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