Tulliz Bakar

COFA1002 Process Diary //use drop menu in top right corner or scroll to bottom of page for search button//

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extended form 

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FINAL PRODUCT (PDF in GIF form)

1 photo of the pianola was taken then viewed on a screen. Another photo was taken of the photo displayed on the screen. This was done over and over again 12 times. Each time the image was recaptured, the pianola became less and less recognisable with the contrast and lighting increasing significantly and colours being picked up from the screen it was being viewed on. In a gif form, we can clearly see the depletion of the pianola and therefore the depleting effect routine - doing the same thing over and over again - can have

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Brainstorming for the pianola

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Screenshot of final outcome:

Using the pianola as a symbol, it embodies the cyclical nature of routine, both through its ability to play automatically, and its fixed score and round shape. Repeatedly taking an image of an image, manipualted the initial photo of the Pianola. New colours were introduced, notes were blurred, text was sucked up by black shading  and the uniform straight image of the beginning was by the end tilted and almost invisible. The future we created was a small one but we wanted to challenge routine, entertain the idea that change is important, maybe even better, and in our experimentation and final product its hues and shapes supported this goal. 

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Process of photographing the initial/original/first image:

1. Found a black surface for the pianola

2. Photos were taken later in the day, had to chase light only to be found on the side of the road

3. Securing the pianola with a candle (it was windy)

4. Realised the sunlight picked up on all of the creases in the scroll so opted for shady spot, and smoother finish

5. Beginning to degrade this image…set up podium of books for the camera to sit on (had to be level with the table and the computer) would photograph the image on the screen, drag the photo to desktop, open and photograph again. repeated for 12 takes. 

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1928 Themola London Pianola - Cowboy Saloon Roll

Roll: QRS XP-513-C Played by J. Lawrence Cook Piano: Themola (circa 1928) / Tuned 6/22/2012 Piano Action: Langer #13632 Sound Board: #1027 Keys: #5260 Shenst...

Still trying to find a way to put our idea of routine onto the page, we started focusing on specific objects of routine, or objects that we had at home. 

I had bought a pianola scroll from reverse garbage a while ago and as we started speaking about it we found a lot of symbolism in the way that it is played. 

the pianola plays automatically, the scroll itself has a score etched into its surface, all of which link to notions of routine, manual, cyclical, constant…

How could we use this found object already embedded with meaning and manipulate this structured automatic form?

Started thinking about collage, having things grow out from the notes (possibly images of routine?) gradually becoming more messy and finally unrecognisable from the original image. 

Then had ideas about liquids and goo pressing through the pianola notes, but again we wanted something that really linked to our concept of routine and enhanced it. 

Then thought about how the way we might manipulate the scroll could also be a process of routine–> IDEA to take a picture of a picture etc. until the image is completely changed. This process in itself is one of routine, repeating the same action over and over with the hope of a new outcome. 

We will meet up soon and begin to take the photos.

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THE MATRIX AS A DESIGN FORMAT AND A METAPHOR:

I think the matrix/computer code is inspirational to our work in the way that is aesthetically running down the page, but also is a metaphor for the autopilot setting that we humans function on while carrying out day-to-day tasks/routines. It makes a comment about how these mundanities are similar to the coding and commands of a computer, which form its operating system. it deletes the human/alive component of our every day lives, which is so crucial to our sense of self.

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IDEA RECEPTION After discussing my idea with the group we pondered more creative ways to present the images and expand the use of coding to strengthen the relationship between image and text. A favourable idea that emerged from the brainstorming session was composing the images as a barrier between coding and human thoughts: so for example, in the middle of the page there would be images that related to a routine task and emerged out of the images at the top of the page would be random lines of code that denoted instructions to complete the action (to indicate an automated future) and seeping out from the images at the bottom of the page would be human thoughts such emotive language or old wives tales on the action taking place (to reassure that however automated the future may be, an element of humanity will always linger)

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CODING A FUTURE ROUTINE We’ve each been pondering our day-to-day routines. Things such as brushing your teeth, taking a shower, having coffee, travelling to uni/work are certain acts or rituals we perform every day that aren’t essential to our survival yet a necessity in our eyes. We also discussed the process of computer coding - a simple process of letters and number creating complex things I had this idea of using our publication to exhibit objects whose functions have been eliminated e.g. mud toothpaste (toothpaste's purpose is to clean teeth but cannot do so if it is mud) and to have the titles of these objects be a line of code: so if the object is mud toothpaste, the title would be something like //brushTeeth(WHITE); as if it were commanding you to brush your teeth despite its now contradictory function - this would allude to a future where humans are programmed to mindlessly complete tasks for no other reason than: it's what they've been instructed to do.

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DEVELOPING CONCEPT

After re-reading the assessment requirements, we agreed that our concept of smells and emotions didn’t really tie into the theme of “All the World’s Futures”. Since reading ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ by Albert Camus, I’ve always been fascinated by Absurdism. In this book/essay, Camus takes the Ancient Greek myth of Sisyphus (Sisyphus was condemned to roll a boulder up a steep hill only for that boulder to roll back down thereby sentencing him to roll the boulder up the hill for all eternity, over and over again) and applies to the cyclical nature of human life where we lives our lives day in day out, over and over again. From this, we’ve been exploring the concept of routine and what routine may look like in the future.

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FIRST GROUP MEETING In our first meeting we discussed emotions and nostalgia and how certain memories or associations are evoked by smell (e.g. cinnamon may remind you of Christmas). Each of us were to experiment with combining a variety of certain scents by applying them to blank card paper and sealing them in zip-lock bags to maintain their smell ‘til our next meeting. I decided to only apply scents that wouldn’t change the colour of the paper, so visually, you would not be able to tell the difference between which is which and must rely on smell to differentiate. My combinations are as labelled in the pictures

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GMO FRUITS The purpose of GMO in fruits is nothing more than to make the grown product more aesthetically pleasing to humans – the nicer it looks, the more likely it is to sell, appealing to superficial visual culture. Perhaps in our publication we can exhibit fruits that have been genetically modified to the point where they are no longer edible. Image Sources: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/469781804853010851/ http://sharonmudz.deviantart.com/art/neon-fruits-308493107 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/488781365779391689/

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Find it helpful to make brainstorms and make connections between thoughts and ideas. Above shows our lecture on “GLITCH” and its possiblities in relation to our project. Had idea of coding, symbols, spots, lines that would communicate routines and actions, reducing our routines to something abstract, physical tactile movements now encoded in symbols…possibly?? tried to hone in on specific routines and material hoping this might help. At the end of class we decided to set a task of manipulating objects of routine, changing their function or simply drawing attention to them. Inspired by Glitch slideshow… “draws attention to, and diverts ideas away from, the specificity of a medium and its material-conceptual objectality.” AL 

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Absurdism

“The idea of the absurd is a common theme in many existentialist works, particularly in Camus. Absurdity is the notion of contrast between two things. As Camus explains it in The Myth of Sisyphus:The absurd is born out of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world.” 

“The philosophy that encompasses the absurd is referred to as absurdism. While absurdism may be considered a branch of existentialism, it is a specific idea that is not necessary to an existentialist view.It’s easy to highlight the absurdity of the human quest for purpose.” 

Found on: http://www.philosophy-index.com/existentialism/absurd.php

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New inspirations

 “The Myth of Sisyphus is a philosophical essay by Albert Camus. It comprises about 119 pages and was published originally in 1942 in French as Le Mythe de Sisyphe; the English translation by Justin O'Brien followed in 1955.In the essay, Camus introduces his philosophy of the absurd: man’s futile search for meaning, unity, and clarity in the face of an unintelligible world devoid of God and eternal truths or values. Does the realization of the absurd require suicide? Camus answers: “No. It requires revolt.” He then outlines several approaches to the absurd life. The final chapter compares the absurdity of man’s life with the situation of Sisyphus, a figure of Greek mythology who was condemned to repeat forever the same meaningless task of pushing a boulder up a mountain, only to see it roll down again. The essay concludes, “The struggle itself […] is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”

Found on: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Myth_of_Sisyphus

We were thinking about the absurdity and pointlessness to routine and the social structure of our every day lives. We thought about how we go on to “automatic setting” to complete every day tasks. We concluded there was a mundanity to routine and we wanted to explore this fact.

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Initial Research and Investigation: Second Idea…

Exploring notions of routine, cycles and habits. Laziness and work. Spoke about our own routines, gaining a better understanding of where we might be heading and what interested everyone within this concept. 

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The FIRST MEETING:

to sum up, we wanted (initially) to stay with this idea of fruits and veg, GMOs, etc (mainly because I thought it was a good idea and i’m quite passionate about it). We realised that this was really quite first draft kind of stuff, we moved on to ideas of how we would present it. We thought about having a wall display of scents which described experiences. For example, you could mix dirt and sweat to describe the experience of a festival. 

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Initial Research and Investigation: First Idea…

Group started with the idea of GMO fruits. Above shows thought process and trying to deconstruct and stretch idea. Possibly looking at objects rather than fruit? Glowing, energised, oozing, textural…