Coldplay by Mike Tompkins

Mike Tompkins' A Capella cover of Paradise by Coldplay
(Courtesy: www.tedeschi.mx)

The Youtube video by Mike Tompkins performing Paradise by Coldplay in A Capella was astounding. His voice is extremely versatile and is able to prove he can compose a song on his own. I have seen a few songs performed in A Capella, however, this is by far one of the more eye catching and involved out there. The addition of the multiple camera appearances definitely increases the engagement with viewers. With all of the sounds and movements his mouth makes, viewers can watch all of the effort that went into the making of the song.

The art of opera singing has evolved drastically since its creation in 16th century. Nowadays singers must reach and exceed new heights as they expand their talents far beyond just singing. Mike Tompkins displays this well as he demonstrates his skill beatboxing, singing and creatively imitating instruments as seen in his other videos. The singer of today seems to be well versed in a variety of fields, in addition to drawing inspiration from other talented artists. Even today's artists are somewhat of a technological genius. For someone whose main talent is singing, his videographer skills are impressive proving a true blend of technology and art in this modern age.

With the assistance of Youtube, millions of people are able to broadcast their talents and shared skills with the world. This expanded audience opens up many opportunities that they otherwise would not normally have. Many Youtube stars with a million or more followers started just like any other amateur user did when originally creating an account, with a minimal fanbase and a desire to reach thousands of viewers around the world. If opera in the 16th century had the ability to attract such a vast crowd for free, like Youtube has done for vocalists such as Mike Tompkins, then it would have been bigger in other countries than just Europe. Every culture has their own take on performance art and singing, yet all do not stem from opera itself, rather takes influences from each other and their traditional roots.

Overall, the modern day singers have evolved since Italian theatre and moved to an electronic stage than can be viewed by everyone at all times.

Die Antwoord

Yolandi & Ninja with their co-star Chappie
(Courtesy: 41.media.tumblr.com)

Tuesday's class was profound watching Die Antwoord's Rich Bitch. The music video portrayed a very particular taste in hip hop that only a few can appreciate. Much so, the lyrics and theatrics are unique to their character and background. In my opinion, the music video was of satire as to prove to the upper class that you do not need to follow rules or act in a respectful manner to have money. Based upon watching their other music videos, it is apparent that there are a number of sub-meanings behind the content they provide for viewers.

Ninja and Yolandi are two ostentatious South African rappers who are better known for their social stigma defying lyrics and vocal careers as Die Antwoord. My first exposure to the duo was in Neill Blomkamp's film Chappie. The two vocalists turn stars as they appear as the supporting roles and parents of the protagonist robot Chappie. They do a fine job portraying South African criminals who must teach a state-of-the-art, armor-plated attack robot with newly acquired AI how to adapt and thrive in a society riddled with crime. Personally, this was one of the best sci-fi films I have watched in a while with plenty of action, comical moments, and dramatic twists. I highly recommend seeing this movie for those who have not already seen it.

Only after learning who they actually were, did the music video and personalities of both vocalists make their appearance in the film that much better. It would be amazing to see a sequel to the Chappie film as it would mean the return of Ninja and Yolandi to the big screen. Overall, the two have made a significant rise in their careers since their formation in 2008. On their individual Instagram accounts they are seen hanging out with Cara Delevingne, the upcoming star to portray Harley Quinn in the Suicide Squad. Previous to this, Die Antwoord had cameos of her and many other renowned stars in their Ugly Boy music video.

Foucault & The Panoptic Tower

Michel Foucault, philosopher, critic, theorist, historian and much more
(courtesy: i.ytimg.com)

The Panopticon does pose a good option for reforming inmates, addressing large crowds of people, and entertaining. On the other hand, there is a reason why the architecture has shifted from this style despite its effective results. The truth being that it is no longer practical to have structures constructed in this way is what left it as mere history. Nowadays there are too many prisoners incarcerated with far more creative ideas than in the nineteenth century. There are such things as human and civil rights that each prisoner is entitled to, which means they are granted time in "the yard". Even the most dangerous criminals in maximum security prisons are still allowed one hour of recreation out of their cell. During these times interactions with prison guards occur, whom could potentially be corrupt and aid in their escape. My point in mentioning all this, is that despite the genius of the architecture and its once revered use, has now become obsolete. Concert and lecture halls now have televisions and surround sound to mitigate the problems of vision and hearing in such cases.

Traffic cameras are a fine example of the advancement of surveillance ultimately limiting peoples free will and power. Without knowing who is watching, drivers must control their speed and driving habits as not to run through red lights. I personally do not agree with traffic or speeding cameras, due to the fact that it creates a stepping-stone for a society in which all actions are monitored by government agencies and large corporations. I understand the reason for implementing them, traffic accidents have gone down as a result, however, peoples psychological well-being should also be taken into account. A world where everything and everyone is monitored for the excuse of their "well-being" seems to be the plot for any sci-fi movie these days. With so many technological advancements occurring so frequently, I would not be surprised if events like the ones portrayed in the Terminator franchise. As the article stated,

As we naturalize rules, society could be said to become less willing to contest unjust laws.

This is a clear representation of blind faith with minimal questioning from society. So long as it does not affect or impact your life directly, nobody will raise attention. Thousands of people a month receive a ticket in the mail for a traffic violation that last decade would have gone unpunished. The problem does not lie with all drivers, just a small percentage, installing cameras at major traffic intersections and in close proximity of schools suggests all people are guilty of this habit. In other underdeveloped countries, the streets are lawless, with what seems like two as many drivers and motorists on the road yet there are the same if not less accidents. In most underdeveloped areas, there aren't even traffic lights let alone stop signs. There are many factors that contribute to this suggestion, like low horsepower capability yet, people seem to be more vigilant in my opinion.

The craving for more information could potentially lead to mans downfall. Many scenarios have been theorized in hypothetical situations in the form of films. One of these films is Ex Machina, the story of a man who is chosen to interact with a robot capable of artificial intelligence. The man was supposed to run a series of tests on the subject, then determine whether it was capable of passing as a human or not. Ultimately the mans urge to gain more information and sympathy for its confined state, led to his demise. The internet is one of the most impactful inventions to date, with its capability of linking individuals globally whom without it would most likely never interact otherwise.

Pjotr Sapegin’s Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly (Courtesy: https://i.ytimg.com)

Pjotr Sapegin's Madama Butterfly was a creative spin of Giacomo Puccini's 1905 opera depicting the tragic reality of temporary marriages forged between naval sailors and the indigenous females. The animation was interesting to say the least. I had not seen the original opera so as soon as the video began I was taken for surprise. With the first few minutes elapsed and the story beginning to unravel, it was clear that there was deep meaning behind the initial scene which ultimately turned out to be a devastating ending. The woman was left behind to bear the sailors child only to have him return and be stripped of the child and emotionally scarred eventually pushed to take her own life. The spirit and innocence the woman once had in her physical form was not lost when she took her own life but was carried into the afterlife when her spirit took form as a butterfly. The butterfly resembles the freedom that she had always wanted or deserved while waiting for her lover, which she can now fully achieve after being given wings. Overall, the animation was well choreographed and extremely thorough, however, took a great degree of interpretation to arrive at the exact significance.

WWE Vs. UFC

WWE Vs. UFC (Courtesy: www.ifcompare.com)

The article "The World of Wrestling" by Roland Barthes brought an interesting topic to light, the difference between spectacle and demonstration of excellence. In regards to wrestling, its roots as a performance based entertainment draws attention to the dramatizations performed by the wrestlers as opposed to boxing, where a match is determined by a battle of skill and passion for the sport. Barthes identified a grave reality when comparing the two in the following quote.

"The logical conclusion of the contest does not interest the wrestling-fan, while on the contrary a boxing-match always implies a science of the future." 

What Barthes does best in stating such, is the outcome of both wrestling and boxing as well as their importance to its spectators. Personally, I grew up watching wrestling but never worried about who won so long as there was sufficient action. With the advent of the UFC and boxing ever more prevalent than in the recent years, boxing has received much more praise for its ability to attract all crowds.  So therefore, I believe there is validity in Barthes viewpoint and statements to back it up. As mentioned in the reading, wrestling draws upon and shares elements of theatre. Suffering, defeat and justice as Barthes claims, can all be witnessed during a wrestling match, all while using the crowd's emotions to fuel the outcome.

Despite being predetermined matches, I would enjoy the Tables, Ladders and Chairs (TLC) matches. These always seemed to portray the more realistic violence than the proverbial punches or stomps. Fans have taken their own approach to the "sport" and have created backyard wrestling, which portrays similar themes, however, involves untrained participants who actually sustain real injuries. Many popular television shows such as Tosh.0 or Ridiculousness have aired home videos that have shown such events. Pop culture has also taken their approach at the modern day perception of the spectacle. South Park and Workaholics have parodied the theatrics of wrestling highlighting the outrageous backstories that the wrestlers direct to the audience and the whimsical gullibility of their audience. Overall, my take on wrestling is a negative perception, however, it is difficult to ignore because it is a multi-million dollar industry.

1st Day of ART211 with Cat Thompson

Art & Technology clash, an ongoing topic for discussion
(Courtesy: The University of Iowa)

Hey! I am Matthew Chang. I am an International Business and Management major taking this course as it seemed most concurrent with the advancement of art as opposed to the many others. Art is not one of my strong suits, however, I do favor music and drawing when I have free time. Hopefully there will be time to cover these areas throughout the semester.

My first thoughts before beginning class was that it would follow the same constructs as any other art class I have previously taken. In high school and prior to that, the course would cover topics that were determined by a board of educators that deemed particular content important. More often than not, there would not be room for additional material chosen by students in the lesson plan.

Upon arriving to class and listening to Professor Thompson, I knew this would not be the case. She made it fundamentally clear that what we learn in class would be relevant to our daily lives and the influences it draws upon.  I am particularly excited to see how art has evolved from its most basic form to its most modern representation.

After concluding our first meeting, I left with a great sense of relief knowing that the class is instructed by a professor with an unconventional way of teaching. This creative approach will surely breach the gap that many other professors have a difficult time overcoming with their students.

The story of Dr. Cuero is a fine addition to the classic tales of struggling at an early age, striving for greatness and eventually achieving it. With 9 scientific inventions claimed in his name, it is no wonder why he is considered a revered microbiologist. His invention of a product that helps clean up oil after spills and discovery of a process, stimulating anti-oxidant production in plants are extremely helpful to many businesses as well as applicable towards an environmental effort. I agree with Dr. Cuero, in that to be creative you need to exceed preconceived notions of you by innovating and changing expectations. Many born into luxury are at a disadvantage as they are not challenged to find solutions to life's most basic obstacles, leaving them with only the most challenging which are left incomplete or unsolved. Learning inductively, new knowledge, is imperative for growth in addition to advancement of our society. His interview with Patricia Ross made it clear that many obstacles can be overcome as long as the individual sets realistic goals without the fear of failing and interacts with their surroundings creating new ways of thinking.

So far it seems to be a good start to the spring semester, I am looking forward to the next class.