twenty ninth issue
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4. Airport Wonders
Sonia Motisca
10. Desilusions of the Bored N째1 : Cats Vs God 14. Is The WEB Actaually Dead? 18. Lee Friedlander Alex Barbier
Almustafa M Khalid
America by Car
Svea Freiberg
28. When your family is living abroad
Ioana-Alexandra Tache
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Airport Wonders Why I Love Airports & Why You Should Too!
AirportWonders
I
’ve always loved airports. Moving continents at a young age and travelling every few years to visit family made me get accustomed to being in them. And over the years I’ve realized that there’s nothing quite like the sense of adventure and excitement that getting to a busy, bustling airport instills in a person. The moment I set foot inside an airport, I get reminded of what a special place it is. People from all over the world gather here. They all have a story that includes where they came from, where they’re going, and why. And everyone’s story is interesting. It doesn’t matter if it’s a business trip or a family vacation or a reunion between two international lovers; everyone’s story brought them to an airport to go through the familiar steps of taking off in one place and landing in another. Like everyone in the airport with a story, every airport has a story of its own. It’s a little glimpse into that country and culture. Shops sell local snacks, magazines, and drinks next to internationally recognized ones. Restaurants feature local cuisine in a fast-food setting. Souvenir stores display the last-minute travel gifts that showcase that country’s unique crafts, iconic images, and style. Local artists and designers have an opportunity to share themselves with the world through a painting or sculpture or graphic. Every airport is a little piece of its country, a micro society all on its own.
s Sonia Motisca
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The greatest thing about airports that I’ve come to discover is the opportunity to disconnect from our tech and reconnect with ourselves. Although this is slowly changing with wi-fi being available almost everywhere now, even on the plane itself, it’s still an opportunity to take a break from the constant distractions of modern life. Travelling is the perfect excuse not to be reachable for a few hours. Put the phone away, power off the laptop, and take the time to reflect on where you come from and where you’re going. Watch the city fade into the distance behind you as the plane takes off, see the magnificence of breaking through the clouds into a bright, sunny, clear blue sky or into a dark and starry night. Use the time to take a break from the stress of everyday life and take advantage of the invigorating feeling that a new place offers. At least that’s what I try to do and I’ve found it makes the intensity of traveling one that I look forward to.
AirportWonders
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AirportWonders
I’m not delusional though. I know it’s not all great. The often early wake-ups, the long lines for check-in and security, the immigration and customs checks, and more can definitely put a damper on the whole experience. Travel day is usually a mix of stress, tiredness, and anxiousness. But it is also a day full of possibilities. A day which starts in one country, one culture, and one time zone usually ends in a whole different world in just a few hours and the stress, exhaustion, and anxiety that traveling brings gets swept away quickly once you arrive at your destination. There is a magic in airports that we often seem to overlook. We’re so wrapped up in making sure everything goes according to plan that we forget to take a minute to sit down a take it all in. But if we do, we’ll see the beauty and interconnectedness of one another. It doesn’t matter what language we speak. It doesn’t matter what color or gender we are. An airport brings out the oneness in us all and it’s the perfect place to soak it all in.
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d e r o B e h t f o Desilusions d o G s V s t a C : 1 째 N
A
Alex Barbier
Desilusions of the Bored N°1 : Cats Vs God
Eternal
divinities among human kind, cats, as you may know it, will someday takeover the world. The furriest, cutest, nicest animals every lonely girl collects to cope for their lack of affection possess the exact same characteristics as the gods, in all times and religions. First of all, they consider humans as inferior; they use us as pillow, food distributor, claw-sharpener, your room as a bathroom, your significant other as sofa. Even though Gods won’t use you as pillow, they make it very clear in the Holy Scriptures how living beings belong to the order of the weak and insignificant.
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Then, we adore them. Not only do we worship their presence and any move, we also film them, as if the whole world had to know how amazing they are at playing piano, jumping around or just falling. What about God? We adore him, worship him (them?). And guess what? We also feel the need to force infidels into knowing our religions or we try to convert them, conquer their lands. This has been going on since the Egyptians (which, by the way were extremely fond of cats) and their first beliefs. Strangely enough, our adoration towards them seem to be natural, innate. For religions, one could argue that families push them down to us from generation to generation, that part of what makes us believers consists in tradition, regardless of the freshly converted who apply these strict ways of behaving to their own life. Cats seem to naturally draw our attention. May families and traditions be the reason for this? Wether you parents were or not cat owner influences your opinion about it; you may have been forced into the disastrous hairy environment your pet creates to his will in your beloved living rooms and liked it, or not.
Cats and Gods have in common this non-responsive behavior towards humans. Their inactivity, ingratitude, laziness sometimes I think fascinate us. Just like naive girls love cool, rude, careless guys, we somehow love to give them all this attention, to care so much without needing anything in return. Cats definitively cannot be classified under the ÂŤ pet Âť category, we feed them, we love them, watch out for them, respond to their every whim, in other words, they slave us. They ranked up to the status of Gods since Egyptian age and kept us under the spell of their almighty powers through cuteness. Today, this must stop. I shall thus invite you to join my hatred against cats by manifesting obvious signs of displeasure each time a cat anecdote, video, comment reaches your ears or sight.
Good Night.
Desilusions of the Bored N째1 : Cats Vs God
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Is The WEB Ac
Is The WEB Actaually Dead?
ctaually Dead? Almustafa M Khalid
I
am glad I have had the opportunity to think about such a topic, because this is definitely not a topic that we casually think about and we think of the internet as a united entity. However, it would not be the right way to think about it. The Web is just a part of the internet realm and as obvious as this may sound, we are all using our devices to log in to the internet and enjoy the infinite amounts of information being shared on it.
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Is The WEB Act So, what is different? Well, the applications or better knows as “apps� for the most of us have revolutionized our access to the internet. I remember going to class and the first thing I do is turn the lap top on, then open the browser, type the website of my favorite newspaper and then start browsing through the articles. Now, the apps have made that process a lot shorter.
I personally believe that even the biggest internet (GOOGLE) giant might die, and that is why they adapted quickly to the advertising section and electronic devices. People used to search 80% of the time and only 20% for actual material they will make use of. I personally believe this percentage has changed over the past few years. Today, if you are enrolled in a library and have the application, it is so much easier to do the research and in much lesser time.
Is The WEB Actaually Dead?
taually Dead? If we compare the internet between now and 30 years ago, we can see a huge difference not only in visuals but in the uses and how people see the internet. It was thought of as quite a nerdy thing tht is mainly used for education and today internet is being used to do grocery shopping. The internet has become a utility to help humans go by their In conclusion, it is hard to draw to a close that the Web daily lives. is dead. I personally think that many people around the world are still getting to know about the internet, so the web is having new customers everyday, but the future may very well be overtaken by the app world.
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Lee F riedlander – A merica by C ar Intimate Worlds and Startling Artists in Modern and Contemporary Art Svea Freiberg
M
en do art using manifold mediums. One of the more recently established ones might be the photobook that emerged with the invention of photography. All of the mediums have their particular characteristics, strengths and weaknesses and help the artist underline or outline certain aspects of his or her work. Focusing on the photo book I would like to analyse the potential of a photo book as a means of art by using a recently published example: The America by Car series by the acclaimed American photographer Lee Friedlander.
Lee Friedlander – America by Car
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Lee F riedlander
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Lee Friedlander was born in Aberdeen in 1934. He started his artistic career as photographer shooting the cover photographs for the albums of jazz musicians and thereby earned his living. Later on he developed towards a less commercial but more ‘artistic’ way of doing art, making photography an attitude towards life. Critics often refer to his works as observations and records of the so-called ‘social landscape’; a term used to describe the American society and lifestyle.
Lee Friedlander – America by Car
America by car
America by car is a series of photographs that belongs to the most recent works of Lee Friedlander. Published in a photo book in June 2010, America by car is however not the first works that deals with cars. Already in the sixties Friedlander had produced a series called The new cars. Although America by car does not focus on the car itself, the automobile is a recurring motive in his works. America by car features some of his old works. However, the majority of the 200 hundred pictures are pictures that were taken few years before and on the verge of the book’s publishing. For the cause of shooting the series, Friedlander rented a common rental car. He passed through and by nearly all of the states of the US. What is special about all the photographs is that they are taken from the car’s inside. But not only that they are taken from the car’s inside in terms of through the window; Most of the pictures even show parts from the car’s interior, window frame or side mirrors.
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Analysis
The first question that comes up: What did Friedlander want to express with his series? And where did his interest come from? What was the purpose of shooting this series? The second question: Why then did he publish his work in a photo book instead of just exhibiting the photographs in a gallery or directly selling them? First and foremost I want to claim that analysing this work one can neglect Friedlander’s personal background. This on the one hand because it is a contemporary work and spectators are able to relate to the time frame. On the other hand, as stated in the beginning, Friedlander’s passion was society in all its facets. This means that his art deals with community as a whole instead of dealing with his individual personal life. Friedlander is an original artist who does art in his own way. He does not want to capture his personal feelings or emotions; neither does he seem to want to capture a moment. Quite the contrary. He has made his objective the enclosure of the entire American society. The American society that he lives in,
Lee Friedlander – America by Car
that he experiences in his own particular way. He is probably the only one who provokingly unconventional includes parts of a car when trying to do so. That is why I think he enjoys international recognition in his art world. His characteristic, original and individual style stands out, distinguishes him from other photographers and makes spectators wonder. What kind of odd photograph is this? Why can I see parts of the car although the car does not seem to be the actual motif ? He is a channel that in in his original and unique manner converts social, political and temporal circumstances into an external expression more precisely his black and white photographs. As modern genius, Friedlander got to expose his works in the most renowned galleries worldwide. And still he is publishing his America by car series in a photobook. The incitement for his passion for the social landscape is not obvious. I would advocate that he must have been impressed by the rich diversity of the United States. In his earlier days he had been stimulated by the on-going changes and overthrowing of political and social circumstances and tried to capture
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his own reaction to it with his self-portraiture. (Museum of Contemporary Photography) Consequently, growing up in a particular society, being raised and living the simultaneously changing society leaves an impact on every human being. Friedlander must still have felt the desire to express his individual viewpoint and share it with others – in America by car case with regard to the status quo and less considering any changes. Being such a huge country with so many individual and essentially different states, the country is however perceived as one entire whole. Probably precisely for being multi- faceted and this being one of the main characteristics the American society can only be depicted in its wholeness showing every single constituting element. For this reason, creating the series it was indispensable to visit not only one of the American states but nearly all of them. Also and what is more this might be one of the main reasons why the series was published in a photobook. Not only on a metaphorical but additionally on an tangible scale the ‘social
Lee Friedlander – America by Car
landscape’ is an inseparable unity. It can only be understood and grasped in its diversity if contemplated as interconnected and mutually influencing pieces. Alice Rose George puts this feature of the photobook very clear in the following statement during an interview wit Joerg Colberg from Conscentious Extended: “(...) it has way too many pictures, but it’s cumulatively very effective, I think, and reflects the original force, while adding to and becoming a thing unto itself.” The photobook is not only an accumulation of single, individual and independent artworks but rather an art piece itself. Alongside the photographs, cover and general layout as well as a signature of the artist constitute the artistic entity. With the publishing of only 1000 books the idea of rarefaction is also realized and emphasises on the uniqueness. Furthermore this small amount also brings about an extra monetary value. In the age where the art world increasingly becomes a marketplace, uniqueness and rarity are crucial factors that reflect the desirability of a work. Exhibiting his work in a gallery would not have achieved the same effects as uniting all fragments in a book and the work would have lost in meaning and value.
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Conclusion
Society moves forward and our world changes fast. It suggests itself to move with that development and express oneself using the current and modern means instead of trying to stick with a past that had been once but is outworn, especially if the medium appropriately underlines and emphasises on the intended meaning. In Friedlander’s case this strategy applies by all means. Might be that the choice of the photobook is not solely based on artistic grounds but other, too, nevertheless this is the explanation that suggests itself for me personally. Despite all this, the declaration that most aptly gives an answer to all of the question is a sentence Friedlander himself used to say when asked about backgrounds and intentions: “Just look at it.” (Museum of Contemporary Photography)
Bibliography 1. Colberg, Joerg: Conversation about Photobooks: Alice G Extended. 14.January 2011. Web. 28.April 2014. 2. Dewar, Adam: Photobooks – affordable collectibles tha Guardian. 22.July 2011. Web. 28.April 2014. 3. Galassi, Peter: Friedlander. The Musuem of Modern Ar 4. Sweetman, Alex: The History of the Photobook Volum 2014. 5. “Lee Friedlander – America By Car (2010)”. American S 28.April 2014. 6. “Lee Friedlander America By Car”. Esquire. n.d. Web. 2 7. “Friedlander”. MOMA. 2005. Web. 28.April 2014.
George Rose. Conscientious
at are soaring in value. The
rt. me I. ISSUU. Web. 28.April
Suburb X. 2010. Web.
28.April 2014.
Lee Friedlander – America by Car
8. “Lee Friedlander Photography Monographs and Exhibition Catalogs”. Artbook. n.d. Web. 28.April 2014. 9. “Artist Biography – Lee Friedlander”. Pace/ MacGill Gallery. n.d. Web. 28.April 2014. 10. “Lee Friedlander: America By Car”. Whitney Museum of American Art. 2010. Web. 28.April 2014. 11. “Lee Friedlander - America By Car”. Foam. n.d. Web. 28.April 2014. 12. “Lee Friedlander: Sticks and Stones and At Work” Museum of Contemporary Photography. 2005. 28.April 2014.
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When your family is living abroad
When your family is living abroad ‘In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.’ – Alex Haley
Having studied abroad for a while I had to travel back and forth every few
months and move houses once in a while. It was fun in the beginning, but then I started to realise that goodbyes are hard, especially the ones towards family. You get used to being home, you don’t have to worry about much and then, when everything gets to look better than ever, you have to go back. But after the goodbye parts, you get excited to return to your own ‘self-made’ life, looking forward to return home in a few months’ time.
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This used to be my perspective: after spending quality time with family and friends, it was hard to leave again, but I was excited about what was waiting for me abroad. But, my family’s perspective was surely a bit different from mine, especially my parents’ one – particularly my mom’s. Whenever I was going back abroad, as it is ordinary, my family compared to my friends, had different reactions, expectations or understandings of the situation. But I got used to it and I tried my best to make it all as easy as possible. Now, after four years of living abroad, I am back home for the longest period since I first left and I realised I have never thought of how does it feel to see others go away. I am not saying I have never said ‘goodbye’ to family members living abroad since I can remember or friends going for Erasmus projects, but it seemed natural and familiar to me and I didn’t consider it such a great deal.
When your family is living abroad
And this was happening until recently, when I have discovered more of my ‘everexpanding’ family. At one of my – very many– cousins’ wedding, I have met other cousins, uncles and aunts that I have never seen in my life, or if I did, I was too young to remember. Some of my friends were very amused by the fact that every time I have a big family event I keep discovering new members. It is true though that all the new relatives I met have been living on another continent for basically most of their lives and I didn’t quite get the chance to meet them before. Still, one of the best things of having a big and spread all around the world family is that there will always be a common point of interest: travel – either for reunions, either for vacation. And with this come the different world visions; from young to the elders, by living in a foreign country/ continent arise different perspectives on the world we live in, on cultural, political, social or economic values or aspects. For me, at least, it is very eye-opening and satisfying to listen to the stories, to discuss different world views and, most importantly, to recreate the old times for some, the childhood times for others.
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After meeting all these new and interesting people, I took another stance on the whole living abroad situation. I now better realise how it is to see your family go, take them to the airport and say your goodbyes. Actually I never say goodbye, I always prefer to say ‘See you soon’; I like to believe that one day, sooner or later, I will get to see not only my family, but also everyone I ever met. Going back to my realisation, my entire perception on living in a foreign country changed: I understand how others (who stayed home) and now I implicitly (since I will be living at home for a while) feel when the close ones go abroad. They say you can’t choose your family, but if I had to choose it, I’d rather keep it the same or maybe add an older brother, as I always wanted one. They also say ‘Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city” (George Burns), and with the same funny tone I would say it is true – if family members live somewhere else, they will have a lot more to talk about and to share whenever they come back. Overall, it is good to go away, but it’s better to come back at least from time to time. Even if ‘goodbyes’ are hard, ‘hellos’ are great and all the travelling/living abroad situations represent a two-way process. Eventually, it’s all about discovering, sharing stories and enjoying the company. Until next time, open your eyes and your ears to what the world has to tell you!
When your family is living abroad
Ioana-Alexandra Tache
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