Brazilian-born Amon Tobin has been creating music and pushing limits since 1994. His current tour (August – November 2011) is something not to be missed. He has manufactured a multi-dimensional experience that hasn’t been delivered on this scale before. The ‘ISAM’ tour features a stunning 25’ x 14’ x 8’ multi-dimensional/shape shifting 3-D art installation surrounding Tobin and enveloping him and the audience in a beyond 3-D experience. His use of physical and digital art engineered with sound is truly impressive. You may not appreciate the music but the innovation and use of all design elements really creates a unique experience.
Seasons have changed here in Minnesota. Summer to autumn, and sooner than I’d like, autumn will be winter. In preparation for the months to follow I have been doing a little house cleaning, a little eating, but more importantly I’ve been looking for inspiration. Things to keep me motivated and entertained while I endure the winter months snuggled inside, watching snowflakes fall and frost form on my windows. This brings me to my list of “Must See Movies.” The movies that have inspired me either through message, cinematography, or humor. What films inspire you?
Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams
A film based on interpretations of actual dreams from director Akira Kurosawa.
Hausa by Nobuhiko Obayashi
One of the most incredible 1970’s Japanese horror films, completely ahead of its time, with hand-done film effects and amazing hand-painted backdrops.
PPU Party DVD Volume 1
It’s an assemblage of rare access tv funk-era dance shows, edited together by a Brooklyn video artist. Sounds straightforward, but has such a now editing style, using old hardware effects, modern “data moshing” techniques, hand done cropping and crappy stock alpha transitions, all rolled into a beautiful, squishy vintage mess. Probably the most inspiring thing I’ve seen this year.
Survive Style 5+ by Gen Sekiguchi
This is an avant-garde, bizarre Japanese flick with incredible sets. Maybe not the best movie, but some great still frames!
Descendant of the Sun
A psychedelic Shaw Brothers era kung fu movie. The plot is a superbaby is found by a poor woodcutter inside a crystal and must defeat an evil alien king’s eugenics program with lazers and fire breathing. I love plotlines like this. If you like this also see Battle Wizard, Holy Flame of the Martial World and Buddha’s Palm.
The Holy Mountain by Alejandro Jodorowsky
Long-banned, Beatles-funded, multi-million dollar sacrilegious epic, filmed while the actors were usually under the influence. Disturbing at times, but one of the wildest, most creative expressions of film ever.
The Tale of the Fox by Ladislas Starevitch
I love stop motion and this is on an epic level, from 1929 by Russian Ladislas Starevitch. A jaw dropping amount of work put into animating tiny animals frame by frame. Just…… mind melting.
Alice by Jan Svankmajer
Another stop motion/live action masterpiece, this time from Jan Svankmeyer. His advanced, creepy interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. Amazing sound work and painstaking detail. Weird!
Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell
A Portrait of Arthur Russell. Beautiful, sad documentary on musician Arthur Russel, an influential gay producer who did incredible things in the disco era. Really lovely!
Powers of Ten by Charles and Ray Eames
This film is not only aesthetically appealing but a great example of how education and a message can become beautiful the more you dissect the information.
Alphabet! Keychain Collection by Mike Davis
One of our favorite local designers – Mike Davis of Burlesque Design – created not only a cute, but functional design! Originally created as a poster design and gift for his niece, these little letters are now a series of vinyl zipper pull keychains for Kidrobot.
Popular culture in the United States is shaped in part by media talk shows, which often are designed for entertainment value rather than for public enlightenment. These programs, inexpensive to produce, tend to elevate personal opinion as well as intimate or private experiences over facts relevant to public life and theories. Most choreographed by entertaining hosts, these television and radio programs usually spotlighted individuals who sometimes face on-air audience questions, reactions and ridicule. Most are campaign to sway public opinion, sell books, or run for office. But often, popular hosts degrade American public discourse with a freak show approach that focuses on hostility, shocking revelations, and stories of sexual encounters. They entertained their audience with extreme or abusive behavior and ideas, distracting people from honest discussions of genuinely important public issues.
I found it’s not difficult to participate in this culture. All it takes is willing participates, enthusiasm in story telling, and an ounce of drama or plot line. Here is one of my attempts of participating in this culture.
Please enjoy my family (brother, sister, and mother) on Dr.Phil discussing “consumer haze” on an episode called “My Big Fat Spoiled Sibling”.
Mezzanine Infomercial
The Twin Cities CW recently exposed the insiders of seasonal style in Minneapolis. If you weren’t watching both episodes to “Sexy in the City” on Thursday the 4th – you missed out. Mezzanine Salon owned by Johnny and Stephanie Kelson was features for its years of dedication to recreating individual style for Minnesotain’s.
Johnny K has been designing my hair for years and I could never stray. Not only is Johnny K skilled with the scissors, brush, and style but he also respects pricing. I couldn’t say enough about this couple but they are truly brilliant!
I was honored to be their model for a day. Please enjoy my 15 minutes of fame as a hair model!
Commercial Interruption
People like to know what they’re buying and employers like to know who they are hiring.
It should be no surprise that online advertising for personal promotion is as important as the off-line world. Off-line world already contains a mass of advertising standards: resume, cover letter, design sample, billboards; 30 sheet posters; bus and taxi displays; the list goes on.
While thinking about how I was going to make myself stand out from numerous advertising channels at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Portfolio Day; television came to mind. Consumers love to get their information from a 30 second time slot; so should employers.
I created a 30 second commercial to convey four of my core values to employers efficiently and creatively. Firstly, I edited a two hour film on 1950’s technology boom to it’s core inventions, this representing an era of innovation and productivity, similar to the boom within my own skills.
Next, distinguishing my skills core values.
KNOWLEDGE OF WORK: establishing my understanding of the design language on many different medium types: video, audio, and print.
SKILLS IN INSTRUCTING: tutoring for the Bachelor of Science: Visualization Program and speaking to Senior Graphic Design students about professional practice.
SKILLS IN LEARNING: displaying technique in multiple platforms.
SKILLS IN IMPROVING METHODS: taking an analytical mind for: research, prototyping, clarity, and emotion to design.
So for the same reason that you listen to advertising supported radio, watch TV with ‘limited commercial interruptions’ – it enables us to obtain something of value for ‘free’.
Please enjoy these values for free.
Message / Medium / Vintage
For everything that is communicated – there’s a speed in culture – where the message will be displaced. To prolong displacement – cognition of the message and medium should be considered: how people perceive, learn, remember, and think will create a longer life cycle.
For example this video. The original industrial video was a 30 minute industry exploration of the new products being developed with nylon. I edited the old content and created my own tempo, based off of a created soundtrack, to convey the current message of nylon in just 30 seconds.
Mismatched life cycle + New communication channel = Time-shifting experience.
Thank you to Archive.org for offering free downloads on audio, video, live music, and copy. A special thanks to Squirrels on the Moon for teaching me how to create soundtracks.
