Week 4

What I learnt from today’s lecture was how technology has grown so fast, yet the growth of it could possibly be dangerous. From what was discussed in the lecture it is actually hard to believe that we have came from seeing crazy futuristic devices that were shown in Thunderbirds, to now being able to do them with our phones. It is true that our generation don't really understand and don’t appreciate how it has grown, but it does make you think how fast technology has grown within the last 40 years and how it has changed people’s lives. Back then to talk to someone you actually had to speak to them face to face but now we can text, email, chat online, video call and fax them which shows you the amount of available choices we have now and how much progress has been made over the past 40 years. It is crazy to think what technology will be like when I'm older, like if the new I-phone 5 really does have a laser keyboard and hologram technology? What will the next 5 to 10 years bring? Holograms like in Star Wars? Will we be able to have video chat like in Star Wars when Obi Wan talks to the Jedi council? Technology is moving faster than we think. Even now something is happening or being developed or an idea is brewing. It is the speed at which it is growing at that is making past technology (that may only be a few years old and still useful), undated and incompatible with the new and faster developments being released. It's kind of like we’re always learning or catching up with both software and hardware technology.

Another issue that was brought up in the lecture was are the internet and social networks dangerous? and is it dangerous for us to be uploading so much information. Sometimes I do think people upload a bit too much, but then again, they have the power to take it down and edit what people can see. Saying that, Paul did bring up the issue of companies looking at your profile or anything else you have up on the web. Now unless that content has privacy settings, is this not a case of invasion of privacy? We have signed up to Facebook which is meant to be free, yet our information is being sold for profit. The development of technology makes it easier for our data to be found and sold. For example any I- phone or smart phone that synchronises with your address book and Facebook means that companies which are able to retrieve this information are also able to get all your friends in your address book if their phone is synced too. Is this an invasion of privacy? Is the speed of technology helping this invasion or is it stopping it? Will be interesting to hear what else has to be said about this in the next lecture and hopefully I can come up with better theories to improve these comments.

Week 3

This week was about contemporary art and how art is presented. It even brought up a debate about what is art? To me, art can be an image or sound, created or natural. Saying that, I also have to believe it is good to be called art for example in the lecture, Paul showed us a piece of work by Gem Finer. I think it was good and very creative and a nice idea that represents nature. However the fact he got 75k to create it, and I'm guessing not much money will be generated out of it unless it's a national park (which even if it is it will take a while to make a profit on). Going back to the money point, I think 75k for that is ridiculous. We are in a recession and the money could clearly be spent on much better things than that. I still think it's a good piece but for 75k I think that’s a bit of a joke. I think the piece Paul showed us by R..Mutt is a lot better, as basic as it may be, and it will probably be worth 75k in years to come. I think the other Gem Finer piece Paul showed us of the lough was actually a lot better. People would get more out of because it is part of local history and although local people may have liked, disliked or even hated it, they did seem appreciate the piece Paul and Gem created. The idea of contemporary art is kind of a sketchy and confusing area to me, for example, someone’s life in photos could be presented as contemporary art. Then does that not mean that everyone’s life in general could be contemporary art if present in the right interesting manner?

This brings me to my last points “how is art presented?” and “what is art?” Well in my opinion the answers to these questions are down to our own opinions. Art can be presented in many ways and yes, if a work is creative, most people will agree that it is art, but that doesn't mean people will like it. It is down to personal opinion and preferences, for example in class some people liked Gem Finer's piece and others didn't. The majority of people thought it was creative but they just didn't class it as art and that’s just down to what they like and dislike. I think art is similar to taste in music either you like it, or you don't, and there is not right or wrong choice.

“In a decaying society, art, if it is truthful, must also reflect decay. And unless it wants to break faith with its social function, art must show the world as changeable. And help to change it.”
Ernst Fischer

Week one

• Week one of blogs and I don't know what to really what to write about. Saying that I did learn a lot in the class, the main thing that I learnt and that interested me was the theory Raymond Willams came up with Emergent, Appropriation, Historicisation. I always found this interesting and rather simple but very effective, a great example of this is at the minute is Lion King 3D. It's just out and everyone seems to be ranting and raving about it just cause its in 3D; 3D was design that was made in the 80's and just in the past few years movie companies have seen a chance to make loads of money of this old invention. Then when you throw in a Disney classic which nearly everyone has seen young or old, then you have a money maker that will/has probably made a good few million already. A smart and simple idea that can be used over and over time again. Same even goes with bands bringing music out again or old bands getting back together e.g. The Stone Roses are now back together again and by this time tomorrow they are due to sell out both their gigs at Heaton Park. Which brings me to the next point I found interesting in the lecture which was the music and famous speeches and quotes and how the music reflected society at the time, which made me think about my generation and how that we do have bands that speak about important matters however it’s these bands that should be famous and in the mainstream are these man made bands and songs that are just rubbish and are just there to make money. Instead of making people think for themselves and giving them a voice via the artist or bands music. 
  Which brings me to my last but I think the most important point, the structure of society or the triangle as it is known. Economic base, Population and Superstructure. I however believe there is more to this triangle, another level if I say and that would be the people who really call the shots. Politicians and the government are just the puppet in this play of so called reformed society on the mend. It's the people behind them that control and decide what happens with society. Now you may wonder why this big rant about the government and these so called puppet masters that I’ve gone on about. Well not only does it effect major issues such as welfare, health system, schools, etc but they do restrict or even ban certain arts. A huge example is the news that is broadcast to the TV that half the time isn't telling the full story or just backing up what the government wants us to here. Focusing on more art issues like were discussed in class, things like images, music and TV shows have a lot more restrictions about them these days just because everyone is scared incase what they say or do offends anyone. Which does then cut down on the creativity of art does it not? Being scared to express yourself incase some people don't agree with it, or they see a bad word or image, or it is thought of as so bad that the government have to come in and censor it and ban it from being viewed, voiced or aired. Hopefully this makes sense and links together in a thoughtful way that makes you think and connect the dots between the points I'm making.

"Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little: More than machinery we need humanity; More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost." Charlie Chaplin's Final speech in The Great DIctator