Narrative Spaces

It takes a thousand voices to tell a single story

(Native American Saying)

The lecture today on Narrative Spaces was very interesting.  The above quote made me think of the many generations of Native Americans who passed their stories on to the following generation. It is sad that this is a dying art. We are so used to the technological advances of our society that discussion and conversation is giving way to media intervention. We are more isolated as we sit at the computer, more inclined to surf the net than talk to people.

But having said this, there is a resurgence of interest in finding out about our ancestors. Television programmes such as "Who Do You Think You Are" have become popular.

Tina mentioned :-

Narrative and memory
Places having a narrative
Narrative on bodies (i.e. The Maori Tribes, Ethiopian Tribes)
Memorials (9/11)
Family Albums
Narrative in Fine Art (Boltanski's Holocaust)
Autobiographies

This Module interests me because I have been considering my distant ancestors in Wales and how I am part of them.

Y Ddraig Goch a ddyry Gychwyn (The Welsh Dragon will show the Way)

Contextual Seesion 2 - Kim

Subculture: Shock and Style

To capture the attention and influence creativity.

Bill Gundry Interview with the Sex Pistols 1976

Punk Music and Culture become a popular trend that captured the senses of the young as a concept that was new and rebellious. Punk represented a new order, a new way of thinking, a voice for people who were anti authority. Fashion changed. A freer generation wanted to show the differences between themselves and their parents. The key issue of Punk was its total originality and authenticity. It was able to capture a wide audience who were ready for change.

Larry Clark - photographer/film maker showing youth sub culture.

Kids 1995
  Tulsa 1971

Sub Culture depends on its individuality. Collaboration is encouraged to promote the sub-culture movement. These Sub Cultures take many forms and look for a way to involve the masses.

They can be revived in films such as "Quadrophelia" "A Clockwork Orange" and historically in films like "The Wild One" (1956/7). These have become "Classic" films renowned for their influence on popular culture and the younger generation of that time.

The sub culture that I have tuned into recently is the Slow Movement. I touched on this during research for a group activity during my first year. I looked at the work of Arthur Ganson and his Machine with

Abandoned Doll (2009) from the series Dream Machines.
 
Ganson is an artist who only uses used or found objects in his work, It is a comment on slowing down our lives, and slowing down our production and consumption. Ganson is a member of the Slow Movement that began in Italy, and has developed as a response to our increasingly fast lifestyles, and our unsustainable consumer culture.

Ganson says of his work that is is totally ambiguous; it is the viewers' interpretation of the piece that gives the work meaning. It is a contemplative piece and quite compelling to watch. The meditative quality encourages us to sit and watch.

I enjoy knitting and cross stitch, these are old crafts that my mother taught me; knitting is a craft that is growing in popularity. There are knitting groups sprouting up around the country, and I feel that these are part of the Slow Movement. Knitting is something I do to slow down, to relax and to clear my mind of all thoughts. It is a restful past time, and is something I enjoy. I think more people would benefit from taking up crafts. Our World is so fast and furious that I think I am beginning to exclude myself from the fast pace and chaos that has hindered me in the past. I would encourage everybody to slow down their pace of life and enjoy more of the moments our lives are made up of.

 

In the 18th Century, Robert Malthus Theory was already considering how the population would increase faster than the world food supply, and that the population would eventually reach a resource limit. He forecast our predicament today and gave warning that our environment would suffer the consequences of large and growing populations. The Slow Movement sub-culture is a response to this and other problems we have to deal with in our world today.

The question was posed "How can we learn from being active in sub culture?"

To be involved in Sub Culture is to want to change what already exists, or to change the way some aspects of life are seen and experienced, to become active in the values and to become an activist in what you believe strongly needs to change. Sub Culture can highlight different views that have not been previously considered seriously, and to give people a voice. This is how I see and define Sub Culture.

Contextual Session 2 - James Brown

James Brown - Value and Meaning

James spoke about how judgement influences art. Judgement becomes important when work is criticised as in Sex Lives of the Potato Men. The negative aspects of judgement resulted in the British Film Council's Budget being reduced. Sex Lives of the Potato Men was not received well, and as it had been funded by Public Money, and criticised in an uncomplimentary and negative manner, funding for the British Film Industry was penalised. I find this aspect of judgement grossly unfair and unrealistic, but I assume that this particular film was used as an excuse to reduce funding. In my opinion art should not be judged in this way to the detriment of the Film Industry as a whole. Culture in all its forms is important to society and I believe that whatever the reaction to a piece of art is, it is all valid whether your opinion is positive or negative.

If I think about the meaning and value of my own work at present it is mainly my own opinion that matters. I am learning my craft and any criticism at this stage is to help me to develop my skills. In the future when I have perhaps exhibited my work, then it will become the reactions of an audience who will judge whether I have interpreted it with meaning. Ultimately I believe that meaning of a work comes from the artist and then when it is shown to the world, others' interpret it as they wish. I don't feel that it matters particularly that the meaning I give my work may be different to that which others' give to it. For me the process of making art is what I consider imporant at this time.

James' opinion was that the notion of meaning being questioned, is seeing meaning as changeable and contingent. Meaning, like Value, are seen as dependent on historical, cultural and social context, and changes depending on where, when and by whom it is being viewed.

James went on to list the perspective of :-
Aesthetics
Criticims
Internet
Artist & Designer writing and interviews
Exhibition Texts
The Work or The Object

web.uvic.ca/geru/439/essay.html

Status revolving around aesthetics i.e telephones and trainers.

  Vintage Telephones

The telephones of old were not looked on as "art." But now that technology has improved and is constantly changing and renewing, the old style telephone has become Vintage Art.

Trainers once seen as merely footwear, are now seen as art because of the many well known designers who trade mark them. Popular Culture has brought about a kind of status that many want to adopt.    Jimmy Choo Trainers

The Value and Meaning of art has not appealed to my academic senses as much as the other lectures have; I don't think that I will be choosing this option though I will keep an open mind of course!