1. Canada is an extremely diverse country with a diverse selection of music
2. The amount of Canadian content being played on Canadian radio stations is very limited
3. Canada has produced many extremely successful musicians, but unfortunately, there are some who have lost touch of their roots.
The styles, genres and markets throughout the different regions of Canada are extremely varied. In the northern part of the country there is a strong aboriginal and folk music scene. As we go closer to the south, our American influence is very apparent. After learning about the different styles of music throughout the country, it made me want to listen to them and also made me wonder why I am not exposed to these hidden styles of Canadian music.
By completing this assignment, I was able to see the actual percentages of Canadian content that must be played on Canadian radio stations. To be honest, I found these numbers shocking. Commercial Radio stations must broadcast 35% Canadian content; a percentage which I believe is embarrassing. We live in Canada yet the majority of our music is from different countries? Why is it that the majority of music on American radio stations is American? Or the majority of music on British radio stations is British? This 35% clearly shows a flaw in the Canadian music industry. Even CBC, a broadcaster meant to be the leader in Canadian programming, must play only 50% of Canadian content each week. As a country, we have been trained to follow the cultural footsteps of the United States whether it be music, film, or television. We need to begin supporting these Canadian industries or our culture will vanish all together.
Over the years, many Canadian musicians have gone on to having successful careers both in Canada and internationally. When looking at the nominees for the 2009 Grammy Awards I was somewhat surprised that 10 artists were nominated. I believe this is an impressive number considering that the Grammy’s are an American award show. When further looking into the nominees, I realized that though these 10 artists were considered Canadian, many of them had virtually no association with Canada. For example, though Rufus Wainwright is a Canadian citizen, he resides in the States and is signed to non Canadian labels. Rufus Wainwright is just one of many that have seemed to abandon their ‘Canadianess’ over the years. It is because of this that our Canadian culture is diminishing rather flourishing.
When this project was first given out, I was immediately excited. I love making videos and I my competitive side was intrigued about the idea of seeing which group could get the most YouTube hits. From my past experience in media classes, I have learned that putting together a short film is a difficult process. Due to lack of proper lighting and insufficient editing programs, I find that live-action high school shorts usually come out looking very amateur. Because of this, my group and I thought it would be easiest to create an animated film.After lots of brainstorming, Chantelle, Larissa and I, came up with the idea of making a stop-motion animation which would infuse live-action characters set in an animated backdrop. We would take hundreds of pictures of our actor (Chantelle), and then add them into our hand drawn frames. We would do this all on Photoshop by individually altering each frame. I knew that this would be a huuuugeeeee task to take on, but I felt very committed to the movie so I was ready for the challenge.
When we actually starting putting our film together, we were faced with several
problems. First, the pictures from our first shoot with Chantelle were unusable. The background was not deleting as planned, her hair had 'holes', and her positions were off. Since editing these pictures would have taken weeks, we decided to do a re shoot. We went into our re shoot with a lot more planning: we bought a green screen, Chantelle's hair was in a ponytail and we worked out each shot in advance. Despite all of this, it was still extremely difficult to remove Chantelle from each shot. Using these pictures was our only option, so we just had to suck it up and work hard on each picture.The process of taking Chantelle from each picture was a long and exhausting process. We had over 200 shots that had to be individually edited. After hours, and hours, and hours, and hours, we finally finished editing the pictures of Chantelle, meaning it was time to actually put her into the backgrounds.
Though I knew that making the film animated would be long and tedious, I did not expect it to take sooo much time. To physically draw each background and alter it slightly for each frame took ALOT of time and effort. In the end, we had almost 300 individually created frames.After lot and lots of work (I have never spent more time on a project---ever), we finally put all of our frames together in iMovie and added the music. Though making our short film was a looooong process, all and all, I was satisfied with our overall video. The video flowed and it worked perfectly with our music. Though it would have been better if we had more time and better tools, I believe we made the most with the time constraints we were given and the programs that are accessible to us. All that's left now is marketing our video and getting it out there for the world to see.
Here's a look at what some of our unedited pictures looked like:
Body image has always been a complex issue when it comes to advertisements. Advertisers often target self-conscious teenagers with the promise of improving their physical appearance. Since most teens strive for a perfect exterior, these teens will give in to the commercial’s false message and buy the product. This type of advertising was shown in the Maybelline commercial. The advertisers created a non-existent problem (pores are bad) and made it seem as if Maybelline was the only solution. Young women who care about their body image will feel as if they too need to hide their pores and in turn they will buy the Maybelline product.
On the other end of the spectrum was the Dove Evolution commercial. The message of this commercial was that society’s perception of beauty is distorted. This marketing campaign is very interesting because it is trying to discredit beauty products while still trying to sell Dove beauty products. I definitely agree with Dove’s message that our perception of beauty is distorted. People, especially women, try to achieve an unattainable type of beauty; a beauty that airbrushed and photoshopped. The only way this can be fixed is if the media changes their image of women. Advertisements need to stop idealizing fake, unachievable beauty and start praising the real people that we are.Another interesting topic that was brought up in class was gender roles in advertising. As shown in the Pepto-Bismol commercial, men are always stupid, lazy slobs while women are smart, perfect angels. After watching this I immediately thought about a commercial I had seen on TV for V8. In the ad a man is constantly being bonked in the head by his wife since he doesn’t want to eat vegetables. Obviously it is the stupid husband who doesn’t want to be healthy and obviously his smart wife has to show him what to eat. This is just one of the many examples of the media’s false perception of men and women. Here’s the commercial if you haven’t yet seen it:
I really enjoyed Dr. Leech’s lesson about text and subtext in advertising. It was really interesting to learn just how complex something as short as a commercial can be. In just 30 seconds an advertiser’s message can unknowingly persuade you to buy just about anything. As someone who wants a future career in media, I found the class to be extremely informative and I will definitely remember what I learned the next time I watch a commercial.
The theory of multiple intelligences is a concept in which intelligence is broken down into eight different components. Even though we possess each type of intelligence, some may be stronger while others may be weaker. It is important to learn which intelligences are your strengths so that you can use them to excel.When taking the ‘multiple intelligence’ quiz today, it was confirmed to me that I am a Visual/Spatial learner. For as long as I can remember I have always been an extremely visual person. I love the arts and I am usually very good at visual activities and puzzles. When making study notes I always colour code everything and I tend to memorize where the notes are on the page. If I am trying to remember something during the test, I visualize where it was and what it looked like on the actual page rather then just remembering the fact. Since I am a Visual/Spatial learner, I should draw pictures/diagrams when taking notes. It would also be advantageous for me to contribute artistically when working on a group project.
My second strongest types of intelligences were Intra-personal and Mathematical/Logistic. I also greatly agree with these results because I often prefer to work alone and I am fairly logical. I am Intra-personal because I am extremely goal-oriented and I sometimes find it difficult to work in a group setting. When working with a group I usually like taking charge and I like doing the majority of the work. I hope to change this so that I can be more of a team player. I am also a Mathematical/Logistic learner because I enjoy and excel in math and I work best with step by step instructions.
I was not surprised to find out that my weakest intelligence was Bodily/Physical. I have never been good at physical activities like sports or dance and I learn better by watching then actually being hands on. Though this is not that useful to me now, I hope to strengthen this type of intelligence for the future by participating in more physical activities.
By completing the ‘multiple intelligence’ quiz, I was able to further understand the way that I learn. I hope I can now use this information to strengthen my learning style and have a more well-rounded range of intelligence.
Here is what my results looked like:
Every teenager remembers their first cell phone. Mine was the Samsung a920- a chunky flip phone that constantly broke and had limited features. Even though the phone was horrible quality, I still felt that having a cell phone was a right of passage into becoming a teenager. It gave you the freedom to talk to your friends whenever you want and it brought you one step closer to being an independent adult.My cell phone is now an essential part of my everyday life. I use it da
ily to text my friends, call my parents, write down appointments, and wake me up in the morning. If there is ever a day that I leave my cellphone at home, I feel that a part of me is missing. I can't properly function without the comfort of knowing I have my cell phone on me. What if something happened at home and my parents need to contact me? What if my friend is having a party and texted me an invitation? What if I had a doctor's appointment that afternoon that I totally forgot about? Not having my cellphone leaves me with a very uneasy feeling. Though there are many positives reasons that a teenager
should have a cell phone, there are also a few negatives. One negative thing about cell phones is that they can disconnect us from having legitamte converssations with our friends. This is kind of ironic since the whole point of having a cell phone is to talk to people. Since we are given the option of texting, I find that is usually way easier to send a friend a quick text rather than have an entire conversation with them over the phone. Another negative aspect is that we are becoming too attached to our cell phones. As I stated earlier, I can't live without my phone, so I were to lose it or break it, I basically wouldn't be able to function.Despite these negatives, I think all teenagers should have a cell phone. I love my phone and I believe it is an extremely positive piece of technology!
Here's a picture of my current cell phone:
On Wednesday April 15, I was given the privilege in participating in the Reel Canada film festival for the second year in a row. Last year I was able to see two great Canadian films Bollywood Hollywood and Fido. Though I greatly enjoyed both movies, I didn't really like having to watch the films in small halls with flimsy projectors.
This year was a little different because we were able to watch our movies at the Grande movie theatre. I believe this made the film festival feel more legitimate and it made it easier to see/ experience the films. I also thought it was great that we got to be with other students from other schools.
The movie that I watched in the morning was Water. Water was directed by Deepa Mehta and starred Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, and Sarala Kariyawasam. Released in 2005, it received 3 Genie Awards, and was even nominated for an Oscar for best Foreign Language Film. Though the film is critically acclaimed and very well respected, I have to admit that I was not a huge fan. I found the movie to be very slow with not much a happening in such a long period of time.
I could tell that this film was definitely not targeted towards teenagers.
One thing that I did enjoy about the movie, was the cinematography and use of colour. Every once and a while after a very dark part, I would be jolted by a pop of colour in a very bright and energetic scene. These rare, but beautiful scenes kept me somewhat interested throughout the film. After the film, the sound recorder, Slyvian Arseneault came in for a Q & A. He told us a little a bit about his experience shooting in Sri Lanka and working with Deepa. Even though the audience wasn't really enthralled by him, I found it really interesting to hear about the behind the scenes making of Water.
Here is the trailer for Water:
In the afternoon I saw the 2007 documentary Sharkwater. Sharkwater was starred, written, directed, produced, and edited by Rob Stewart. It has great critical acclaim and has been nominated for over a dozen awards around the world.
Sharkwater, was a complete change of pace from Water, but in a good way. It was filled with jolts, stunning visuals, and an interesting story. One of my favourite things about Sharkwater was that even though it was a documentary, it had many elements that you would find in a drama. In the movie there were police chases, flesh-eating diseases, and machine guns. While educating us about the dangers of shark-finning, we followed an interesting storyline was followed that kept us intrigued and entertained.
One thing that I found very distracting in Sharkwater was the narration.
The narration was done by Rob Stewart who sounded like an annoying beach bum. I found it very distracting listening to his voice and trying to take seriously what he was saying. I feel that as the director, Rob Stewart should have gotten someone else to do the voice-overs so that this wouldn't be an issue. After the film, Rob Stewart came and talked to us about the process of shooting Sharkwater. I found this to be extremely interesting since he had put so much of himself into the film. He talked more about the issues of shark-finning and also gave us some insight as to how he shot some of those beautiful underwater sequences. I think it is incredible that someone like Rob Stewart, with no film background, can make an amazing Canadian documentary that has made such an impact on the world. It is nice to know that even though his film has international acclaim, Rob still cares about the Canadian film industry.
Here is the trailer for Sharkwater:
Overall, the Reel Canada Film Festival was a complete success! Even though I found some movies were better than others, it is great being able to see some home-grown talent on the big screen. The day was really fun and I hope I can go again next year!
Ever since hitting Broadway 2006, critics and fans have not stopped praising the controversial rock musical, Spring Awakening. Spring Awakening recieved 8 Tony awards and is currently on a tour across North America.I first heard of Spring Awakening when a friend of mine saw it in Toronto. She raved on about how incredible it was, and how I HAD to see it. Not knowing much about it, me and my grandmother bought tickets to the April 18th matinee. In the days leading up to the performance, I did a little research to see what the show was all about. When reading the synopsis on Wikipedia, these were the words/ phrases that stuck out: dreams of erotic nature, masturbation, sexual abuse, and abortion. At this point I started freaking out. With this type of subject matter, how will I be able to get through a 3 hour long performance with my grandma!
When going to Spring Awakening, though I was completely prepared to have the most awkward and uncomfortable of my life, I was 100% wrong. The musical was AMAZING and even my grandmother loved it! The show touches on controversial and racy subject matter, but it is put together in a natural and tasteful way.
My favourite part of Spring Awakening was definitely the music. The performers were out of this world incredible, and the songs were catchy and heartfelt. I even bought the soundtrack afterwards!
The only thing that I'm mad about, is that I didn't discover Spring Awakening until just recently. Today is their closing show in Toronto, which means I won't be able to see any more performances. If you are in a city where Spring Awakening is playing, GO SEE IT! You definintely won't regret it.
Here is a tour montage on YouTube which plays one of my favourite songs in the background:
And here is a tour music video of one of my other favourite songs, 'Mama Who Bore Me (Reprise)'
PS. That song you hear in the background of my blog, is a recording of the Broadway cast's performance at the 2007 Tony Awards.
What is your favourite scene in the movie?
The scene that I remember most vividly from O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the part where Everett, Pete, Delmar and Tommy are at the radio station recording the song 'Man of Constant Sorrow'. 'Man of Constant Sorrow' is an extremely catchy song and it was in my head for days after watching that scene. I liked it so much that I even downloaded it onto my computer when I got home! After doing some research, I learned that George Clooney practiced his singing for weeks, but in the end his singing voice was dubbed by country blues singer Dan Tyminski. Though it would have been nice to hear George Clooney's real singing voice, Dan Tyminski did a great job with the song.
Another thing I loved about this scene was the reflections of The Soggy Bottom Boys/ the man at the radio station. Those little details have great effects on the film.
Check out the scene here:
Research and find pictures that you've seen with the starring actors. Discuss their range as actors and what you find interesting about their work.
George Clooney
Movies I've SeenBurn After Reading
Ocean's Thirteen
Ocean's Twelve
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Ocean's Eleven
Spy Kids
Three Kings
From Dusk Till Dawn
George Clooney has had a long, famed career that has spanned over two decades. From the films I have seen, it is clear that Clooney tends to go for the roles where he is quick-witted, charismatic and the leader of the pack. In Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen, Clooney plays Danny Ocean, a character very similar to Everett in O Brother, Where Art Thou. Danny Ocean and Everett are both smooth-talking criminals with an attractive exterior.
An interesting fact about George Clooney is that he has directed several films including: Leatherheads, Good Night and Good Luck, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.
He has also worked many directors several times including: Steven Soderbergh (6 times), Robert Rodriguez (3 times) and the Coen brothers (3 times).
John Turturro
Movies I've SeenAnger Management
Mr. Deeds
Though I haven't seen many of John Turturro's films, I can tell that he goes for a wide range of roles. Turturro has showed his funny side been in comedies such as Mr. Deeds and Anger Management as well as his serious side in dramas such as The Good Sheppard and Secret Window.
John Turturro has also worked with many directors several times including: Spike Lee (9 times), the Coen brothers (4 times) and Michael Bay (3 times).
Tim Blake Nelson
Movies I've SeenFido
Meet the Fockers
Scooby Doo 2
Holes
Minority Report
Tim Blake Nelson has been in over 30 films ranging from children movies (Scooby Doo 2, Holes) comedies (Meet the Fockers, Hoot), and thrillers (Minority Report, Syriana). From the films that I have seen, it seems that he never plays the same character twice. Whether its comedic or dramatic, Nelson always brings something different and fresh to each of his movies.
Tim Blake Nelson has also directed, written and produced several films including: The Grey Zone, Kansas, and Eye of God.
What reasons are given for the alterations in colour in the film? How do you feel about them? What do they contribute to the film?
The cinematographer for the film, Roger Deakins, said that the alterations in colour were made "they wanted it to look like an old hand-tinted picture, with the intensity of colors dictated by the scene and natural skin tones that were all shades of the rainbow." I feel that this was sucessfully accomplished and the alterations gave the film an aged look. The lack of bright colours helped create an atmosphere of the depression of the 1930's.
Find 5 'references' to others films or stories in the movie and list them.
- The Wizard of Oz
- The Ten Commandments
- The Blues Brothers
- The Graduate
- Moby Dick
Discuss any other Coen Brothers movies you have seen with respect to this one based on criteria of your own choosing.
The other Coen Brothers movies that I have seen are, No Country for Old Men and Burn After Reading, both have themes similar to O Brother, Where Art Thou. No Country for Old Men is about a drug deal gone wrong causing chaos and action to ensue. The film includes several botched crimes, an ongoing chase, and a time period from the past. These are all elements that are also in O Brother.
On the other hand, Burn After Reading, is an off-beat, black comedy which also stars George Clooney. Much like No Country, it includes several botched crimes, and an ongoing chase. It also has that quirky, smart-witted comedy that is used in O Brother.
What is your opinion of the music used in the film? Why do you think it was chosen?
Though I have never been a fan of folk music before, I loved the music used in O Brother, Where Art Thou. The song 'Man of Constant Sorrows' was stuck in my head for days after watching the movie. I believe the music was chosen because that was what people were listening to back then in Mississipi. Bluesgrass was the sound of the south at the time. I think that the music effectively gave the feel of the 30's to the film and helped create a great atmosphere for the era.
I tend to watch several movies a week, and since I had so much free time over the break, I ended up seeing over half a dozen movies. Heres a list of some of the movies I watched during my March Break and what I thought of them:
The Wrestler
Director: Darren AronofskyCinematographer: Maryse Alberti
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marissa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood
After hearing all of the Oscar-buzz over The Wrestler, I had to see what the fuss was all about. When watching the movie, you can immediately tell why Mickey Rourke was nominated for Best Actor. I was mesmerized by his portrayal of Randy "The Ram" Robinson and I found myself endlessly rooting for him . The movie itself was sad, raw and extremely enjoyable.
Pay It Forward
Director: Mimi Leder
Cinematographer: Oliver Stapleton
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment
Since I had never heard of Pay It Forward before I watched it, I had no idea what to except. I found the movie to be slightly cheesy and I felt as if it was trying to be something it was not. On a positive note, it made me cry, and Haley Joel Osment was adorable
Requiem for a Dream
Director: Darren AronofskyCinematographer: Matthew Libatique
Starring: Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Ellen Burstyn
After watching (and loving) Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler, I was inclined to see what other work he had done. That lead me to watching Requiem for a Dream. Requiem for a Dream is the kind of movie that you either love or hate; I loved it, but my friend who I watched it with absolutely hated it. It was frightening and odd, but I could never look away from the screen.
I Love You, Man
Director: John Hamburg
Cinematographer: Lawrence Sher
Starring: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones
Three reasons why I loved I Love You, Man:
1. Amazing/ hilarious cast (Andy Samberg from Saturday Night Live, Jason Segel from How I Met Your Mother)
2. Awkward one-liners ("See you later, Joben!" and "Totally... totes ma gotes". )
3. Rush cameo (reminded me of Jason Segel rocking out to Rush on Freaks and Geeks)
What are you contributing to the process?
In our film, I have taken on the role as ‘director’. I am often shooting, or I am helping people film and showing them how to use the camera. I also made our groups storyboards and contributed to the script which has helped create a complete idea of what our finished film will look like. I am looking forward to helping with editing when we get to post-production. I love using iMovie, and it will be a great way to master my skills.
What skills have you acquired?
From working on this film, I have learned how to create different types of shots. Rather than just using simple still shots or zooms, my group and I have tried to use different movements of the camera. An example is we used wheelie chairs to ‘follow’ and we used POV shots with the Barbies. I also learned how to create a realistic and authentic set. Since all of the filming had to be done at school, we needed to create a child's bedroom from Ms. Gordon's office. We cornered off a section of her office and completely transformed it into a little girl's room. I learned that every little detail is important when it comes to a realistic set and that the smallest touches can make the greatest impact.
What do you still need to learn?
I still need to learn how to edit using different angles and shots. All the films I have made in the past have only had one type of shot making it very easy to put together to make the video flow. Since we have so many different types of shots and so much footage, I still have to learn how to cut down all of this footage, and put the shots together. This might be tricky since we have so many angles of the same thing. I need to perfect the editing process so that our movie can be perfect.
I recently stumbled upon an interview with Spike Jonze in which he talks about his upcoming film adaptation Where the Wild Things Are. I am a huge Spike Jonze fan, so the second I heard that he would be adapting the classic children's book, I was compelled to see what he would come up with. He has an odd and unusual directing style, which would be perfect for this type of story.Where the Wild Things Are is Jonze's third feature film. His first two, Being John Malkovich, and Adaptation, were huge critical successes and even earned Jonze an Oscar nomination for Best Director. Aside from directing, he also acts, produces, and writes for many other projects.
In the interview, Jonze promises that the film wasn't approached in a typical 'Hollywood' way. Instead of using a soundstage or green screen to recreate the vivid jungles, the movie was actually filmed in Australia.
Judging from the interview, the film is well on it's way to being completed. It began filming in 2005 and has since been in post-production for a few years. The movie was to originally be released May 2008, but has since been pushed back to October 16, 2009.
Several stills from the film have been released, which has only increased my anticipation. Here is a look at Where the Wild Things Are:
Here is a link to the interview where you can read all about Where the Wild Things Are:
AND to get a feel for Spike Jonze's filmmaking style, here is a great commercial he directed for the Gap
Michael Chapman (1935-)
Oscars: 2 nominationsNotable Films:
The Fugitive -1993
Raging Bull -1980
Taxi Drive- 1976
Films I've Seen:
Space Jam -1996
Kindergarden Cop -1990
Allen Daviau (1942-)
Oscars: 5 nominationsNotable Films:
Bugsy -1991
Avalon -1990
Empire of the Sun -1987
The Colour Purple - 1985
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial -1982
Films I've Seen:
Avalon -1990
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial -1982
Caleb Deschanel (1944-)
Oscars: 5 nominations
Notable Films:
The Passion of the Christ- 2004
The Patriot- 2000
Fly Away Home- 1996
The Natural- 1984
The Right Stuff- 1983
Films I've Seen:
The Black Stallioin - 1979
Néstor Almendros (1930-1992)
Oscars: 3 nominations, 1 win
Notable Films:
Sophie's Choice- 1982
The Blue Lagoon- 1980
Kramer Vs Kramer -1979
Days of Heaven -1978
Films I've Seen:
Kramer Vs Kramer -1979
Days of Heaven -1978
László Kovács (1933- 2007)
Notable Films:
Easy Rider -1969
Five Easy Pieces -1970
Films I'ves Seen
Miss Congeniality -2000
Jack Frost -1998
My Best Friends Wedding -1997
Ghost Busters -1994
Victor J. Kemper (1927-)
Notable Films:
Dog Day Afternoon -1975
The Candidate -1972
Films I've Seen:
Jingle All the Way -1995
Beethoven -1992
Clue -1985
Bill Butler (1921-)
Oscars:
1 nomination
Notable Films:
Rocky I -1979
The Conversation -1974
Films I'ves Seen:
Grease -1978
Jaws -1975
When we went on our around the building, the one thing I wanted to do was sketch. I love to draw and I knew it would be a great opportunity to learn from the experts. I did rough sketches of the five paintings and sculptures that appealed to me the most, and then I finished them later that day. Here is a look at my five favourite pieces of art:
Evan Penny
2003
silicone, pigment, hair, fabric
When I saw Stretch #1 by Evan Penny, my first reaction was ‘what is that’? It looked like a hologram, but as you got closer you could see that it is actually a very detailed sculpture. The detail on Stretch #1 is incredible. Every little hair, freckle and pigment of skin is unbelievably realistic.
Looking at the sculpture felt as if I was seeing an optical illusion. I was initially confused, but also in awe by the magnificent realism of the piece. It reminded me of the application 'Photobooth' on Mac computers. On Photobooth you can warp your face to look stretched and distorted, much like the effect on the sculpture.
As I talked to others about the piece, most of them felt the same as I did. This made me realize that this was the exact intention of Evan Penny. He wanted us to associate the sculpture to the Photobooth and Photoshop application on the computer. I believe he wanted us to be confused and wondering why the piece is what it is.
After doing some research, I was led to Evan Penny’s website. Here is what he said about Stretch #1: “The elongated format of the sculptures Stretch #1 and Stretch #2 refers to a Photoshop derived distortion.” Because of this, it is obvious that the scuplture is very current. It was created in 2003 and is a reflection of our modern technology.
Robert Smithson
1968
mirrors, crushed stone
Gravel Mirror Corner Piece is different than any work of art I have seen before. Three mirrors are set up in a corner with a pile of crushed stones on top. The crushed stones are reflected in the mirrors and make the pile seem much larger than it actually is.
When looking at the sculpture, I felt very peaceful and was reminded of nature. Robert Smithson used a very natural object, crushed stones, to convey this emotion. The room that Gravel Mirror Corner Piece has no bright colours which is also very calming. The walls were white and the floors were wooden, which goes well with the theme of nature.
Robert Smithson was an American artist who became famous for his land art and natural sculptures. He was a minimalist, which can be seen in Gravel Mirror Corner Piece.
Ed Pien
2007
3M reflector on Shoji paper-cut
The reason Spellbound caught my eye was because of the odd material it’s made of and how it is constructed. Looking at the piece, I thought of intertwining branches and vines. I felt as if the people were trying to make their way through them, and looking for a way out of the tangled chaos.
Pien conveys the emotions of chaos and confusion by having these intertwining lines. They are all different shapes and sizes, and you can’t tell where they start and where they end. I believe that the message he is trying to get across is that we all get stuck in chaos, just like the people are stuck in the picture. They are trying to find their way out, but they are lost by the tangled webs around them.
When researching Ed Pien I discovered that he is an immigrant from Taiwan and often incorporates oriental styles into his work. I can definitely see this in Spellbound, which somewhat reminds me of the delicacy of origami.
Andy Warhol
1964
silkscreen on acrylic, silkscsreen on aluminum paint on canvas
I am a huge fan of Andy Warhol and the entire Pop Art movement. Because of this, I was immediately attracted to Elvis I and II and extremely excited to see a real Warhol picture in person.
Since Elvis I and II is a painting of Elvis Presley, what comes to mind when looking at it is what I know about Elvis. I think about his fame and how he was ‘The King of Rock ‘N Roll’. The picture is half blue and half white. I think of this as a representation of Elvis’ career. He started off being an iconic superstar, but eventually faded away from the misuse of drugs.
Like Warhol often did, he took a mass-produced subject and turned him/her into a mass-produced work of art. Elvis was a pop-culture icon that was everywhere at the time. For that reason he is replicated four times on the painting. He used silkscreen prints to create the picture so that it could also be mass-produced.
Genevieve Cadieux
1990
chromogenic print mounted on acrylic
Out of all the pieces of art I saw at the AGO, my favourite was definitely Blue Fear by Genevieve Cadieux. The photograph is of an elderly man staring at a close-up of his eyes. His eyes are blue and show a great amount of fear. I can feel the fear from his eyes and I wonder what he fears.
Cadieux excellently depicted this emotion by using an intense photograph and the colour blue. She wants us to be able to feel the fear that the man in the picture is feeling, and that is exactly how I felt.
Another interesting part of the picture is that it is an optical illusion. From afar, the man’s back looks like a nose. You have to go close to the picture to see that it is actually a separate photograph added on top.
--
Overall, my first trip to the Art Gallery of Ontario was a success. I learned about its modern architecture, was able to make some of my own sketches, and saw many incredible pieces of art.
