Category: Uncategorized

Title of Event: An Asian Perspective to Design: How We Use Technology to enable Musical Expression by Ajay Kapur
Date & Time of Event:  10/8/14 6 pm
Location of Event: Gallery Theater
Type of event: Artist lecture

I have chosen to research Albert Einstein for several reasons: he is a scientist that I admire, kids used to call me Einstein because of my last name (Ebenstein), and my husband is portraying Einstein in a play.  Albert Einstein is famous for the equation E = mc² and for the theory of relativity.   He is also often considered the father of the atomic bomb since the idea of nuclear fission derives loosely from E = mc², but Einstein’s only connection to the bomb was that he signed a letter to President Roosevelt warning that the Germans were working to develop it.  Many facts surprised me about Einstein.  I have always thought of Einstein as German, but he did not like the militarization of Germany as he was growing up there, and renounced his citizenship in favor of Switzerland.  Although commonly considered a genius, Albert Einstein was a poor student overall and was disliked by teachers because he constantly questioned them.  He was not a very good experimentalist and preferred “thought experiments,” imagining situations and theories rather than performing physical experiments.  He hated to be thought of as a genius, and when he won the Nobel Prize for his work in electromagnetism, he gave the prize money to his ex-wife and lectured on relativity instead, which he considered more important.  Another surprise about Einstein is that he was pro-Zionism and was asked to be President of Israel but declined.

 

I think the overarching theme of Einstein’s life is that he was always curious and wanted to understand the natural world.  This began when his uncle gave him a compass, which led to him investigating electromagnetism and eventually winning a Nobel Prize in the area.  Relativity resulted from his dissatisfaction with the widely-accepted ideas of mechanics (Newton’s) and his desire to find a unifying theory of the universe, though he never achieved his ultimate goal.  To summarize, Einstein was a man in conflict with himself: a genius who did not want to be called a genius; a pacifist often considered the father of the atomic bomb; a non-practicing Jew who supported the Jews’ search for a homeland but declined to be president of Israel; a German-born who hated Germany; a Nobel Prize winner for an area that he did not consider his most important work; and  an old man who still looked at the world with the wonder of a small child. It is some of these conflicts that I hope to communicate through my sculpture.

I have chosen to research Albert Einstein for several reasons: he is a scientist that I admire, kids used to call me Einstein because of my last name (Ebenstein), and my husband is portraying Einstein in a play.  Albert Einstein is famous for the equation E = mc² and for the theory of relativity.   He is also often considered the father of the atomic bomb since the idea of nuclear fission derives loosely from E = mc², but Einstein’s only connection to the bomb was that he signed a letter to President Roosevelt warning that the Germans were working to develop it.  Many facts surprised me about Einstein.  I have always thought of Einstein as German, but he did not like the militarization of Germany as he was growing up there, and renounced his citizenship in favor of Switzerland.  Although commonly considered a genius, Albert Einstein was a poor student overall and was disliked by teachers because he constantly questioned them.  He was not a very good experimentalist and preferred “thought experiments,” imagining situations and theories rather than performing physical experiments.  He hated to be thought of as a genius, and when he won the Nobel Prize for his work in electromagnetism, he gave the prize money to his ex-wife and lectured on relativity instead, which he considered more important.  Another surprise about Einstein is that he was pro-Zionism and was asked to be President of Israel but declined.

 

I think the overarching theme of Einstein’s life is that he was always curious and wanted to understand the natural world.  This began when his uncle gave him a compass, which led to him investigating electromagnetism and eventually winning a Nobel Prize in the area.  Relativity resulted from his dissatisfaction with the widely-accepted ideas of mechanics (Newton’s) and his desire to find a unifying theory of the universe, though he never achieved his ultimate goal.  To summarize, Einstein was a man in conflict with himself: a genius who did not want to be called a genius; a pacifist often considered the father of the atomic bomb; a non-practicing Jew who supported the Jews’ search for a homeland but declined to be president of Israel; a German-born who hated Germany; a Nobel Prize winner for an area that he did not consider his most important work; and  an old man who still looked at the world with the wonder of a small child. It is some of these conflicts that I hope to communicate through my sculpture.

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Immediate Response
After finding the “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” I was struck by its unique form. The bright pink color drew me in, and I was struck by the reflective nature of the piece.

Objective Description
Jeff Koons, “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” consists of high chromium stainless steel molded in the shape of a balloon animal. There is a transparent color coating on top. The structure has a reflective surface and acts as a mirror for those walking past. Unlike a regular mirror, it distorts reality by changing both the size and color of the image being presented. “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is almost 12 feet tall.

Technical Decisions
Koons used chromium stainless steal, an uncommon material to recreate a well known material, balloons. The scale of “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” creates importance and gives the object power. Ordinarily one would not have the same experience with a real balloon animal, especially one that is pink. Koons also created the same swan in five unique versions. Each one is a different color such as blue, violet, yellow and red.

The Work in the World
As I mentioned above, “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is a direct reminder of a balloon animal given to children at birthday parties and the circus. They symbolize youth, playfulness and inferiority. Such toys do not last long and are usually forgotten about after a few days. “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” changes the definition balloon animals. “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is a lasting sculpture which instills power, yet still manages to possess the child playfull nature.

The Story it Tells
Koons message behind “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is the celebration of childhood. “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” is in the shape of a balloon animal given to children; however, “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” serves a completely different purpose and gives off a different effect. Because of its large size, “Balloon Swan (Magenta)” seems powerful, and because of its stainless steal material, it seems sturdy.

Immediate Response

After scouring books for interesting and appealing contemporary sculptures, I came across this piece by Jean Shin, a female Korean artist who is known for making sculptures out of recycled materials.  What struck me at first was the size of the sculpture and the blackness of the piece.  At first, I didn’t even realize that it was made of old vinyl records, but once I did, the name “Sound Wave” made a lot more sense.  I love the use of recycled records, especially in an age where not many people listen to records anymore, with the inventions of the mp3 player and computer; etc…Shin’s use of the vinyl records is clever and thought provoking.

 

Objective Description

A pile of black, vinyl records lay neatly on the hardwood floor of The Museum of Art and Design’s exhibit of “Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary”.  The pile gets larger towards the back and some of the vinyl records have been melted to be able to curve upward in the shape of a ocean wave.  The wave is curving up high and over the pile on the ground and is about the crash. Although each record is dark black, there is a small section in the middle of each record that has a different color, ranging from green, to yellow, to white, to red, to blue.

 

Technical Decisions

Jean Shin used recycled and outdated vinyl records for this piece.  This technical decision is common throughout her works as she commonly resorts to using recycled materials.  In order to provide the distinct, watery shape to her wave of records, she melted most of them down and bent them to her satisfaction.  The structure is large, and is oriented on the hardwood floor, which gives the viewer the sense that the wave is emerging from the gallery floor.

 

The Work in the World

Sound Wave connects with almost everybody that listens to music.  Whether it is from the vinyl record generation, or the iPod generation, whether you listen to classical jazz or hardcore rap, everyone knows what it feels like when a great song blasts through your speakers or headphones and into your ears.  That’s what Shin is showing with the piece and she is able to connect to everyone who sees the piece of art.  At first glance, someone might attribute this piece to connect to the ocean or something about surfing, however it actually has nothing to do with that.  The wave serves as a metaphor, and once the vinyl records are observed, the connection with music is made.

The Story It Tells

Jean Shin was quoted saying how this sculpture connotes “the inevitable wave of technology that render each successive generation of recordable media obsolete”.  Her technical decisions also speak loudly to her message, since she melted down hundreds of vinyl records for the construction of this project.  Shin’s use of the records show just how obsolete vinyl records have become, when only 30-40 years ago they were the “in” media outlet for music.  The meaning of Sound Wave is to show how a major source of music can rise up high, and then crash down hard, just like a wave.