....), mathematics, science and history,
remains the centerpiece. But these two organizations emphasize the
importance of cultivating interdisciplinary themes, such as global
awareness and financial, civic and health literacies, and weaving key
skill areas (creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration,
research and information fluency, and critical thinking, problem
solving and decision making) into core subject matter.
One can easily become overwhelmed by the variety of Web 2.0 tools that
are available online today. In order to effectively choose the
appropriate tool, being aware of your intended instructional outcomes is
key. To assist you in this search, educationally relevant Web 2.0 tools
have been grouped into categories below, which are reflective of 21st
century skills.
Winsor Mccay
Little Nemo is a fictional character created by American cartoonist Winsor Mccay. Nemo was originally the protagonist of the comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland.
The full-page weekly strip depicted Nemo having fantastic dreams that
were interrupted by his awakening in the final panel. The strip is
considered McCay's masterpiece for its experiments with the form of the
comics page, its use of color, its timing and pacing, the size and shape
of its panels, perspective, architectural and other detail.
Little Nemo in Slumberland ran in the New York Herald from October 15, 1905, until July 23, 1911; the strip was renamed In the Land of Wonderful Dreams when McCay brought it toWilliam Randolph Hearts, New York American, where it ran from September 3, 1911 until July 26, 1914. When McCay returned to the Herald in 1924, he revived the strip, and it ran under its original title from Aug 3, 1924, until December 26, 1926, when McCay returned to Hearst.
Little Nemo in Slumberland ran in the New York Herald from October 15, 1905, until July 23, 1911; the strip was renamed In the Land of Wonderful Dreams when McCay brought it toWilliam Randolph Hearts, New York American, where it ran from September 3, 1911 until July 26, 1914. When McCay returned to the Herald in 1924, he revived the strip, and it ran under its original title from Aug 3, 1924, until December 26, 1926, when McCay returned to Hearst.
Great Train Robbery
Among the earliest existing films in American cinema - notable as the
first film that presented a narrative story to tell - it depicts a group
of cowboy outlaws who hold up a train and rob the passengers. They are
then pursued by a Sheriff's posse. Several scenes have color included -
all hand tinted.
The clerk at the train station is assaulted and left tied by four men, then they rob the train threatening the operator. (They) take all the money and shoot a passenger when trying to run away. A little girl discovers the clerk tied and gives notice to the sheriff, who at once goes along with his men hunting the bandits.
A group of bandits stage a brazen train hold-up, only to find a determined posse hot on their heels.
First, in the opening scene, two masked robbers force the telegraph operator to send a false message so the train will make an unscheduled stop. In the very next scene, the bandits board the train and the robbers enter the mail car, and after a fight, they open the safe. In the next scene, two of the robbers throw the driver and fireman off the train and take it over. Next, the robbers stop the train and hold up the passengers. One runs away and is shot. The robbers escape aboard the engine, and in the subsequent scene we see them mount horses and ride off. Meanwhile, the telegraph operator on the train sends a message calling for assistance. In a saloon, a newcomer is being forced to dance at gunpoint, but when the message arrives, everyone grabs their rifles and exit. Cut to the robbers pursued by a posse. There is a shoot-out, and the robbers are killed. There's one extra shot, showing one of the robbers firing point blank out of the screen.
The clerk at the train station is assaulted and left tied by four men, then they rob the train threatening the operator. (They) take all the money and shoot a passenger when trying to run away. A little girl discovers the clerk tied and gives notice to the sheriff, who at once goes along with his men hunting the bandits.
A group of bandits stage a brazen train hold-up, only to find a determined posse hot on their heels.
First, in the opening scene, two masked robbers force the telegraph operator to send a false message so the train will make an unscheduled stop. In the very next scene, the bandits board the train and the robbers enter the mail car, and after a fight, they open the safe. In the next scene, two of the robbers throw the driver and fireman off the train and take it over. Next, the robbers stop the train and hold up the passengers. One runs away and is shot. The robbers escape aboard the engine, and in the subsequent scene we see them mount horses and ride off. Meanwhile, the telegraph operator on the train sends a message calling for assistance. In a saloon, a newcomer is being forced to dance at gunpoint, but when the message arrives, everyone grabs their rifles and exit. Cut to the robbers pursued by a posse. There is a shoot-out, and the robbers are killed. There's one extra shot, showing one of the robbers firing point blank out of the screen.
Jason Theodor
One of the other fun exercises is called XYZ. X has an issue with Y because of Z:
Ron Stanton is the royal taxidermist, as was his father before him, and his grandfather before that. For six generations the Stanton’s have been stuffing the dogs and cats and bats and squirrels and bears and foxes handed down to them by their regal masters. And they have always done so without conflict or complaint for over one-hundred years. Until Ron discovers a hidden trunk filled with hair unlike any creature he had ever ‘treated’. It is too corse to be human, but does not fit the profile of an ape or a gorilla. It is long, dark brown, and smells of thick musk. As Ron starts to question other royal servants about his find, he begins to unravel a long-avoided secret of almost mythical proportions. Did King Gregory shoot a Sasquatch seventy years ago and try to have it stuffed? Or was it the other way around? Did the old King have a secret twin? Who was the hairy ape man that used to live in the back woods, or was it an old wives tale to scare the children into submission? Ron’s life begins to unravel as his obsession to solve this mystery threatens his occupation, his sanity– and his life! [Gold Cards for X: taxidermist, bigfoot; Gold Card for Y: royalty; Copper Card for Z: box of hair]
This is a very cool toy/writing prompt/teaching tool/parlor game! Thanks to Brian Mooney for creating such a simple and infinitely enjoyable box of cards.
Ron Stanton is the royal taxidermist, as was his father before him, and his grandfather before that. For six generations the Stanton’s have been stuffing the dogs and cats and bats and squirrels and bears and foxes handed down to them by their regal masters. And they have always done so without conflict or complaint for over one-hundred years. Until Ron discovers a hidden trunk filled with hair unlike any creature he had ever ‘treated’. It is too corse to be human, but does not fit the profile of an ape or a gorilla. It is long, dark brown, and smells of thick musk. As Ron starts to question other royal servants about his find, he begins to unravel a long-avoided secret of almost mythical proportions. Did King Gregory shoot a Sasquatch seventy years ago and try to have it stuffed? Or was it the other way around? Did the old King have a secret twin? Who was the hairy ape man that used to live in the back woods, or was it an old wives tale to scare the children into submission? Ron’s life begins to unravel as his obsession to solve this mystery threatens his occupation, his sanity– and his life! [Gold Cards for X: taxidermist, bigfoot; Gold Card for Y: royalty; Copper Card for Z: box of hair]
This is a very cool toy/writing prompt/teaching tool/parlor game! Thanks to Brian Mooney for creating such a simple and infinitely enjoyable box of cards.
Photography
The beginning of modern photojournalism took place in 1925, in
Germany. The event was the invention of the first 35 mm camera, the Leica.
It was designed as a way to use surplus movie film, then shot in the 35
mm format. Before this, a photo of professional quality required bulky
equipment; after this photographers could go just about anywhere and
take photos unobtrusively, without bulky lights or tripods. The
difference was dramatic, for primarily posed photos, with people award
of the photographer's presence, to new, natural photos of people as they
really lived.
Added to this was another invention originally from Germany, the photojournalism magazine. From the mid-1920s, Germany, at first, experimented with the combination of two old ideas. Old was the direct publication of photos; that was available after about 1890, and by the early 20th century, some publications, newspaper-style and magazine, were devoted primarily to illustrations. But the difference of photo magazines beginning in the 1920s was the collaboration--instead of isolated photos, laid out like in your photo album, editors and photographers begin to work together to produce an actual story told by pictures and words, or cutlines. In this concept, photographers would shoot many more photos than they needed, and transfer them to editors. Editors would examine contact sheets, that is, sheets with all the photos on them in miniature form (now done using Photoshop software), and choose those he or she best believed told the story. As important in the new photojournalism style was the layout and writing. Cutlines, or captions, helped tell the story along with the photos, guiding the reader through the illustrations, and photos were no longer published like a family album, or individually, just to illustrate a story. The written story was kept to a minimum, and the one, dominant, theme-setting photo would be published larger, while others would help reinforce this theme.
The combination of photography and journalism, or photojournalism--a term coined by Frank Luther Mott, historian and dean of the University of Missouri School of Journalism--really became familiar after World War II (1939-1945). Germany's photo magazines established the concept, but Hitler's rise to power in 1933 led to suppression and persecution of most of the editors, who generally fled the country. Many came to the United States.
Added to this was another invention originally from Germany, the photojournalism magazine. From the mid-1920s, Germany, at first, experimented with the combination of two old ideas. Old was the direct publication of photos; that was available after about 1890, and by the early 20th century, some publications, newspaper-style and magazine, were devoted primarily to illustrations. But the difference of photo magazines beginning in the 1920s was the collaboration--instead of isolated photos, laid out like in your photo album, editors and photographers begin to work together to produce an actual story told by pictures and words, or cutlines. In this concept, photographers would shoot many more photos than they needed, and transfer them to editors. Editors would examine contact sheets, that is, sheets with all the photos on them in miniature form (now done using Photoshop software), and choose those he or she best believed told the story. As important in the new photojournalism style was the layout and writing. Cutlines, or captions, helped tell the story along with the photos, guiding the reader through the illustrations, and photos were no longer published like a family album, or individually, just to illustrate a story. The written story was kept to a minimum, and the one, dominant, theme-setting photo would be published larger, while others would help reinforce this theme.
The combination of photography and journalism, or photojournalism--a term coined by Frank Luther Mott, historian and dean of the University of Missouri School of Journalism--really became familiar after World War II (1939-1945). Germany's photo magazines established the concept, but Hitler's rise to power in 1933 led to suppression and persecution of most of the editors, who generally fled the country. Many came to the United States.
Broadway the American Musical
This is the first comprehensive documentary series to chronicle the
entire frazzle-dazzle history of this unique American art form. Each
episode chronicles a different era in American history, and features the
Broadway shows and songs that defined the period. The series draws on a
wealth of feature films, rare television moments, archive news footage,
original cast recordings, still photos, diaries, journals, intimate
first person accounts, and on-camera interviews with many of the
principals involved in creating the American musical.
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