Tag Archives: interactive

I took videos during my trip in Vancouver, edit it on my phone, uploaded on Instagram and now it’s on the net for everyone in the world to see. But back in the 70s, it was another different ball game.

Videofreex including Parry Teasdale and David Cort, fourth and fifth from left, Bart Friedman, third from right, and Skip Blumberg, second from right, gathered in their Catskills town in 1973. Courtesy of Videofreex

Videofreex including Parry Teasdale and David Cort, fourth and fifth from left, Bart Friedman, third from right, and Skip Blumberg, second from right, gathered in their Catskills town in 1973.
Courtesy of Videofreex

Reading up on Videofreex’s history online, I realise their story is worth mentioning and actually worth doing a documentary about. Actually, there’s already a documentary about the Videofreex! Here’s the link if you want to know more about it! And here’s a review for the documentary by The Hollywood Reporter.
Anyway, let’s start knowing who are the Videofreex by watching the documentary titled ‘Here Comes The Videofreex’ Trailer!

To understand Lanesville TV, I feel that we need to look back briefly at their history. After CBS hire them to do a show on counterculture, they went on to video demonstrations and even interviews Fred Hampton of the Black Panthers! They went the opposite direction of commercial television and were ahead of their time and thats what make CBS reject the Videofreex. That is where they decided to start afresh by moving upstate into Lanesville, NY. Lanesville TV was born.

From left, Videofreex David Cort, Bart Friedman and Parry Teasdale filmed kids' programs and daily goings-on in 1973 at their Maple Tree Farm in Lanesville, N.Y. John Dominis/Courtesy of Videofreex

From left, Videofreex David Cort, Bart Friedman and Parry Teasdale filmed kids’ programs and daily goings-on in 1973 at their Maple Tree Farm in Lanesville, N.Y.
John Dominis/Courtesy of Videofreex

In a nutshell, Lanesville TV is believed to be the country’s first pirate television station. Using a transmitter, they were able to show videos they make to the public. Videofreex’s Bart Friedman remembers it as basically public access TV. This is huge actually! They have the power and technology to actually show things to the public! With huge responsibility, they did not disappoint.

“We got the kids to participate in the kids’ programs, we covered stocking of the stream, the firehouse, local residents, car accidents, gun club dinners, things like that,”

Bart Friedman (Videofreex).

Here’s a 6 minute sampler of Lanesville TV.

I found a video on youtube, showing full clips of their tv show.

Press Watch On Youtube! I particularly want to point out that they even use basic effect to enhance the viewing pleasure for the kids show, which I thought was pretty amazing in the 70s!

screenshot of Lanesville TV episodes.

screenshot of Lanesville TV episodes.

It would be amazing if the Videofreex were still active today and they will definitely participate in the NetArtizens Project. Videofreex’s vision for the world to see their own show was very forward looking but unfortunately, the internet wasn’t born yet during their time. I feel that given their restricted access to share their work, they did a pretty good job in making Lanesville TV happen. Imagine what Videofreex can do now with the Internet!

Skip Blumberg, Mary Curtis Ratcliff, Parry Teasdale, David Cort, Carol Vontobel, Davidson Gigliotti, Ann Woodward and Bart Friedman We’re All Videofreex: Changing Media & Social Change from Portapak to Smartphone Friday, April 5 2013

Skip Blumberg, Mary Curtis Ratcliff, Parry Teasdale, David Cort, Carol Vontobel, Davidson Gigliotti, Ann Woodward and Bart Friedman
We’re All Videofreex: Changing Media & Social Change from Portapak to Smartphone Friday, April 5 2013

I agree that the power of video is very much powerful. It doesn’t matter if its a short film, video art, internet tv or even videos on youtubes. With the help of the internet, videos are actually more powerful as they are able to reach the masses. Looking at Videofreex’s history and their project using videos, I am able to see that life doesn’t always have to be about commercialise like the NBC, CBS or ABC. It’s about pushing boundaries of what technology can do for us artists.

We strongly feel that the media arts have not fully embraced this potentiality, despite the progressive nature of the field.

-Catlow, R., Garrett M., Packer R., “The NetArtizens Project,” (2015)

There are currently full time bloggers out there who uses videos to actually share their life with their viewers/subscribers. They practically walk around town with their hands holding their digital cameras and talking to themselves. They will then upload it onto youtube and this make take a while before it reaches to their fans.

This is where the NetArtizens.tv might help them or even us. By doing real time ‘vlogging’ (video blogging), the interaction between the audience and the blogger will be an instant and using the internet as an engine to power up people’s stalking mode. Imagine, me, Kamarul, wearing a google glass, with a camera facing in front, walking and doing my normal routine day, and anyone is able to see what I see just by going to a website. Now that’s technology.

Anthropomorphic Objects by Ana Jofre

At Vancouver, I attended an artist talk. All these artists are actually professors and professionals working in university all over the world. One of the speaker was Ana Jofre. Dr. Ana Jofre. She’s currently in OCAD University doing a research position.

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She was sharing her project on anthropomorphic objects which she is interested on and large based on her artwork and practice.IMG_3440

Her first artwork she shared is titled Monster Jofre. See that little hairy guy there, that’s Monster Jofre. Basically, Monster Jofre is an interactive sculpture that responds to people’s presence. When one comes up next to Monster Jofre, the head will turn and face you. Below is a video that shows just that

 

Right after she showed us that video, she went on to explained the rationale behind her practice and work. She mention that the lagging of Monster Jofre’s head turn create an awaited anticipation for the viewer. Personally, the lag works for me as it shows normal human behaviour sometimes.

Ana also mention that her work is based on a human form because the human form is uncanny and furthermore simplistic form that is relevant to all of us; being able to recognise another human form.

Monster Jofre is actually female with fur which explores the confusion of gender in the society as well. Ana proceeds to share with us how this artwork explores what it means to be human. From instant judgement of Monster Jofre to accepting how the sculpture looks like.

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Her other human form sculpture also take her last name as this is something I am wondering about actually. I suspect that Ana Jofre is creating a part of herself into theses sculpture and by placing her name as part of the artwork, they are a representation of her. I wanted to ask her this question but I never got the chance to.

 

Ana then puts these sculptures into narrative sequence. Since they are taking in a human form, I guess it is only right that they too, have a story to tell about their life and personality. Even though Monster Jofre is just a big hairy fur, Ana Jofre mentions that these objects do have personality. Like a puppet, Ana Jofre directs them in situation for example, sitting in a bench at a park. IMG_3444

Taking selfie with Ana Jofre’s artwork has become an obsession for some in this selfie-digital world. Giving storyline to the photograph creates a reference and give life to the motionless sculpture, Ana proclaims.

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I really enjoyed Ana Jofre’s presentation about her practice. By combining robotic, interactive and sculptural into her work, I believe each of them compliments each other to give a complete experience for the viewer. For example, a robotic sculpture usually takes no form of a human form but instead, bare and metallic. By making a human form robotic, it makes her work more relatable to us. Moreover, it is also interactive! A very friendly artwork that is accessible to all of us. I also feel that putting her sculpture into photograph which creates narrative adds another layer into her work. I have attached a photo of Monster Jofre which is more clear to see.

Monster Jofre

About the artist: Ana Jofre.

Here’s what Ana Jofre wrote in her website pertaining to her Artist Statement:

“I’m interested in the emotional response that anthropomorphic objects elicit, and in our desire to imagine life within them. My life-sized ‘people’ are the artistic output of playful musings on this idea, merging sculpture with puppetry and some robotics, with the intent of evoking a (pleasurable) sense of uncanny ‘presence’. The human figure, as a form with which to communicate, and the themes of presence and personality are key throughout all my artistic products, which include ceramic sculptures and pencil-drawn portraits.”

Her website: http://onewomancaravan.net/index.html

There isn’t a website that feature this particular work though.

In her website, she does a lot of sculptural work which takes a form of a human. Even though her background is in Physics, she started pursuing art as a professional practice. Maybe her background in Science does help her a lot in determining the scientific backdrop of a sculpture and human features.