Friday, August 21, 2009

1. What is the studium of this photo?
2. What is the punctum of this photo?

The word studium and punctum are really "chim" i must say. haha. Alright, so after looking through some possible definitions, i finally decided on these ones. (they make sense and are easier to understand)

Studium ‘a kind of education (civility, politeness) that allows discovery of the operator’. Basically studium is the element that creates interest in a photographic image. It shows the intention of the photographer but we experience this intention in reverse as spectators; the photographer thinks of the idea (or intention) then present it photographically, the spectator then has to act in the opposite way, they see the photograph then have to interpretate it to see the ideas and intentions behind it.

I think the studium of this photo is the way in which such a simple strip of prints on wallpaper is positioned on a wall being displayed with the tip of the right-hand corner bent in. It could also be the prints which may have aroused interest in the photographer.

Punctum is an object or image that jumps out at the viewer within a photograph- ‘that accident which pricks, bruises me.’ Punctum can exist alongside studium, but disturbs it, creating an ‘element which rises from the scene’ and unitentially fills the whole image. Punctum is the rare detail that attracts you to an image, Barthes says ‘its mere presense changes my reading, that I am looking at a new photograph, marked in my eyes with a higher value.’

To me, the punctum of this photo is its prints?Or even the fold at the top right hand corner. I keep staring at it. Hope i interpreted this word correctly though. Yes, the prints on the wallpaper i think, makes the wallpaper stand out and reminds me of like those cottages(ok maybe not so realistic) or just a typical nice little perfect cosy house with a nice patterned wall paper. The top right hand folded corner could mean imperfection meaning everything is not as perfect or normal as it appears to be. Oh no, i think im thinking too much and digressing!

Alright! hope i got the meanings almost right??

Sunday, August 9, 2009

What is this work made of?
  • Well, i think this work is made of something really hard and solid. It is probably something which could be melted into a semi-solid form and placed into a mold whereby it takes the shape of this artwork above. My guess is that this something could be a metal? some sort of alloy? or plastic even? I doubt it is made from clay or paper mache as the surface of the artwork seems really curved, smooth and extremely reflective. Futhermore, it looks like it weighs a ton.
  • My conclusion is that it is made from some kind of metal which is melted at an extremely high temperature and poured into a mould made out of a material which is able to withstand the heat of the melted metal. The material of the mould could be a metal itself? or that cuttle fish bone? After it takes the shape of the mould and is hardened, it is then glossed to give it a shiny/reflective touch. Ok, this method sounds abit extreme but its possible right?
What do you think the title is?
  • Firstly, to guess a title by just looking and observing this work, first impression counts. So, my first impression upon seeing this work is that it looks like black bubbles bubbling furiously. This something could be that black liquid looking substance below the "bubbles" which probably spilled out when the bubble burst or is the substance itself which is bubbling. Then on, i started to get the idea that it was something evil, bad, or omniscient due to its metallic black colour and its illusion that its bubbles are bubbling non-stop, expanding and spreading. Therefore, i think that the title could be something like an "epidemic"? A rapid spread, growth or development in the occurance of something which could be the black bubbling liquid which is temporary prevalent and widespread, affecting a large group of people by engulfing them, dissolving them to bubbles. Hope that made sense. Its a rather abstract and visual concept.
What do you think the artist is trying to convey in this work?
  • I think the artist wants to put across the need or urgency to counter such "epidemics". Here, we are not just talking about an infectious diesease spreading across from one person to another like SARS or the bird flu. It could be something like rumour mongering even. The spreading of idle talk or rumour and newsmongering about the personal and private affairs of others from one person to another which is detrimental to society. As compared to before, with today’s rapid development of telecommunications technology and globalisation, information about anything can be spread through multimedia. It is lethal as rumours can spread rapidly and destabilize a country’s economy if people boycott certain products or topple a government should people take action based on the rumours. Thus, the need to respond to such a situation quickly as information, whether accurate or not can spread very quickly and people need to be educated on how to discern whats true or false before it "engulfs" the thoughts and ideas of people, misleading them.

  • On the other hand, it could be dealing with issues like widespread unempolyment. Take for example, with the current economic downturn, many people are losing their jobs or getting retrenched. This then calls for the need to react to the situation quickly and promptly as many people will suffer economically, even socially and psychologically. Families will suffer as their sole breadwinner could have lost his/her job, there could be a higher rate in suicides as people are unable to cope with their losts, there could also be a higher rate in crimes as people become desperate for their financial needs etc. Overall, if this "epidemic" (gossipping, unemployemt etc.) is not countered promptly, it could "eat up/ engulf" the people during such periods.
What feelings are invoked in you when seeing the artwork?
  • When i see this artwork, it gives me a sense of fear and hostility, as if its going to bubble furiously and spread towards me, engulfing me in the way. I sense the urgency to just counter it and prevent it from spreading. It reminds me of the need to be more aware of what is going on around me and the world instead of being blissfully ignorance and oblivious to such "epidemics". It makes me feel ashamed as if I am just a bystander to all these current world issues and the issues surrounding myself as i stare at this artwork from a third person's point of view.
Why do you think this work is suitable for public displaying?
  • Yes, I believe it is suitable as it is visually engaging due to its "weirdness" and "strangeness". It is also placed along the stairs which could capture the attention of people just sitting on the stairs resting or people wondering why it is placed on such an unusual position instead of more normal places like an open space or even ground. The work is also pretty big and there is a similar looking work in the background, thus, it stands out in such a setting. Also, the appearance of this work does not seem to send out any wrong ideas or intentions and it seems pretty harmless. It probably will not appeal to everyone in the public and make them reflect upon seeing it, but it will definitely engage some people in one way or another, depending on their own personal taste and preferences.