List of sounds

Across the road on a bench
bus, tires on the road, squeak of breaks, people chattering, engine idle, cars, construction from north campus, zippers jingling on jackets, door open squeak, latch, drip from the ice melting, footsteps, high heels, shuffling feet, heavy equipment passing by

Sitting on the oval
high pitched music, bus stopping, people walking, snow crunching, swishing of pants, bells from the clock tower, talking, laughing, a jingle from a dog collar, cars, squeaking tires, trumpets, dripping water, saxophone, airplane, bike

Basement of Hopkins
Footsteps, talking, high heels clacking, locker opening, door closing, whistling, snapping, squeaky door, walking upstairs, pottery wheel spinning, chairs moving around on floor, smacking sounds, keys jingling, vents, clanking, feet dragging, water running, paper towels ripping, clicking, toilet flushing

On the oval
the wind, people talking, laughing, yelling, high heels, running shoes, boots, cars, buses, doors opening, closing, furnace, construction, music from headphones, keys, breathing

Second floor
sniffing, typing, footsteps, trash bins, foot steps low buzzing from air duct, keys jangling, doors unlocking, closing, air rushing through the ducts, doors creaking, garbage bag rustling, talking, chattering

Basement
doors opening and closing, footsteps, heels clicking, shuffling, man talking, deep, raspy voice, laughter, chairs scooting, lockers opening and closing, talking, dragging of feet, canvas, pipes, air coming from vent, clanging (mysterious) sound, water fountain, pen clicking

1st floor, near workshop
drill, door click open, footsteps, locker, talking, air ventilation, dust room, sliding feet, a die-grinder, squeak of a door, the doors leading outside, pop opening, wheels on a cart for a broken leg, keys jingling, clicking adjustable wrench, wood on wood, metal on metal, circular saw, wood cutting, screws someone messing with book bag, and plastic

Table by the window on the 3rd floor
footsteps, doors opening and closing, the fan, ripping of paper, crumbling of paper, a bus or truck, the table moving, a chair wiggling, people walking up the stairs, people talking, people filling water bottles, keys ringing, music from someone's headphones, toilet flushing

Just outside the oval
voices in conversation, car and bus exhaust, english (mysterious language of Asian origin), footsteps, shuffling, shoes, the weight people put on their footsteps, the bells, the wind and it going through the trees, people yelling greetings, laughter, construction, bike riding, doors opening and closing, birds chirping and plane flying

By the bike rack
furnace humming, snow crunching under feet, bus exhaust, bus announcements, doors opening, people talking, phone alarm noises, doors opening and closing

Outside
wind, footsteps, a coffee, talking, laughing, cars, a dog, people stepping on ice, bells, people yelling, calling out to each other, bicycle wheels, person holding a bag scraping against the cement

Stairway near the exit
doors opening and closing, different sounds for different floors, people walking up and down stairs, at different speeds, different shoes, people zipping up their coats, people talking, vents making constant noise, high pitch scream of pipes

Second floor by the windows
boots walking down the hall, change in somebody's pocket, air vents running, jeans rubbing, taking out keys, screech of door opening, slam when it closed, sneakers against the floor, chain on belt, paper rattling from air vent, and wheels of a cart.

Sound and Noise

1. What I understood Russolo's perception of sound to be was basically anything that can be heard, but his view on noise is one that I had never really considered. Perhaps this is just because the term 'noise' has always been something negative; something similar to 'racket' or 'clamor.' Russolo defines 'noise' as more of a natural sound, sounds that come from everywhere around us. He finds a beauty in this type of sound. I think that I hear things in the city and in nature that I enjoy and maybe find beautiful, but I just don't think about it much beyond that. Because I read this passage I imagine that I will be considering the things I hear in the background more often now.

2. Throughout the entire passage Russolo using very descriptive phrases and is heavy with the amount of adjectives that he uses. I found this slightly confusing. If I were to read an entire book written by him I would most likely become annoyed with how wordy it is. The middle part of this letter when he was describing the types of sounds that this futuristic orchestra would make had a more poetic sense to it. With even just the way that he typed the words you could tell he was very in the moment. You can feel the emotion that he puts into each wound(well word representing sound). I love that. Even if I don't like a piece of artwork, if I can feel the passion put into it I won't have anything negative to say.

3. I believe he separates them by the type of sound they make and also by what is used to make them. High pitched noises, loud noises, noises made with one's mouth, noises make by hitting something, soft noises, etc.

Russolo and Noise

How does Russolo understand sound and noise?
Russolo believes that noise wasn't really around until the 19th century when machinery became increasingly popular.  With this machinery came loud mechanical noises never heard before.  He says primitive people associated sounds with that of divine power and this resulted in music.

Has this changed your understanding of it?  My understanding of it hasn't really changed.  I've always been drawn to repetitive noises and find comfort in them.  Not that he necessarily only talks about repetitive ones, but I do enjoy listening to sounds that aren't readily associated with music.

How is he using language to make this essay a sonic experience?  What he's doing makes me think of the music style scat.  Using nonsensical phonic sounds and putting them into random order or giving them a specific rhythm.

What are the "categories of noises" that he describes?
He categorizes sounds into 6 categories.  I'm not sure how to explain the categories other than just listing them.

1. Roars, claps, noises of falling water, driving noises, and bellows.
2. Whistles, snores, and snorts.

3. Whispers, mutterings, rustlings, grumbles, grunts, and gurgles.  

4. Shrill sounds, cracks, buzzings, jingles, shuffles. 

percussive noises using wood, skin, stone, baked earth, etc.

5. animal and human voices:  shouts, moans, screams, laughter, rattling, etc.  

Kaprow's main argument is one similar to my own belief in which art is not necessarily something tangible, but more than anything a reflection and an expression of the human soul that can be or be within anything everything. He goes on to demonstrate this belief through his transforming of daily human rituals into something greater and more meaningful. I really recognized "to watch" a verb that stuck out, because of the artist's watching of his elbows moving up and down as he brushes his teeth. He transformed a seemingly meaningless ritual into art through his emphasis on being aware of and paying close attention to "nonart," to him best represented by integral parts of your life easy to overlook. He emphasizes how the ritual is an image he created but never examined. This idea inspires me to ignore any definition of what supposedly makes art art and will therefore be an integral part of my art making experience. With an open mind, I will be able to recognize the beauty in things I so often overlook.

Cass Sumera: Reading 1/14/15

What is Kaprow’s main argument?

            Kaprow’s main argument is that art does not always have to suggestive of art or perceived as art. He also believes that art can come from anything even daily activities that most people don’t usually pay much attention to. Although he believes that anything can be art, Kaprow does not think that non-art objects or activities can always be set in the context of art because he believes that this kind of art is unproductive. He believes that by observing everyday actives like brushing his teeth he is able to examine himself through activities that he believes are completely routinized and that by doing this he is able to learn more about his own identity and society. He believes that paying attention to every day activities is art because art during the time that this was written was developing in a way that art was no longer about objects seen in an art gallery but about what he refers to as the real urban environment.

How does the reading relate to the theme of the class/how might it help you make art?

            The reading relates to the class because much of this class seems to be about time based art or movement-based art. In this article Kaprow talks much about observing routinized activities and this is very much time based because people do activities such as brushing teeth at scheduled periods each day. Also he talks about observing these activities, which involve a certain amount of time and also involve movement. Also this article may help a person make art because I believe that he is telling the reader that they should pay more attention to their daily activities because it may make them learn more about themselves and therefore have an impact on their artwork.

Do any verbs or actions stick out to you in this reading?

I think that some of the verbs and actions that stood out to me were all of the highly descriptive actions that he mentions in the paragraph were he describes brushing his teeth and looking at his face in the mirror such words used include avoid, washed and smoothed. I believe this paragraph was important because it provided an example of exactly how much attention to detail he was noticing in his daily routine as well as how much analysis he was putting into examining these actions. Other action words that I believe were important in this reading include perceived and routinized. 

Art Which Cant Be Art

1. What is Kaprow's main argument?

 

Kaprow is arguing that art is no longer defined by the idea of art, the art gallery, or the medium. Art can be an action, and it doesn't need to be displayed or viewed whatsoever. Life is an art when lived attentively, and that is the goal. 

 

2. How does the reading relate to theme of the class/ how might it help you make art?

 

This reading relates to the class in the non-traditional sense. I have a tendency to want to make a traditional masterpiece, instead I hope to be explorative and have fun making things that I never would have thought of with a masterpiece in mind. 

 

3. Do any verbs or actions stick out to you in this reading?

Oscillates, routinized, estheticize 

Post 1

Art is in the eye of the beholder. Art is relative. Art can be found anywhere and by anyone; and just because it is art does not mean that it has to be shared or displayed. It's there to do something else entirely, to move you, to make you feel and think beyond what you would if it hadn't made its way to you. This is what I believe Kaprow was trying to tell us. He feels like art is being turned into something and taken down a road that it should not go down long before turning around. Just because someone discovered that art can be found everywhere doesn't mean that if you paint EVERYTHING or pick up a toothbrush that you can put it in a gallery and make it have meaning or be art, though some may think otherwise. I think he's trying to tell us that some actions in the "art world" have been a tad over the top. There is always room for new things, but there is something lost in creating simple art just for the power/money/fame/slap on the back. He enjoys his life as a direct result of him finding art in many things that he does throughout the day. Reading this article will make me think, like actually think about the things that I am doing and how it will effect its viewers or readers, as well as how it will effect the art community. I want to find art in the little things. If this impacts my life and thought process then it will also effect all the things that I do. So I will be using this new art finding skill of mine in my projects and conversations throughout the semester.

Interesting verbs: presume, estheticize, reduce

Kaprow: Nick Cunningham

What is Kaprow's main argument?

Kaprow's main argument here is, it is possible to see everything as art in the modern era. There realistically isn't a straight cut separation between what is art and what is reality. Even though something may take no effort in doing, does not mean that it should be considered not-art. On the other hand, some things that take effort should probably not be in an art gallery. For example, brushing one's teeth. Even though there are many processes that are not conscientiously thought of and may take usually unforeseen effort, does not mean that anyone will want to see it be performed. Also, the process alone can be seen as artistic and not just the finished result.

 
How does the reading relate to theme of the class/ how might it help you make art?

The reading basically has the same intended thinking that the class is expected to have when doing art. Similar to Kaprow, we shall think beyond what we commonly see as art, and view things that occur everyday as more of an artistic identity. 


Do any verbs or actions stick out to you in this reading?
Kaprow's general description of his experience when he was talking about brushing his teeth was interesting. He described it in a way that made doing something so simple as brushing one's teeth a difficult chore or at least an inconvenience of the sort. 

Art Which Can't Be Art

From the article, I got that Kaprows main argument is that Modernism is a very different type of art that has ties to the past yet is entirely new. One must look at what would be considered traditional art and what would be considered a completely ordinary occurrence  and find some way to connect those without actually doing either of the two. I think that is seems a little vague, but at the same time makes perfect sense in context with what is happening in the modernism era. This is relevant to the class because it is talking about carefully observing and recording  everything that happens in a particular point in time, and also that it is giving the creative freedom to think outside of the box as opposed to always doing the same type of art one is familiar with. At some point he also states that the great impact of things like Duchamps  'Fountain'  become trivialized when similar works or ideas are used by other artists which I took as a warning to not follow in the footsteps of other artists and constantly try to come up with fresh ideas without overlooking the everyday tasks.

What is Kaprow's main argument?

What Kaprow is saying is that the definition of what art is can be extended to almost any action or object. While certain settings or contexts provide a more traditional sense of artistic valor or prowess, art itself can be seen in several different forms, much of which we block out on a day-to-day basis. We ignore it under the guise of "routine" or "normalcy;" however, he notes just how many different things there are to notice about seemingly insignificant tasks, such as his right-handedness being shown through the act of brushing his teeth. Art is a way of showing things, and even toothbrushing shows quite a bit, making it (and by extension, just about everything) art.

How does the reading relate to theme of the class/ how might it help you make art?

The article reminded me of a lot of the art shown to the class in the first day's slideshow; much of the art was not necessarily there to show off a finished product, but to be representative of the  process of making art. This is sort of how he approached the act of his brushing his teeth; it was a process that highlighted things much the same way painting a picture can be used to display an event or story. It's definitely something for me to consider, as how a product is made is almost more important that the finished product itself, in a way.

Do any verbs or actions stick out to you in this reading?

Other than the constant mentioning of his toothbrushing, one of the things that stuck out to me the most was the fact that he mentioned his elbow moving. This made me realize just how much there is to notice in the sort of thing we call "everyday" or "routine." When one brushes their teeth, they think about their teeth, not their elbow. This may seem obvious, but that's the thing about a process: every individual thing has to come together to make it work. 

Art Which Can't Be Art

What is Kaprow's main argument?

To me it seems that Kaprow's main argument is that many of the mundane tasks we take part in everyday life could be looked at as art to some.  He talks about the simple motions of brushing his teeth.  Surely most don't preform the act of brushing one's teeth to be viewed as art.  To many art has to be purposely done, not accidentally.  Even if someone decided to brush their teeth and call it a performance piece why would I want to go see it?  Kaprow is trying have us viewers blend the lines between art and every day things in life.  To some extent we already do this.  Some look at a majestic landscape or a fawn drinking from a pond and call it art because it's pretty to look at and gives them a similar feeling.  But that landscape didn't decide to be art.  And that fawn doesn't care what you think about it's drinking habits.  Maybe there are aliens somewhere watching us brush our teeth because they think it is beautiful or means something greater than good dental hygiene.

How does the reading relate to theme of the class/ how might it help you make art?

This reading relates to the class in the sense that these small things that are part of our life have been around for so long and have been repeated so many times that they are simply habit and blend in with the rest of the day.  We have taken so much time out of our lives repeating these monotonous tasks that we no longer need to think about them.


Do any verbs or actions stick out to you in this reading?

The scene he set up of him brushing his teeth was very descriptive.  

Kaprow's main argument in the essay is how everything in life  can be like art. He talks about how art throughout history has communicated to the body and mind, just life how he noticed in his experience with brushing his teeth. Kaprow's focus is on the action of brushing his teeth like the verbs we went over in class. At first look like Kaprow, many over look brushing there teeth as a habit, but when looking closer at it with detail there is more to see. The art behind ever action and reaction that takes place, how each muscle feels, and how the nerves all work together in his body. This art of brushing teeth also affect the mind, but making him think about how his gums slightly bleeding an making him worry and want to go to the dentist. A verb that sticks out to me is "routinized". This sticks out to me because I think its interesting how much of life becomes routinized and we stop noticing much of life.

What is Kaprow's main argument?

Anything can be art whether or not it is acknowledged as it. He also notes that does not have to be put in context. When he looks at brushing his teeth as art, he begins to dive even further into what goes on when he is actually brushing his teeth, then questions if he hadn't thought of it as art would he be noticing it. Regardless, he still argues it is art. 

How does the reading relate to theme of the class/ how might it help you make art?

Time can be defined in a lot of ways. One way I view it is change or movement after an allotted period. In this regard, this reading can show that the simplest of movements can lead to art projects and ideas.

Do any verbs or actions stick out to you in this reading?

The actions of him thinking stuck out. He kept adding on precise details to what he realized while brushing his teeth. It also reveals that once he starts thinking of a routine in his daily life, that it chain react to even more thoughts or actions occurring during a single routine. 

Kaprow: Riley Patrick

What is Kaprow's main argument?         
            Kaprow’s main argument is that art can effectively be anything. This applies to art like the readymade or Kaprow’s own work of brushing his teeth. Setting your alarm clock or sheering a llama can all be art. Kaprow also had a focused on movement as art in this argument. He pays special attention to how movement and action, and how it relates to the mundane and living. I think in some way, Kaprow's main point is that life itself can be art. 

How does the reading relate to theme of the class/ how might it help you make art?

            Movement seems to be a very good expression of time based media. Movement can be interpreted in a multitude of different ways. It can be thought of as movement in animation or video, or performance art, or the movement of sound waves in audio art. Movement is inherently time based, as movement happens over a progression of time.

Do any verbs or actions stick out to you in this reading?

            There were lots of really interesting language choices. Some verbs and actions that stuck out to me are ironic, trivialized, brushing, performance, routinized, nonconscious, tension, pressure, and resonance. Three other words, admittedly not verbs or actions, which struck me, were rhythm, paradox, and aromatic.