WASTELAND

Vik Muniz used his talent in art to show the lives of the hidden people at Jardim Gramacho, the largest landfill in the world. At Jardim Gramacho people who want to earn a decent wage but have nowhere to go come to pick trash for a living. Althouh some like Valtor are proud of their humble work others such as Isis have a hard time dealing with their situation. Vik pays a few of the pickers to come and help him create his art masterpieces made entirely oof trash they themselves have picked. These people are temporarily removed from all the chaos and filth that comes witht their job and are placed inside of a quiet art studio. As their worlds alter and they step back and look at the other things life has to offer there is questioning as to whether or not it is moral to only temporarily remove someone from reality then suddenly take them back to what they know best.

Vik and his wife both argued over this ethical reasoning and I am on Vik's side. The people he choose had all been through some traumatic times and I believe they deserved a break. Vik's wife is right that it is unfair to give someone hope and happiness and then suddenly take it away. However i believe that it was the people choice and they all wanted a moment of something better, even if it couldnt last forever. This is possibly the best thing that couldve ever appened to these people. When given a glimpse of something in life thats better than what you have to go through you generally tend to find anyway possible to exceed your own standards of life and become something youve dreamed of. This is exactly what happened to some of the people Vik used in his artwork. Isis herself came from this experience and said "I don't see myself as trash anymore. I don't want to go back to the garbage.". Vik provided a sense of worthiness to these people and they were now more than just the trash they picked.

Kirshenbaun bond senecal and partners (KBS+P)

Kirshenbaun bond senecal and partners (KBS+P)-
founded in 1987. It is named after founders Richard Kirshenbaum, Jon Bond and Lori Senecal
Vision
We create modern engagement platforms that drive transformational growth for our clients. Our approach is characterized by integrated, accountable teams that focus on getting to the heart of what matters quickly, and then move on to making real, executable and compelling programs that can make a difference.
Location
headquartered in New York, with offices also in Atlanta,Montreal and Toronto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7yD3HLQvOg


A. What is the setting of the ad (where and when in time).
This ad is set in middles class suburbian America during the day time. Most likely this is set between 2pm and 5m when kids are out of school. The family in the video is in their living room doing day to day tasks.
B. Who are the subjects in the ad (where are they from).
The subjects are a middle class african american family (Father, Mother, two sons, one daughter)
C. Identify any other key images in ad other than main subjects.
The key element of the ad is the bird that flys into their living room through the window
D. What is the story or meaning behind ad.The meaning of this ad is to persuade men in America that they do not have to be perfect to adopt a child.
E. What year was this ad made?
This Ad was created in 2010.
F. What relation is there between the ad and you, (the audience), viewing it.
I do not have much relation to this ad because I am not a male or a person looking to be a parent antime soon.
G. Who is the target audience and what cultural assumptions and values are built into the ad (what kind of person is meant to see it?)
The target audience for this commercial are middle aged middle class or higher people willing to adopt a child. This commercial focuses mostly on finding men who are willing to be a parent even if they think they are not perfect enough to do so.
H. Are the makers of the ad trying to draw a different kind of consumer with this ad?
Because there was humor in the ad it draws the attention of not only the target group but also anyone watching who finds it funny will leave with the message from the ad council in mind.
I. Are there "markers" of race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, class, sexuality?
There are many markers in this video. First the family in the video were middle class, suburbian, african americans. When I watched this video and others like it I reaized that all the parents in these videos were portrayed as african american middle class citizens. This tells me that this group is trying to speaking mostly to the african american population of america on the importance of adopting kids who need help. The main actor in the commercial was the father is a big and strong male. When the bird flys in he plays the role of the stereotypical father being calm, collected, and manly in the presence of an emergency, knowing exactly what to do.
J. What about the relationship between the text and the imagery?
The texts backs up the main point of the commercial by suggesting adopting a child in the USA.
K. Is the product shown or is it promoting a lifestyle or both? Explain.
I would say it is promoting the lifestyle of being a parent. It is basically saying that you may not be a perfect parent but a child never asks for perfect they just want someone who cares and is willing to look after them and love them.
L. Why did you choose the ad? And were you persuaded by it?
I choose this ad because I thought it was hilarious and humor always draws my attention in ads. I also liked the message being conveyed by the ad.

Gender in Advertising

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R2cnxz27LI&feature=BFa&list=SPB9F260CE56D04E73&lf=list_related
This product is for men however the ad is directed towards woman and more inderectly towards men. In the woman viewer eye if her man is not wearing this brand then he isnt good enough and most definitely isnt manly enough. For the male viewer it seems that he is very feminine if he doesnt use old spice and not only this but he may loose his woman to someone who is quite possibly more manly and can give her expensive things and take her where ever she wants to go.

Gender, Gaze, and Privacy

Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock exhibits many aspects of chapter 3. In the movie the main character Jeffries is wheel chair bound in  his home. "To gaze is to enter into a relational activity of looking" (94, practices of looking)He uses his time to gaze through his window into the neighboring buildins windows, "Like characters in a movie, his neighbors are apparently unaware that this audience of one exists." (125, Practices of looking).His neighbors cannot see Jeffries although he can clearly see them. Much like Chapter 3 states, Jeffries window acts as a metaphor for our day to day viewing. Everyday we see other people and in a way peer into their lives momentarily. Some would call this privacy invasion, I call this however curiosity. It is natural to be curious about other people and what they are doing, most importantly what they are doing wrong. In the movie Jeffries could care less about the people doing nothing wrong but only the ones ho acted peculiar recieved constant attention. As humans we have a natural need to pick out each others inadequacies and compare them to our own actions to determine if they are in fact strange.

Gender plays a huge role in this movie also. Jeffries sits back and watches his girlfriend Lisa as she sets out and does the things he isn't capable of. Jeffries is in fact the viewer. Much like it states in the book women have always been seen used in art and media as only a pleasing image to the viewers eye. Although Lisa was not naked in the movie she was at many times a pretty image for those watching her through the window. Not only was Lisa used in this way but the other women portrayed were for the pleasure of the viewer. One woman Jeffries often viewed was constantly in a leotard dancing sentually. This woman epitamizes the use of male gaze upon a woman. She is beautiful and young and only for the viewers (Jeffries) pleasure. "Yet as the example of Lisas investigation suggests, the male gaze is not as powerful and controlling asthe interpretation suggests." (126, Practices of looking). Being confined to the chair gave Jeffries a very passive role. He was somewhat emasculated because he had to rely on the women around him to accomplish what he wanted and needed. The women in Rear Window were in the direct line of harm while Jeffries was able to sit by and watch out of harms way.
 "We've become a race of peeping toms. What people ought to do is get out of their house and look in for a change."
I completely agree witht this statement. We always have our own judgement s and opinions of the people around us but we never take a moment to look back at ourselves and make judgement. We are so afraid of being judged we would rather ignore our flaws than to just face them head on. However we are becoming worse because as technology becomes more advanced we have more opportunities to view other people in privacy. We enjoy it so much that we even make shows to simulate people living real lives for our own ammusement. We know these as "reality television shows. Although these shows are mostly staged and make no sense in context with real life, we cling to them and become fans of the people as if this is what real life truly is and we are the ones living the fairy tale.

State Farm Commercial video #2

I was slightly suprised by this behind the scenes video. It definitely proved my theory that it might have been staged wrong. The kids who they showed seemed very genuine. I was even more confirmed when I saw that Spike Lee was one of the directors of the commercials. Spike Lee does many true life documentaries and usually direct things that have an overall positive or informative message much like this video. I thought it was very heartfelt when they showed the firefighters behind the scenes also because they are the true heroes and to know they get a thanks like this is a great feeling.

State Farm Commercial video #1

This commercial made me feel very joyful that a group of New York student would come together to put a smile on the face of some of the most amazing heroes America has ever seen. It seemed a bit iffy however if this commercial was actually real because afterall it is still an Ad for one of the leading companies in insurance. Companies will do anything to gain new customers and I think that might even include using a group of 10 year olds to stage a "sentimental" moment.

Miller Gallery Visit

This piece was done by Diane Miller and I think it was one of the best at drawing emotion from the viewer. On the recent anniversary of 9/11 I woke up at 9am and turned the T.V on see nothing but tributes to the terrible event. Im not normally an emotional person however when it comes to 9/11 something is struck that makes me overcome with sadness. This picture depicts exactly what makes me grieve for the people who died that day. The red hands are a good use of emphasis to show the helplessness of the people stuck in the towers. Not only does it symbolize the helplesness but is also a literall interpretation of the people who were physically reaching and climbing out for any sign of help because even though they may fall, staying in was iminent death. There principle of shape was used in the depiction of the twin towers. I find it amazing how the simplicity of this piece can inflict such strong emotions.

[Mass Culture]... it thus destroys all values, since value judgements imply discrimination. Mass Culture is very, very democratic: it absolutely refuses to discriminate against, or between, anything or anybody.

I find this qoute to be very true however i do not agree with the negative connotation that is put behind it. With high culture people who are not as educated can not enjoy or understand the same cultural art as the more educated. I think this in fact is more discriminatory than mass culture could ever be because with mass culture people can all enjoy a bit of their culture without having to feel dumb for not being "cultured". In the assigned reading the authors expressed how the attention span for our culture is becoming smaller and smaller. We make movies but never keep to one scene for more than 45 seconds. This is true however with smaller scenes there is more content we have to digest which i think makes us have to think just as hard.

Homogenized Culture

In my opinion we truly are working towards one homgenized culture. As a whole we are slowly placing less cultural value on high class art. If a young person today had to choose between owning world famous painting (that they can not resell for money) or a brand new Iphone 5, the choice would be almost hands down the Iphone 5. However in some peoples opinion the Iphone itself is a piece of art. The Iphone is always unique in comparison to other phones and is the epitomy of pop culture and style. This can be related to the discussion of mass culture vs. high culture. In the past artwork was valued by its individuality. If a person bought a painting that noone else in the world had it was valued highly. In todays culture to have your possesions valued highly they must conform or fit within the few popular categories of that item. People no longer go to the art museum to see what is modern or in style. We now resort to the mall for confirmation of the latest trend. At the mall we dont have to search for what we want. It is practically kicking us in the face when we walk in. Ads and sale people bombard us with the latest scent, style, and electronic. If we dont give in to this then we are viewed by our peers as weird or out of date. I can not claim to be one who refuses these things because as a youngperson who is in the middle of the rise of mass media, I also give into the ease of mass media. Everything is right at our finger tips, why should we have to study or digest the world around us when our phones are so much better at it?

3 Elements of art

COLOR

This painting by Gin De Gorma displays the element of color. By using three vibrant colors he was able to convey the beauty of a sunset on the horizon. What makes this sunset so particularly beautiful to me is the peircing red used against the calm blue with the indistinct formation of orange in the middle. All three colors run together in certain places in the painting giving the view of an a beuatiful sunset from a distance.
SHAPE

"Cinquenta Tigre Real" by Salvador Dali uses shapes as building blocks to create the image of a tiger within the painting. Dali uses squares and triangles in such a way that the center of the painting almost looks 3 dimensional. I really like this effect because i think it took alot of skill to create this.
VALUE

I like this painting because when you look at it you almost feel as if you are actually looking down upon a can of pop not looking at a painting. Jose Luis Quinones did a great job giving his painting "Real Pop Art" value. The view of this pop can is very real and seems 3 dimensional due to the subtle reflection and shadowing upon the metal.

3 Principles of art

MOTION

This painting done by Nhon Nguyen is in my opinion a very good example of movement in artwork. The way the boy in the picture is positioned gives him the illusion that he is flying through the air. Even though there is no sign of a skateboard, the fluid motin expressed in his posture gives the assumption that he is in the middle of doing a trick.


UNITY

I have always like MC Esher because his paintings always have a way of making the viewer somewhat perplexed as to where the picture begins and where it ends. I think this creative painting shows the endless circle of human life. Life begins and ends with a woman and a man. Hes showing the union of man and woman as an eternal bond. The small spheres around them always seem to me to be the small burdens that people will encounter in their lives but as long as they rely on each other for support it will all be ok (which seems most evident by the content smiles on their faces.)

BALANCE

Leonid Afremov displays balance very well in this painting of a clearing through a forest. The even pattern of trees and bright sun like colors gives the forest a very inviting and pleasant feel. Not only is there balance in the pattern but the color palette is very complimentary to the painting as a whole providing a balanced view from the human perspective.

What dictates its value?

All art value is determined not by the artist themselves but by the admirers of the art itself. It is the public eye that gauges how truly amazing a work of art is. It is also the public that determines its overall worth. If an art collecter comes to chihuly ands wants to purchase one of his pieces it is basically up to them how much they are willing to bid. If the art collector is willing to pay 200,000 dollars for just one piece then from then on it is known that chihuly art cost hundreds of thousands to purchase. For a up and coming artist, if noone is willing to purchase their art then it is known that their art is worth almost nothing.

Why is it valuable?

This work of art is valuable because the skill, time, and effort it takes for him to create these massive works of blown glass. They are extremely intricate and catch the eye of everyone around. Not many people can do what Chihuly does with glass because it is such a fragile and tempermental medium. I also like to create 3-dimensional art but it pales extremely in comparison to the beauty of Chihuly's work.

My idea of a valuable piece of art.

Ever since I was a kid I have been in love with the beautiful art of Chihuly. This is my idea of a priceless work of art. This type of art can be found at the Franklin Park Conservatory near downtown Ohio. I remember traveling to the conservatory with my class and being excited to once again see the vibrant Chihuly display.

Do shocking images lead to positive or negative social outcomes?

I think that shocking images can have both a positive and negative influence on society. Shocking images can be positive when trying to promote a good cause such as aid to the areas in disaster and the ASPCA. Organizations such as these use guilt to influence people to give money to their cause. They show images of people and animals that are weak, hungry, living in squalor, and often crying to bring people who are well fed sitting in their warm homes to come out of their comfort zone and give money they may not have otherwise given. On the other hand I think videogames, television, and, magazines can have negative images portrayed onto people. Games such as Grand Theft Auto show violent, gory, and sexual images that would even be racy for a rated R movie. Children often get ahold of these games and see things that are not age appropriate for them. There has even been talk that violent images in these games causes kids to be even more violent to one another. Just recently a young ten year old girl was featured in vogue magazine posing in very sexual and adult ways. These images have surprised many people and outraged many parents claiming that vogue has taken it too far. I also agree that these images (however eye catching) are very inappropriate. This can only give young girls the wrong idea of beauty. From seeing these photos other ten year olds will believe that this is how a normal girl is supposed to look and that their image isn't "perfect" enough.

What role do "shocking" images play in our society?

In todays society shocking images are the best way to get an important message or product across to the entire population. However as media evolves peoples idea of a shocking image also evolves. 50 years ago a shocking image may have been something as simple as a man and a woman sleeping in the same bed. Today it is not unusual to view a movie with a couple engaging in full on sexual contact. In fact it is almost the norm to expect sex in movies. Shocking images can sell almost any product and draw attention to almost any cause. Take for instance the recent disasters around the world (e.g. Japanese Tsunami, Hurricane Katirina), To raise money organizations show pictures of suffering and dying people as part of their campaign to raise money. These images give people a feeling of guilt and grief. These grief inducing advertisements are mainly directed to people in middle and high class america. These people live day to day with no real life or death concerns, because of this they are most likely to feel guilty and give some of their excess money to the less fortunate. Another way shocking images are used is to get a certain groups opinion across to the public. Organizations such as PETA and ProLife use gory images to make people feel uncomfortable with their views and hopefully change. However I do not agree with some of these methods. I am most against the Pro-Life organization and the pictures they display on billboards and trucks. This organization shows mangled and bloody fetuses. I believe this is very wrong to force people who are innocent to view these photos.