April 2010 Archives
Tim Krause, "Ultra Space: friends, running, rest"
This piece was effective because of the igloo structure. The igloo structure created a removed environment to experience video projection, video, and sound loops. It was mysterious, magical, and very playful. I felt like a child in a fort at a sleep over. The aesthetic of structure was very interesting. I loved the blue, white and yellow color scheme. The fake snow and additional details made the environment very immersive.
The music and video was extremely similar to the musician Dan Deacon. The percussive, playful, and repetitive synth noises sound just like his new album (without vocals). The music was full of arpeggiators, bit crushers, and twinkling bell textures. I felt that it matched the character of the surrounding structure and aesthetics.
However, I was less impressed by the videos/projection. My favorite of them was the projection "Rest." It showed a collection of images, footage, and textures mixed into a symmetrical kaleidoscope shape. It was abstract and not too distracting. Alternatively, I felt that the other videos were distracting and didn't match the other aesthetics or character of the piece as a whole. The video showed footage of musicians dancing and playing instruments. They were often green-screened on existing video footage and geometric colorful shaped backgrounds. I have seen this before. I wasn't convinced by its authenticity or effectiveness. It also would have been nice to have the speakers and the laptop hidden in the piece.
In conclusion, this piece was fun and very transformative.
Nicholas Rogger, "Renewal Garden"
wood, soil, plants
2010
This piece is three wooden containers of soil and plants. On a table nearby are egg carton containers for audience members to take soil and seeds with them. It is a collaborative and engaging piece which encourages people to literally and symbolically spread life and environmental renewal.
The motivation for the artist came from a personal interaction of his. One of his friend was frustrated with environmental problems. To help comfort people, Nicholas decided to bring life and plants into an unusual environment.
As an audience member, I enjoyed the simplicity of playfulness of the work. It was very straightforward and effective.
"Fata morgana" is a experimental video by Lindsey Montgomery. I truly enjoyed this piece. It seemed like an experimental narrative. In the film, multiple puppets and figurines were shown on various mystical adventures.
Overall, I was most impressed by the captivating music and sound composition. There were engaging sonic textures which magically illustrated the visuals. As someone who traditionally dislikes puppetry, it was helpful to hear and see experimental expressions.
In addition, the camera angles were very cinematic. Although much of the film was stop-motion, or capturing puppets, the camera flow brought the inanimate object to life. Often times, the point of view and focusing was extremely effective. The photography of the film came across as very thought out. All in all, I was moved greatly by this piece.
