Squirrels& Sparrows

In this final article response “The Critic” by Edmund Burke Feldman is looked at, it pertained to the lecture which covered Exhibition Reviews and Art Criticism. Feldman’s main argument seems to be that art criticism is important to all and as it depends on art, art also depends on it to survive, one cannot exist without the other. The author continues in the article speaking of the different roles between the artist and the critic, and how these roles each have their own importance to arts existence. He also claims that criticism gives the work of an artist “meaning” beyond its already given meaning or purpose from the artist. In addition the critics give the artists themselves importance, and without them art would be reduced to a disrespected/ under appreciated practice. Feldman also goes on to say that there are different types of art critics, and each has their own rules and goals to follow. I believe that the author is true to an extent, but I disagree with his placement of art critics, he makes them seem almost more important then the artists themselves, which seems pretty pretentious since they would be nothing without artists, whereas artists would still be artists, recognized or not without the critics. Overall it was a interesting perspective of another part of the art world, where I think appearing to Feldman, critics reign with utmost importance. 

The article by Timothy Corrigan titled “Beginning to Think, Preparing to Watch, and Starting to Write” was assigned for the Film Reviews & Critical Analyses lecture, and spoke much about the steps to take when considering the phrases of the articles title. In this article Corrigan attempts to educate the reader with suggestions on how to actually approach writing about a film, he means to shed light on how movie analysis is basically an unveiling of a specific thing through various forms. 

In the article Corrigan gives suggestions for preparation including considering various aspects of the film both pre and post development. He believes focusing on certain characteristics will help you write about the films important developments. Other suggestions involve taking notes during the procession, paying attention to key moments or patterns and to deal with the films implicit questions when writing the analysis later on.

Overall the reading was a good extension from Corrigans other article and the suggestions really opened up the mind to thinking more critically instead of simply passively watching the film. The article also seemed to be more of a checklist at times which I believe helped the reader to receive the tips easily.

Looking at the article “Writing about the Movies” by Timothy Corrigan one can see the importance of analyzing films and how to go about doing it. Pertaining to the Film Reviews & Critical Analyses lecture material, this article covers screening reports, movie reviews and theoretical & critical essays. Corrigan’s main argument is that writing about films in these manners can help people in several ways, mostly in understanding what you have seen and putting it into a conscious, informed point of view. Having this enlightened vision on cinema allows the viewer to unlock and appreciate all the complexities that make a good film. Along with explaining the importance of writing and understanding movies critically Corrigan reminds us that there is still room for personal opinion and alteration for when writing to a specific audience. He further explains the different ways one can write about films in Screening Reports, where he explains they are a short work of text that gets right to the point and delivers the pertinent information to the audience for contemplation. Corrigan also touches upon Movie Reviews, stating that they aim towards the broadest audience, basically informing people about the film vaguely so that the idea of the film is crossed so that a decision can be made by the potential viewer to see it or not. He also speaks of Theoretical Essays and Critical Essays, the former leaning towards the films relation to reality, while the latter tending to be more focused on specific, cinematic characteristics of the film.

David Hemmings as Thomas in Blow-Up

  It was overall an informative text and helped clarify some questions revolving around the critical film analysis assignment. Relating it to the film Blow-Up the information given sparked some critical understandings of the film, from relating its content to its context and realizing the symbolic connotations sprinkled throughout.

The ultimate DIY website: http://www.instructables.com/

This DIY encyclopedia of sorts is truly a thing of wonder, there is almost everything you could imagine the average human being could make. And when I say average I mean you dont have to be a scientist, or rich, just a lot of love for doing things yourself.

Being a crafty person myself I fell in love with this website the moment I found out about it, from how to cook turkey picnic pies to making a cheese press! There is so many categories and “how to’s” for the strangest of things, that at times you can get lost in all the things you want to make. How they function as a website is that members submit their own “how to’s” on a certain thing, and with pictures, video, and text they give a step by step, most of the time clear and concise, method of how to make the end product! Its all free which is grand, and since the things made are made by crafty people, they are always inexpensive, more artistic, or just plain satisfying to make, in comparison to going out and buying that same or similar item of course. 

Besides having people post thier own DIY’s, Instructables has contests and helpful forums and a questions and answers page. They really help out anyone who wants to know how to do anything, them, along with the active members, when mixed with the countless people who appreciate and use this website, one can see a growing sense of community. This online community really speaks of this transferal of what I believe a culture becoming primarily web based. Here we see things from pop culture, culinary, to music or technology merging together and becoming something bigger, a virtual tome written by the people for the people. To think a website such as this can garner as much acclaim or respect from people as a real life club or group would, shows how powerful the online community is becoming. Its easy to notice that online communities such as this are shaping our culture today, difference between an “offline” community and this is that its done behind a computer screen. So a good question to ask is, does the fact that its done on this world wide web make it illegitimate? The fact that its not actually real? Or has this intangable thing gained a genuine soul of its own. 

I vote for the latter.       

Heres a quick DIY for the holidays: Christmas Tree Magazine

ditch those magazines and snoop around Instructables instead!

While sniffing around Akimbo.ca I came across something very interesting that will definitely alter the way our ever changing culture receives and delivers art. Its this upcoming project by Jim Shedden, Carrie Shibinsky, and Andrea Carson based from Toronto called Artbomb! Supposedly launching this December, its an email informed online auction where local artists submit their works and can potentially be put in the lineup for auction. They aim that everyday there will be a new piece of work to bid on and once the auction is over the buyer will pay and have that piece shipped to them accordingly. It seems revolutionary in terms of showing and buying art in the simplest way, its also revolutionary in that it gives a mass amount of upcoming artists a chance to get their name out there and their work sold for a decent price. Another great thing about this is that more buyers can be from the bourgeois, incredible art can now be widely noticed and affordable because it isn’t from a big name artist. This will allow for many more people to buy upcoming art at a decent price while providing artists well deserved income for their work and funding to continue to make art. Basically this opens the doors and windows wide open for almost everyone to indulge in the arts. Even if you cant afford, or have space for art in your home, it gives people a chance to see what is out there, what is being made, and as a student artist myself this is a valuable tool to succeed in my passion.

So hopefully things run smoothly for these three brave souls come December, I have already subscribed and cant wait to receive the first image of the first piece ever to be auctions on Artbomb! Who knows maybe one day if this gets bigger and they begin accepting submissions from outside of Toronto i could participate! 

Heres to art, advancement, and auctions!  Clink*

Step 1: Cutting the beef on the 3 stooges cutting board of course

Step 2: marinading hour after hour

Step 3: Magic words aka dehydrating

Step 4:  done! This is whats left after one day : O

and now a haiku:

A cow becomes steak

The steak becomes beef jerky

Thus changing the world.