Theatre Reflection
Keep these in mind as you attend the performance.
1. How would you describe the venue (setting for the building, lobby, theatre space)? How did the actual
architecture of the space make you feel and/or affect your experience?
I would describe the lobby venue as something similar to an American movie theatre. However, once you got inside the stadium it reminded me of a medieval times production I went to when I was younger. I think because it was so big, the production felt less intimate and more powerful, masculine. The chairs were extremely uncomfortable and I found it at times distracting because the space was so big and there was almost too much to focus on.
2. What was the “unifying vision for the world of the play?” Analyze the performance using the design
principles and theatrical elements (see powerpoints and notes from first week of class).
To be honest, I have no idea how to answer this question. It was easily, hands down the strangest experience of my time in Paris. This is not to say I didn’t enjoy it, but I just was unprepared for such confusion, making it difficult to find deep contextual principals of design. Yes, of course, there was unity with they horses going around and around and variety with the music. Additionally variety was added because it seemed during the entire production seemed to tow the line between submissiveness between the horses and man, who had ultimate control over another and it at times seemed to have an overarching theme of sex and sexual connotations between men and women. I think the attire, music and choreography made the experience dirty, raw and organic. Almost as if this conflict was emerging from the ground. I have no idea what I was suppose to take away from this or what the ultimate message was, but I can see how something so off the charts and taboo would attract so much attention to draw a full house.
3. How did the production make you feel? What did it make you think about?
I don’t have other additional thoughts other than what was mentioned above because it I really didn’t understand it, so it makes it difficult to have concrete opinions on something that is so unclear. I think it is unclear for many reasons. The biggest being it was in French and what they find worthy is very different than what Americans deem worthy. Additionally it was more of a production and less of a play or story with a clear plot. If there was a clear plot, I may have missed it. Overall, I think it was interesting, but I would never go to see something like this on my own time.
SCA 321_Reflective Paper
I did it all the time when I was younger. Not like toddler young, but also not any time within the past five years either. Essentially I am looking to define a time of my life between five and ten. I will call these years the inquisitive ones; the years where I was cognitively developed enough to grasp the concept of how the world worked, but still brimming with so many questions only satisfied with the logic of Crayola markers and some glitter glue. It’s not like I wanted to know how to perform brain surgery or file a tax return, no— for it was the more abstract concepts. Like where do fish sleep, do their mothers tuck them in like mine? How come I can still see the moon in the day? Or the one that always made me think long and hard, does Santa see the same clouds I do? This idea of a vast expansive blue abyss constantly blanketing all of humanity always lead me to believe it meant we were all experiencing the same thing. Every time a cloud looked like a dinosaur, everyone else saw. Every time it rained, it rained everywhere else. Every time a plane flew over and made a loud noise, the whole world heard it. Essentially I was under the impression that the blanket of blue above was not in fact, that big, and everything I saw, so too did the rest of the world.
Somewhere between watching CNN regularly, getting my first Bolivian pen pal and traveling to Europe for the first time this past year, I may confidently assert that this world and the individual experiences man faces that end up, in culmination, molding humanity, are in fact, the farthest thing from the same.
I think as an American I was inherently brought up to believe that there was a certain regimentation I needed to abide by in order to be considered an American. It wasn’t like anyone sat me down and said this is what you will believe and if anyone questions it just tell them it’s the American, I mean AMURIKA way of doing things. No, it wasn’t quiet like that, rather just an expectation of accepted blanketed stereotypes and expectations from American society. Yes, we may have copious amounts of resources from live news streams, to social media and relatively easy access to international travel available to us at our fingers, yet we are quick to put parameters on what we as Americans deem worthy. One is either rich or poor, gay or straight, Christian or Atheist, good or bad, black or white, leaving no room for the gray. I did not understand this concept of non existent ambiguity until I went to Europe.
My study abroad experience shaped and molded a new expectation for a simplistic life blue print, that unfortunately, crumbled the second the plane tires hit the tarmac on U.S. soil. Prior to my Europe travels, I thought the whole world looked at life like we did. Instead, I was so pleasantly surprised that people in other countries simply do not find a use for the excess. The Jones do not exist and they certainly are not trying to keep up with them. As an example, clothes dryers, air conditioning and hot water are either non existent or used very sparingly, setting a tone of respect and humility for the world we live in.
Paris was beyond just the monuments, gelato and smoke chalked air. Paris was a wake up call to not only recognize, but engage and react to the cosmopolitan culture around me. I have a new, everlasting respect for the country and their way of humble, reserved outlooks. If I could sum up one word to describe Parisian culture it would be: overly simplified. Which, in juxtaposition to the gaudy, flamboyant and wasteful excess of America would balance each other out nicely if the two countries ever decide to establish their own country. Just a thought! Now I recognize I can’t move mountains over night, but recognizing where we fall short as a culture is a start. I think the thing that I have noticed the most since I have been home are the attitudes of my fellow American commuting comrades nine-to-fiving it everyday to and from the city. Everyone is ALWAYS in a rush, but for what I cannot tell you. Additionally, the amount of people whom are in this country obese are staggering. I guess because I didn’t really notice it before until it wasn’t here for an extended period of time and then coming back from Paris and seeing it still surprises me. However, the biggest thing I am aware of is how we as Americans, take for granite the programs and financial infrastructure in place to help those who can’t help themselves. For example, the people on welfare in this country have the access to resources that France would only dream of. There is really no reason to beg on the streets here. We have devoted entire agencies, departments and clinical resources to helping people get back on their feet. However, in France there is not this this safety net, nor is there a middle class. Rather the have and have nots.
Now don’t get me wrong I love my air conditioning on a steamy summer day, or a hot shower in the morning to wake me up. And I do have pride in this country. Pride for the determination, moxie and continued devotion to freedom. However, what I am not proud of is the attitude of entitlement that American citizens are known for. We may be prideful, but without the disregard and disrespect of those around us. I am not looking to change this culture, but I am looking to change at how I view the world. I recognize a lot of the things I deemed so important, really aren’t. Ultimately, the Parisian mentality of doing without the excess has given me a fruitful, simplified rest of my summer that I look to make into a lifestyle choice into adulthood.
321_Reflection Composition
I loved the metro and the catalyst of opportunities it provided me with as my time in Paris, therefore I chose that as my text. Now I recognized that a page of a metro map is not a “book”, but it was certainly the most important thing I carried around with me next to my passport and had one of the largest impacts. All of the items on this page were keepsakes from the places I was able to go to, visit and experience. Beyond the physical infrastructure of taking me from point A to point B, the metro taught me so much about French culture, for it was where I was able to gain raw, at times intense and fascinating glimpses into French culture. Everything from street performers to commuters to even a deceased homeless person all contributed to make up my metro experience a cornerstone in my time in Paris.
Weekend Assignment-cultural event 6/7-6/9
This weekend I attended the Loire Valley excursion with CEA. We did several things, including tours of castles and chateaus, royal gardens, patronized several small towns in the countryside, stayed at a lovely resort, ate exquisite French cuisine and participated in wine tasting. When we first arrived to the winery we were shown how they made their wine with a video that walked us step by step on their specific processes for fermenting wine. Afterwards we tried several wines. Although they were all different types of wines–some more dry than other, all of the wines made at this particular winery were made only using white grapes. A perfect example of unity and variety. After the wine tasting we had a tour of the establishment showing us where the bottles where held, the pots the wine is fermented in and finally the packaging for the bottles–a start to finish tour. It was worth commenting the various temperature shifts in the winery. At times, mainly when we were in the storage facilites, how cold the winery was. This was consistent theme throughout the tour of how temperature affects the wine and how it is important to stick to a repetitive standard not to tamper with the quality. Overall it was an interesting and informative cultural event unique to such an amazing part of France.
**My camera fell in the toilet so I no longer have picture taking capabilities. I really wish I could have included pictures from my trip in this post!!
Sketch Assignment
Orsay Museum
Pierre Bonnard-Le Plaisir
I noticed how the space was divided between a foreground and the background with the emphasis on the frame surrounding the painiting. I also liked how the artist broke down and combined the colors to provide contrast between the light and dark hues of the painting. Finally, I think the artist did a wonderful job creating a story by placing us into the setting. Not only with the characters, props and time of day, but also the frame helps to create a fairytale feel. Almost as if it was a “once upon a time scenario”.
Pompidou
Pablo Picasso- The rocking chair
I think Picasso wanted to invoke a series of emotions in this piece. First and foremost a sense of anger may be seen for how disheveled disproportionate and mutilated she seems. This is enhanced by the very agressive brush strokes and contrasting colors creating more visual variety not allowing the eye to rest in any particular place for very long. Additionally, I believe there is an element of fear that underlies the entire piece because of how rapid, violent and even sloppy the painting looks. Almost as if there was an alternative reason behind why the artist chose to paint this the way he did.
Soundscape
Artist Statement: Soundscape Project
SCA 221
Mikala Marrone, Annie Wood, & Maggie Kamenitsa
June 4, 2013
“Don’t you ever get the feeling that all your life is going by and you’re not
taking advantage of it? Do you realize you’ve lived nearly half the time you have to
live already?”
~Ernest Hemingway: The Sun Also Rises
When deciding as a group on our quote, we were faced with many ideas for
each one presented. This one, however, seemed to hit home with us. This is
possibly due to our age and coming to the realization of how short life is. It is also
possibly due to our current surroundings. Constantly we tell each other “Live it up!
You’re in Paris!” We may not have needed that extra chocolate croissant or had to
have those fabulous earrings. But in all honesty, it is fortunate that we are able to
realize how short our time is here and to live it to its fullest, even if that means a
couple extra pounds from our delicious baguettes.
Contrasting this mindset that we have being in Paris, is our chosen quote.
One interesting thing that was said almost immediately was how anxious it made
us feel to hear it. That being said and agreed upon, anxiety became a major theme
within our soundscape as well as the main emotion we wanted to evoke in our
listeners.
Initially, we decided to portray anxiety with the tempo. We wanted to begin
fast and then end slow, representing acceptance. However, we then came to the
conclusion that our quote did not end with the acceptance of an unfulfilled life. It
ended with a question, leaving the reader with open ended and freshly brewing
thoughts of what they were going to do to change their life. Will you realize time is
precious, check reality and improve yourself? Or will you remain the same and
accept that life is winning? The pressure is on.
Using our quote as somewhat of a mid point in our piece ultimately allowed
us to tell a better story. Hypothetically speaking, we viewed it at the beginning as a
mundane, unfulfilling and somewhat repetitive life (symbolized by the kind of
overdone repeating beat at the beginning.) Then, our quote is introduced, (at the
time of the halting noise and layering of sounds) making the viewer realize how
short and precious life is and that they should not be waiting. Finally, the last
section to our story is representative of taking advantage of life to the fullest with a
very energetic tone. The sound of voices is also incorporated to add meaning to our
message. It shows that life is going by around us, never stopping and sometimes
unforgiving.
The anxiety of knowing our time on this earth is limited is one that is
certainly shared by many people. While some people are at peace and truly enjoy
life at each and every moment, this quote also made us feel the pressure of missed
opportunities and time dwindling away. There are many things that can cause
anxiety on a daily basis, but the idea of time running out is an overreaching stressor.
It is a somewhat of a daunting task to take this entire life theme and turn it into a
soundtrack, but hopefully with the guidance of Ernest Hemingway, we were able to
express our own feelings through this mash-up of daily life and melodies.
Our video was on the group flash drive so I was unable to upload it to my personal blog. The video was made of software unique to Mikala’s computer.
Tapestry Project_Narrative C
The climber whistled a happy tune as he hiked the path up towards the base of the
mountain face. His gear barely weighed him down, eager as he was to begin his
climb.
He slowly worked his way up the steep face. Every move was a test of his strength
and endurance, but he was confident that he would reach the top of the mountain.
The hours passed as he continued to scale the treacherous mountain face. He was
weak and hungry and tired. He imagined the possibility that he might not reach the
top, or worse yet, might lose his grip and plunge to his death.
At the brink of exhaustion, he pulled himself over the summit and collapsed.
Hours later, refreshed and victorious, he displayed his elation with a victory dance.
Weekend Assignment-Place
This past weekend I went to Ireland. Although it was a short trip, it was fruitful nonetheless. After arriving late Thursday night, we made it into our hostel with no problems. This was the first time I had ever stayed in hostel. From the beginning I noticed how much of a community the place had. I would even go so far as to say that the design principal of unity and contrast was present. On one hand, most of us were united by our age and zest for exploration of Europe. Yet, there was contrast in where we came from, our backgrounds, heritage, reason for traveling etc. I felt as though I was part of a community greater than just the six other girls I went with. A community of wanders, nomad, just people on a mission to explore.
The next day we wandered around Dublin. I instantly sensed so much positive energy from the locals. Every single person I met in Ireland was so kind, caring, SMILING and just gave off so much energy that it made the cobblestone streets come alive. Additionally it was the first time all trip where I didn’t feel like I had to hold onto my bag for dear life for fear of being pickpocted. The overall theme of being relaxed consistently shined through the city, making it a truly enjoyable place to be. We toured the Guinness Beer Factory, Ireland’s claim to fame! Inside we tried samples, learned how the beer was made and had breathtaking views of the city. It was easy to tell that the people of Ireland took a lot of pride in Guinness. It was important to them. Even when I was out and about during the weekend, I noticed how nearly every patron at a restaurant boasting an Irish accent or not had a Guinness in their hand. Speaking of food, Ireland’s food in contrast to food in Paris was superb. Some of my favorites include the freshest salad with sun dried tomato paste with a poppy seed mustard dressing over a bed of hazelnuts and sugar snap peas, the burger that had to be the best beef I have ever had, the fish and chips and my favorite was the heart wheat bread. The food was so flavorful! This is not to say that food in Paris is not good, but they seem to contrast on their specialties. Paris being scones, pastries, cheese, bread and wine; Ireland being the meat, grains, produce, and dairy—the hearty foods.
The next day we drove to the opposite end of the country and went to the Cliffs of Moher. These beauties of towering rocks provided breathtaking views that hugged the rocky Atlantic coastline with the rolling Irish countryside stretching into infinity behind it. In total, the trip to Ireland demonstrated how different two countries may be, even if they are only a few hundred miles apart from each other. It made me appreciate the uniqueness that each country has to offer and most importantly to get out there and travel at every chance I get!
Window Displays
This first window display demonstrated the principals of unity as well as variety. The various colors in the stripes of paper provide variety, yet the fact that the paper is the same shape and size provides the unity. Furthermore, this window display exemplifies solid rhythm because of the downward motion of the hanging strips of paper
This window display demonstrates the design principal of rhythm seeing as though the foliage appears to be hanging in the same direction creating a cohesive flow from top to bottom. Additionally a contrast is created from the high key lighting at the top of the window display in comparison to the low key bottom lighting.
This window display demonstrates the design principal of transition and connection. It does this by transitioning our eyes from the foreground and background by the varying the heights and distances between the paper flower and the ground. The elements in the window display are in connection because they are composed of the same materials, colors and proportions.
This window display highlights the design principal of unity and variety because each individual paper flower has its own distinct characteristics unique to that individual module, but when viewed on a macro level all of the individual shapes are unified by similar colors, shape and overall aesthetic feeling.
Both of these window displays are similar in the sense of contrast. Contrast is exemplified by the extreme texture of the flowers in the foreground which is in juxtaposition to the smooth background.
Annie J Goes to Paris 