Global Peace Film Festival

The Global Peace Film Festival starts Tuesday, September 22. This will be the 7th year that Rollins has hosted this extraordinary event that is dedicated to the idea that peace is possible on a global scale. My friend, Adrian Cohn, and I collaborated on a film that is featured in the festival this year. It is a short film (music video) titled, "Ideologies (The American Dream Song)." I wrote and performed the song in the video, while Adrian filmed and edited it. The final product turned out to be an interesting integration of both our artistic talents, but above all highlighted a controversial concept--the American Dream.

Visit the site below to find out more about my music video "Ideologies (The American Dream Song)"

http://globalpeace.bside.com/2009/films/ideologiestheamericandreamsong_globalpeace2009

Digital Art: Response to Manovich & Paul Readings

Digital art has been around for decades. It's origin derives not only from artists, but also much of it was influenced by science and technology. It is within this symbiotic relationship where the lines become muddled when attempting to classify digital art through the traditional method. Manovich states that there is this, "assumption that artistic practice can be neatly organized into a small set of distinct mediums..." but in fact, that assumption does not reflect "the actual functioning of culture" (1). Mediums such as photography, film, television, and video are integrated into different forms of presentation using various mediums, and the result is a new artistic category--digital art. The digital revolution brought about an expansion of ideas and perceptions through the interactive characteristics of digital art. "The public or audience becomes a participant in the work... the artist often lays the role of a mediator or facilitator for audiences' interaction with and contribution to the artwork" (Paul 21). I think this interactive aspect of digital art is so important to our culture. With traditional art, there is almost an elitist notion in appreciating a work. Only those who are well-versed and conditioned in traditional art are considered worthy critics. Yet, when art is made to include everyone's input, a whole new kind of dialogue is opened up and cultural boundaries can be explored even further.