Cut-Up Project

I did a couple different cut-ups in class last week Wednesday. I did one using an essay from a class and then I did two other cut-ups with magazine articles. The following is the mixing of an article from Self magazine about Temple Grandin and another woman’s choice to become a vegetarian:

“This tugged my mind to dinner and eat my mother’s easter rib attention to the nuances of flavor. So it didn’t help that we lived in Chicago, uncomfortable comparisons. Skinned roast. Part of it was, again, you’d think I’d simply decide I was chock-full of ethnic neighborhoods and butchered, how different would it be the squeaky wheel. I tried the restaurants that go with them. We look on a plate? How different was this a big eye roller…”

It’s kind of funny, but it doesn’t make much sense! Doing the cut-ups reminded me of Mad-Lib puzzles where you choose several adjectives, verbs, nouns, adverbs, etc. to replace certain words in a story. This often results in a funny scenario that doesn’t make a lot of sense. At first when I was doing the cut-ups, I tried to arrange the different portions of text to contain meaning, but I did not have much success. I found this process of mixing text to be a very creative form of writing. I think if I had more time and used more articles I could have created something that made sense. I think it would be interesting to see the original work of an author and then view the cut-up version and see the new and different meaning of the text. I’m interested to see the cut-ups of my classmates to see if they were able to arrange the text to make sense!

Rhythm Science

After reading the first few chapters of "Rhythm Science" I was extremely confused and frustrated. I felt that I would read a few pages and have no idea what points DJ Spooky was trying to make or if he was even attempting to make an argument. I think part of this was because I'm so used to reading books with a linear structure that clearly identify an argument and emphasis supporting evidence for the argument. The book seemed to jump around from point to point and it was challenging for me to remain focused on what I was reading. I also think that I had a great deal of difficulty at first with the book because I am not familiar with the art of DJing and also the science and philosophy that was incorporated in the book seemed to go over my head.

As I continued on with the book things began making a little more sense. The main points that I think DJ Spooky is trying to convey in the book is that creativity can be expanded through using things from the past and objects around us in novel ways. He emphasized that it is important to break boundaries of what is accepted as the norm. One particular quote I thought was unique is "People are so programmed to accept a media construct that if something isn't affirmed by their peers and/or mass culture, then it might as well not exist." DJ Spooky wants people to break through this and incorporate diversity and things from the past and make something innovative. There is no wrong or right way to create art and once we get past this misconception there will be a lot more creativity occurring.

Another main theme that I think was addressed throughout the book is that the art is not complete until the audience interprets it. I think that this is very true because there is no right way to interpret art. Art means something different to everyone and these different meanings contribute to the work created by the artist. It was interesting to see the different interpretations my classmates had to the book in general and to specific quotes and passages in the book.


Overall, I found reading "Rhythm Science" to be challenging, yet very interesting. I was glad to get a chance to read something that is completely different than what I am used to. I thought we had really good discussions in class that helped break apart quotes and segments from the text to determine what DJ Spooky is trying to say. It was also very comforting to me to know that my classmates also struggled with comprehending the book and that I wasn't the only one!

Remix

Here is the remix that I created in class on Wednesday. I took images from Vang, Karen, and I think one or two other classmates. I also added some pictures that I found using Google image search. This collage represents the same argument that I made in my previous two visual representations that strict copyright laws hinder creativity.

Sampling Project Reflection

I had a very positive sampling experience. I was excited when we got the project because I was in the process of writing numerous papers for other courses and was relieved to get a visual assignment. I used Adobe Fireworks to create my two visual representations on my argument regarding copyright. I used this program because the computer that I was working on did not have the software that we were introduced to in class and I tried to use Adobe Photoshop and it was a bit too confusing for me. By the end of the project I felt very comfortable using Adobe Fireworks.

After we received the assignment, I thought about my position regarding authorship and copyright laws and decided I wanted to make the argument that copyright laws are overly restrictive and hinder creativity. I wanted to visually show how corporations use these current laws for economic profit and how these rules hurt innovations. I thought about how new creations emerge from ideas that are influenced from something already in existence. For example, before there were cd players and iPods, there were radios and cassette tape deck player. Before cell phones, landline telephones were the main form of communication. Available technology and idea modification have allowed for these positive changes in our society.

The first experiment where we were able to use any images we like was easier for me than the second experiment where we could only use “permissible” material. The first part of the assignment was easier for me because after I had thought of images that represented my argument, it was simple to find these pictures on the internet. I used Google image search for the majority of the pictures I used in my first collage. The second experiment was more difficult for me because I had to be much more creative in making my argument. It took me longer to determine how to go about making the same argument using material that belonged to me or that I had permission to use. I found several pictures on Microsoft Clipart that I was able to use, but I also wanted to incorporate personal pictures of my own and use my digital camera. I had more fun doing the second experiment because I had some of my friends act out things to represent my argument regarding copyright and authorship. The second experiment also took me longer because I had to find objects to take pictures of, transfer them to a computer, and finally modify the images until they captured what I wanted them to.

I think that both experiments equally capture my intended argument. I used the same ideas in both of them, but used different pictures to represent my argument. I think that both collages show how restrictions benefit corporations who are looking for economic gain and how these laws hurt creativity and experimentation. However, I personally like my second visual representation better because it required me to be more creative and I like the fact that I was able to use some of my friends in the collage. My second visual representation also has a more personal feel to it because anyone could have taken and used the pictures from the internet that I incorporated in my first collage, but with the pictures that I personally took, I knew I was the only one using them to capture my argument in a way that makes sense to me. After this experience, I still believe that copyright laws are overly strict, but I do believe that creativity is possible. Only being able to use “permissible” material made by second project more difficult, but I was still satisfied that the final result represented my argument. I believe that we are constantly influenced by the work of others in our own creations, but I think that the difference in each work reveals creativity and makes an individual innovation great. Overall, I really enjoyed the sampling experience because it allowed me to critically think of and creatively portray an argument, while gaining knowledge on software that was unfamiliar to me.