Final Project

If you don’t want to read the post click on the seal for a link to my website.

After considering a few ideas I thought my stronger work was the intervention symbol. I wanted to explore more ways to use it. As a website I think it works in getting people’s attention. I created a flash animation to relate it to Canada, maybe this way Canadians won’t want to be associated with it and may start taking more action against the seal hunt. There are so many good people working to end it and I thought the best way to honor them was to create links to their sites. I was never going to get such good information as they have on their website plus people can donate! If someone donates please let me know!

I also thought of creating a map with other places that participate on the seal hunt. Norway, Greenland and Russia are some of these countries. But I feel some times people get overwhelmed with too much information and I decided to keep it simple. I also spoke to a representative from BC Liberation to ask about stores that carried Seal products but they say it is not easy to know as all these products, even if banned by the European Union, find ways of passing as something else.

So to avoid consuming or wearing Seal products,  I recommend to always read labels and maybe, why not stopping the use and consumption of animal products at all!

Also I included an amazing documentary by photographer Nigel Barker. People can watch the entire thing online. Also, please don’t miss the Olympic Shame link, it has a great animation.

My final post for this class, it feels like it went by so fast and I learned a lot of helpful things for my work. From blogs to vinyl printing I have been using my new skills for a few different projects through out the semester! Also, this was a great group and I hope to see some of you in other classes!

Click on the seal to go to my website.

Review of Paula Levine’s “Shadows from Another Place”

Visual artist Paula Levine’s project Shadows From Another Place is a work that requires Levine’s commitment to constantly trace, track and transpose maps from another place. Shadows From Another Place comprised so far by two different projects such as San Francisco/Baghdad in which Levine tracks bombings in Baghdad and positions them in San Francisco. The project encompasses a “geo cache” this is a device left at the site of the bombing, not in Baghdad but in San Francisco. In her website Levine talks about the purpose of her work “to translate and represent the impact of political or cultural traumas – such as wars or shifts in borders and territorial boundaries – that take place in one location, upon another.” This means another place in which we do not live. We live in a very safe part of the world and it is hard to understand the conflicts on different places that seem so faraway almost unreal. Levine has created a sophisticated way to position us right in the middle of these conflicts. In her project The Wall we are in danger and maybe one day depending on where we are, we may not be able to return home or go to school. This of course will happen as Levine traces the same wall that has been constructed to divide Palestine and Israel in her project The Wall.

         While The Wall is a difficult work to discuss because of its content it also becomes a simple solution that can help Levine’s audience to research and try to gain a better understanding of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. After many years of traveling to Israel Levine and her husband finally adventured to travel to Palestine and they were greatly impacted by their experience Levine said that throughout their travels, “the wall was a haunting presence as it appeared, disappeared and reappeared again. It divided central streets of towns, prohibiting passage across a café or a shop.” The Wall may also raise issues about which side Levine is taking but this might distract people from the main concept behind it. I think this work can be applied to a lot of different conflicts and to focus on the political aspect of it would be missing the entire point of her work. I believe that these types of walls are created everyday in different ways, we may not experience them in such violent context but nonetheless it is the same problematic. When they were traveling they witnessed the wall being constructed and Levine has expressed that she remembers “struggling to find words to describe what I saw and being able only to describe the events, literally, as they took place, moment by moment.” This feeling of being unable to express the emotion of the events must have left Levine really frustrated.  However with her work Levine has really found a way to make us understand what she felt. It is effective and makes us feel closer to issues that happen so faraway. Levine’s website is very interesting as the maps that she create are intricate and have lots of details. When you navigate them they let you explore her videos and photography and she provides a close look at these delimitations thus becoming a very personal experience.

For me this project is really successful because it has a level of interaction that can become very layered. The information presented can be quite emotional for the audience and in a way it requires a intellectual and psychological response and may even achieve a physical engagement. I want to continue to explore Levine’s project which, sadly will probably continue to grow as the conflicts are unresolved.

Click here to see more about Paula Levine

Code Lab (Mobility Project) Celia + Claudia

GREEN PORNO

This is definitely one of my favorite shows ever. Go to the Sundance Channel to watch more: Green Porno at Sundance

My Julius Shulman Map

So my map is finally here. I think the Google Earth version works well. You can see the full pictures. Google maps is OK, but you need to scroll to get the full image, at least it gives you a guide. The embedded map doesn’t have instructions so you have to explore it. For a hint I would say start in Russia and keep moving west.

I decided to do this map because I feel that architecture is a perfect way to show space and locations. I wanted to combine the narrative aspect of the life of an artist with images of his work. Julius Shulman is considered the first architectural photographer. From Frank Lloyd Wright to Frank Gehry architects considered it an honor to work with Shulman. And when you look at his pictures you’ll understand why. Check out the trailer of Visual Acustics, a documentary about him. Try not to miss it, it will be out soon!

Map Viewing Options:

*download and play on google earth

*use the google maps

* go directly to my embedded map.

My Symbol

After much consideration I found the place for my symbol. I thought the blue door really worked well with the red and white. I was there observing and I saw people stopping to see what it was about. The fact that it is a door also makes you think what is this sign telling me? Can I open the door?

I also did some mini stickers and I am giving them away (let me know if you want one!) The purpose of this is mainly to bring awareness of this problem. I would really like to take it further and start letters and postcards with the symbol.

 

 

 

 

My Show Tonight

Tonight is the first show of my band Joyce Collingwood at Pat’s Pub. We open for Battle Snakes, Hot Blood Bombers and Miesha and the Spanks. I am really excited to play my first Vancouver gig, it should be fun!

Exhibition at The Concourse

I am curating an exhibition at The Concourse Gallery.  The theme is “inside” and it is very open! So if you want to apply or want more information please send an e-mail to inside.exhibition@gmail.com

Digital art is encouraged as we don’t have any yet.

Your work must be ready because it starts Nov 8th!

Symbol News

When I started thinking about something political for my symbol I immediately knew it had to be something related to the food industry or to animal cruelty. I have been vegan for over 11 years and I thought this was a great opportunity to create a symbol that would mean a lot to me. I plan to install this on the entrance door at Emliy Carr. I hope that my symbol is successful and that it gets people to stop and see what is going on. I will have some forms for people to fill and a donation jar. I will give all the money to this organization:
SEA SHEPHERD
I will keep everyone posted and let you know the day that I do this so you can visit me and make a donation or fill some of my forms and maybe I will have some treats for the ones that sign up and donate!

STOP

I am working on my symbol which will be white on a red stop symbol (not a real one!)
And I may also add some stuffed baby seals painted in red on the ground. I am still deciding the area, but I am not feeling well. I fear that I have the flu or a cold…

STOP