Tsai Performance Center: Sound Waves

I've been thinking more about the space in front of Tsai Performance Center in CAS (shown above), and the idea of visualized sound occurred to me. I did some research and I found a business (SoundViz) that creates prints of songs; I added some examples below. The one on top is a linearly arranged sound wave and the one below is a radially arranged sound wave.

One of my ideas is a wall hanging or sculpture of either a radial or linear recording of important audio to hang in the open spaces above the double doors. My own personal preference would probably be a radial wave because the circular shape would fill the space in a very interesting and abstract way. 

It would also be interesting to make a print of a linear audio recording to put on the beams on the ceiling. They would be an interesting way to fill that empty space and showcase all the variation in the waves. 

Unfortunately I don't currently have the software to do a radial wave graphic, but I do have some sound editing software that I can use to make basic linear graphics. Below is the linear recording of Yo Yo Ma (a famous cellist) playing Bach Cello Suites Prelude, one of the most well known cello songs of all time.

I could also include speeches in this installment. Below is another basic linear graphic made with the same software, but this one is Martin Luther King Junior's I Have a Dream. 

Another iconic piece is Beethoven's fifth symphony, shown below. 

I think that using sound waves plays into the theme of the space, because performance is auditory (as conveyed by the arrangement of the peaks) and visual (as conveyed by the art itself which is visually appreciated). There is a lot of variation encompassed by this idea, as you could do pretty much any sound file, in either linear or radial form, on the ceiling or the wall above the doors. 

Exit Through the Gift Shop Review

           Though it’s marketed as a Banksy film, Bansky himself says that Exit Through the Gift Shop “is the story of what happened when this guy [Thierry Guetta] tried to make a documentary about me but he was actually a lot more interesting than I am, so now the film is kind of about him”. Thierry Guetta starts his journey as an obsessive film taker (not so much a film maker as he never felt the need to watch anything he recorded) and ends it as a commercially successful, but artistically controversial ‘street artist’.

            The film does a decent job introducing its viewers to the world of street art through Thierry’s incessant recording of street artists at work, but as Thierry and his art became more of a main focus the film became less about the purity of street art and more about its potential to be commercialized.\

            The clips of the film that showed artists like Space Invader, Sheppard Fairy, and Banksy working and actually doing the art they’re known for are what I consider to be the most interesting and informative part of the film. In this aspect, the film is a window into the world of street art. It provides an introduction for people who have no prior knowledge on the subject and conveys the rebellious, revolutionary nature of true street art. Some, like Space Invader, just want to add art, beauty and whimsy to the city they live in. Others, like Bansky, want to make a statement and ultimately inspire change in their community. No matter what the specific purpose, the film shows the power of these artists in taking control of their environment which is what street art is all about.

            After that, the film becomes more of a story about Thierry himself, which was interesting but doesn’t exactly fit perfectly into a documentary about the great street artists that define the genre. At this point the film starts to show a less ‘pure’ side to the world of street art. Unlike most other street artists, Thierry is all over the place. He appears to be doing art not for the message it sends, but for the fame and the money that he could gain by adopting the moniker ‘Mr. Brainwash’ and cranking out a ridiculous volume of art via an entire studio of artists he hires. At this point the film takes on an almost comical theme as the other street artists that were introduced at the beginning give their own thoughts about Thierry’s endeavors.

            Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the film and I think that despite the fact that it was not exactly a perfect documentary on street art, it gives the viewer a window into the world of street art; Exit Through the Gift Shop addresses the wonders of pure, inspired street art from artists who do the work for the sake of improving their environment, be it aesthetically or ideologically, and then goes on to show the commercialized version of street art. By showing both I think it emphasizes what is truly important better than if it had only been about the ‘true art’. In other words, Bansky’s art became all the more important and meaningful when put head to head with the mass produced art of Mr. Brainwash. 

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is one of the most well-known Chinese artists in the Western world. His work is simple but has a deep meaning behind it. This is the first time I'd heard of him, but I was fascinated to see the work he has done. His work with the traditional furniture and urns and with the porcelain sunflower seeds were my favorites.

In my opinion, he appears to be fundamentally against making anything sacred, be it history, art or any number of other things. One of his best known pieces were 3 photographs of him dropping a Han Dynasty urn (shown below).

Most people endow such valuable, historical artifacts as 'sacred' and 'untouchable' but Ai Weiwei felt no need to preserve it just because it is ancient. In that same way, his work with cutting up and reattaching ancient furniture shows a lack of reverence for the past. 

One of the most interesting discussions we had in class was about the porcelain sunflower seed exhibit (shown below). Why did Ai Weiwei allow people to walk on and destroy the thousands of handmade little sunflower seeds?

I think its because he feels the same way about art as he does about history. Art is beautiful and important, but it is not sacred. It should not be worshiped and preserved to the point where it loses the essence of what it should be. Those seeds are beautiful, but part of that beauty would be lost if they were so sacred that they could never be touched. The individuality and subtle detail of each seed would be impossible to fully appreciate without being able to touch them. I believe Ai Weiwei was not bothered by the idea that in allowing people to walk on the seeds was destroying them because he knows that art is not permanent and we shouldn't pretend like it is; we should appreciate it without making it sacred.  

Street Art

This week's in class discussion about street art was really interesting because I hadn't ever really thought about street art as anything other than random graffiti done by kids who just want to do something rebellious and illegal.

JR was one of my favorites. What he was doing was deceptively simple in that he just took photos and pasted them up on walls, but the way he used these pictures was what was so interesting. He was able to take on some pretty big social issues just by  posting up photographs in strategic ways. The photo below was taken of one of his projects in a favela in Brazil called "Women are Heroes".

Street artists like Banksy conformed a lot more to what I originally thought street art was, but the social relevance and specific purpose behind each piece was an interesting aspect that I had until recently failed to notice. The example below is one of my favorite paintings that Bansky has done. Its simple but clever which I appreciate.

I also enjoyed the whimsical aspects to street art, like how some artists like Invader and Shepard Fairey had one motif that they repeated and did variations of such that the painting itself was a signature.

I did some research after class and I found one more street artist that I really liked, an artist called "Swampy"; he is an example of the kind of street artist I mentioned above who use one repeated motif in pretty much all their work. Below is a piece he did at the "Living Walls Conference" in Atlanta. That skull face with the horns is his repeated motif; he is able to do quite a few variations that use that skull face, which is part of the reason why he quickly became one of my favorites. I like the way he uses color and simple shapes to make a vivid and interesting painting.

 

Overall, I've come to understand that because street art is inherently illegal and rebellious, it is a fantastic outlet for people to convey their desire for social or political change that goes against the mainstream or dominant opinions. In my opinion there are two ways that a street artist can become great. First, if they paint (or post) something that in order to challenge something they see to be an issue in their society, simply for the sake of bringing about change or awareness in the community. Banksy and JR are fantastic examples of this. The other way I think a street artist can be great is by simply doing art for people's enjoyment or interest. Anything that brings more art, beauty and color to the world always has the potential to make people happy or engage them in their environment.

Tsai Performance Center

I've walked past the Tsai Performance Center in the College of Arts and Sciences building numerous times, but until today I hadn't realized how empty the spaces above the entrance doors were. Just looking at this marble entrance you can't tell how many fantastic concerts and performances are hosted in this theater; the only way for you to see what is happening is to read the tiny pin up letters on that black board hung between the doors. 

Those four huge empty spaces above each of the double doors would be great places for performance themed sculptures. I was thinking one for each type of event hosted: orchestral music, band music, dance, and public speaking. 

Or maybe just musically themed installments, like sculptures of a cello, a piano, a flute, and a trumpet with "music" coming out of them in the form of notes.

Another idea could be 4 continuous pieces that are simply a line from a famous piece with the sizes of the staff changing and maybe curving to make it interesting.

I also think that there could be a much better way to display what performances are happening than that little board. Maybe a TV or an LED screen would be more effective in making sure people know what events are coming up. 

Overall, I think this space could really be enhanced by some kind of artistic installment that would represent the kinds of performances that happen in there every week.

Heather Richards: Aequorea Victoria

This acrylite plexiglas etching created by Heather Richards is installed in BU's Photonics Center. It portrays and Aequorea Victoria jellyfish, which is the organism from which the GFP (green fluorescent protein) genetic sequence was derived. This sequence was later spliced into other cells which marked the beginning of the field modern genetic engineering that we know today. 

The way that she was able to so accurately mimic not only the basic shape of the jellyfish but also the randomness of the tentacles is what really made it as ethereal and beautiful as it is. In terms of location, its placement in that short stretch of dark hallway was well chosen because it takes advantage of something that would've otherwise been considered a flaw in the design of the building and it adds an element of interest to an otherwise plain wall. 

What I admire most about this is the amount of thought that had to go into the conception and creation of this piece. The choice of the Aequorea Victoria jellyfish reflects the artist's knowledge of the important scientific breakthroughs of the time which allowed her to make a relevant installment for the specific purpose of the building she wanted it put in. Additionally, she was able to find a symbolic representation of the discovery which I feel made the piece more effective and interesting; if she had just done a literal transcription of the basics of GFP protein and genetic engineering then the piece would've just become another technical poster. In choosing the jellyfish as a symbolic representation she made the installment accessible and enjoyable to people who understand the scientific significance well as to people who simply admire the beauty of the piece.

As an engineer I am also very impressed by the way that she harnessed the inherent properties of her chosen material in a way that made it seem like acrylite plexiglas was designed for exactly this purpose. 

Zoe Tey: World City and Reverse Plexiglas Paintings

Both of these installments were done by Zoe Tey and placed on the third floor of the Questrom School of Business. 

Above is "World City", which is a digital print that pasted together multiple large international cities into one huge, interconnected megalopolis. I thought this was particularly well done for two main reasons. First, it was expertly designed for this specific location. Questrom is one of the schools with the most international students at BU, so the emphasis on international connectivity is very relevant. The way that business and industry have modernized in the last couple of decades has broken down once immense barriers between those cities so that it does feel as if people in each of these cities could work together as if they were actually in the same location. 

Below are three paintings done on the back side of large Plexiglas plates. This one took on more of an abstract quality, but was just as pleasing to look at. These pieces bring a much needed hit of color to the Questrom Hallway as well as making a once plain, off-white wall far more interesting and aesthetically pleasing. I especially like the way that the three panels are each original and individual in their designs, but also complement each other so well in everything from color to the overall flow of the lines across them.

Spaces of Hope

Mehdi Ghadyanloo's Spaces of Hope is a mural in downtown Boston that depicts the power of collective hope. Ghandyanloo was born and raised in Iran and has painted many murals in the capital city of Tehran, often capturing the essence of nature in an attempt to break up the grey, lifeless aesthetic of such a populated and polluted city. 

This particular mural communicates the importance not of nature, but of hope. There are hundreds of individuals, each carrying a balloon which represents hope. As they walk through the darkness, they have only their own isolated hope, but as they reach the top of the spiral staircase and walk into the light, the balloons combine to form one much larger one. I interpreted this to mean that the combined hope of many people is more powerful than that of just one, but everyone still must carry their own hope to contribute otherwise there would be nothing to rise up into the light.

This mural, like many of Gjadyanloo's, is able to use color and dimension to portray the space and light of the  scene in a hyper-realistic way. This hyper-realism not only makes the mural appealing to look at, it also adds to the ambiguity of it's message. The balloons themselves are the brightest colors present, emphasizing their importance and immediately drawing the observer's eye to the enormous balloon at the top; this sets an optimistic tone for the entire piece because the journey depicted obviously ends in light and happiness.  

Kenmore Classroom Building

The lawn in front of the Kenmore Classroom Building on BU's East Campus is a beautiful green space, but in the winter it takes on an empty quality. In the summer and spring the trees and flowers give it some content, but even then the huge green-spaces on either side of the path have ample space for a sculpture of some kind.

This area is a great place for people to just go sit out on the grass when the weather is nice, so I'm envisioning an installment that is interactive in that people can sit on or around it. It would also work best if it were in a natural theme so that it reflects the location it is in as one of the most lush, green areas on BU's campus (not so much in the winter, but in the spring). 

This location is right at the edge of campus so any installment would add to the overall image of BU's campus by emphasizing the art present on campus.

566 Commonwealth Avenue

Running along the south side of Commonwealth Avenue in front of 566 Commonwealth, this brick wall is just plain and dirty. Though I respect the bare-brick aesthetic, with a mural or some inlays this wall has the potential to be a sizable, interesting site for an installment of some kind.  

This stretch of wall is fairly long and has the capacity to be beautiful and interesting if anyone took the time to give it anything between a touch up and a total makeover. 

One idea I can envision is something like the Boston Bricks installment I posted about previously. If some of those bricks were replaced with sculpted inlays or even just painted as accents then the wall itself would be far more interesting. I can imagine it being a timeline of BU with each detailed brick acting as an event on the timeline. That would allow passersby to take a short journey through the history of the campus they are entering. 

Merge

This weekend I had the opportunity to go to an Engineers Without Borders Conference at the University of Connecticut in Mansfield. They held most of the talks and skill labs in Oak Hall which  is where I came across this installment. 

This sculpture, called Merge, was created by Sharon Louden to be an organic, flowing river of aluminum and installed on the first and second floors of the lobby at the main entrance of Oak Hall; Oak Hall is a LEED certified building, meaning that it was designed to be environmentally friendly, so it is only fitting that Merge is the first thing seen when you walk in. 

The light from the many surrounding windows bounces off the rippling facets of the metal to mimic the natural state of a flowing river. The part that is placed flat on the ceiling, directly above the viewer, is an unbroken sheet of shiny aluminum that allows the person standing below it to see their own distorted reflection as if they were looking at themselves through a layer of water. 

This is an example of site specific art that was able to be relevant to the place for which it was designed and able to be eye-catching and mesmerizing to all that take the time to look up to admire it. 

Boston Bricks

The Boston Bricks are bronze reliefs into the brick road of Winthrop Lane in Downtown Boston. Installed in 1985, each of these many reliefs depicts a famous event or characteristic of Boston. 

These were especially difficult to find, as they are almost entirely invisible from a short distance away and hidden in a small alleyway between two main streets. Only once you are practically on top of them do you really have a chance to notice these beautifully detailed and expressive installments in the road itself. 

Shown in the photos are only five of the many inlays that reside in Winthrop Lane. These depict historical events including the Boston Tea Party (1773), the opening of the Boston Commons as the first public park (1634), and the first year a mitt was worn in baseball (1875). There are also depictions of the culture and characteristics that define Boston; the lobsters that the Northeastern seaboard is so well known for, and the grave stones of some of the many historical figures that called Boston home. 

Walking down this small, innocuous street I was able to take a "tour" of Boston's history and culture and I learned quite a bit about what makes this city so extraordinary, which is exactly what art should allow observers to do. 

The Partisans

The Partisans is an aluminum sculpture in Four Point at the World Trade Center, constructed in 1979. Polish born Andrzej Pitynki, the creator of this sculpture, created this piece to depict five Polish anti-communist fighters, nicknamed "cursed soldiers", and dedicated it to freedom fighters across the world. 

This is by far the most expressive piece I've encountered so far. In its abstraction and distortion of the shapes, it conveys the emotion that more literal pieces are unable to. 

The emaciated bodies and low-hung heads of both the soldiers and horses convey the ideas of exhaustion and deprivation; these are defining characteristics of these "cursed soldiers" who take on the burden of fighting a greater power (in this case, communist Russia after the takeover of Poland that followed World War Two) to preserve the freedom of themselves and their people. 

The Partisans are in no manner cheery, but instead communicate the raw truth of what it means to be a freedom fighter. They may look desperate and weary, but they still hold their backs straight with the pride and the honor they each possess and preserve in their long fight for freedom.

George Washington Statue

This statue is a bronze casting of former president and general George Washington which sits on top of a simple granite pedestal with his name engraved on it. Thomas Ball, the artist who created this sculpture, specifically chose to portray Washington in his military role rather than his presidential role, because it is well known that he was far more comfortable being a revolution leader than he was being the head of state. 

The Boston Commons and Public Gardens are full of bronze statues of significant historical figures, so not much sets this one apart from the others except its placement in the center of the main path through the park and the greater elevation provided to it by the pedestal. 

Though this is a beautifully made sculpture, there is nothing especially novel or noteworthy about it; but that shouldn't take away from its effectiveness as a piece. It fits the historical, traditional location that it resides in without overwhelming its surroundings. 

Overall this sculpture is not novel, but it was fitting and should be appreciated for that just as other pieces are admired for their complexity and uniqueness.