MyI2

The Medium I'm In

2007-05-03T09:35:00.001-07:00

In thinking more about our class discussion on 5/1 surrounding the differing experiences to be had based on the medium one may be writing or reading in, my thoughts turn again to Marshall McLuhan. This is a true example of his "the Medium is the Message", in that thought processes and actions are influenced and changed based on the medium itself (regardless of the content). In thinking about my own experiences, I do find that I arrange my thoughts differently (and perhaps in a more formal way) when typing rather than writing, and again when I know it may be read by others (albeit in a blog, a seemingly less formal setting). In this case, I find myself revising and re-writing more, perhaps more easily and more frequently in a computer rather than a written medium (which can still be changed, but in my mind has more permanence). How does this relate to ideas of authenticity? It is interesting the think about the potential impact that factors like this may have on content. So, the type of medium can have an influence and also the purpose of the medium (i.e. a blog versus a formal paper). Overall, the experience of blogging has been a great one for me (and one that I will continue), in that though it is still a typed medium it allows for more free thought and expression than perhaps other media would (i.e. formal papers). Considering these factors and the influence they have is important in studying the impact of various media.

To my I2 class: I have enjoyed working and blogging with all of you, and I hope we can continue! :)

Future Projects and Process

2007-05-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

In thinking about and expanding on ideas for future I2 collaborations, along with the idea of thinking about the implications of collaboration from the audience perspective, Midori and I came up with ideas stemming from experiences that we have already had in a hospital environment. Midori has had previous experience performing at hospitals as a visiting artist, and I conducted a photography project that aimed to show patient perspectives by alternating images of the hospital environment with images of artworks created by patients as part of the recreational therapy program (titled "View from in Here"). This was a starting point for collaborative possibilities; namely connecting patients with other patients as they undergo artistic endeavors whether through the rec therapy, art therapy or music therapy programs. Allowing patients to "become the artist" and to collaborate/improvise with others in similar circumstances can foster a sense of empowerment, and could be seen as an ideal example of the ideas behind I2 connections (also realizing that a connection does not necessarily have to be made via I2). Visiting artists could also be incorporated into this idea, in that those facilities that do not have these capabilities can perhaps be connected with those that do. Midori and I will be checking into whether a collaboration like this will be possible. Overall, this demonstrates a tremendous capacity for further applications of not only I2 specific connections, but of collaborative process. As Lawrence Halprin states, what we all crave is a "creative involvement in processes"....

Connections with UCI and Bergen

2007-04-24T04:55:00.000-07:00

Over the past two weeks, our connections with Bergen and UCI have provided a lot of food for thought regarding the various perspectives inherent in these types of connections. Depending on one's role in the connection and location in the room, you could find yourself a part of or an audience to a variety of environments (whether observing UCI or improvising with Bergen). Documenting an event such as this brings a unique perspective as well. As these "environments" are viewed through yet another lens, their meaning can be changed depending on the perspective of the "documentarian." In capturing various perspectives of both the process and the interaction, one can see how new "realities" can be created. What can these documentations tell us about these events?

Connections

2007-04-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

In thinking about ideas for Internet2 collaborations/projects, my thoughts have turned to the perspective of the audience or spectator. In artistic collaborations, for example, in many (but certainly not all) cases the focus is on a collaboration/interaction between two or more artists. I would like to consider a project thinking more from the point of view of the viewer or audience. Internet2 connections are a great way to explore the idea of context (i.e. where and how art is viewed and its effects on perception). What, for example, makes watching a dance performance via an I2 connection more unique than say, watching it on television? Though television itself is becoming more participatory as we move more and more toward "reality" TV (as Dr. Gilbert has discussed, so as not to lose people to the Internet the television is becoming more and more like it), the difference is the idea or potential for participation. This is one way in which this medium can be further examined from this perspective. For example, "viewers" take pictures that are then projected in different locations/venues (thus exploring the idea of context). This idea of "everyone as an artist" may relate to John Dewey's ideas of art as experience (that there is a current separation of the two). As Lawrence Halprin discusses in RSVP cycles, we all long for "involvement in processes," and making the process visible allows us to do that (perhaps that is the nature of I2 connections). Overall, looking at the point of view of not only the "doers" but viewers/consumers is another way that these connections can be explored.

The Medium is the Message

2007-04-16T07:33:00.000-07:00

As the "leading prophet of the electronic age", Marshall McLuhan describes and analyzes the effects of technology, and how this affects human beings and their relations to one another. Of interest to me is McLuhan's focus on the medium itself. In common thought and practice, the content of media is that which is scrutinized for its potential effects; while McLuhan emphasizes that it is the medium itself that alters perception and changes consciousness (along with society's seeming naivety to this fact). Media as extensions of our selves and our senses create new "social patterns of organization" on which we depend.

In discussing these extensions (especially technology) as having the effect of amputating or modifying other extensions, McLuhan succinctly sums up our state of affairs in that "we have become people who regularly praise all extensions, and minimize all amputations." Thus the "global village" and interrelatedness (in a tribal sense) of all human beings via television and now the Internet, along with the subsequent "amputation" of interpersonal communication with family interaction, etc. What does a simultaneous increase of global and decrease in interpersonal communication signify? Increased knowledge but a decrease in the ability to experience in the here and now, because the here and now has become virtual and can be accessed or "experienced" at any time.

How then, does I2 operate as an extension? In a sense, the collaboration/simultaneous interaction sought through some I2 connections could almost be seen as a way to repair that amputation of interpersonal connection inherent in our current climate. Perhaps it is a unique way to attempt a combination of global interrelatedness and personal experience. In looking at a medium in its infancy such as I2, it seems essential to have an awareness of how media operate as extensions and the subsequent effects this has on society amidst continual change and innovation. Interestingly, McLuhan describes the power of the arts as a radar, to enable us to discover social and psychic targets ahead of time in order to prepare and better cope with them. As arts are combined with media, it will be interesting to continue to examine their use as a perceptual tool.

Technology and Memory

2007-03-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

The relationship between memory and the factors that create or perpetuate it is a topic that garners more and more attention. In a mass-mediated society such as our own, the area of memory studies is gaining distinction in regards to its focus on the impact that various media have on both our individual and collective consciousness. To the extent that events are documented and repeatedly shown to us, what impact does this have on our memories of these events (whether experienced firsthand or via another medium), and thus on our perceptions and definitions of society? Both individual and collective events are experienced differently when documented and made a recorded part of "history", as could be demonstrated in the aftermath of September 11. In relation to the horror/disbelief surrounding this event, people spoke of the repeating images shown in the media as something "out of a movie". This may provide an example as to how media are used as a template against which "real" events are compared, interpreted and managed.

This also brings up a question in regards to the effects of various media. Photography, for example, is a medium that has been and continues to be used as a way to preserve memory or document history (both personal and public). What is meant by preserving memory? In these documentations, are we actually creating memory? Where does Internet2 fit in in regards to its own mediation of experience and memory? Those who seek to use this medium are seeking out a unique form of collaboration or connection. Do these unique characteristics make an I2 experience more memorable (or how may it mediate memory/experience differently) ? How would viewing the documentation of an I2 event differ or change our memory of that event? Lastly, in speaking of the effects of media on collective consciousness, how could the use of I2 as a medium effect consciousness around a larger societal issue or event?

Cassandra, Eurydice and other Themes...

2007-03-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

In our class meeting and connection with UCI last week (2/27/07), we observed movements that some of the dancers had created in response to words describing their own "journey" as graduate students. Many of these words can be related to themes surrounding the story of Cassandra; those that particularly stood out for me were risk and vision (risk in relation to the risk of telling others the truth though you know they will not believe you, and the courage that it takes to do so). In this "risk" movement, the dancer's use of the camera was particularly interesting - this could relate to themes of openness versus secrecy (i.e. the idea of someone watching) and also to our discussions of camera angles and positioning and how this changes perspective. In demonstrating vision, the dancer again seemed to be demonstrating ideas of openness and secrecy. This term also relates to my movie on Cassandra; both in her ability to see the future (i.e. holding the whole world in her hands) and in her (lonely) perspective (i.e. no one else can see what she sees). In thinking about Cassandra and Eurydice, themes of love and trust seem to stand out in both of their stories (though in perhaps opposite ways). In examining these themes and our perspectives on them, one can see the challenge in searching for or creating media to "represent" a word, theme or idea (whether it be visual, musical or otherwise). I'll be posting more images on my Web site related to the theme alone, so keep checking!

Digital Diasporas and I2

2007-03-05T21:31:00.000-08:00

In reviewing our syllabus, Barbara Rose-Haum addresses the subject of Globalization and Digital Diasporas. In doing some research on the Internet, I have come across several initiatives that are currently working to bridge "digital divides" in developing countries. One of these is a collaboration between several branches of the United Nations that brings together members of the Diaspora (including technology professionals, entrepreneurs and business leaders) in order to collaborate and train counterparts in their home countries; with the ultimate goal of further social and economic development for that region. See these Web sites:

http://www.unicttaskforce.org/stakeholders/ddn.html

http://www.wougnet.org/Events/UNIFEM/ddi_ug.html

In another project, the University of Pennsylvania is working with various organizations to build "community technology centers" in Ghana, in order to increase educational opportunities and training for community members:

http://ctech.seas.upenn.edu/ghana.html

It is interesting to think about how Internet2 technologies could apply in these and similar types of initiatives. The unique qualities/characteristics of an I2 connection and the very nature of the medium seem to make it an obvious candidate for consideration in regards to "bridging the digital divide". Would the simultaneity inherent in these connections work to enhance these or other types of experiences with similar aims? How could I2 contribute as a unique medium? In answering these questions, it is also important to consider that the "digital divide" can have many definitions, ranging from those without physical access to those without computer training (see the Wikipedia article). This can have an impact on how or whether I2 can contribute as well. The ideas of diminishing gaps and crossing boundaries that seem inherent to I2 collaborations may perhaps be explored in different ways.

"In the Moment"

2007-02-25T16:38:00.000-08:00

What follows is somewhat of a stream of consciousness (for which I give my apologies), but it explores ideas that I think are pertinent to our studies.

In class last Tuesday, a classmate discussed an experience he had in which he had come across a lovely nature scene, and without thinking captured it on his camera phone and continued onward. Rather than stopping to "compose" a shot, it was all part of a continuous moment as he described it. The idea of the camera (or other device/convention) as perhaps enhancing or as part of the "experience" of a moment is an interesting prospect. The camera is of course a mediator or "means to an end" in its own way, but the question is how does this mediation remove us from the experience? Are we removing ourselves from the experience now in order to view or "experience" it later? I have found this to be true in that when I have set out to photograph something (whether it be an instant or an event), I am no longer experiencing that moment or that event per se, only in so much as I am now composing a shot or making sure that I get a "good" shot (in order to experience it later). How does this effect one's memory or experience of an event (please note that I am speaking of the pursuit of photography for pleasure or preservation, rather than the professional photographer whose purpose may be focused on getting that shot)? What my classmate spoke of was that he did not feel distanced from the experience; that he was not consciously thinking about getting the shot but that it was a continuous part of the moment. I wonder if the camera phone allows for more of that? I too have found that when I am out and about and just have my camera phone, that I may snap several shots without a thought; but if I were to have my other camera, there is almost more of a pressure for it to become an "event" to take a picture (and also pressure for a quality picture, which we may or may not expect from a camera phone). This helps us to think about various media and how they mediate or allow experience, including Internet2. Do the collaborative and simultaneous qualities inherent in Internet2 interactions allow for less "mediation" per se? How may these qualities change how Internet2 mediates experience, for the creators and the audience? In defining Internet2 as its own medium, I think it is important to explore these questions along with how this medium relates and compares to others.

Note: I hope I've captured my classmate's ideas correctly - if not please correct me! :)

Thoughts/Questions on Technology and the Digital Divide

2007-02-18T16:31:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about our discussion on the first night of class in regards to the positive and negative aspects of technology, and how this may relate to Internet2. Internet2 in some ways takes a different direction from the normal "trajectory" of technological advancement (i.e. creating technology for technology's sake or technology as a commodity) in its methods and exploration of ways to collaborate and connect when perhaps there would not have been opportunity to do so otherwise. How does this relate to ideas surrounding the digital divide, or ways of increasing access to those without (and the benefit of that)? Will Internet2 eventually be a component in how divides are addressed?

It is also interesting to think about how we are "seduced" by technology (as we discussed in class; this goes back to technology for technology's sake), how this effects quality and whether that matters. For example, in class we discussed that we now like to hear the surface noise on a vinyl recording (whereas in the past that was a nuisance, or it was not even noticed when that particular technology was "state of the art"). How does this relate to our overall response to technological advancement (for example, feelings of nostalgia), and in lieu of that, to a medium like Internet2 which perhaps seeks to use or define the use of technology in new ways? These are questions that are worth exploring further.

Perpective and Connection: Video Conference with UCI

2007-02-18T13:32:00.000-08:00

This is in response to Jeff's posting on 2/14, regarding our video conference with University of California Irvine. I too had an interesting experience, this being my first collaboration of this type. Jeff spoke about eye contact (or the difficulty in doing so in an interaction such as this one) and I also feel there is something to be said about the potential impact this may have on communication or our responses/interactions with others in a venue such as this. Of note to me was the feeling of being "observed" by those at UCI, in that it somehow felt different from being filmed in a traditional sense. This could of course be due to the real-time aspect of it, but it seemed to create an interesting dynamic in the knowing that they could see me "now" (rather than as part of a film later). Not that I was worried about being observed :), but it was more of a keen awareness of their "watch" that was interesting to me (almost a feeling of being observed through a one-way glass). It made me wonder if a medium like this makes one "hyper-observant" of the other participant, perhaps more-so than if you were in the same room with them? It also made me wonder whether I was observing the people in the classroom (when the camera panned to them) more closely than I perhaps would have been had we been in the same room. Overall, the question of this medium and its ability to allow us to view or take things in in different ways is an interesting one.

I also found Jeff's comments about the multiple cameras interesting, in regards to how this affects perspective and "authenticity". This can relate back to our class discussion regarding the different camera perspectives that are now available (i.e. above a football field) that allow a more "disembodied" perspective (in that we are no longer "spectators", but more a part of the action). Does this make the interaction more or less "real"? Jeff also spoke of the multiple camera views as adding more of a "cinematic feel"; in a course I took on Media, Memory and History, we discussed the virtual (or sensory) effect that cinema creates (in that it creates an illusion of experience) and whether other media can have a similar impact based on that. How does this relate to an Internet2 experience, in regards to its authenticity and its impact? These are questions that can be explored further as we learn more about this medium.

Unheimlich

2007-02-18T09:39:00.000-08:00

Volume five of the Body, Space and Technology Journal contains a performance by Steve Dixon, Mathias Fuchs, Andrea Zapp and Paul Sermon titled Unheimlich: A telematic theatre performance. A link to the issue is below:

http://people.brunel.ac.uk/bst/vol05/index.html

The term "unheimlich" is a Freudian term referring to something that is "familiar, yet strange." In this performance, participants from two locations are composited together onto a virtual background and digitally share the same stage (each location only has a blue background in their immediate physical location; thus they have to interact with participants in their own location as well as in the other by viewing the screen). The performance consists of two actors ("sisters") in England, who invite audience participants in Providence, RI to "step onto the blue mat" and enter their world, so to speak (or either remain in the "darkness" of the audience). This performance brings many interesting concepts into view; including the idea of interacting with others that are in our personal space in relation to a virtual environment (that we are composited onto), and also the question of how we can interact with others virtually when they also are composited onto this same space. It also explores ideas of participation versus observation, in that the "sisters" invite you into "their world" to interact and improvise based on the changing backgrounds. In a sense, neither set of participants is in a "real environment" (only a blue screen); they experience real and virtual interactions with participants all while having to observe their background or "world" on a screen. How does this change their interactions with the environment and their ability to interact with participants (physically versus virtually)? Overall, this performance provides an intriguing example of how interaction and collaboration can be changed by a virtual environment.

Performance and Social Change

2007-02-18T08:38:00.000-08:00

This is in response to an article I read in the Body, Space and Technology Journal by Dan Friedman titled Performance as Revolutionary Activity: Liminality and Social Change. I've included a link to this issue below:

http://people.brunel.ac.uk/bst/vol0101/index.html

Friedman is the dramaturg at the Castillo Theatre (what he describes as an "off-off" Broadway theatre in New York City). He began as a therapist, who then moved into community organizing before coming to the theatre. What is so interesting about this theatre and about this paper is its discussion of performance as not merely a form of entertainment, but rather its integration into everyday life. Performance is described as an approach to human development that can be applied to any social setting; used as a way to break out of established social roles/norms and to facilitate change. In other words, viewing performance as a way of developing and stepping out of what is beyond our "normal role". This idea has spurred various community-based organizations using the idea of performance as a way to develop life skills (one example is an anti-violence youth program called the All Stars Talent Show, in which young people produce talent shows and are encouraged to "perform" as leaders). This relates to the ideas expressed in John Dewey's Art as Experience, in that art has become compartmentalized and "placed on a pedestal" so to speak, rather than existing as an integrated part of the life of the community from whence it came. Rather than as a representation or natural extension of a culture or a community (as was true in the past), the arts have a tendency to be viewed more as an elitist or privileged activity.

How does this related to Internet2? While this paper does not speak directly to Internet2 as a medium, the ideas discussed are an interesting starting-off point for ways in which I2 can be used. The collaborative nature of I2 may provide a useful platform for testing various scenarios in which performance can be used as a developmental activity; as well as its overall potential to bridge gaps and perhaps change the way that the arts and technology can be viewed and used.