Shipwrecked Debate

           The Smithsonian Museums are currently holding an exhibition in Asia, displaying artifacts that were discovered in 1998 from a ninth century shipwreck off the coast of Indonesia. The artifacts are significant because they are the only evidence of trade between the Arab and Chinese world. The exhibition includes artifacts from China’s ancient Tang Dynasty, including items such as ceramics, silver, and gold. This is the largest find of Tang Dynasty artifacts ever discovered.

            Although this discovery is a significant find, the Smithsonian has had many complaints about the exhibition of these artifacts. According to the Council of American Maritime Museums, their ethics statement claims, “Members shall not knowingly exhibit artifacts which have been stolen or removed from commercially exploited sites.” This is a controversial issue because some of the artifacts found were looted and sold for money. This is because the Indonesian government did not have the means to police the waters where the artifacts were found, so people began to steal the artifacts and sell them- a kind of “treasure hunt.”

            Since the statement claims that the Smithsonian is not legally allowed to exhibit any stolen material from exploited sites, there is much complaint of the “Shipwrecked” exhibit. Many critics claim that the artifacts were not excavated properly, and holding the exhibit sends a message that treasure hunting is okay. Others say that the artifacts were in fact recovered and legally licensed to the museums. Once the Indonesian government realized the looting problem, they hired a German commercial salvage company to take control. They recovered all of the artifacts, and these are apparently the artifacts that the museum received. These artifacts, therefore, do not go against the ethics statement and can be exhibited through the Smithsonian museums.

            I understand the argument that some of the artifacts in the museum could have possibly been looted and sold for money, but I think that critics are making this into a bigger deal than it is. The listening article stated that these artifacts were in fact received from the German salvage company, and therefore legally licensed. The debate is whether this is true, but I think that it shouldn’t be debated. The shipwreck is such an amazing find, and the artifacts recovered should be able to be viewed by the public. This gives society information and an actual look into the 9^th century Tang Dynasty, which is remarkable. If the sole purpose of the exhibition is to display these findings and educate the people, I don’t see the problem in the “Shipwrecked” exhibition. By holding the exhibition, I do not believe it portrays a message that treasure hunting is okay, like some believe. I think the fact that it is being displayed by a renowned museum in an exhibition distinguishes the artifacts as significant and important. The way they were received by the museum does not concern me. It concerns me that there is a possibility that this exhibit will be shut down, not allowing the discovery to receive as much publicity as it deserves.

I Heart Milton Glaser

            Milton Glaser is an artist most known for his graphic designs. He became fond of graphic design because he wanted to create work that people would see- he didn’t want his work to be hung in a museum necessarily, but he wanted it to be out in the public eye. Besides graphic design, Milton also loves to draw. In the documentary, he explained drawing as a way of understanding the world. Throughout his life he has also done work with service journalism, typography, and Push Pin. Milton is very versatile, working with many different kinds of styles and types of art. He does not like to be tied down to a style because he doesn’t want people to start expecting things from him- He doesn’t want to become encapsulated in it.

            Milton loves to create art that is pleasurable to him and to society. One of Milton’s favorite quotes is from ancient critic and poet, Horace, who said, “The purpose of art is to inform and delight.” In the documentary, Milton stated that he has been struggling with his own definition of art for all of his life, but this is the best purpose for art that he can think of. He believes that there may not be a true definition for art because people are always redefining art. Milton best defines art as an instrument for social enhancement, where artists are always creating commonality so people can relate to something. He sees design as a cultural value and a way of perceiving the world. Much of his work is focused on shaping how to communicate clearly throughout society.

            Milton also explained that, with art, “We should always operate by interruption”. Without interruption, things would not get done, or take longer to get done. In the documentary, Milton was interrupted while on the phone so he could read a paragraph to his coworker. During this time he was also making a sketch. This interruption is not considered rude or unruly, but is a means of getting things done and being in the moment. In art, some of the best ideas are always thought up in tight situations or on the spot. Operating with interruption allows for good ideas to never go unheard or unanswered. 

Ambient Advertising

          Ambient advertising is advertising that exists in unexpected places. Ambient ads usually have a unique way of capturing the attention of the public and surrounding people. The unexpectedness of the advertising captures more attention from viewers than it would if the advertising existed in an original place. Ambient ads convey a message and create awareness that reaches to a wider variety of people. These ads grab the consumers by “surprise”, making them want to look at the ad. These are not just general ads that one would find in a magazine or commercial- most people want to skip over those advertisements. But ambient ads provide a fresh new outlook on advertising, making it enjoyable for the consumer to view the ad. It uses traditional advertising in an interesting and innovative way. Examples of ambient advertising would be ads existing on park benches, toilet paper rolls, clothing, or floors. Other types of ambient advertising would be 3D or interactive ads.

            Ambient advertising is an effective way to reach Otterbein students because it is unique. Students are used to their everyday routine and schedule that they don’t usually pay attention to small things. I can’t tell you how many times I have walked passed all of the bulletin boards with mounds of flyers tacked up promoting some events. Very rarely do I actually stop to look at those flyers to see what is going on around campus. This display is too overwhelming, and so common that no one utilizes it unless they happen to look that direction or are standing by one. If we create an advertisement around campus that is not what students are expecting, it would receive more attention and awareness. This kind of ambient advertising would have a greater effect on Otterbein students than the normal flyer that everyone walks by. If we put something out in the open that would not usually be placed there, it would grab the attention of people walking by. No one ever notices when their surroundings are the same, but once it changes, or once something skews the perception, people immediately notice the difference. That’s what we should be trying to do with our ambient advertising projects.

One ambient ad I found to be creative was an ad for the LG Steam Direct Drive Washing Machine, to promote its wrinkle-free washing. The company reinvented the laundry bag to look like one of their washing machines, and distributed them to dry cleaners and neighborhood laundries. The machine therefore became a mobile advertisement, with a hole in the bag that allowed the public to see through to the “wrinkle-free” ironed clothes. This is effective because it is a walking advertisement. The people carrying the bags are essentially promoting the product, without actually meaning to. This advertisement targets ordinary consumer adults that wash their clothes, and may want an easier way of doing it, without all of the wrinkles.

Another ambient ad I found very effective was an ad for First United that was creating awareness of all the homeless people in Metro, Vancouver. It was unique because they created real-life sculptures of people that did not have a face or head, and placed them in high-traffic areas around the city. These statues represented actual people that they had helped get off the streets and find jobs and homes. While bringing awareness to how many homeless people there were, they also brought awareness to how many people they had helped, and therefore were not homeless anymore. These sculptures captured the attention of the public because of the missing faces. They looked like actual people, but when the public noticed that there was no face, they became very interested in the meaning behind the sculptures and what they were promoting. The ad was even more effective because it directed viewers to a website where they could learn more about the cause, read success stories, and donate. This ad targets people in Vancouver primarily.

You can check out the video for this advertisement here:

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/first_united_sculptures

 

Commodity Self: Are you the product of products?

            I believe that people are the product of products, but only to a certain extent. The products in which people buy or associate themselves with can shape who that person is, but those products do not directly define a person. Products can generalize a person, but they cannot tell everything about that person. I agree with media theorist Stuart Ewen when he expresses the idea of “commodity self”, in which our selves are “mediated and constructed in part through our consumption and use of commodities.” Our Practices of Looking textbook goes on to state that, “Clothing, music, cosmetic products, and cars, among other things, are commodities that people use to construct their identities and project them outward to those around them” (279). 

            Clothing, as an example, is a product in which people use to identify themselves. There are so many types of clothing, but what one may choose to wear is completely different from someone else. Teenagers wear the “cool” clothes, while adults wear more sophisticated, less provocative clothing. Clothing, therefore, categorizes people into age groups and different generations. Some clothing is subject to religion and ethnicities, while other clothing represents the type of person one may be. The clothing that people wear shapes the way they are perceived by the general public. For example, I always tend to look nice; I do my hair every morning, wear nice clothes, and put on jewelry and makeup. The look I have created for myself signifies me as a classy girl. But if I were to wear sweats and tennis shoes everyday, people would classify me as something different. No matter what I wear though, I am still the same person on the inside. I still have the same beliefs and experiences I had before switching clothing styles. I don’t let my clothes directly define me, but they do have an impact on the way I identify myself and allow other to perceive me. Therefore, I do believe that we construct our identities, at least in part, through consumer products.

Franz Kline (1910-1962)

            Franz Kline was an Abstract Expressionist artist of the 1900s. He was born in 1910 in Pennsylvania, and developed his love for art in his high school drawing class. He decided to take on art as a career, first studying illustration and cartooning. He attended the Heatherley’s School of Fine Art in London, from 1936-1938, where he met his future wife, Elizabeth. He moved to New York and lived as a starving artist; he struggled to survive because he didn’t like to sell his paintings.

            Kline struggled to find an artistic style throughout much of his career. He began doing figurative work, drawing many self-portraits. He also painted landscapes, still lifes, and murals. Then, in 1946, he gradually turned toward abstraction. Once he found his niche in abstract art, there was no turning back. His abstract paintings became so famous that they overwhelmed every other aspect of his art. Many people know Kline for his abstractions, but not many people know that he did other types of art as well.

            His most famous abstract pieces are his black and white paintings. These are paintings of extreme contrast and dramatic lines. I was intrigued by these paintings because they are so unique; they are simple, yet loud and bold. Figure Eight is a black and white painting that caught my eye because of its intense black line- the line captures so much energy and movement. I also like his technique of “overpainting” in Figure Eight, which is where “Many of the whites… lie on top of the blacks, some of which Kline let show through intentionally while others have worked to the surface as the painting has aged” (Gaugh 78). This gives the painting visual layers that capture attention.

Figure Eight

Although Kline was most known for his abstractions, one of his paintings I really liked was from the Jazz Murals he painted in 1933. He painted a series of stylized musicians on a wall in the town roller-skating rink in Lehighton, PA. I love these murals because music is such a passion of mine, and he really portrayed the musicians in an exciting way. It's almost like you can hear the music they are playing because each character is portrayed with such movement and excitement. Unfortunately, the walls which the murals were painted on were torn down in 1980. 

Another painting I like incorporates his early figure drawings with abstract qualities. Small Seated Figure was painted in 1947 and combined "loosely brushed contour with colored planes" (Gaugh 42).

 Small Seated Figure

One of my favorite paintings I found when researching Kline's work was an untitled piece painted in 1948. In this abstraction, Kline used so many different textures and colors, as well as shapes and figures. I find myself trying to find different images among the painting, even though it just consists of lines and curves. The way he placed the colors and lines together is quite fascinating. 

Franz Kline created similar abstract paintings to the black and white images, but utilized color as well. Many of his abstract paintings are very colorful, while others are quite simple. One of the more simple paintings I love is his Scudera. This piece is primarily painted different shades of blue, with black and red accents. I like how simple this painting is, yet beautiful and elegant. The rich blue color and very calming and easy on the eye.

Gaugh, Harry F. Franz Kline. Cincinnati, OH: Cincinnati Art Museum, 1994. Print.


Metzger, Robert P. and Franz Kline. Franz Kline: the jazz murals. Lewisburg, PA: Bucknell University, 1989. Print.

Harrell Fletcher's Art and Community

            Harrell Fletcher is an artist that creates work for the community, as well as through the community. The purpose behind his art is to bring people together to talk about art. He wants to make art accessible that is otherwise not accessible. In the Garage Sale Series, Harrell went to many different garage sales and found different pieces to put in his gallery. Along with each piece, he put story tags explaining where it was from, who’s it was, etc. He loved the meaning and sentimental value that each item carried. Harrell said that he likes to get the community involved because it makes the art interesting and exciting for them. Being involved in the process of making this art really brings people together.
            While traveling around to numerous garage sales, Harrell noticed that there were many similar items at each garage sale. In his gallery he placed similar items together- hats, bowls, etc. He also placed items together according to which garage sale they came from. Each section in his gallery was like a mini story depicted of some person’s life and their personal possessions. Harrell was interested in learning about a person’s life, putting it on display, and making it into art. This goes back to the idea of making art accessible. Harrell takes what would normally be considered just a regular household item, and turns it into art. He takes it from the community and then puts it on display for the community. After the show was over, Harrell used his gallery as a garage sale, selling back all of the items to the community. This captured the idea that what is one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. I think Harrell wanted to show the community what art could be, and get them involved with the creation of it. He brings an awareness of art to the community, while capturing their appreciation for his art. 

The effects of Peep

            Hal Niedzviecki is a smart man. I never thought too much about how social media has affected this world until his discussion yesterday about Peep culture. Hal described Peep culture as “reality TV, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, MySpace and Facebook.” It is pretty much anything on the Web that exploits people and their lives, whether put there by themselves or others. He talked about how we love Peep culture because it gives us a place to tell our story to anyone who wants to listen. We want to reach out to the community around us, without having to make much of an effort. The idea of connection with low expectation is the fact that people want to connect with each other, but don’t actually want to “hug” each other. The virtual world allows us to get close to each other, without getting too close. Once Hal said this, it was such an eye-opener for me. I completely agree with this idea. I have a bunch of friends on Facebook, but only a select few that I actually hang out with or see on a regular basis. For me, I like to see where high school friends are now in their lives, and what’s going on with them. Even though we’re not really friends anymore, it’s still a sort of connection I have with that part of my life, and it’s entertaining. Who’s getting married, who’s pregnant now, and who’s dating whom? It’s addicting.

            Many people become part of the Peeping world because they feel alone. They search for acceptance from followers or other bloggers- people who have similar interests and people that they can relate to. Hal talked about a woman who blogs because she feels that’s the only way she can be her complete self. The world today is becoming more of a virtual world than flesh. Although the virtual world may feel more rewarding to us, like we’re connecting to so many people, we actually have a disconnect from people. Not as many people know their neighbors or the others around them. They only know people through the computer. But how much do those 800 “friends” of yours on Facebook really mean to you? In relation to Facebook at least, Hal said, “we’ve polluted the word ‘friend’ to mean virtually nothing.” This is so true. Such a smart, smart man.