If you can make it to Bard College by the 31st...

[WELCOME TO THE USA]: ARCHITECTURE AND HUMAN RIGHTS AT THE BORDER
A Discussion with Teddy Cruz and Thomas Keenan

Thursday, July 30, 2009
6:30–8:30pm

at Van Alen Institute

Van Alen Institute, in collaboration with the Human Rights Project at Bard College, presents a discussion between Teddy Cruz and Thomas Keenan on architecture, human rights, and spatial conditions at the U.S. border.

Every year sixty million people carrying untold amounts of goods and services cross the international border between the United States and Mexico at the San Diego-Tijuana checkpoint—the most heavily trafficked border crossing in the world. Recently the U.S. government through the Department of Homeland Security has poured billions of dollars into this region in order to reinforce its surveillance infrastructure. At the same time, the “off-the-radar” flow of human and economic capital between north and south has proven irrepressible, exacerbating political tensions and the disparities of status existing between the two neighbors. At no other urban juncture in the world is it possible to find in such close proximity so volatile a juxtaposition of wealth and poverty, social and cultural similarity and difference, and formal and informal types of urbanism. San Diego-based Teddy Cruz has been among the most outspoken architects and activists to focus attention on this crisis situation. His conversation with cultural theorist and human-rights scholar Thomas Keenan takes place against the backdrop of the current exhibition “The Aesthetics of Crossing” by Smith-Miller + Hawkinson Architects and Alan Michelson / Kadambari Baxi and Irene Cheng, on view at Van Alen Institute from July 1–31, 2009.

This event is free and open to the public; please RSVP to rsvp@vanalen.org by 12:00pm on Thursday, July 30.

Response to blog prompt # 8

The following blog is hosted on the Adbusters website.

https://www.adbusters.org/blogs/new_aesthetic

I first found the Adbusters magazine at the Food Conspiracy Co-op on 4th Ave my senior year of high school-- it was my first refreshing taste of counter culture.

According to their website, Adbusters is a journal of the mental environment, "a global network of culture jammers and creatives working to change the way information flows, the way corporations wield power, and the way meaning is produced in our society." The "A New Aesthetic" blog is "Adbuster's Culturejammer Headquarters." The blogs written on the page are currently about culture jamming, Shepard Fairey's unethical behavior, the sub-par design quality of last year's Super Bowl half-time ads, and how bankers in London were advised to "dress down" in anticipation of the G20 protests last April. From what I've read, culture jamming is basically when people decide to "jam" the intended message of a capitalist advertisement/expression.

The literal explanation of this would be when graffiti artists change the meaning of a billboard to go from advertising a product a corporation wants people to buy to a message that draws attention to say, the sweatshop labor used to produce such an item. In terms of the G20, protesters were able to culture jam the bankers' expressions of their wealth (their clothes and accessories) during the time of the G20 meetings-- the bankers were afraid that they might be targets of violence if they appeared in their normal attire. The fact that the bankers wore "regular people" clothes during the time of the summit is significant because it forced them to literally put themselves in the shoes of the working class people they are financially screwing and to think about why people would be protesting the G20 in the first place.

This blog highlights the critical response of artists, designers, activists and others to advertising and other modes of expression that represent the corruption of the global free trade economy. Those who contribute to the blog are aware of how language and art affect culture and are interested in creating alternatives to an industry they see as dehumanizing because we are all part of re-designing our reality for the better.

Adbusters is edited by Kalle Lasn, who's most recent book is called "Design Anarchy:" "Equal parts memoir, manifesto, scrapbook, and revolutionary design manual, Design Anarchy is an urgent call for artists, designers, architects and communicators to re-engage with the world."

*

Then I found bldgblog.blogspot.com through some convoluted search of anarchist art and situationsim. In a nutshell the blog is about "Architectural conjecture, urban speculation, and landscape futures." I think it's interesting to think about design in terms of the spaces we inhabit-- like how much human effort goes into design our natural as well as manufactured environments, and how our imaginations are stifled or stimulated by our physical space (& how that in terms affects our well-being). The site is authored by Geoff Manaugh out of Los Angeles and has been praised by the Wall Street Journal. As you should have guessed by now, I like the social commentary and the subversive tone of the blog in terms of how Manaugh feels that people need to take charge of (once again) designing our spaces/lives/realities.

Response to blog prompt # 6

As a 3rd grader, when I saw the cover of a "Goosebumps" book, I immediately felt excited. I think that some of the books displayed a shiny green title that had been pressed so that the green goo looked as if it had sprouted warts-- but that could just be my imagination embellishing memory. I also think there was one book in the series about a malevolent green slime that caused the young characters some harm and considerable distress-- which after reading gave the "Goosebumps" font on the cover a whole new, creepier meaning and served to remind me of the bad things that could happen within the pages of the next book.

Then when I got older, I realized that a similar font was used in horror films and comics, and was usually red to signify blood dripping.

I was curious about what such a font would be called, and found a satisfying answer on www.dafont.com: "Solstice of Suffering." Or at least that's what the font below is called.

This font was created by Leon Muerte (which translates to Leon Death), and was found on the "Horror" page in the "Fancy" section. I can't see this font and not think of horror. I think that I would feel very successful as a designer if I created this font and that people thought of exactly the things I intended them to when they saw it. Another example of a font that I think has achieved success is the one below because when I see it I think of zombies.

dafont.com even has a font that looks like this called "Zombie." In this movie poster, the artist incorporated the font into the image, which I could argue unifies the poster as a whole through the use of similar lines and color to create an overall sensation that blood is oozing out underwater. To create this sensation is an effective marketing strategy because horror fans want to know that there is going to be lots of gore and blood loss.

Response to blog prompt #4

This is a photograph taken by Jeff Wall entitled "After 'Invisible Man' by Ralph Ellison." When I was in NYC a couple years ago Jeff Wall was having an exhibit at MOMA. I read an article about him in the New York Times and learned that he had sold his work for $1 million a print so I decided I needed to check his work out in person. His photographs are transparencies mounted on lightboxes, and huge (this one is 1740 mm by 2505 mm). In my opinion, Wall's work is work is interesting if you read about the meaning behind it, but not necessarily because the photographs themselves are intensely beautiful. In this case, Wall reconstructed the room that the main character from "Invisible Man" resides in. What makes the photograph interesting to me is the quote Wall used from the novel wherein Ellison's character proclaims "Without light I am not only invisible, but formless as well." Ellison's premise for the novel is that, before the civil right movement, African-Americans and their problems were not "seen" by the government or its white supporters. Ellison's character strings up 1,369 light bulbs in the apartment he is squatting because he needs to have one place where he can fight the psychological and emotional implications of feeling invisible in the public sphere, one place where he feels his existence acknowledged and take form. An interesting thing that Wall does in his photograph is to only have lit a small percentage of the light bulbs. In my imagination the character would have lit every light bulb and light would have taken on the symbolism it does in the Bible where it means hope. Is Wall showing us that a real person (not a literary character) would have gone crazy with so much light? Is Wall implying that the character was not willing to engage himself fully with the civil rights movement (not willing to be fully seen/recognized/formed because he was scared for his safety)? Or was Wall simply capturing a photo with the greatest amount of texture (shadows vs. light)? Regardless, Wall took a literary metaphor and recreated it through photography.

Response to blog prompt #7

This is a "propaganda" poster produced by the CrimethInc. Ex-Workers' Collective. There are full-size, downloadable copies available on their website at www.crimethinc.com.

The CrimethInc. designers utilized a black, white and red color scheme which, to my knowledge is the most attention-grabbing color combination available. The designers also employed a bold font to convey a bold message. The text says not join or go AWOL from the U.S. military and the image is Uncle Sam throwing doll-sized soldiers at a target with "Iraq" printed above it. While I agree with their message, the image part of the design could have been simplified-- there is a lot going on in terms of detail and I think a design with less detail could have made the visual message more clear. The blurb next to this poster on CrimethInc.'s website encouraged people to post it near recruiting locations. If I were someone who didn't agree with the text I don't know that the image would have motivated me to rethink my beliefs. Additionally, as someone who knows a large number of women sign up for military service in our country, creating an image that showed women and men could reach a wider audience.

In general I respect the work that CrimethInc. does, but there are certain issues that I think they could deal with in a more sensitive way-- military issues included. I understand why they choose the images and messages they do because I tend to be a radical myself and enjoy and feel validated by their products, but I do think there is a need to preach beyond the choir and to think about tactics other than direct confrontation (and maybe the CrimethInc. Collective knows that they are great at what they do and fills that niche, and that other people can tackle educational material that appeals to more conservative audiences). Many elders in my family have served in the military and I have grown up with a sense of respect for those who would risk their safety and lives to defend our freedom. This might be a confusing statement to make, considering that I said earlier that I agree with the message of this poster. The thing is, I think our government went into the Iraq War under false pretenses and that no one should have supported the invasion of Iraq. The thing that feels touchy to me about this poster is that it visually implies that the "war machine" the text encourages the audience to "sabotage" is mindlessly killing soldiers who seem complacent to be wasted. If I were a soldier who believed the rhetoric of the recruiters I think that I would have an image of myself as a soldier with a strong sense of conviction and of the "war machine" as a noble enterprise-- and that this poster would offend me. In the Berger readings for this week we were encouraged to think of art in terms of audience and I think that CrimethInc. could reach a larger audience if they created another poster specifically aimed at recruits and recruiters that showed the "war machine" and soldiers in a way that they could feel more connected to and less offended by, simply because I think that people get defensive when they are offended (at which point the message is not internalized but rather fought against).

Response to blog prompt #9

The first Stella Marrs postcard I ever saw was a gift from an older cousin one Christmas when I was in high school and had started to become politically conscious. I loved the postcard, laminated it with packaging tape and safety-pinned it to my back pack.

I didn't see her postcards/art again until I visited Left Bank anarchist bookstore in Seattle 3 years ago. There I picked up a handful more:

(Including another that said "This machine kills fascists" printed underneath a pencil on a red background.)

According to Stella Marrs' website, www.stellamarrs.com, she is an artist living and making art out of Olympia, Washington. There was no simple biography on her website, just an INTERVIEW of STELLA MARRS by Everett True. The following are excerpts:

. . . if girls could just make things and see themselves reflected in what they made, and then trade it for money, that could be a window to empowerment about alternatives for economic survival. Because if you get to live outside the normal system you just might have a chance for a different vision, which could mean ultimately an alternative voice.

. . .

The "girl" work is from a deep place that tries to counter this culture's shackles on girls. It is a reaction to the ridiculous taboos on girls being too silly and friendly with each other, having too much fun, or having a strong viewpoint and sense of self worth and being able to articulate it.

I lived in Japan at age 10. When we came back to the states I had a good girlfriend with a Japanese mom. We would walk around the playground holding hands. I remember we would get all this negative response to that innocent and joyful gesture. I knew it was okay in Japan for girls our age to do this. Why was it so taboo here? Why were girls my age being restricted in this way? It pissed me off then. In some way the girl work tries to lay down girl action as the status quo.

. . .

Why have you chosen the medium of postcards to work within?

After college I made hundreds of different paintings,products,and events. I never put my name on anything during that period, I preferred to think of it all as some sort of warm up exercise for what I was really going to do. I finally settled on using my name on the back of postcards because I realized I better accept this medium by the default since I could afford to start manufacturing it, it was endlessly a challenge to come up with a new design for each image, it could be educational, and I could travel and sell it on public transportation because it was small and I didn't have a car.

Is it possible to make a living from postcards?

Is it possible to make a living selling bubble gum?

I wonder how to answer that. I am twenty years into this. When I think back at how it took every possible late night, and bit of luck, never accepting no as an answer, and the efforts of many brilliant people contributing, I realize that all that work, that type of perseverance could have been applied to anything and probably have succeed. Do you really want to work that hard to make a living selling bubble gum?

But here is the other critical lucky piece of being in business.

I have had the amazing good fortune of working with Sean Tejaratchi who is a graphic punk genius. Much of what has been printed by "Stella Marrs" is the gift of his moral designs, and unfailing humor that is either completely off the wall or inspired social criticism.

What is your motivation? Why do you do what you do?

I went through basic training in the U.S. military at age 17 for 6 weeks and then was "honorably" discharged. I was there for the same reason that 99% of the women in my platoon were- they had nowhere to go, no other economic or personal options for survival. Basic training is a brutally destructive force to human will and cultivating any sense of personal responsibility to an individual vision. Which is the whole point of basic, to erase your sense of self to make a you part of the killing machine. To make sure that all soldiers will first and foremost blindly FOLLOW THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND. Witnessing the efficiency and scale of this organization set up a reaction in me where I realized that ANY ACT OF CONSTRUCTION was in itself of HUGE VALUE. This was a very forgiving view for me to have about myself and art making. It freed me from the destructive self judgment that happens when you start something and it isn't "great" yet.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

I wanted to respond to Stella Marrs talking about using postcards as a medium. I have a lot of respect for people who create politically-motivated art that looks good and who are able to support themselves doing so. Of course, what "looks good" to me may not be subtle enough for other people, but I do think Marrs is an artist who balances strong aesthetics with a simple message that gets me to think critically about the problems in our society. Before finding out about Marrs, I guess I never assumed that an artist could start off and maintain their career for 20 years by creating a line of postcards-- something I hope inspires other low-income artists to not give up hope about making it with what they can afford to do. I think postcards are attractive because they make art affordable and easily transportable, and takes something that is traditionally a kitschy but practical object and gives it political and artistic potential. Postcards are interesting to me because their dimensions are so small and our culture sees fine art as existing in much larger physical spaces-- which means that Marrs has opted to position herself outside of the mainstream art world. I also enjoy the fact that the postcards have a sweet, 50s vintage, Modern art feel. When Marrs talk about liking postcards as a medium and about how her name appears on the back, I assume she is saying that she likes how the image/design stands alone without her name drawing attention away from the design and message (which to me is a sign of humility as well as a display of her priorities). Also, when she said it was an endless challenge to come up with a new design, it reminded me of Sheena Matheiken's "The Uniform Project" in terms of rules and limits inspiring creativity (that we saw on Zimmermann's blog) and how artists make up projects and exhibits based on new sets of rules and confines just to give themselves a structural framework by which to create in directed bursts of spontaneity.

Response to blog prompt #5

After reading designer Bruce Mau's "An Incomplete Manifesto for Growth" on his website (http://www.brucemaudesign.com/manifesto.html), I found the following points useful in the design or creation of a project and this is why.

2. Forget about good. Good is a known quantity. Good is what we all agree on. Growth is not necessarily good. Growth is an exploration of unlit recesses that may or may not yield to our research. As long as you stick to good you'll never have real growth.

~This point ties into some of Mau's other points about making mistakes and following those mistakes into new areas of discovery. I think what it comes down to for me is to give myself more time than I think it will take to complete a project to work on it, and that way I have time to play around, to mess up, to take a "good" idea or image and work with it until the point where I'm satisfied, save that version of it, and to keep going even when it feels like I've gone too far and messed it up because it's that danger zone that makes art even more interesting-- even if the end product isn't worth sharing with anyone, the fact that I made time to explore and experiment helps me to grow as a creative being and not feel like I'm trapped within a conceptual framework.

10. Everyone is a leader. Growth happens. Whenever it does, allow it to emerge. Learn to follow when it makes sense. Let anyone lead.

~Even if you're working alone on a project, getting advice/critique from another person sometimes helps your work to get to a higher level faster simply because you didn't think to do x, y, z-- even if that person is not familiar with your topic/concept/medium, other brains think differently.

13. Slow down. Desynchronize from standard time frames and surprising opportunities may present themselves.

~My standard time frame is last minute, so allowing myself time to work ahead of schedule more often would allow me to slow down, think things through, plan, create and revise-- which allows for more time to experiment.

18. Stay up late. Strange things happen when you've gone too far, been up too long, worked too hard, and you're separated from the rest of the world.

~As good as collaboration and feedback are, there is something so pure about working late into the night, alone with no one around to influence you, with the night cool and crisp outside your doors, your brain skipping synapses and making delirious connections. For me, the night I should do this more often is the night before I get my period. I hope that's not "Too Much Information," but seriously, there is no other day of the month that I ever feel so creative. Maybe I could start tackling my to-do list (presents to make, recipes to look up, junk to organize, artists to look up) by myself on these days with no one else allowed around.

20. Be careful to take risks. Time is genetic. Today is the child of yesterday and the parent of tomorrow. The work you produce today will create your future.

~I think it's important to think of the homework we have to do today as being the potential start of a professional project in the future or as the basis for a scholarship- winning essay/art project, or as a gift, etc. because otherwise, it's easy to find reasons not to do homework and not to take pride in the work that we do as students.

33. Take field trips. The bandwidth of the world is greater than that of your TV set, or the internet, or even a totally immersive, interactive, dynamically rendered, object-oriented, real-time, computer graphic-simulated environment.

~The pictures you can take, the conversations you have with strangers, the in-the- moment problem solving and spontaneous decision making you do when you travel cannot be simulated any other way. We need to remember to include the world and our interaction with it in our creative work, otherwise our ability to connect outside the walls of our office/institution/life deteriorates. Like Thoreau said, sometimes a walk through the woods is the only real way to be inspired.

37. Break it, stretch it, bend it, crush it, crack it, fold it.

~Just think about our obsession to create within the 2-dimensional realm of our word documents and our illustrator pages and how, if we can crush and fold our images we are able to add so much texture and life to our creations.