Performance Art

Our performing art project was on human trafficking. My partner Sasha and I dressed up in torn clothing, had our faces bruised with makeup, and had messy hair to give the impression of someone who has been through a lot. We also wrote the number 146 on our foreheads to represent the organization Love 146. This organization has been fighting for 15 years to stop human trafficking by bringing down brothels and rehabilitating the victims of this horrible crime. Together we witnessed how people react on campus to girls dressed the way were. We were disappointed by how many turned a blind eye or laughed at us flat out. Nobody cared to ask what we were doing.

https://love146.org/

An influence that inspired us is Marina Abromvic. She did some crazy stunts like allowing people to control her body with props such as a loaded gun to reenacting her own funeral. In my eyes, it takes courage to do performances like that. So in a way, she gave us the courage to be vulnerable and be able to act the part of a victim. Technology wasn't really made prevalent in her performances. I know she did set herself on fire, so there had to be technology to help with that.

Another influence would be Yoko Ono, specifically her Cut Piece performance. She allowed herself to be vulnerable in front of an audience as they cut her clothes. Like her, we destroyed our clothes and walked around fully vulnerable to people's judgements and looks.

And lastly, The Guerilla Girls were an influence for us because they have a cause that they're fighting for. They wear gorilla masks, not only to hide their identities, but to also gather attention in an unexpected way. This group are fighting for Women's rights because they are passionate about it and believe it is something that is mostly overlooked in society. That's how we feel about human trafficking. We feel it's not talked about enough, and it should be so people can be more aware and protect themselves. I'm not quite sure if they use a lot of technology in their performances considering I've only seen them at rallies with microphones and signs. I feel like social media has helped them spread awareness though.

Xerox Project

My project consists of multiple copies of my left and right hand. I also copied my face from various angles. I decided to make an apple tree out of them. The hands are supposed to represent the tree and the branches/leaves. My face and head are the "apples". My project was inspired by the idiom "she's apples" which is another way of saying "everything will be alright". "She's apples" is a slang term used in Australia. With this saying attached to the tree it gives it meaning which reminds me that even though this semester has been stressful, "it's/she' s apples". In some of the copy's I appear to be smiling to signify hope and in others I'm frowning to also show the stress. The hands are spread out in a high five manner to show the strain but also can be interpreted as reaching up and not giving up.

Music Genres

I choose to add the band Blink 182 to the Punk Genre. The reason I include them in this genre is because in the 90s, the band was at the peak of the punk movement and also pushing the boundaries and creating a subgenre known as pop punk. In relation to technology Blink 182 uses different lights and sets in their videos to convey the message that their songs are about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1tAYmMjLdY

I am choosing to add Crazy Frog to the Virtual genre. I am including this artist to the list of virtual artists because of the popularity that Crazy Frog experienced.  It was created by a Swedish computer programmer and became a hit when its song “Axel F” was released. A computer was used to create this music as well as a music video, giving it the illusion that Crazy Frog actually exists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k85mRPqvMbE

I’m adding Calvin Harris to the Electronics/DJ genre. The reason I am adding him is because he has become very successful in the music industry by creating music using his vocals, piano, keyboards, synthesizers, digital audio work station, sampler, and sequencer. David Guetta and him are very similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozv4q2ov3Mk

I am adding ABBA to the Disco genre. The reason I am adding ABBA is because they combined different sounds of rhythm and blues or soul influences and cloyingly kitsch and sentimental to modern ears. Their music has become so popular that there was a musical written based off their songs as well as many covers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFrGuyw1V8s

I am adding Zedd to the House genre. The reason I am adding him to the list is because of his recognition for remixing well known artists such as Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas and many more. He has also worked with Skrillex in the Dubstep genre. Zedd uses vocals, synthesizer, drum machines, bass synth machines to create his music which is what House is created with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxxstCcJlsc

30X30 Grid Project

This is the beginning of the project. I outlined the base of the picture first before I started gluing it down. I used blue M&M's as the color for the mountain.

This is the shape of the mountain I created and glued it down with gorilla glue.

I began to glue down yellow M&M's to create the moon and I started the pumpkins with orange and green M&M's.

More pumpkins created.

For this part I wanted to differentiate the sky and the ground so I used dark red M&M's to represent the pumpkin patch/ground.

This is the finished product. I used brown M&M's to create the night sky. Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite movies and with the project assigned around Halloween, I thought it was an appropriate image to make, especially out of candy.