Unsupervised - Refik Anadol
“Reimagines the history of modern art and dreams about what might have been” while incorporating site-specific input.
Unsupervised is visionary - it explores fantasy, hallucination and irrationality.
I was in awe of how each node and molecule acted as an individual data point that was gathered together as part of a collective to create such a dynamic vision.
Individuality as part of a coherent, cohesive grouping.
Though it appeared to be schematically "unorganized" it did actually follow a distinct path: the values of the data points it represented. It also appeared to be seemingly non-repetitious which makes sense given that it uses unique data with distinct input variables that are unlikely if not impossible to be replicated.
I really enjoyed the how the structures/nodes pressing against the edge of the screen gave the piece a feeling of containment, as if everything was being encapsulated in that one space and there was no risk of spillage.
I thought the inclusion of elements of sound where shimmery notes created peaks, acting as a spectrogram, were a really nice addition.
I found the sheer scale and vividness of this piece were really captivating in general. It has an entirely commanding presence that was both beautiful to look at and somewhat intimidating.
As for the NFT, the blockchain element giving sense of unique ID value beyond the immediate experience of the piece but also speaks to the inherent worthlessness of NFTs because....it's really just a glorified jpeg that I will likely forget about in a few minutes.
Before Technicolor: Early Color on Film
I adored this exhibition. The technicolour treatments were utterly captivating and really inspired me to experiment with simple coloration superimposed and blended unto images in an imperfect way.
In the age of high-definition, digitally enhanced cinema, it's easy to forget the humble origins of filmmaking and the charm that imperfections can bring to art.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) recently hosted an exhibition titled "Before Technicolor: Early Color on Film," which offered a glimpse into the world of early color filmmaking. This exhibition not only celebrated the pioneers of the art form but also underscored the importance of imperfection in art and how technology has often smoothed over the unique qualities that, in my opinion, are what makes art truly beautiful and worthwhile.
I really appreciated the opportunity to witness these early colour films in all their glory, replete with scratches, fading, and the occasional misalignment. These "flaws" were, in fact, key elements in the experience, reminding us that imperfections in art can serve as a lens through which we see the humanity of the creators and the passage of time.
The imperfections inherent in early color filmmaking processes were not viewed as flaws but as unique features that added character and depth to the art. Hand-tinted frames, for example, were painstakingly painted by artists, resulting in slight variations in color and texture from frame to frame. This deliberate imperfection added a whimsical quality to the films, making each frame a work of art in its own right.
In a world where the imperfections of life are often airbrushed out in pursuit of perfection, early color films remind us of the beauty that can be found in the quirky and unrefined. The unpredictability of early color processes meant that every film print was, in essence, a unique piece of art, a far cry from the uniformity of today's digital cinema.
While the digital age has brought many advancements in filmmaking, it has also paved the way for the homogenization of artistic expression. The remarkable precision of digital technology has the unintended consequence of smoothing out the rough edges and quirks that give art its unique character.
In the pursuit of perfection, we risk losing the very essence that makes art so endearing. The imperfections found in early color films are a testament to the human touch, the handcrafted nature of art, and the individuality of each piece. They are a reminder that not everything worth cherishing is perfectly polished.
It was really meaningful to me to be reminded of the importance of maintaining touches of the human hand as opposed to polishing them to nonexistence.