Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Re: [Yasmin_discussions] the consciousness of bald monkeys and the invention of the self

Dear Mr thill,

Even though many of the submission are interesting and somewhat on
around the same topics. On artists as inventors, i want to mention
again, i seem to suspect having started doing photogramms and recently
some digitalgramms in photo domains with alternative technology
handlings, in a time zone of 5 decades. Photogramms got started at B
positions against the moving lite sources and the camera in simultaneous
rythmic movements round about its axes, not randomly but while listening
to free jazz, 1964. Next to this, by curiosity sake minimal arts moved in,
as add ons along
the following decades. But, experimental things next to new music got
continued
incessantly. My recent digital gramms that i enjoy for juxtaposing them with
mt the
photogramms as their extended versions, are produced now, using a standard
graphic program with other aims than book making, instead to create new
aesthetic forms
only, with instant random guidance. Maybe, only workshops will prove these
applications
to be helpfull to young people to exercise them and get amazing creative
stuff.
Maybe, what i do, are rule of the thumb issues, only involved to good music
selections
or, in their half a century relativity, they are simple aberrations. On the
other hand,
all existing web sites about photogramms are not too many, or they are just
outdated.
In all, cases İ seem to have tried hard to make such an argument issue to go
on with my photo web site. www.fiickr.com/teomanmadra and on its recent
contents. If the computer softwares will be carried on strictly according
the exact how to do directions, new technology may bring around a good
amount technology boredom. In reverse, deconstructive experiments on new
technologies, as new media art concerns at least they may not be so harmful
nor not so dangerous at all. My birthday is nearing and yesterday was the
last day of march 2009, covering artists as inventors Yasmin discussions. On
the
hand, creative photography and art issues, has already throughout a big
century lifetime , unpleasant incidences in our memories. İ believe, this
issue on Good Photography needs to be settled in peace soon. Analog
photography has ended her normal life already, with all her mishappenings
forgiven in.

teoman madra namoet2@gmail.com

On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 5:45 AM, <robert.thill@gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Ramon, Roger, Derek,
>
> When Roger broached the subject of fiction in relation to invention,
> especially science fiction, I am now not surprised that Ramon
> Guardans, who raised the topic of the invention of the self today,
> commented on it (18 March 2009). Ramon wrote:
>
> "I would say that any invention is at some stage a fiction but not any
> fiction materializes into invention. It is when the ideas become
> things that the transition or transduction from fiction to invention
> occurs, as in thinking a tune and playing it on an instrument or
> voice, crafting an image, object or machine. This is probably true in
> scientific work too where different optional fictions are tested and
> compared."
>
> In a post yesterday, Roger explored human consciousness in response to
> a post by Derek Hales. Roger wrote:
>
> "It seems to me that both artists and scientists are indeed in the
> story construction business, and as you put it " inventions are the
> nexus of the real and the imaginary."
>
> In the context of these topics---the invention of self, "invention" as
> "fiction," (human) consciousness, and narrative---it seems fitting to
> bring up an old science fiction film titled _Blade Runner_ (1982),
> which could be described as a late 20th-century interpretation of
> "Frankenstein."
>
> The story is set in the future (Los Angeles, 2019) and poses a
> relationship between humans and replicants (bio-mechanical robots that
> [who?] are nearly indistinguishable from humans). They are used as
> slave labor in "off-world" colonies. The narrative is easy to find
> online so I won't waste too much time with it here.
>
> However, the advanced replicants (Nexus 6), began to become a violent
> disciplinary problem as they developed their own emotional responses
> (the Blade Runner is a kind of police officer who kills or "retires"
> them if a problem arises). One experimental replicant was "gifted"
> with memories to create more emotional maturity. The tension between
> the application of "memory implants" in one replicant (who doesn't
> quiet understand that she is not human) and a rogue group of
> replicants (who understand their status and seek to extend their lives
> by returning to earth to find their creator in an effort to extend
> their lives), creates a visceral, interesting conundrum of
> authenticity in defining consciousness and personal experience (yes,
> desire and the fundamental question of what it means to be a human are
> part of this drama.)
>
> The subtext of slavery (robots) tears at a key crisis in non-fiction
> human society. In a final sequence, as one replicant watches the Blade
> Runner, who is charged with killing him, hang from the ledge of a
> building, he says, "Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it?
> That's what it is to be a slave." Here "fear" could be interchanged
> with "hate." He then saves the Blade Runner's life. (Yes, the idea
> that artificial life forms are more humane than humans is a familiar
> but still strong narrative device.)
>
> The replicant goes on to describe his own experience as he is about to
> "expire" (die), saying, "I have seen things you people wouldn't
> believe," and continues to poetically describe memories of
> extraordinary personal (otherworldly) experiences that would end with
> him. However, the keywords in the dialogue are "you people," which is
> coded language that has been used by mostly white people toward black
> people (and so-called "others") in the United States. In my opinion,
> this inversion of terms, subtly and ironically calls more attention to
> their status in relation to one another.
>
> The fact that both the lead characters in this exchange both appear to
> be white does not soften the allegory between master and
> (mass-produced) slave, at least not for US audiences (it might
> actually make it more powerful). While the movie also raises the
> interesting question of whether or not that the Blade Runner is actual
> human, it more directly describes a system of inequality between
> conscious beings.
>
> Keeping in mind this kind of story (and that much has changed since it
> was created), the notion that interaction with community members, as
> suggested by Simon Biggs, might be a neutral playing field seems
> utopian to me---but still possible with better understanding between
> people of various statuses and experiences, including ages (young and
> old). Maxine Heppner pointed out one aspect of the diversity of our
> communities in her striking post earlier today.
>
> On a separate note, Derek, I don't think "problem-solving" is a
> difficult term to use in art contexts. I would say that art is
> continually involved in a similar process to what you have described.
> However, it is more likely to be described in art contexts as
> constructions of a dialogue that involves problem-solving and critical
> responses.
>
> Best,
>
> Robert Thill
>
>
>
> On 3/29/09, Simon Biggs <s.biggs@eca.ac.uk> wrote:
> > A model could be proposed where self is apprehended as created through
> > interaction between members of communities ­ as such the first act of
> > creation is the socially constituted self, from which all other creation
> > (and invention) flows. In this context the model of the solitary artist
> or
> > inventor, producing artefacts that embody creativity, is contested as the
> > ideal method to achieve creative outcomes. Rather, creativity is proposed
> as
> > an activity of exchange that enables (creates) people and communities.
> > Apprehending creativity as emergent from and innate to the interactions
> of
> > people allows a non-instrumentalist view to emerge. Creativity is not
> valued
> > as arising from a perceived need, a solution or product, nor from a
> > supply-side ³blue skies² ideal, but rather as an emergent property of
> > communities. This avoids the reductivist thinking that so much debate in
> > this field evokes, especially when it gets caught up with areas like
> > neuro-science.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Simon
> >
> >
> > On 29/3/09 11:47, "roger malina" <rmalina@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
> >
> >> ramon
> >>
> >> thank you so much for the addition of "invention of the self" to
> >> the discussion on artists as inventors !!
> >>
> >> it seems to me that the brain is such a "plastic organ" that
> >> indeed many things that we take to be part of innate nature
> >> actually are the result of our interactions with the artefacts we
> >> invent
> >>
> >> one of the big mysteries in the history of human beings is why
> >> it took so long to invent written languages= written languates are
> >> a really recent invention in the history of homo sapiens
> >>
> >> so much of what i consider to be part of "myself' comes not only
> >> from my interactions with other people and the world, but with the
> >> artefacts we build= what was it like to be a human being before
> >> written language and the visual arts were invented ?
> >>
> >> --
> >> Roger Malina is in France at this time
> >>
> >> IN USA
> >>
> >> phone 1 510 853 2007
> >>
> >>
> >> When in France I can be reached at:
> >> 011 33 (0) 6 15 79 59 26
> >> or (0) 6 80 45 94 47
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
> > Simon Biggs
> > Research Professor
> > edinburgh college of art
> > s.biggs@eca.ac.uk
> > www.eca.ac.uk
> > www.eca.ac.uk/circle/
> >
> > simon@littlepig.org.uk
> > www.littlepig.org.uk
> > AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk
> >
> >
> > Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland,
> number
> > SC009201
> >
> >
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