#237.130

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Assessment 3 // 237.130 // wk 10 // Generation of ideas regarding my final work

Now focusing on the graffiti on trains, this is a worldwide issue. Train lines can be found underground as well as stations on ground level, inside and out. At night time, these places can be found to appear dark , gloomy and sometimes intimidating. With this issue of graffiti on trains continuing to grow, I wish to create a work that intends to inform of this issue, persuade those necessary and illustrate change.

I am thinking of taking this issue and creating a piece of work that will promote change to these public spaces and promote graffiti culture in a good way, helping cities minimise defaced property and other illegal action. I am wishing to create a work that promotes change with certain, designated trains and stations that street artists are allowed to work on and use to create beautiful pieces of art to brighten these places up and make them more inviting as this has not been done yet and can help demolish the association these places have with being intimidating at night when alone. 

This change would allow for those to get their work out there and get recognised in a legal sense which individuals will continue to do illegally if the right form of change does not happen. It minimises illegal action as well as saves money from needing to continuously spend on removing graffiti in these areas, as if artists can work on these legal spaces, thats many other illegal spaces that will not be touched. 

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Assessment 3 // 237.130 // wk 10 // Narrowing down my project and finding a clear direction

As the topic of graffiti is quite a broad topic, I decided to narrow down an aspect of this culture and use visual activism in contrast with this. As I found political pieces of graffiti would no longer have the powerful message they need to obtain, if painted on a legal space, I knew this was not an area I should focus on as political graffiti has a long history, and taking Banksy for example, his works would not have gained recognition if they were in a designated legal space, not providing impact to viewers. 

From critically evaluation this culture of graffiti, I have chosen to focus on the street art and graffiti regarding trains which is a global issue. Governments will be spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on removal of graffiti on this form of public transport, in a repetitive cycle as those individuals or groups will continue to deface this property in an effort to get their name and their work out there on the street. And that is just the thing, it is “street art” and it is the culture of this worldwide art movement so the artists want to keep projecting this and not having the culture become limited to just paintings in a shop or in a gallery. 

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A3 WORKBOOK

// Workbook is in the separate drop down menu //

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Assessment 3 // Wk 9 // Mirzoeff’s interpretation of Visual Activism and Visual Thinking

“So what then is visual culture? It has evolved into a form of practice that might be called visual thinking.” (Mirzoeff. 289) Nicholas Mirzoeff describes visual thinking in the novel How to See the World as something we need to engage with in order to understand. It is described as something that is “converged around visual activism” (Mirzoeff. 289)  Visual Activism is the use of creating something visual, using a sense of visual thinking and expressed as something to create change. These changes are forms of such social and political issues, only to name a couple. An example of this would be graffiti where artists like Banksy would create such powerful street art in order to associate and express change in the world. Simply, seeing these issues and seeing the world is not enough. As Mirzoeff states, “The point is to change it.” (Mirzoeff. 298)

WORKS CITED

Mirzoeff, Nicholas. “How to See Yourself.” How to See the World. London: Pelican, 2015. 255-298.

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237.130: Which Question?

Selected Question & Chapter: 4. The Changing World

The topical issue of my analytical essay is the “conquest of nature”, and it’s implications. The question - bearing in mind the nature of an analytical essay -  requires the objectification (abiding by “The Changing World” context) of the selected visual texts created by those concerned. What I have detained from the question, is that I have to decide whether or not they are successful in their efforts of communication; and perhaps what needs improvement. This discussion will include the consequences of climate change; as well as some New Zealand/Aotearoa context.

*Speaking at an early stage, my interpretation of the question is subject to change.

NOTES

- Do research on the psychology of visual communication - give me more substance when analysing my selected texts.

- How is climate change manifesting in New Zealand?

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237.130 // Assessment 2 // Semester 1 // Wk 7 // Task 2 //  Seeing the World // 1/05/16

Looking at ‘worldview’, ‘ideology’, and ‘the myth of photographic truth’ all three terms can result in relation to one another through the use of conception. The way one has a particular conception of the world which influences how they see the truth behind photography, which is also influenced by their ideologies. They all help in relation to one another when un-packing visual texts and critically analysing images. When evaluating the producer of a visual text their world view needs to be considered. Thus informing us of their techniques, ideologies and the messages their text is intending to communicate. When evaluating the audience of the visual text, again considering their world views as this will assist in what message they were receiving from the image and furthermore encourage the use of looking at different views.  A visual text might represent and promote a dominant worldview in a way that is accepted differently amongst audiences. For example, a visual text promoting an item may address as normal in a western world view but opposed differently in an indigenous worldview.

These ideas may influence my thinking and making as a designer when considering cultural perspectives and the audience of my work. No matter what I am designing, the target audience is a crucial factor and consideration. Based on what I have learned, I need to ensure what I create suits each world view.

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237.130 // Assessment 2 // Semester 1 // Wk 6 // Task // Essay Topic Research // Youtube- Selfies - a visual analysis: Elizabeth Urbanski at TEDxNavesink // 21/4/16

The topic of this video is the “selfie”. For me, it raises the question of what are each individuals perceptions and opinions on the term and how do they contrast or compare with one another. What drives people to create certain selfies with these choreographed instantaneous facial expressions and these trends such as “the duck face”. The relevant ideas in this video such as on how it is the most modern way we have of people showing images of themselves, and how individuals release the video for global consumption, the characteristics of a selfie and the contrast of old self-portraits to these ones can be integrated into my essay through the use of historical shift in identity and the self-portrait which is a part of the chosen question that needs to be included in the essay regardless. I think the issues of the “selfie” are important for designers to think about as it exposes society’s desires and what they are wanting in todays modern world. As designers you are meeting the publics desires when designing for them and these issues that matter to them need to be addressed. I am now more informed about this subject in many ways. Including the processes and characteristics of the “selfie”, the old self-portraits being seen through the artists eye where as now “everyone is the artist” ( Elizabeth Urbanski, Selfies - a visual analysis), the use of expression of power and how individuals can still perceive these images despite them being taken out of their context.

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237.130 // Assessment 2 // Semester 1 // Wk 6 // Task //  Who else is talking about ‘this stuff’// 19/4/16

“Selfie” - http://www.shiachat.com/forum/topic/235023750-selfies/

“Selfie” and “self-portrait” - http://blog.redbubble.com/2015/05/open-discussion-has-the-selfie-killed-the-self-portrait/

“Selfie” and “self-portrait” - http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/whats-the-difference-between-a-selfie-and-a-self-portrait/

I couldn’t find too many “group discussions” on my chosen key words, these were the best ones I could find. The rest of what resulted from my searches were articles on the key words as opposed to “group discussions” so I have included just these three for now.