Here is the point of view of the video walk for the 2nd mini exercise.
The concept here is to ‘change’ the space into a different one through the use of Projectors and screens. Videos and visuals are being projected onto the floor and blinds to make a new space, in the case, a construction place and a housing estate.
The concept here touches on construction and developments of buildings and infrastructure. With the sound of bricks being played, it urged the user to experience a never ending sound of construction, which is a representation on today’s modern society.
In Allan Sekula’s Fish Story, he brings up very interesting topic about maritime and the sea. In an interview, Allan Sekula talk about how the sea is the reason for globalisation and expansion of the world through Trade.
Even though this interview was very insightful to what was on his mind when he created his work, I thought that I should go down to the CCA at Gillman to check things out myself. So I did. To think about trade in the 16th Century, we first need to understand the issue that Allan have bring up in his work.
Fish Story is an extensive research that makes a clear point that the ocean and global maritime trade contribute substantially to the circulation of commodities and capital and it is an integral part of the capitalist market forces.
At the CCA, the exhibition not only show Fish Story but also juxtapose two other works titled ‘Lottery of The Sea’ and ‘The Forgotten Space’. I quite enjoy this idea as they are all somehow related in one continuous narrative. In the Forgotten Space, Allan reminds us that the Sea is indeed a forgotten space and is actually a space of economy and prosperity(thanks to trade), but at the same time, exploits the labourers who works in the maritime trade. Allan also bring up the subject of these containers that plays a huge revolutionary impact on the world economy. Container ships looks like mobile factory moving around in looking for cheap labor.
I agree with Allan in his work when he mention the sea as the Forgotten Space. It kinds tie in to how the world actually progress and discovered! Remember all those great explorer who goes out to in search of new land, it was through the sea and with trade happening across nation, thats what make a country prosper. The sea is what makes religion spread as well!
Knowing the condition of the maritime industry currently, I envision trade in the 16th century even harder! Firstly, the goods have to be pack and move in an orderly manner. There must be some standardise container to make trade more efficient. Secondly, most importantly, labor. Below, the Dutch employes labours from Africa as shown in the close up of the image. They are painted with a darker skin tone and can be seen climbing the ship and doing all the hard manual labor.
Arrival of a Portuguese ship, one of a pair (Nanban screens), Six panel folding screen, 1620–1640. Japan. Ink, colors, and gold on paper. Courtesy of the Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D77+.
This goes to show that whatever the ship belongs to, they would actually hire people from outside their countries. Even chinese workers have been depicted in paintings. Even though these nambans screens are from the 17th century, I believe they are still relevant if we are talking about the 16th century.
Arrival of a Portuguese ship, one of a pair (Nanban screens), Six panel folding screen, 1620–1640. Japan. Ink, colors, and gold on paper. Courtesy of the Asian Art Museum, The Avery Brundage Collection, B60D77+.
I like this quote by Allan Sekula below. This simple thought shows a lot of how some country can fight over territorial of the sea.
I was watching The Forgotten Space at the CCA and there is this scene where they container is being operated by machines. It’s moving towards being automated and this is one of the worker said.
That is one scary thought. Regardless, labor is still needed in the maritime industry and they are the invisible hands that move the world economy.
I was walking home after buying some food at a nearby food stall.
There were beautiful lights being put up along the trees, so I decided to broadcast it to the whole world! How cliche is that! But that’s what happened! And it reminds me of Coldplay’s song Fix You, where the lyrics goes like ‘lights will guide you home’. So watch the video to listen to me singing.
https://vimeo.com/139469863
I was surprised that there were at least 3 people were watching me! I am not going to lie, I’ve been finding good videos to use for this assignment and each time I broadcast all my previous videos, it does not have any viewer. But today, there were at least 3! Total viewers was 6 according to the statistic! This actually tells something about the internet, that it is random. I mean there are definite ways/methods to get viewers but sometimes, luck plays a part. Maybe during the time I was broadcasting, there were people just scrolling through Asia and happen to see me.
Finding a good reason to broadcast to the world is actually harder than it seems. Finding a narrative and making people to keep watching your broadcast is not something easy. How do directors and actors make one keep still and watch the movie till the end is actually not rocket science but there are some science involve. With periscope, anybody can just start and stop watching other people’s broadcast easily, its like having a power to look at scenes from all over the world but not the power to control what scenes though.
The power and responsibility to broadcast something to the internet is huge. Similar to how the Videofreex broadcast their material to the television, it is such a powerful way to get things across to the masses.
As mention during the class about a few weeks ago, for the final project, I have an idea of combining live feed of road traffic cameras of the traffic heading towards Malaysia via Second Link or the Causeway. Juxtaposing it with another bridge which Randall suggested the golden gate bridge at san francisco.
I’ve manage to find out more of the live feed camera of the Golden Gate Bridge but it’s not working so great. Here, take a look.
I kinda have to keep pressing refresh to see the changes of the next second/frame. Talking of the Golden Gate Bridge, i know there’s an artist that use the latitude numbers to check numbers of suicide happening or something like that. I can’t really remember but I know there is an artist doing that. Please someone help me.
Anyway, I realise it’s the same as well for the Singapore traffic. But for Singapore, I am able to find traffic cameras from all over the island. Majors expressway basically. Take a look!
Looking at both traffic camera in one blogpost, I can really see the comparison better in terms of visual placing. There is some similarities. But wait, I googled Los Angeles Traffic Camera and they too have a live feed camera of their roads.
But yeah, it is not a live video like how I want it to be. Instead, it’s just snapshot of a second. It could work if I can have the page refresh automatically every 5 second or so.
Right after Art In The Age of Colonialism class with Prof. Sujatha, I head to Canteen 4 for my lunch. My friends were already there as they head there first as they finish class earlier. It was my first time to canteen 4 as there was a new western foodstall called ‘dams’ that just opened recently. Moreover, it’s Halal, so I need to check this out! This video will show me walking towards the canteen, to looking at the menu.
Guess what did I order.
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
