Homework 6

PART ONE:


Ryoji Ikeda, "Test Pattern 100m Version" 
In this video piece, Marclay initially requests that it be viewed in a certain fashion in order to be enjoyed in a certain way. This automatically suggests that the artist put a lot of thought into how they wanted their art to be presented and how time affects the piece as a whole. Christian Marclay I said to have coined the technique of piecing together fragments of film, this video is a mere three minute excerpt of a video the span of twenty-four hours of fragments of 70 years worth of film history. In this excerpt, Marclay uses a variety of films that take place in a variety of time periods, settings, and genres. Just when you start to feel comfortable in a clip's world, the clip changes and suddenly you're transported into another world. Not fully understanding the context on a single clip fragment, I personally felt automatically engrossed in the world each clip put me in, even though I didn't fully understand what was actually happening. I'm not entirely sure if this was Marclay's intention when he was assembling this piece, but that's definitely how it made me feel.   

Christian Marclay, The Clock
In regards to the formal part of this piece, someone would initially take into account the medium through which this piece is done. It's an audiovisual installation piece, that heavily relies on the participation of an audience that interacts directly with the piece itself. The piece itself consists of two long walkways made up of video-screen panels that are constantly flashing various black and white barcodes. With music playing in the background (also composed by the artist), large groups of people were able to walk along the walkway as they pleased and interacted in the piece in their own unique way. Since the images displayed on the walkways flash repeatedly, it almost creates a strobe-light effect in the space and allows the audience to play around with the environment that Ikeda creates. Some of the patrons simply sit down or stroll along the walkway, just enjoying it. Others dance around or take photos of themselves, trying to become a part of the piece in their own way. I think the reason Ikeda's piece is so successful in getting the audience involved, is because of the scale and composition of his installation. It's consumption of the whole space results in the people participating feeling small in comparison, it's seems more like a playing-ground than art.  
After doing some research on the piece itself, Ryoji Ikeda's intention was to translate the "digital data that surrounds us in everyday life" through the barcodes on the screens. I think he was successful in his intentions, but also resulted in creating this sort of other-worldly place that people can step into and feel completely removed from the real world. 

PART TWO: I commented on Ashley's and Nicole's projects.