Lynda Benglis in Season 6 of "Art in the Twenty-First Century"

I really really like Lynda's work. I find the forms she made with the installation material

to be fascinating. Im confused if they are backlit or if they really glow in the dark. If they really glow in the dark that is even cooler! I liked what she had to say about how she wonders weather vertical movement in art is supposed to be read from the top down or the bottom up. I personally read her pieces from the top down because I think that is the way they flow. It's interesting how when looking at the piece from bottom to top it can take on a whole new meaning in its relationship with gravity. I love abstract art because it inspires a whole new possibility for more abstract art. Things don't have to look like anything specific to be beautiful. Forms themselves are beautiful especially when they depict movement. 

The world of wrestling

I don't think I can quite agree with how deep the author got into the meaning of wrestling and it's point. I think the authors points were a bit abstract without a lot of hard evidence. I believe that the author can interpret wrestling to have a deeper level but that doesn't mean wrestling actually does. I agree that wrestling is a spectacle, but I don't think viewers watch it any differently than they watch a play or a sport. Yes viewers are enthralled by each and every movement but that doesn't mean that the viewer doesn't care about the outcome. Why would the individual ups and downs of the battle matter if there was no ultimate loser or winner. No matter how over the top each wrestling move is, the move itself would be insignificant without the sense of competition. In conclusion, wrestling has the spectacle of a theater performance with the competition of a sport.

Panopticon

I think the concept of the prisoners never knowing if there being watched is only half effective. We as humans all face the fear of the unknown, but that doesn't stop of from continuing to live our lives and face the unknown. I find it hard to believe that none of the prisoners (people who are already known to deviate from society's rules) wouldn't test the level of watchfulness of the guards. All it takes is one prisoner to realize they aren't being watched as closely as they thought they were for all hell to break loose. I have watched tons of prison shows and it is amazing to see how creative prisoners are with what they have. Prisoners are great innovators in the field of art and technology. They can make blades out of toothbrushes or sell meth on greeting cards. The word probably got out quickly through the prison that they could continue to cause trouble under the radar. This would especially make sense because although the circular shape helps the watchers, the same circle shape also promotes communication from one prisoner to another.

Foucault

I understand the concept behind making the prison in an oval shape so that one guard can see every prisoner at once, however it scares me that that same concept is being carried into the lives of rule abiding citizens as a means of surveillance. I believe that prisoners deserve the tight surveillance they receive because they are guilty, but for the rest of us what happened to innocent until proven guilty? The fact that Foucault sees this principle as a way to make people fear they are are always being watched scares me. I do feel like I am always being watched. I am especially nervous about the computer webcam that is starring at me right now because the government could be watching me on it. Im going to cover me webcam. I don't think that people should be watched unless they have already done something wrong. To treat everyone as a suspect does not seem just to me. I think the upside of the principle of always being watched is a positive when someone needs to be watched. The circle or U shape is extremely effective for people in intensive care. They may even align new borns in the similar circle shape so that the doctors can see them all at once. In conclusion yes the U shape can be an effective measure of surveillance however the principle that goes with it of making people feel like they are always being watched bothers me.

Art vs Design

I found the Art vs Design article rather interesting because I currently think that I make art and I want to be a designer, but I'm not sure i realized that there was a difference between the two words. The Author explains that while Art is a free flowing expression of passion, Design is a calculated, engineering like way of making something. I tend to like to "wing it" and just see what happens as I go, so at this point in time I would consider myself more of an artist than a designer. I agree with the author that when artist use guidelines from past artists they are in a sense making a design and not a piece of art. I truly believe that art work has to be something that comes from the heart of the wild imagination of the brain. I really hope to be a designer one day because although I value winging it, I have noticed that often times a solid plan leads to a beautiful creation.

Art and Technology

Art -"The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as paintings or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power." Dictionary.com

Technology- "The application of specific knowledge for practical purposes especially in industry."
Dictionary.com

Art and Technology- "Branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment" Dictionary.com

My personal definition of art is anything that is created as a means of sharing inspiration. Art can range from a simplistic hobby to a full time career.
I believe Technology is anything that can be used to improve the efficiency of the way we do things.
To me art and technology can mean two things:
1) using technology (computers, printers, exc.) to create art.
2) Technology incorporated into art pieces, such as art that moves or is on led screens.
I also think beautiful pieces of technology can be consider art forms.