Blog Reflection

In the semester before attending this course, I had very strict definitions and guidelines imprinted in my mind for how to evaluate what constitutes ‘art’ and ‘technology’ respectively. I never saw the two as relatable beyond being able to use one as a tool to create the other as a product. By default, I was a person that would focus on what differentiated the two subjects – one is (usually) devised and defined by its electrical components; the other is most commonly seen as a creative process that either highlights the power of imagination or as a means to address/challenge political and social issues – rather than noticing their shared similarities. This is how society conditions us to view them, as the two are always under separate categories in the educational spectrum. ‘Fine Arts’ and the ‘Sciences’ promote a limited view (or particular perspective) of the subjects they are attempting to define. If you associate more as being a creative mind, you are considered ‘artsy’. If your talent lies in logistics, you must be a nerd or an engineer.

This class, above all else, revealed to me my own personal biases and the rather ambiguous method I subconsciously use to judge what is considered ‘art’. I realized fairly early on that I was having a hard time wrapping my head around some of the artistic pursuits we covered in the lectures. Is networking art? It’s a fine example of technology, but is using the internet to open and close a door simultaneously (in response to another door’s movement) actually an art form? In the sense that it is creative, one could argue the artistic value in it, but my mindset saw it as simply another quirky way to use technology.

Having grown up as a digital native, the division between technologies and art were clear. Technology (which I have a natural affinity to) was any tool (electrical or otherwise) that served a specific purpose. Art was a creative outlet in which individuals could explore various mediums and share with the world either aspects of themselves or messages they wished the public to notice. Now that there has been a semester’s worth of ideas and discussions circulating through my brain, I find it harder to distinguish any notable difference between the two categories. How is building technology not creative? That alarm clock on my desk is an art form, not simply because of the function it performs but because its design was an intentional aesthetic decision by its manufacturers. Every form of art ever - whether it be the Red Rogues or those McDonald’s pony figurines currently displayed on my shelf - required technology to enable its existence. The two go hand in hand; one frankly cannot exist without the other, for their premises, at their core, are nearly the exact same thing. They are all creative inventions with their own unique purpose.

My technological portrait (this blog) was largely influenced by that mindset. At first, my indecisiveness led me to post about anything that might have been going on that particular day that seemed to have relevance. Reading back on those entries, they were very thoughtful and applicable with the course themes, even if I was not 100% certain that they were at the time. As I had predicted in the first few posts, my subjects were largely based on a specific threshold of ideas – all projects personally related to myself: Red Rogues and school projects, mainly, showcasing the work I had been doing for other classes that related to the arts and technology theme. As I discovered and mentioned above, I came to the realization that anything could really be spun to be a harmonization of the arts and technology, so mostly everything I did this semester was technically relevant to the project. Perhaps that is the main reason why this blog consists mostly of my own material, though to be honest when I find nifty projects created by others, I am not hardwired to think “Oh, this would be great for the blog!” The first time that epiphany struck me was with the Game of Thrones post… which is certainly a most recent and last minute endeavour after an entire semester of opportunity.

           

Overall, this course was an enjoyable experience and I definitely recommend keeping the technological portrait as part of the curriculum. It is a fun way of expressing yourself while relating to the course themes (the best way to learn is through application and experience, after all). My initial worry when I heard about the project was that I wouldn’t be updating it enough. I do think that 20 (perhaps one more after this entry, we will find out) is a decent number, considering the demands of the semester altogether.

Thanks for the great semester! It’s been a lot of fun!

Vanessa Hood