Presentations

This past week or so, we have each shown a powerpoint presentation about the artist we researched. We also each wrote a paper about our artist and the artworks they have done and how we view their artworks. I found my classmates powerpoint presentations to be very interesting as well as informative. Most of them chose artists I have never heard of or vaguely knew about. For example, Kara Walker and David Smith.

I did my presentation and paper on Tony Oursler. In my last journal posting I gave some biographical facts. In this posting I wanted to add a little bit of information about his artworks. Oursler began in his work in the 1970’s and is still currently continuing his various artworks. In the 70’s and 80’s, Oursler did a lot of work making videotapes and installations. In the 90’s, Ourlser fused his installations using video projectors. From 2000-2009, Oursler was involved in public projects in many different cities across the globe using installations, projections, and other mediums. This paper is going to focus on descriptions of Oursler artworks in the different mediums he has worked in. For instance, Oursler videotapes and installations : “The Loner” and “Vampiric Battle”, for paintings: Red “Love Hurts” Laboratory and (Usually) black anythingyou want, for single channel videos: “Synesthesia” and “The Perfect Partner ”, and for public projects : “Five- Take Radius” and “Influence Machine.” Tony Oursler is a time-based artist as well as putting emphasis on presence and space. Oursler artworks emphasize differences in time marked by the movement of the virtual image toward the time and space of the viewer’s encounter. His work explores the exchange of the signs of presence and the self-identity through everyday practices of media consumption. The meaning of this is the media itself has created a new space in everyday life. Oursler’s installations are meant to grasp the viewer’s sense of psychological separation and integrity.

Questions to Consider:

Does a chosen artist to research reveal anything about the person who is researching the artist?

Would it ever be possible to stop time?

I wanted to know more about the effects of slow motion.

I found out that slow-motion was invented by August Musger. The process of slow-motion is where each time frame in a film is captured at a faster rate than it does when it’s played back; this effect can also been known as overcranking. Another way slow-motion can be processed is by playing the film at a slower speed; this technique is known as instant replay. Many film directors have used slow-motion in their movies to create different effects. For example, to show athletic skills, recapture a moment in a game, natural phenomena such as a drop of milk falling into a bowl, and explosions.