Critique of a Critique

Munn's brief critique of Prada's recent attempt to merge fashion with the cyber world describes a strange and not entirely successful amalgamation of fashion, film, on-line worlds and gaming. Munn manages to inspire interest in the subject ( as, I suppose, a good post should do as well as simply expressing personal opinion) giving the reader a brief yet very descriptive account of the subject - its content, the art behind it and the references it makes. He describes Prada's concept of clothing within their created cyberworld: "The main item of clothing...isn't put on, it's transferred. Another avatar appears to bestow the clothing, virally spreading the distinctive check texture from herself to our heroine." while Munn seems to have an appreciation for the separate elements of the film, he concludes that its overall effect is disappointing. Perhaps geeks just can't do fashion.

2007 BFA Graduates Showing at the Blue Oyster Gallery

At the end of last year I spent an afternoon viewing the 2007 BFA graduates work exhibited at the art school; it encourages me greatly to find that now some of that work is being displayed at the Blue Oyster Gallery. One work that is memorable to me, that is now on display was that of... Although the installation was not particularly appealing to me , I nonetheless was able to see the tremendous amount of skill and thought that was contained within the work. I also found the interactive nature to be very effective in immersing the audience in the work and, thus, it perhaps more effectively conveyed the artists intention. The work involves a landscape of torn cardboard boxes amongst which were placed (as if just, seemingly, abandoned) televisions displaying... Amongst this landscape sits a retro looking, plastic rocket ship which may be entered by the observer. the installation thus involves moving image which must be located by sound (as the televisions are hidden amongst the cardboard landscape) and a tactile, rocket ship built to be entered. The audience has clearly been very well considered in this work.

Imitating Rembrandt

Self portrait by Rembrandt 1669
after recently being assigned to make a painting incorporating the grid, I decided to take one of Rembrandt's self portraits, zoom in on the face and transfer it onto six wooden panels using a grid. Attention was paid to the natural divisions of the face, which also form a grid. I have found that much can be learned in imitating a master painter.