Avia Allen
Time Based Art
FA/VISA 2053m
March 26th 2010
Music is for people. A vibrant and active collective of harmonies, bass and rhythm strung together to create a holistic entertainment for all to experience. Whether it was a way to express oppression from the slave trade, or to narrate a story through staged dramatic work otherwise known as opera, to grooving in the clubs to the newest dance song, music is an art form that is made by the people for the people. This concept is the driving force for my blog - music generating culture. Music generating culture is a celebration of contemporary popular art/music that is about the urban spaces we inhabit, experience and explore. Seeing as music is one of the greatest elements to have defined our world and culture, it is critical to see how exactly this has formed societies and cultures by exploring what came before and what is now- the future has many in store for us so it remains open ended. More specifically I attempted to not only explore music, but as well explore the youth cultures that it has spawned; these sub-cultures of today are rapidly changing, along with it is the music that drives this change.
My work throughout this semester has basically been a critique of my topic, music generating culture. From starting my search in the 1950’s era, I had an understanding of where and how this music has prevailed in generating a vast array of youth sub-cultures in society. Touching on subjects of original Hipsters in the 1940’s, to Greasers in the 1950’s, Hippies in the 1960’s-70’s, to the Hipsters or “contemporary” culture of today, this study had left me asking numerous questions, some more prominent than others - which subject came first, the culture or the music, and also what is contemporary and why does art need to be contemporary? As an artist, I do not tend to view any art that I create as “contemporary,” but in a sense it proves otherwise as contemporary art is “art of today and the now”. One of the readings that were assigned to us actually touched upon this question that surfaced within my research. According to curator Dieter Roelstraete, he explains that “Contributing to, or participating in, something that does not tolerate definition or other forms of circumscription (so being part of something that is ultimately unknowable: not knowing what we’re doing) is one of the ways in which “culture” in general essentially reproduces itself. This is an important nuance to distinguish, for it necessarily means that contemporary art belongs to the general field of “culture,” whereas art does not (that is to say, not necessarily)” (Roelstraete, 2009). So, contemporary art belongs to a field of “culture” wherein contemporary art is unknowable yet reproductive. This is my stance on what exactly can be considered contemporary- you cannot exactly define art as contemporary as it belongs to culture and since culture is ever changing, it is unknowable what contemporary art is.
The work that I choose to revisit as a final project is the Video Project I did on the Hippy movement. The question evoked for that particular project was “what came first, the culture or the music?.” The project took a very literal approach to answering this question and I guess was not exactly “contemporary” enough to evoke thought and meaning as it was laid out for the audience to watch. I plan to revisit this piece and have a more abstract approach to culture and music. Using two single visuals of classical music culture and popular culture of today, I am making a comparison and opposition affect, or better known as a “Mash -Up” to conclude my topic of music generating culture.
Works Cited
Roelstraete, Dieter. "What is Not Contemporary Art?: The View from Jena". e-flux. March 29 2010 .
Performance Piece
This piece is about media and culture's (and everything that it encompasses) affect on the self. In todays society, we have the opportunity and choice to be "connected" with and "plugged into" all the various channels that society and culture can offer us. It's our choice whether to connect to it or not. So with this concept, I'm exploring whether the self should eliminate certain mediums/channels from the self or connect and be plugged into it.
Plug it In
Links
Plug it In
Links
Project 3: Digital Video
The Hippie Revolution
So, what came first- the chicken or the egg? This age old question can be associated with the many elements within our culture. In regards to my blog, what came first- the music or the culture? Searching the history of the Hippie Movement, I seem to have answered this question. It was definitely the culture. Everything that happened from the late 50's to the beginning of the 70's has sparked what we consider the "hippie era". Political conflicts, love, narcotic use, war, and self-expression as well as a plethora of other things have all contributed to the 'peace, love, and harmony' society that was has made a permanent mark in our history books.
For this project, I will be taking a look into the hippie revolution; the riots, the people, and the events that made this happen. Answering questions such as what creates the connection between music and the people. Whether the music created the culture or did the music just come naturally. Even deeper, defining what exactly did come first when it comes to this youth subculture- the culture or the music.
So, what came first- the chicken or the egg? This age old question can be associated with the many elements within our culture. In regards to my blog, what came first- the music or the culture? Searching the history of the Hippie Movement, I seem to have answered this question. It was definitely the culture. Everything that happened from the late 50's to the beginning of the 70's has sparked what we consider the "hippie era". Political conflicts, love, narcotic use, war, and self-expression as well as a plethora of other things have all contributed to the 'peace, love, and harmony' society that was has made a permanent mark in our history books.
For this project, I will be taking a look into the hippie revolution; the riots, the people, and the events that made this happen. Answering questions such as what creates the connection between music and the people. Whether the music created the culture or did the music just come naturally. Even deeper, defining what exactly did come first when it comes to this youth subculture- the culture or the music.
The O.Hs and its Contemporaries
For this project I wanted to focus on the Hipster youth subculture that seems to be infiltrating the mainstream and minds of culture today.
The whole Hipsterism world isn’t something that just came around in the 21st century, but is actually a re-occurring style and culture that has seen its share of “hip” since the 1940’s. So, what is a Hipster? Well, way back when, a hipster was someone associated with a subculture that considered itself hip (encyclopedia). Used to describe white aficionados of jazz in the 40’s, it also described Bohemians and the Beat Generation (group of American writers who celebrated non conformity and spontaneous creativity). With a laid back attitude, many made popular the use of recreational drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines and heroin (Hipsters such as bebop musicians like Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday and Miles Davis). So, the music that generated this sub-culture was that of Jazz, Swing and Bebop music of mainly black performers with a grand audience of white aficionados. The styles that were popular for this subculture were that of the Bohemian; beret wearing, frequently in black, Kool cigarettes, sunglasses at night, frequenting jazz clubs and coffeehouses in New York’s Greenwich Village.These were the O.G’s of those times, the Original Hipster.
==image is comprised of Billie Holiday, Maila Nurmi, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis==
Jazz and bebop Hipsters Miles Davis and Charlie Parker
So what about the Hipster subculture that we know about now? In the 90’s and 00’s, Hipsterism became a slang term used for urban middle class and upper class adults with liberal and non-mainstream (yet mainstream) fashion and cultural interest. Mostly associated with alternative, “indie” culture and living, the Hipsters we see today follow a varying array of vintage styles mixed with “campy’ manners. These hipsters still have a niche for coffeehouses (mainly starbucks yet some low key places like Dark Horse in downtown Toronto), DJ clubs and thrift-stores (Value Village ftw!) with the addition of NME magazine and radio. The term for Hipsters isn’t the same description of those in the 40’s but “ hipster usually refers to young people who may have an appreciation for independent rock, a campy or ironic fashion sense, or an otherwise "bohemian" style. They are typically associated most closely with alternative culture, particularly alternative music, independent rock and independent film” (encyclopedia). We all know of this trend/style/subculture, as its so prominent in our Western Culture. Some deem it as the demise of Western Civilization, since it so accessible and malleable and flaky; one day its in, one day its out. Hipsterism as we know it today is generated with the indie, alternative and rock music we hear on the radios, mtv, much music and magazine culture around us.
==image is comprised of google images==
Bloc Party
Hipster Contemporary Sub-cultures
==a blend of elements from Original Hipsterism and Hipster Contemporary==
The whole Hipsterism world isn’t something that just came around in the 21st century, but is actually a re-occurring style and culture that has seen its share of “hip” since the 1940’s. So, what is a Hipster? Well, way back when, a hipster was someone associated with a subculture that considered itself hip (encyclopedia). Used to describe white aficionados of jazz in the 40’s, it also described Bohemians and the Beat Generation (group of American writers who celebrated non conformity and spontaneous creativity). With a laid back attitude, many made popular the use of recreational drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines and heroin (Hipsters such as bebop musicians like Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday and Miles Davis). So, the music that generated this sub-culture was that of Jazz, Swing and Bebop music of mainly black performers with a grand audience of white aficionados. The styles that were popular for this subculture were that of the Bohemian; beret wearing, frequently in black, Kool cigarettes, sunglasses at night, frequenting jazz clubs and coffeehouses in New York’s Greenwich Village.These were the O.G’s of those times, the Original Hipster.
==image is comprised of Billie Holiday, Maila Nurmi, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis==
Jazz and bebop Hipsters Miles Davis and Charlie Parker
So what about the Hipster subculture that we know about now? In the 90’s and 00’s, Hipsterism became a slang term used for urban middle class and upper class adults with liberal and non-mainstream (yet mainstream) fashion and cultural interest. Mostly associated with alternative, “indie” culture and living, the Hipsters we see today follow a varying array of vintage styles mixed with “campy’ manners. These hipsters still have a niche for coffeehouses (mainly starbucks yet some low key places like Dark Horse in downtown Toronto), DJ clubs and thrift-stores (Value Village ftw!) with the addition of NME magazine and radio. The term for Hipsters isn’t the same description of those in the 40’s but “ hipster usually refers to young people who may have an appreciation for independent rock, a campy or ironic fashion sense, or an otherwise "bohemian" style. They are typically associated most closely with alternative culture, particularly alternative music, independent rock and independent film” (encyclopedia). We all know of this trend/style/subculture, as its so prominent in our Western Culture. Some deem it as the demise of Western Civilization, since it so accessible and malleable and flaky; one day its in, one day its out. Hipsterism as we know it today is generated with the indie, alternative and rock music we hear on the radios, mtv, much music and magazine culture around us.
==image is comprised of google images==
Bloc Party
More Images for Project 2
Hipster Contemporary Sub-cultures
==a blend of elements from Original Hipsterism and Hipster Contemporary==
Developing Sub-Culture
When reading about youth sub-culture, many theorists believe that it has to do with the diversity of class. Marxist theory has even gone so far as to label it as "inherently consumerist and integral to the divide-and-rule strategy of capitalism". Youth culture is the most dominant culture in our western world and that theory proves itself true as we see a diverse range in interests, music and style codes in our society. With the development of rock and roll in the 1950's, many new youth cultures were beginning to arise.
With Greasers, pin-up girls, rebels, and mods, the 50's had seen its share of a new culture.
With Greasers, pin-up girls, rebels, and mods, the 50's had seen its share of a new culture.
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