Captain’s Log: All Caught Up

The Future is Being Created Now

Some Background:

I think we live in a pretty remarkable time. There is darkness, sure, some parts of the world and even America have some pretty stark dystopian elements. But we also live in an era where things are declared impossible and then created only a few years later. In the 23 years I have been alive, I’ve seen the iphone become popular, seen video tapes become dvds which became digital downloads. Recently virtual reality became common and several of my friends own either Oculus or Vive systems. My thoughts are that science fiction seems to be more and more rapidly becoming just science. And the rate that science catches up to the fiction also seems to be increasing. Gene editing in humans, augmented reality, a hostile AI takeover, all of these aren’t widespread right now but will rapidly become more relevant as time passes.

Our Digital Future

One artist that I have really become enamored with is Daniele Turturici. Turturici creates digital art, oftentimes chalk full of detail and unique creatures or structures. His work reminds me a lot of classical art, everywhere you look there is a unique detail waiting to be noticed. Postmodern pieces often call back to the past, creating a new meaning out of an amalgamation of past works and understandings ( https://www.the-artists.org/postmodernism/).

The first thing that strikes me when I see this is the size of the building. It looks like multiple houses on top of each other. Then when your eyes drift to the background, you realize there are multiples of this structure. The structure is also lined piping, there is exhaust piping, electrical piping, antenna piping, and more. This level of detail allows the eye to wander for quite a bit and never get bored while also creating an intense feeling of activity and livelihood within the work. By having so many things in his work, the viewer gets the sense that many different lives are played out in this setting.

This is another piece by Turturici that is just chalk full of details. The three people sitting down all have different outfits, the goggles are similar but not identical. The robot that is being worked on is the center of attention but in the background we see other robots, ones with different sizes and designs. The floor is littered with bolts and screws, creating a cluttered and occupied space. If the previous work called back on classical work, I can see calling back on some baroque details. These characters are caught in the middle of action, they would not naturally pause like this which was a key component of baroque works.

These works relate to my theme, “The Future is Being Created Now” because right now they are fantastical fictional creations. There are no flying boathouses or humanoid robots in common use. However…

This is Boston Dynamic’s robot performing an incredible feat of agility. I don’t claim that we’ll be seeing a robot like this walking around within the next couple years but I don’t think it is unreasonable to expect a huge bound forward with these kind of humanoid robots in the future. These works call back to previous works of art but are infused with the ideas of hopes of today.

These kinds of things are what sci-fi novels were being written about a little bit ago. Now we may see space travel or AI developments or a wide variety of things. I think it is important that artists like Turturici continue to develop and create images like this so we can progress towards a future where the robots workshop is a photo rather than a digital creation.

Postmodernism in Architecture

Perhaps I like buildings too much but I chose to feature architect Philip Johnson, to showcase my theme. Philip Johnson was born in Ohio in 1906 and before his death in 2005 became one of the most recognizable architects. In the 1950’s Johnson revealed what is considered his most controversial piece, the AT&T Building in New York City. This building rejects the clean lines and the idea that function is above design and instead has Greek or Roman influences in its design (https://www.theartstory.org/definition/postmodernism/artworks/). Johnson decided that brick should be used instead of steel which created a distinguished look to separate it from the surrounding steel structures.

The building uses pink granite, increasing its distinction and its almost 7 story tall entryway arch is described as “breathtaking” by many. The prime distinction would be the top of the tower. Some describe it as a book with the pages splayed downward while others claim that the building looks like a grandfather clock with this top.

I particularly like this building because it was bold when everyone else was trying to fit in. The building stands out without being pompous, it has a distinguished air without it smothering you, a quiet distinction. I love the top of the building because that giant hole in the top serves no functional purpose to the building. I think its really important to have art be in our daily lives as, speaking as an engineering student, I think if the world was run by engineers we’d have a lot of gray windowless boxes.

The Lipstick Building

The official name of this building is “53rd at Third” but it is commonly known as the lipstick building as it resembles a tube of lipstick. This building was designed like this so that it appears to tilt out of its city position and grab more views. While searching to fill its offices, the building quotes that the building’s oval shape means that every outer office is effectively a corner office. Johnson says that this building was designed with the Baroque period in mind as “this form was very fashionable” (https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/lipstick-building/#).

I like this building because it stands against the straight lined neighboring buildings. Its smooth lines create a sense of fluidity and I think that its funny that as the surrounding buildings are reflected in the Lipstick building’s windows, they too become slightly curved.

These buildings relate to the “future is created today” because Johnson had incentive to design his buildings to match the other straight lined, geometric steel buildings. Instead he fused color and shape to create not only a building but a work of art. The red and pink granite in both buildings convey vibrance and passion and is only exaggerated by the cold steel of the surroundings. Johnson was bold that, again, his creation does not value function more than form. The building narrows as it gets taller meaning that a square skyscraper would have more floor space at the top but Johnson chose to have the building stand out rather than blend in. The mere rejection of the contemporary design creates a sense of confidence and cutting edge that draws me to the building as opposed to the monotone feel of other buildings. Johnson took something that was controversial and made it a legacy.

Postmodern on Architecture

I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some art that has been featured not only in galleries but also the streets and building sides of London. Banksy is an artist whoe has developed a vast following and an artistic subculture. Despite having over 30 years of experience in graffiti art and a documentary, “Exit Through the Gift Shop” Banksy’s identity remains a mystery. There are speculations but no confirmed identity.

Banksy’s main form of art is using stencils, an idea he took up after nearly being caught while painting on a public space. His work combines dark humor with messages that convey themes about art, philosophy, and politics (https://www.streetartbio.com/artists/banksy/).

Perhaps one of his most recognizable pieces, Girl With a Balloon was created in 2002 and released as an unsigned and signed print in 2004/2005 respectively. It appeared in London’s Southbank. This piece is stunning, the black and white girl is reaching out to the single point of color on the wall, a bright red heart shaped balloon. This conveys a deceptive amount. As a balloon, the colored object conveys fragility, balloons once let go float up and are lost or popped. If the balloon is interpreted to be flying away then the painting reveals loss. The young girl is losing her heart, a symbol standing for hopes, dreams, and love (https://www.myartbroker.com/artist/banksy/girl-with-balloon/).

The piece can also be interpreted that the girl is about to catch the balloon, showing an optimistic side and that she is reclaiming her heart. The saddened look on her face in this context becomes determined, showing that with effort she can reclaim what was lost for a period of time.

Napalm, created in 2004, is perhaps Banksy’s most blatant criticism of society. Ronald Mcdonald and Mickey Mouse are holding a malnourished girl’s wrists. The girl is taken from a 1972 photograph showing Vietnamese children running from a napalm blast that hit their home. This girl, Phan Thi Kim Phuc, survived and is the focus of a book called “The Girl in the Picture” by Denise Chong.

Banksy contrasts the smiling faces of the capitalist figures with the crying of the girl. Part of the ambiguity of the work is the question of whether they are leading her away from disaster… or dragging her against her will. Their smiling faces seem mocking and antagonistic. The characters don’t seem to care about crying Phan Thi Kim Phuc, and seems to show the soulless side of corporations only concerned with money.

These works by Banksy show the flip side of “The Future is Created Today”, while we can create awesome and helpful things we can also go the other way and create a darker future. Banksy may hope to influence the future by pointing out the inadequacies of today and I think that this is important for everyone to realize; Our future is created by what we dream and do today. We can have a tech filled future where no problem is too great to solve but if we lose our hope or humanity along the way it will rapidly devolve into a dystopian future.

Fun Fact: At UAF, in constitution hall, if you look closely in the back stairwell you can see a “fairbanksy” sticker that is a reference to Banksy’s work.

Citations

“About Banksy Biography: Street Artist.” Street Art Bio, http://www.streetartbio.com/artists/banksy/.

“Banksy Girl With Balloon (2004), Meaning & Description, My Art Broker.” My Art Broker, http://www.myartbroker.com/artist/banksy/girl-with-balloon/.

“Biography: Philip Johnson: The Pritzker Architecture Prize.” Biography: Philip Johnson | The Pritzker Architecture Prize, http://www.pritzkerprize.com/node/30.

Lipstick Building – Data, Photos & Plans.” WikiArquitectura, en.wikiarquitectura.com/building/lipstick-building/#.

“Postmodernism.” The, 4 Dec. 2018, http://www.the-artists.org/postmodernism/.