Trevor Paglen Response

I thought that the lecture was extremely interesting because of how he presented the thought process behind his work. He is extremely dedicated to his research and instead of creating projects about his research he creates projects using his research. I would describe his work as daring, complicated, and symbolic. First off his work is daring because it is based on exposing parts of the US government that are secretive, and also reveals operations that are going on that our country likes to think doesn't happen, such as with the kidnapping planes by the CIA. His work is complicated because he has to go through pages and pages of research in order to find one little clue and then use that clue to look through more pages of research to find another clue. I found his connections with the suspected front airline business' travel and the story of the man who claims he was kidnaped and taken aboard that plane. His work is symbolic because he presents this evidence that he finds, whether it is in text format or pictorial, and presents it to an audience, but leaves it up to his viewers to draw conclusions from it.

I found the work I was most interested in dealt with the story of the man who was kidnaped on his way to Macedonia, taken aboard a CIA plane and then brought to a prison in Afghanistan where he was kept for five months and tortured, until his captors realized they had the wrong man. This kind of story many people would have trouble believing, but through Trevor's research he was able to dig up that this story could be very truthful. The second work I found myself drawn to was his work in which he takes pictures of hidden government sites from 20, 40, or even 60 miles away. Though his photographs become difficult to make out at this distance, the images still have a startling symbolism.

I found that most interesting quote of the lecture was not something that he said, but something that was written on the back of a t-shirt in a picture in his slide. It said: "Democracy is not a spectator sport". I felt this quote explained everything that his work deals with. Instead of making work that abstractly has to do with the government, he creates work from his findings, and is much more straightforward about his concept.

Both of my questions were answered during the lecture, the first about whether or not he has gotten in trouble with the government for what his work is about. He said that this is a unique country in the fact that he was not immediately imprisoned for what he does. All the research he used was from public record and he is not making any assumptions about his research, he is just presenting what he finds and coincidences he comes across. My second question dealt with if he would consider himself more of a photojournalist than a fine art photographer. Above all else I think he considers himself a researcher who uses the art work to communicate his findings.

Michael Schunke Questions

1. Are you interested in having your glass blown pieces be used solely for aesthetics or also for practical use such as consumers using the goblets to drink out of?

2. Would you consider yourself more of a fine artist or a product maker?

Trevor Paglen questions

1. Have you been confronted by any government official for your work since it is of sites the general public is not supposed to see?

2. Would you consider yourself more of a photojournalist or a fine artist?

Lauren Simonutti

I find Simonutti's work to be extremely interesting due to the strange nature of her images. They are truly thought up in moments of insanity. They take place in mundane places yet the images are not taken of realistic life. She successfully makes the mundane interesting and even scary. I want my work to have this same effect. This idea of taking everyday places like the kitchen and my bedroom, and turning it into part of a fantasy novel.


Biography: 
"Imagine being diagnosed with “rapidly cycling mixed state bipolar with schizoaffective disorder” (hearing alien voices in your head ), being a photographer, being on meds that allow you some clarity, isolating yourself in your digs, and recording your responses to your condition in straight toned scenario shots; and you will grasp Lauren Simonutti’s amazing project of projecting subjective images of mental disease into small-format silver gelatin contact prints," (Newcityart.com).

Quotes:
"The problem with madness is that you can feel it coming but when you tell people you think you are going crazy they do not believe you." - Lauren Simonutti


"I am aware enough to know the things I see and hear are not real, but that does not mean I do not still see and hear them. " - Lauren Simonutti

Website
Gallery
Review

Ryan Mcginness Response

Ryan's lecture was very different from most artist lectures I have gone to. Most artists talk about their work for a majority of the lecture and then do a short question and answer session. This lecture seemed extremely question based and dealt less with concept. His work could be described as complicated, laid back, and design oriented because it seems heavily influenced by his early years immersed in the skater culture of VA Beach.

I found his work at the VMFA was the most interesting because it became a graphic design type piece that was directly influenced from art history. I found it extremely interesting that he successfully mixed work that had more commercial nature with a concept rooted in the fine arts. His quote "Art History is not linear" was extremely compelling because I felt it applied so well to this work.

My questions were not answered but I feel that the second one about if he was influenced by graffiti was somewhat answered. He seems very interested in icons, and logos rather than graffiti. The idea of identifiable icons is much more obvious in his work rather than graffiti.

Environment

Environment has become extremely important in my work because it is supposed to be this unrealistic event taking place in a mundane space. The spacing of objects and furniture in a room has become very interesting to me because the environment has become so important to my images. Feng Shui is all about how to arrange your room in order to have perfect harmony. I am interested in doing the opposite of this in my images. I do not want harmony, I want imbalance. 

Quotes:

"Feng shui manages five main elements which we should always have in mind when harmonizing our environment: water, wood, fire, earth and metal"


"Feng shui is an ancient and wise approach to the way our environment affects us. "


Feng Shui Tips & Tricks. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.fengshuicrazy.com/>.
This article explained what Feng Shui is and how it can affect our day to day lives. It was very easy to read and understand. It also the map of Feng Shui which is a way for us to figure out where we need to place the furniture in our rooms. The article explained that this is based on the natural elements of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal.

Ryan Mcguiness Questions

1. Would you say that working as an intern right after college at the Andy Warhol museum influenced your work?

2. Does your work have a heavy influence from graffiti?