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INCO Created with Adobe Indesign CC Printed with Aficio SP 8300DN on Gloss Text Paper
Copyright Š 2016 by Iris Lee All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. ISBN 0-310-70408-7 Designed by Iris Lee www.irislee.co
Inconsistencies - I find that I don’t really have a sound understanding of who I am in terms of morals, beliefs and opinions. It’s a work in progress.
didactic- intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive. (usually patronizing) sanctimonious- making a show of being morally superior to other people. sapient- wise, or attempting to appear wise. apropos- with reference to; concerning. microcosm- a community, place, or situation regarded as encapsulating in miniature the characteristic qualities or features of something much larger. unctuous- (of a person) excessively or ingratiatingly flattering; oily. bucolic- of or relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life. There is a certain disdain in the increasing architectural landscape that focuses on aesthetic and decor that dominates the horizon. Hugo Häring states that “in nature there is no independent problem of appearance; hence there is nothing in opposition to the forms dictated by fitness for purpose” (Häring 103). In nature, there is no such thing as pure decoration, everything is evolved to create the most utilitarian life form, yet humans obsess over arbitrary design that either does nothing to the form, or even distracts or renders it useless. There is a purveying sense of guilt behind these writings, as if they feel that architecture must not contribute to the increasing decorative human horizon that is polluting the utilitarianism of nature. Instead, architecture must refrain from taking up space, and instead activate and find life in space.
zaftig- (of a woman) having a full, rounded figure; plump. moral relativism- the view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint (for instance, that of a culture or a historical period) and that no standpoint is uniquely privileged over all others. sophomoric- pretentious or juvenile. Constructivism is linked to the idea that art is emotional, and must convey emotion, thereby creating an active role for viewers. This is then further pushed towards art that is in service of politics and revolution. Battleship Potemkin involves the viewer, feeding them evocative scenes of comrades, women, children, dying, and the relentless cruelty of those above us. All tapping directly into a raw emotional state that exists in all people.
The montage is a tool used in film where different shots are cut and placed, intended to manipulate emotion, time and/or space. Rhythmic montage is seen often in Battleship Potemkin as many of the scenes are cut to the rhythm of the music, which often sets the tone of the scene.
Surrealism proved for a deviation from past modes of thinking when it came to art making. It wished, as Andre Breton defined it, to activate “seeking the truth which does not conform to convention” in a society that favored rationality over that of the subconscious (First Surrealist Manifesto). Breton argued that dreams- a large Mystery in human life that many chose to ignore, could “be applied to the solution of life’s fundamental problems” (First Surrealist Manifesto). Dreams have the ability to fulfill emotions and scenes free from the oppression of Reality. Surrealism therefore, is “dictated in the absence of all control exerted by reason, and outside all aesthetic or moral preoccupation (First Surrealist Manifesto).
Malevich makes the point that suprematist art is not the act of observing or touching, but the act of feeling (345), unlike the diluted emotions featured in art that relies on representation. Instead, purely abstracted forms that do not refer to anything from nature, are truly “freed from the encumbrance of practical utility” (345). Unlike Gabo, he specifically devalues objective art of the past and attempts to call forth a new era of art, better and purer than previous movements- fitting of the title “Suprematist”.
For example, in the scenes where the sailors revolt against their officers after refusing to shoot their comrades, the quick paced tempo is reflected in the fast cuts of sailors and officers alike in disarray, fighting or running to the tempo- even the action of the flag whipping in the wind. With the combination of the high energy music, the montage effectively riles up the viewer and conveys a sense of anxiety and excitement.
An example of over-tonal montage can be seen when the officers instruct the sailors to keep working, after they complain of rotten meat. The officers are shot close up from below as they turn their heads slowly, showing distorted, grimacing faces, sometimes with backlighting. On the other hand, the sailors are portrayed as a group, moving frantically and filmed from above. The contrasts in these scenes shown directly one after another give a large enough contrast where the viewer is able to feel the difference in power between the two groups.
Lastly, an example of ideological montage is shown in the soup montage. After the officers found out that the soldiers refused to eat their soup, they congregate, agitated, around the bowls. As the officers become more suspicious and strict on the soldiers, the soldiers become more secretive and irritable. This culminates in a soldier, as he washes the dishes, reading the inscription on the plate- “Give us this day our daily bread”, and smashing it on the ground in anger. The combination of the religious reference and the angry rejection of it allows viewers to connect ideas and emotions together, reiterating the unrest on the ship.`
EXCERPTS from old journals and subpar writing
LIQUID
Stay Clean!
SOAP - HOW TO CLEAN UP YOUR ACT The making of soap:
O + R-C-O1- Na1
{
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=
Soap
CH₂OH | O CHOH + 3 RCO1 NA1+ | CH₂OH glycerin soap =
CH₂O₂CR | CHO₂CR + 3NaOH | CH₂O₂CR fat lye
hydrophobic end - dissolves oil
hydrophilic end dissolves water
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