Art Stuff

1. What contemporary, currently active artists do you feel your work is able to “have a conversation” with? Alternatively, what gallery or type of gallery (or company in your field) do you feel would be a good fit to represent your work?

An artist I think my work can have a conversation with might be Miranda July. She does interesting and humorous performance art videos that can be quite subtle. A gallery that would be a good fit to represent my work would be one that displays other video work and could accommodate screen projections

2. Aside from your friends and family, identify the type of person who has complimented or expressed being a fan of your work. By observing the characteristics of this person, attempt to identify your target audience or clients.

The type of people who expressed being a fan of my work were those who also enjoy video performance, mainly professors because my work hasn't had much exposure outside a college setting. My target audience might include those who have a background knowledge on the function and history of video art. 

3. When networking at openings and events, do you think it is appropriate to mention your own work as an artist? When and how?

1) In your practice, how do you think that you will benefit from social capital through negotiations?

Through negotiations, I will benefit from social capital because I can garner new relationships and create interesting collaborations with other artists that fuse both our interests. I will also learn the kids of people I work best with and what I hold to be important when making work. 

2) What are the long-term benefits of participating in negotiations in your practice?

A long-term benefit of participating in negotiations would be developing important connections that help me get ahead in my career. As well, through the years I will be more known for the work and negotiation style I hold and it will maybe have the chance to work consistently with some clients and be connected to their network. 

3) During your art practice have you gone through a negotiation? If so, what facts did you know about yourself, the situation in question, the other party's information and the timing? What was the outcome?

Notes:

Kandahar Treasure is a company formed to give women in Afghanistan the opportunity to make money by creating traditional embroidered garments. 

-The company aims to create permanent and lasting change in Kandahar

Background: 

-'81, she fled Afghanistan with her family at the age of three. 

-Sought refuge in Pakistan when the Soviets invaded

-Her family was speeding to flee and feared being targeted by the Soviet planes. They had commandeered air space and would target vehicles trying to leave the country. 

-They left in the middle of the night, driving fast with the headlights off to not be seen. 

-As refugees, they want to keep their arts and traditions alive, but it is difficult when you are now in a new country and culture. She could, however, keep traditions alive through dressing in her Afghan clothing. She was inspired by her mother clothes. 

-Pakistan not as welcoming to refugees. 

-Mudja HAdine came to her father when she was in 6th grade and threatened him to not allow his daughter to attend school or they would throw acid on her face. Her mother did not want to take the chance and so they did not go to school until they were admitted into America. 

-For parents, it was much more difficult to assimilate because at their age it was hard to pick up the language and way of life. 

-2001, she went to help refugees going back to Afghanistan, though she was unsure of how the surrounding events of 9/11 would affect the country. Her parents gave her money to give to the refugees, 10,000, and by the end of her trip, she managed to give all the money and spend it on clothes for those who needed to keep warm. However, it was then she realized this was not an efficient use of the money. The issue was that throwing money at a problem didn't make it better, instead it created a dependency. What would happen to those clothes in a few months? 

-2003, worked for non-profit, "Afghans for Civil Society"- which helped wiht social development in south Afghanistan. She managed the women's programs. Most women were illiterate, but she knew that women had skills in embroidery, and came up with an idea for create a company that could utilize those skills. 

-She believes that through business, it gives her integrity. She only produces a product with high waulity material because that is what sells and sustainable. Why create beautiful embroidery on cheap fabric? 

-She doesn't view the women working as victims, she sees women as the future for Afghanistan, better advocates for peace and equality. 

-Kandahar Treasure has about 400 women working, and about 3-4,000 benefit from the company through working and commerce. 

-Her company is a home-based initiative because many of the women live under extremely conservative conditions that do not allow them to leave the house, which is why it is typically impossible for these women to receive education and find work. About a third of the women are widows who need the income to support their children. 

Things to consider for the type of business you want to implement:

-types of commercial activities you'll do -number of people involved -how complex you need your organization to be -amount of money you generate from your art business -for profit or non-profit?

Sole Proprietorship:

-considered a sole proprietor if you work alone -owner and legal entity are the same -usually no legal formalities required such as fees to pay to the government for the right to conduct business -no corporate formalities- you make all of your own business decisions

Personal Liability:

-assets that a court can seize to satisfy a judgement  -sole proprietors are personally liable for anything that can go wrong in a business. Their assets are not protected

Ficticious Name: -if you run a business under a different name, it needs to be registered as a fictious name -other names: 'assumed name'/ 'trade name' / d/b/a (doing business as) -real name is used when filing taxes

Taxes:

-sole proprietor can file all taxes under their name and can deduct business expenses 

Partnerships:

-form of legal entity -defined: "two or more people carry on a trade or business" -each partner contributes money, property, labor, and skill for the business and share in profits and losses -don't pay income taxes as a business and their profits are not double taxed -partners not considered W-2 employees

3 Types: 

1. Limited:

-can limit or restrict their liability on par with their investment with the business. They don't have the right to manage day to day business.

2. General:

-retains control of the business

3. Limited Liability Partnership (LLP):

-individual partners not liable for certain wrongful acts of other partners -some states don't recognize this business structure

C Corporation:

-most common -entity that is separate from those who form it

Liability:

-it has separate business and tax identity than who formed it -shareholders not personally liable if business goes bankrupt -C Corp. can own property, engage in business transactions and sue other businesses, just like an individual  -must issue shares of stock to shareholders who own a portion of the business -must establish a Board of Directors  (CEO, etc. )

Advantages: 

-shareholders should have liability protection from corp's debts and obligations  -Corp can utilize health plans- better retirements and benefits

Disadvantages: 

-double taxation -higher start up costs -costlier to maintain

S. Corporation:

-formed same way as C Corporation -needs Board of Directors

Limited Liability Company (LLC):

-popular choice because it blends elements of partnership and sole proprietor -not a partnership nor corporation -owners are "members," not partners or shareholders -Articles of Organization need to be established: charter with basic information about mission and company -can have unlimited members -cannot exist forever: ends with death of member or by state's specifications

Liability: 

-requires fewer formalities than corporation -affords limited liability to members -protection may not apply in cases of fraud

Not For Profit (NFP):

Chapter 9:

1. You are looking for some used furniture for an upcoming exhibition and find an ad-“Selling some chairs and stuff; price is non-negotiable.” Would this ad fulfill the requirements of an appropriate offer? What would make this offer more appropriate?

-The ad would not fulfill the requirements. It is too vague and does not give important information such as condition, description, or price. Adding those details would make the ad a bit more effective. 

2. Which do you think is the most important of the “common” clauses when creating a contract (e.g. “Whereas”, Merger and Integration, Non-Waiver, etc.)? Why?

-Though all the clauses are important, the Severability Clause is crucial to include in a contract because it protects the person who made the contract if there is an invalid provision within the document. This clause isolates the invalid one and renders the rest in effect. Without this clause, all would be considered invalid. 

3. When/why is it advisable to consult a lawyer about a contract?

-Consult a lawyer about a contract when you are unsure of the details of what you are asked to do. Seek advice for a legal dispute. Better to consult and be sure than pay the price for it later. 

Chapter 10:

How would copyrights, trademarks and patents apply to you and your practices?

-I would need copyrights for photos, paintings, or videos I have made professionally to ensure protection and correct attribution for my work. Trademarks would be beneficial to distinguish myself and my brand and it a recognizable identity.

What is important to know about “art for hire” and its legal rights?

-If you are completing a work under an "art for hire" situation, ownership and rights may fall under the employer. It's important to see in your contract how credit and ownership is delineated

What is an advantage to using creative commons?

Newsreels and clips: 1967-1980

Notes:

The clips demonstrate the importance of youth standing up for their rights and their ideas. There is a need to reform from the old traditional ideas. ‘we can’t make a difference until everyone has the same idea’. 

There is little emotion expressed in black and white newsreels and films, however, once color is introduced, people much more animated and expressive

another clip showed a group wedding, women did not appear happy, competitions happen at the same time. The weddings sponsored by Radio Afghanistan. 

Kalah - compound where generations of families live in. 

Establishment of their republic in Kabul, people in favor of Mohammad Daoud

Bhutto- prime minster of Pakistan

-had negotiations that went peacefully. 

-big celebration of the anniversary of the republic

Sawr Revolution is the name given to the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) takeover of political power from the government of Afghanistan on 27-28 April 1978.  (src: Wiki)

kalaq- symbol of Afghanistan, political party. 

second anniversary of Sawr Revolution-  trucks armed with missiles parading through the street. Constantly asserting that they will go through any means to protect their country from foreign invaders. 

On how Ghani went about seeing/selecting these films:

She was looking for specifically representative of their period and films that showed some aspect of history that is not well remembered- ex: Dauod before he was assassinated. And it also featured one of the twin Buddhas before it was destroyed by Taliban.

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"Those Who Fire First"

Devastation and destruction. Fired shots at women, children, and destroyed fruitful tress. American weapons were provided to extremists. Jalalabad city attacked, the extremists were trying to capture the city for a few days and save the government. 

Jalalabad was able to regain what the enemies were taking. 

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"In the Name of Opium" - producers, Jump Cut

"In the Name of Opium"- first and last film cut are the same. but in the last its the son who was put into a box. ways in which different plots intersect. ways in which peoples lives are affected by opium. jump cut interested in criminality. not mindset, but how people who live in poverty are attracted to get rich quick schemes are in a position to be seduced by things that turn out to be traps. 

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“Dusty Night”

-people paid as government workers who are sweeping at night for a living used to own farms but were destroyed after the war.

‘as long as we’ll breathe, we’ll suffer’ 

-Sweeper explains the roads they sweep were not made correctly because a lot of the budget  (12 million dollars) was embezzled and only a layer was put down onto the roads. There’s a lot of dust on the street as a result and it’s a ridiculous that they are doing a job that has no end. 

“The Postman”

-follows a kabul postman who goes around delivering mail. The film gives an intimate look on a man who is dedicated to his job and makes it a community effort to find the recipient. Often times, there are no numbers on the houses, no street names, and finding the recipient is a word-of-mouth game. He tells an endearing anecdote about a time he delivered a letter addressed from the US to a woman who was awaiting a letter from her son. She thought that the postman was actually from the US, was a friend of the son, and came all the way from the US to deliver the letter. He went along with it because he didn’t want to disappoint her and lied saying that her son was doing well, put on some weight, etc, though he had no idea who he was.

Doctor Deborah Hutton curated the recent exhibition “Art Amongst War: Visual Culture in Afghanistan, 1979-2014,” a show which is aimed to complicate and enlighten the public’s view of a country we have had military contact with for the last 13 years. Featuring artists who have primarily lived in an era of war and conflict, the exhibit takes a look at the effects of long-term war.

Hutton explains that we have a shared vision of Afghanistan, sharing a collected memory formed by mass media images and political discourse. Through the show, she wants to answer the following questions:

-What does war do to visual culture?

-How does it deal with the effects of war? 

Additional notes from lecture:

’79-’89: Soviet union invades Afghanistan. Mudja Hadine Resistance makes international media. We heavily finance them to shoot down soviets.

-Soviets put in tons of land mines which devastated the land. 

-Afghanistan has largest refugee population, they largely flee to Iran. 

What’s the most popular picture in our mind of Afghanistan? May widely be known as “The Afghan Girl,” taken in 1985. The girl, who is hardly ever referred to by her real name, is decontexualized in this way. We care less about who she is, where she is coming from, the events that surround her life and country and more about making her appear exotic. 

-Mudja start fighting themselves in ’96, but because we didn’t care, there is little documentation of this occurring. 

-’96, Taliban take over. They bring stability but they carry harsh laws. 

-Our view of the country is now seen as land that is destroyed. 

-Taliban destroyed twin Buddhist monuments as an “act of iconoclasm”

-2001, we invaded and we stayed. 

-President of Afghanistan up reelection. 

-35 years of ward for country.  

Afghan rugs began showing guns in their patterns. They were being sold to US soldiers. Rugs are essential in Afghan economy and show the changing times and culture and its impact on commerce. 

—

  The artists in the show are young, equal male and female representation. 

-Abdul: explores memory and ruin. “White Horse” - makes videos using ruins

-Miriam Ghani- Brooklyn artist- works with archives and histories and examines what gets left out. Goes through translations to recall their presence. Explores the role of translation. She goes through records of the US interrogating prisoners dating from 2002-2004, during the reconstruction period.

-Aman Mojadidi -really fascinating. American artist with Afghan decent, does public art projects that explore Afghan politics and his experience with a dual identity.  (There’s a short TED talk on him).

Assignment: Choose a work by Sol Lewitt and recreate it using SVG graphics and computation with JavaScript.

Assignment 3: 

Using JavaScript and CSS3, create an interactive animation. You could make a graphic, a navigation menu, or a part of a website, or something more abstract. 

Click to see

Made a simple animation that moves the boxes on a loop. The buttons make the boxes bigger and smaller. 

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Assignment 4: 

Using jQuery, create a website that uses objects and loops to populate a page with HTML and CSS. It does not have to be a grid, but it should have multiples of an object modified to create a design. Use the content from another page or create new content for this project, but work should be focused on design elements like form, composition and color.

I think this is still a work in progress because I was having a problem with the looping, but now that I've got some of the issues worked out I might fix it up. It's an interactive to-do list and you can click it once it is finished and it will disappear. When I fix everything up, there will be an input form that creates a new div alongside the current ones. 

I had the tremendous opportunity to attend the workshop with Hans Haacke, the dinner at the Dean’s, and the symposium “Show and Tell.” Haacke is a genuine man, offering incredible insight on his work and life as an artist. During the workshop, he discussed a bit about his teaching style, a more hands-off approach. He explained that there are many artists who teach classes at institutions, and some come in with the goal of making disciples rather than individuals. The problem is these young students will all leave making similar work in a style that’s already been recognized with the same theories and ideas behind their work. And worse, students will only know how to respond to assignment, not to their curiosity. Rather, Haacke emphasizes to think for yourself. Everyone needs to learn to stand on their feet and come to their own conclusions about their work and the world around them. Additionally, he shared that during critiques, he would only guide the discussion and only let the artist speak in the end. Haacke explains that students also must learn to listen and understand the reception of their work, to see how their intended ideas come through on their own. It does not matter so much what the artist has to say during the critique because in a gallery setting, the artist will not be there to defend their work. As well, it’s important to remember that regardless of what your piece means to you and your ideas behind it, people will always interpret it in their own way based on their experiences. 

 Make a sample cost tree to better examine your costs as an artist.

2. Based off of your cost tree, look into your future and try to create a general pricing for one to two of your pieces in the senior exhibition.

Factors:

Materials: video, paper, brushes, ink, magazines, food Labor: body of work, installation, design for promotional material, food for exhibition, studio time Promotion: website updating, fliers to show

I'd probably price my work at around $500 to begin with since my work requires little installation time, cheap materials, and can be produced and reproduced (video) relatively quickly

3. Why is it important to analyze your financial status?

1. Why is it important to build a budget, even if art-making isn't your main source of income?

-Building a budget is important so you can evaluate what your spending and finding ways in which you can reduce/adjust those costs once you are aware of them. It helps you become conscientious of the resources you are using. 

2. Based on your current semester spending, pretend you are spending another term here- build a budget for that semester.

Tuition- $24,000

Materials- $300

Food/Groceries- $300 

Clothes- $300

Travel/Gas - $300

Adobe Creative Suite Subscription- $100

Books -  $150

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Total: 35,000

3. What is the difference between actual cost and opportunity cost?