Some more...

Okay, I think these are the rest. Sorry it's separate from the others--I'm workin' on it. Anyway... Any comments or suggestions? I tried to make the images cartoony because children's cartoons are innocent, and it makes me think of how these previously normal words have lost their innocence...

Decay of Language.

Phew... I finally have a rough draft of my project. So, I used two words with vulgar meanings here so far. I'm adding normal words also so that it isn't so predictable. First-time viewers might not expect to see vulgar definitions with such normal looking pictures. There will be 10 in all. I'll do some of the others with a vulgar image and normal definitions. So, so? Is this OK?

dk

example....societal decay

decay

The lives in the city are decaying. In fact, the city itself is decaying. Look at the city as your heart. Whether is emotional, mental, physical, logical, or spiritual, the city is dying, no hope, no way out. The purposes of the community of being together and help each other is gone. Remember the good old days about caring for each other and thinking about each other? That’s the upper image. It is the city that we have been dreaming and living, a heaven. But that’s not enough. We always want more, and that really decaying our hearts, the work have done, and the long way we have been walking. The city is falling apart, into some thing blurry, the second image, but we still can see the city. Our hearts are still not completely dead. However, the last image, because of our sinful desire, naive thoughts and irresponsible decisions, soon, our world from inside out will be burned by ourselves into ashes. That’s called hell!

[DK] update

Soooooooo I think I'm going to modify my idea to have each image show the DK of children's innocence by making al the added grafitti imagery by of lost looking children. It will be a series starting at the broken home then going into each image. Should I make the images all the same of different too? Comment people!

Complete Randomness!

I don't know if anyone here knows what cel-shading is, but I just completely cel-shaded this image, pixel by pixel. I was thinking of how to incorporate a cartoonish look in my decay of language project, so I did this as a starting point. Enjoy!

...For those who don't know, this is what the image looked like originally, below. What I did was mimic a technique known as "cel-shading". Snazzy, no?

when i began thinking of decay i thought of human decay and the recycling of our organic material-kinda gross i know. i wanted to take this photo ina place that was damp and perfect for rotting materials. it was actually raining when i took this photo!

i want to give her the feel of sinking back into the ground. i still have to play around with the color balance of each photo and what not.

Resistance is Futile!!! lol

Found this on the web, very random...

Decay

My idea is a little complicated to say the least. A few weeks ago I ended up having an extremely horrifying nightmare in which I was unable to wake up from. In the dream I thought that I had died. I was unable to efficiently communicate with my roommates and it felt like everything in the world had become dry, smelling reminiscent of burnt styrofoam. In the dream I kept trying to find things that normally brought me comfort, but every time that I looked, either they no longer existed, or had lost all appeal to me. I remember thinking in my dream that I wished that I had appreciated all of these things, because now I would be spending the rest of eternity in a monotonous, dreary world. Even my boyfriend and my roommate could not console me. At first I wasn't aware of the fact that I had died, and when I did realize it, all I could do was cry and ask how it happened. Neither my boyfriend or my roommate would answer me, which caused me to feel more isolated. They kept telling me that it was OK, but that was hardly any form of comfort in my eyes. After I woke up from all of this, I was so relieved to realize that it was all just my imagination. That said though, I began to think about how much I take a lot of things for granted. Even with everyday activities, I felt like that I, along with the rest of the world, was just going through the motions and not paying much attention to anything other than my immediate goals. This gave me the idea for the decay project.

Working on a final project for my Time Based Media class, I decided to make a collaboration, and make a two-part video of my experience, one centering on life, and one on death. The life video will be shot as a time-lapse video, where my character performs daily actions with a lack of emotion. As the video progresses, the speed of it will continue to increase until it abruptly cuts out. The scenes in the first video will set up the scenes for the second video, where it will be filmed at normal speed. When my character awakens in the death world, he will be in the same location as the first film, except the entire world will be reminiscent of my dream. The lighting will be solely from candles and I plan on removing any form of comfort from the film. During one scene (which is of my character taking a shower), he will turn on the faucet, in hopes of rousing himself, but it will pour out sand. As another parallel (in the first video there will be a scene in which he walks his dog), he will return to his dog cage in which he finds his dog completely constructed out of dried leaves. All of the scenes will be directly related to the first video in some form. I have yet to decide how I will end this, but one idea is using stop motion video to show sand enveloping my character. I think I will test this out and see how it looks before making any concrete decisions.


I chose sand as a way to represent time in my work. Before watches and clocks, hourglasses (filled with sand) were one of the few ways to accurately document the passage of time. The project uses the idea of decay to show how throughout our lives, our appreciation for the things around us dwindle; we lose appreciation for the world around us. Death represents the inability to change our appreciation, and grants the person no second chances to find something more meaningful in their past.

The following image is just a look on how the shower scene may look. I have yet to decide if there will be any filters on the video; as of right now I prefer the gritty look of it, but I will see how it turns out when I finish shooting.

beautiful.decay

i brought my piece into class because so far its way easier to see in person rather than within a photo. but basically, as the title hints towards, i am making an image that has two differing focuses. It is on an 11" x 48" board and each side contains a koi fish that is swimming towards the edge. the fish are connected by what i can best describe as abstract squiggly lines [its not as horrible as it sounds]. anyway, i choose koi fish first because i find them and the japanese images they are used in to be pretty cool, and second because symbolically they are often used to depict prosperity [or the pursuit of] and pretty much the pursuit of good things. because of this, the 'beautiful' side of the image will be 'pretty', in order to depict the whole joy and well being aspect, but the 'decay' side will look more worn and damaged [sort of an opposition to the opposite side]. also, i want to physically destroy some of the board on the decay side to emphasize that more. not sure how much color i want to use...
ps: my composition will allow for the image to be shown right side up, upside down, and on either of its sides
pps:i will be taking pictures periodically throughout the entire process in order to show how the piece is being made.

still playin around...

The second would be the background if we do the devolution image. The first is the same kind of topic but from a less obvious approach.

Crit for Tooth Decay Projet

These are just examples of images I am beginning to work with.


I looked at the different momento mori and vanitas works and what interested me was the contiunal reappearence of the skull. The symbolisim and reminder of the certainty of death was a common thread through all of the works. I specifically noticed the teeth in all of the skulls that always seem perfectly intact. I suffer from gingivitis and my mouth is usually in a state of pain- I have had gum surgery once and may soon have to have it again (gum transplant surgery is known to be one of the most painful surgeries considering you are awake the entire time). When the pain gets bad I will have nightmares about my teeth falling out. All of these thoughts led me to a piece about tooth decay.

This assignment called for a piece that gives a digital image feel and texture thats physical and real. I have two ideas and would like some feed back on each. First I thought about creating a flip book using digital photgraphs of my teeth that I alter so that they would start with a smile and ends with a toothless frown. This would be representitive of my nightmares and similar to the momento mori themes of my teeth's mortality. I feel that it would be a less heavy approach to the theme of decay and could be in some ways comical and interesting.

For my next idea I would create one digital image using scanner art of my teeth. I would then take this image and digitally manipulate it to portray the pain and suffering this disease causes. I would also like to incorporate other themes from the vanitas works such as an hourglass, jaw bone/tooth bone structures similar to those you see in a dentist office, dentist tools, and even floss. After I was satisfied with this digital image I would print it out on high quality paper and paint certain areas to create more of a relief surface and texture. Through this process I would hope to increase the feel and texture that digital images usually lack. I feel this would also enhance the colors and shapes that I would like to stand out. If I wanted to get really extreme, I have had five permanent teeth pulled and saved them, I was thinking I could even encorporate one onto the surface of the image.

...Decay of Language?

...Yeah, so... I still don't have any images to show, per se. But a friend and I came up with the idea of doing a series of short 'toons about the decay of language I was mentioning before. For instance, she suggested having two panels with a phrase containing a word with a double meaning. (She used "dyke" as an eample.) One panel could have an image depicting the word's ordinary meaning, and the other could express the word's vulgar meaning. I know it's sort of hard to visualize without seeing an example... Any thoughts or suggestions?

the beginnings...

these are some of the images i think i will be working with.

[DK]-sorry Myk. I had to borrow it lol

Here are some of the images I'm beginning to work with. These are actually some of my past photography work. I plan on incorporating forms in that threshold, graffiti style that Bansky uses. Possible subjects can be death and the transience of life as decay, societal decay, family decay, and religious beliefs decay. They will be displayed together matted. 

New Decay

As Ashley said, we are no longer collaborating due to technical and practical issues... sooo you know me, when I'm faced with a new project, I basically just mold the common themes in my work to fit the assignment. The only issue I'm running into is that when looking at my images, you won't be able to connect my project to decay - and that's probably a big deal. The ways I see in my head, to make them reference decay, take away the visual qualities that I'm looking for.

I wanna take a look at decay that is self-imposed... as in actions we take upon ourselves to alter our bodies as an attempt to control change. This is examining the human instinct to improve, to alleviative, to find balance. Obviously, I look to my own actions as a reference. Something I've always been interested in is the act of scratching oneself. Scratching is such a simple instinctual gesture, that given a degree of intensity and frequency can end up being hysteric and harmful.

These photos are not the ones I want to use, but they are mocks of how I want to set them up. I'm not sure if I wanna transpose them on top of one another to create a sort of in-motion scratching or if I wanna keep them apart. Also, I'm unsure about the temperature - whether it should stay at this hue/saturation. The choice to shoot my legs in the bathtub is merely to reinforce the intimacy, privacy, and personal choice of the action. Sometimes I also see water as a suspension of time.

Hopefully this somewhat makes sense... or maybe I can better explain it in class.

Decay!

There's been a lot of logistical difficulties with Christina's and my collaboration. So.
I've been thinking about "decay" in the sense of neglect, the accumulation of mold, dust, and other particles that are constantly created without persistent upkeep. This relates to entropy, a measurement of the randomness of molecules in a system, and the natural tendency toward disorder.

I want to take digital photos of dirt/mold/dust and then crop and frame them to situate them like grand landscapes. I am still deciding on how to physically frame or present the images.





a volcanoscape







a green hill










gray colorfield

















photoshopped climber -- I mashed this together with photos from the Internet during our quasiclass on Monday. If done a bit more carefully, could it work? Or would it still be hokey?










feathery lace texture

Bill Viola

*sorry I didn't get to this earlier, I've been out of town!

Bill Viola:

•pioneer of video art/installation, expanding the form through content, technology, and historical reach
•began experimenting with video in the 1970s at Syracuse University
•creates full length films as well as shorter video installations
•uses video to explore self-knowledge and universal human experiences (birth, death)
•lives and works currently in Long Beach, CA
•inspired by Eastern and Western art
•also influenced by spiritual traditions (Zen Buddhism, Christian Mysticism)
•subjective thoughts, collective memories
•viewer can directly experience his art, fully surrounded and enveloped in the installation
•work has been shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Gallery in London, Guggenheim Berlin, Guggenheim New York, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Getty Los Angeles and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
•search for meaning of human consciousness through spiritual, psychological, and personal terms
•examples of cluttered, emotional mindscape
•explores human states of mind
•relationship between human perception and objective reality


here is the site that didn't work in class (so you can look at home if you're interested):
http://www.sfmoma.org/espace/viola/dhtml/content/viola_gallery/BV07.html (direct link to "Slowly Turning Narrative", the piece I focused on in the paper)
http://www.sfmoma.org/espace/viola/fr_splash.html (link to the site that contains many of Viola's videos)

kelley and emily: urban decay examples

orphan works bill?

i came across this link today about a bill thats is being proposed concerning copyright laws and how it may negate artists rights to works they have created (even those that are already copywritten)
link

Ideas

The other idea I am considering doing. Is trying to use photoshop or other programs to create a representation of decay due to drug use. It would either be a single image with a before and after like affect or if possible a video showing the gradual digression.

Jeremiah and My idea:
De-Evolution, the idea that our society is socially digressing. The idea is to create a video portraying the de-evolution modeling the original Darwinian model.

decay-suggestions please!!!!! =)

Soooo I love Bansky's work so I plan on creating several photographs with the aid of photoshop to replicate his grafitti style. The subject matter will come from song lyrics, mainly from hip-hop but I am open to other genres. Does anyone know any lyrics from songs that deal with decay directly that can possibly inspire some type of imagery?

Decay

[dk]

well im still kind of unsure about exactly what it is i want to portray in this project, but i have given a good bit of thought to how i want to make it. im planning to draw an image on a wooden panel by using a wood burning pen. pretty much this will burn the lines into the wood which will hopefully translate the idea of decay. all the color i will add will be with acrylic paint [most likely watered down] and finer details will be done with prismacolor markers and ink... come to think of it, the whole burning stuff idea reminds me of Fahrenheit 451, which focused a lot on society giving up its right to knowledge. that could be an interesting take on dk...

Urban Decay

Emily and I are going to explore the idea of urban decay. Our plan is to photograph different areas of Gainesville that are run down and create an interactive map that will feature these photos. The use of color (or no use of color) will be pertinent since we can either manipulate the photos to create a grimy Gainesville or make them clean and pristine (black and white) to show the beauty of decay. Perhaps we can even manipulate the photos to make them look like art work, just as Sheperd Fairey and Banksy makes graffiti art.

The interactive map will give the percentage of decay in an area of Gainesville and if possible, crime rate and other factor that lends itself to the detioration of a city. The map will be divided into smaller regions. These regions will be clickable and will have photos pop up when clicked. This will be done in flash.

That is what we have planned so far. Suggestions are welcome!

Decay of Self

I won't try to fully explain what we're gonna do, so long story short, Ashley and I are collaborating to film a performance/installation and bring it to you in video form. The performance/installation will have one or both of us acting as a canvas upon which we'll project interesting textures, decaying textures. There will be repetitive actions, repetitive sounds, and hopefully it'll look effectively creepy.

The concept itself is still being worked out too. We're thinking that it's about the decay of self in the contemporary world. And the birth of the digital self. Using recorded time as a simultaneous capture of motality and immortalization. Sort of a momento mori. Also commenting on the frenetic nature of life today and the urge to exist, to have control, but never really finding it. Being subject to the outside world and it's development. Ashley can explain more if she wants... :)

As of right now, we don't have many materials to show. We've been investigating youtube videos as the source of our projected textures. We've found videos of decaying fruit, animals, and more. We're still trying to figure out the logistics of all our materials, hopefully getting together sunday and testing a lot of things out. We're deciding what to project, what actions to do, what timing to set, what costuming to wear, etc. And we're open to any suggestions.

decay ideas...

while i have been researching about decay, i have realized that decay is mainly a term used to describe a negative process, whether its moral decay, urban decay, or tooth decay. being able to admire a building in a gradual state of decay presents a unique beauty. While a brand new building with no signs of wear and tear can be appealing, decay reveals the past and serves as a visual memory of changes that a surface has undergone. it reminds us that nothing can escape the effects of time, go unchanged by the elements, or remain the way it was originally created. all of the changes to the original surface make up and tell the story of the surface, while decay makes different parts of this "story" visible. decay has a way of eroding and avoiding just the right areas to create a whole new composition, made interesting by all of its different components and past appearances.

i feel like this cycle of decay can be related to how we as individuals are formed and how we become who we are. we might start out as this fresh, unaltered base layer. But over time, we are constantly being painted over, added onto, torn down, graffittied, weathered, etc. While the initial clean layer might seem appealing, a more "layered" and "decayed" person is more relateable and more attractive. It tears down the shiny fake exteriors we often put on and shows the many experiences and trials that have made us who we are today.

so thats my thoughts about decay and the direction i want to work towards with my project. im not quite sure how i want to visually represent this though

im thinking about making a book of some sort, where the front cover is just this image of a clean surface. each page would be an added layer, and as the pages go on, the more layers are visible, and each page would have some short blurb about one of my expereinces or maybe just some fictional person that i conjure up. with each page you learn a little but more about the author and what has made them who they are. and the final page will be the image of the wall or surface at its present state, very decayed and layered. it will summarize and make sense of and connect all of the stories of the previous pages and explain how that person has become who they are.

i dont know if that makes sense, but let me know what you think.

Decay of Language!

My idea revolves around the decay of language. For someone like me, who does not use profanity, I've found that the range of words that are considered "appropriate" is shrinking... and fast. It's becoming more and more difficult for me to avoid using profanity, because it seems as if almost every word has some alternate, vulgar meaning. I remember when there were only four or five obscene words that I could think of. But now I'm finding out that "trick" is a bad word? People who curse, intentionally or not, are taking more and more words for their own usage, leaving the rest of us to scramble to find words that have not yet been contaminated. If this trend continues, I'm afraid that one day there will only be four or five words that are not profane, leaving myself with a diminished vocabulary. For instance, if someone says "balls" or "screw", the first things that come to mind for very few people are a bunch of baseballs or a household tool. So... yeah. That's my idea. I'm thinkin' of making some kind of dictionary comparing normal word definitions to modern, vulgar definitions, but I don't know. I might need help 'translating' some of these, too. I mean, "trick", "clit"...? What the heck do these words even mean...?

D[onkey] K[ong]

Alright, so decay: as I've fallen in love with Banksy's
work, really want to go in the graffiti direction with this project. I particularly like this leopard piece since it has the illusion of it being a positive stencil, as in, it looks like he painted the white outside and not the inside. I decided to make a smoke stack stencil, as seen to the right (to be about 3ft tall). I hope to go to the 13th street tunnel and actually put this design up. I'm gonna have to get some experience with spray paint first, especially for the intended smoke effect.

If this works out at all, I want to see if I can do the same thing onto a piece of sheet metal using muriatic acid and then bleach instead of spray paint (which makes metal rust instantly). That idea is pretty speculative at this point, that's all given that the first part behaves.