POST #7 – Reading and GRQ – Theater of the People

The Greeks, after adopting the Phoenician alphabet, would proceed to create many forms of entertainment after understanding its possible uses. Some advancements in architecture include the Greek Amphitheatre, in which—thanks to its design—the sound was amplified to the point where a coin being dropped could be heard from every row of seats. It would not be long, however, before the Romans would use Gothic architecture to enhance theatre. Gothic architecture would be utilized for domes, vaults, churches, and many more buildings resembling and respecting the gods.

1.)    Ancient Greeks

2.)    Homer

3.)    Iliad, Trojan War

4.)    Odysseus

5.)    Homeric epic

6.)    Antagonist, Protagonist

7.)    Gods

8.)    Inductive reasoning

9.)    Sophocles

10.)    Plato

11.)    Allegory of the Cave

12.)    The Republic

13.)    Dionysus

14.)    Satyr play

15.)    Greek theatre

16.)    Tragedies

17.)    Pain, Cruelty

18.)    Thespis, Theatre

19.)    Antagonist, Main character

20.)    Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides

21.)    Dionysus

22.)    Alexander

23.)    Catharsis

24.)    Golden Mean

25.)    Verisimilitude

26.)    Three unities

27.)    Universality

28.)    Intermezzi

29.)    Opera

30.)    Nobility

31.)    Intermezzi

32.)    Modernism

33.)    Modernism

34.)    Wagner

Post #6 – Lecture Baroque Theatre – Opera

Baroque Period --

·       Catholic church rivaled other religions for superiority.

·       People were commissioned to make paintings for churches.

·       People wanted to hear about their true past.

·       Cesky Krumlov’s Baroque Theatre could draw people in with its visual and structural appeal.

o   Evolved to become ornate; wider from more characters, special effects, and spectators.

o   5 balconies.

o   We still use their orchestra pits to this day.

o   Occasionally “break the 4^th wall” (actors, in character, interact with the audience).

·       Add as much equipment and as much machinery under the stage as possible.

o   Same technology in the Colosseum (raised animals and warriors in elevator-like platforms).

·       Went back to these classical themes in the Renaissance.

 

Opera --

·       Dramatic work in one or more acts.

o   Singing to tell a story.

·       Musicals use acting, dancing, and singing—there is a difference between operas and musicals.

·       Literally anything can become and opera, no matter how outlandish, disrespectful, or weird it can be.

·       Castration of children in choirs would end in the middle of the 16^th century.

o   Pope Leo XIII spoke for this to end.

o   Barbers would conduct surgeries on children to manipulate their voices.

¾    Most of which would not survive.

o   Castrated children’s voices were strange, shaky, and more high-pitched.

¾    Like a woman’s voice.

·       Farinelli was the most famous castrated opera voice in the 17^th-18^th century.

·       Cathy Barberien was a very accomplished opera singer.

o   She figured she could do a lot with her voice.

o   Stripsody: making random and crazy noises(?).

¾    Most people would not accept this as music.

·       John Cage figured the opera was limited.

o   Introduced the use of silence.

¾    “Noise”.

¾    “Water Walk”.

¾    Extremely unorthodox and unheard of.

o   Both he and Cathy Barberien were “avant-grade” artists.

¾    Stepped out of their comfort-zone to take music to another level.

DISCUSSION:

The Industrial Revolution transformed economies and influenced citizens to become more knowledgeable. Usually, products were handcrafted, and the old fashions of critiquing art had high expectations for aspiring artists (Impressionists). But, in these days, mechanized manufacturing and mass-production would take over, and pieces from any and every individual would be accepted as a form of art. Citizens during the Industrial Revolution would constantly try to "break the rules of the Renaissance". New machines, power sources, and ways of life would be developed and expanded upon. For example, the new steam-powered railroad engine would become a faster and more efficient form of travel from place to place.

POST #5 – Reading and GRQ – The Art of Indigenous Americans Art History: A Century of Exhibitions

The United States of America claimed its “artistic independence” and “affirmed its indigenous roots” was by celebrating Native American art. Prominent artist, John Sloan proclaimed it as “the only 100% American art produced in this country.” In December 1931, curators of The Exposition of Indian Tribal Arts tried to convince the public that Native American art counted as art made by America, not Europe. In the spring of 1941, the Indian Art of the United States exhibit filled the entire Museum of Modern Art in New York City. MoMA was a “museological landmark” by then. Multiculturalism did not become a common term until the 1980s. Multiculturalism would be expressed by the expressive culture of women and people of color. In 1983 and 1984, New York City’s Metropolitan Museum held two small exhibits for historic American Indian works, which gave hopes that this would “add a significant collection to Native art to the Rockefeller wing,” which held several African, Oceanic, and Pre-Columbian works. Yet, sadly, the Met turned down the gift of possibly 700 works. Luckily, this collection would come to rest in the private hands of the Fenimore Art Museum of Cooperstown, New York. In the 1980s and 1990s, numerous Native art shows were organize in American art museums. For example, The Decades Show was an influential 1990 exhibit of contemporary art. Furthermore, for the National Gallery in Washington D.C., was the venue for many traveling shows, such as Ancient Art of the American Woodlands and Art of the American Indian Frontier.

1.)    Native

2.)    Museums

3.)    Native art

4.)    Pueblo watercolors

5.)    Esthetic value

6.)    Basket Dance

7.)    Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

8.)    Multiculturalism

9.)    The American Painters

10)    American Indian Art: Form and Tradition

11.)    Native art history

12.)    Ghettoization

13.)    Younger generation

Post #4 – Lecture Native American – Gothic Architecture

Native Americans --

·       Used tipis and various types of hand-built houses for quick and easy shelter.

·       Had a story for creation; Genesis.

o   God was the only creator.

o   There would be many bloody battles between separate tribes over whose religious beliefs or stories were true.

·       Hopi and Pueblo tradition suggests that human should take care of “Mother Earth”; Maasaw.

o   Left gifts from their home in return for harvests, rain, luck, protection, and victory.

o   Split into tribes—“Find the centerplace”.

·       Native Americans would all gather in one spot to share beliefs and ideals from observing their world.

·       Stories would almost always be told.

o   Little Hawk is very passionate about storytelling.

·       Performances and dances were held in small spaces.

o   Communicating with their gods.

 

 

Gothic Architecture --

·       “Revolution in architecture”.

o   The entertainment venue.

o   “Perfect home for a bishop”.

·       Gothic cathedrals had stained glass windows above the entrance and around its walls, as well as towering pillars in the front and/or rear corners of the building.

o   Represented God, Jesus, Mary, the angels, and the saints.

o   Built with gargoyles (“guardians”) on the top corners the buildings, and filled with lots of treasures and gold.

·       “Gothic” stems from barbaric looks and worshipping the gods.

o   Taller structures with thinner walls.

·       Flying buttresses helped support buildings.

·       Relics for religious groups were very important; “Relic wars” would be held sometimes.

o   Thieves would fight for riches.

·       Choirs were held, and only boys (not men or those who are hitting puberty) could sing.

    

      DISCUSSION:

      Native Americans were seen as saviors, as they were believed to have guarded Tampa from hurricanes that would strike. Roman advancements in technology are also worthy of praise for their numerous forms of architecture and entertainment for crowds.

Blog Post # 3 – GRQ – SYLLABUS

My answers for Week 1 GRQs:

1.)    True 

2.)    True

3.)    True

4.)    True

5.)    True

6.)    True

7.)    True

8.)    True

Post #2 Cuero and Creativity

In Patricia Gras' interview with microbiologist Raul Cuero, talks about how you have to be a "good absorbent of nature" and how people shouldn't always be focused on a screen (12:54). He also mentions that you must be committed and be very focused to maintain creativity. I'm pretty sure that I agree with Cuero's creative ideology. I have had plenty of moments in high school where my focus was shifted and I lost track of what I was supposed to do for an assignment in the subject. Since then, I have trained to keep my focus, as I know that the information given to me is important so that I can put it to use later in my life. Using this mindset can certainly help me identify details more easily, should I forget something; I can put the pieces together. Sometimes, I can even make a misinterpretation on how my mentors want my classmates and I to finish our work, which happens for many people in work and school alike. In short, listening to what people have to say about how I do things and keeping a close eye on my objectives are surefire ways to enhance my creativity.

Some people are more creative than others because of their ability to find more than just one use for common objects. Scientists have researched that people who are more creative usually have their brains “wired” differently, in ways that make it so that brain systems that would not normally work together do so. Normally, if the executive network would be activated when a person thinks, the default would be deactivated. Some of these people who have such wiring have also been found to have more creative hobbies and activities to spend their time with. These people can brainstorm harder and find various ways to creatively solve problems. In an experiment, the scientists have discovered that the human brain uses three “creative networks”: the default network, the executive control network, and the salience network. Each of these three “networks” serve different purposes in the creative mind of a person. The default network is used when people are involved in spontaneous thinking; daydreaming. Executive control networks are in effect when people need to focus their thoughts. The salience network is essentially the switch between default and executive networks in the human brain. The 163 subjects used in the aforementioned experiment were graded on their originality, and had the functional connectivity of every wired in their brain measured in fMRIs. Common ideas received lower scores, and more diverse ideas earned more points. Later on, the scientists would learn that they can measure creativity scores based on the strength of an individual’s connections to their network.

DISCUSSION (9/10/21):

Because Cuero accepted and absorbed all of the criticism he received, he was able to utilize that feedback in a positive way and learn how to do things in life. Some people agree with his mindset that the school system is lacking in teaching creativity because of how their own minds operate. Others disagree because they believe that everyone has the creative potential to do whatever they wish; it is simply latent potential that people tend to downplay.

Post #1 Profile and Picture

First things first, my name may be Dewey Wethington, but I usually go by my middle name: Jackson. You can call me whatever you want, I just go by Jackson most of the time.

I am a massive enthusiast for animation (2D, 3D, stop-motion, etc.), which is why I came to the University of Tampa to learn more about it. I hope to receive a major’s degree in animation while I am studying here. I like to create art with a lot of things; drawing on paper, programming codes on computers, or even using LEGO bricks to build some contraptions. My creative range is pretty wide, and being creative makes me feel proud.

My overall goal in life is to find a job where I can produce episodes, films, and/or movies for shows that I love—integrate myself into franchises that I have adored since I was a toddler. I want to bring ideas to life and see how other people think. Another plan I have, in case I cannot find a job in any animation departments, is to become a voice actor for those shows or films (either that, or a blueprint artist, as I have also studied how to sketch designs in my technology classes back in high school). Alejandro Saab, a part-time YouTuber as “KaggyFilms” and professional voice actor at Funimation, really inspired me to seek that line of work. He was a very entertaining content creator on YouTube, but I never expected him to apply for a career in Funimation, so it surprised me. He was the spark that influenced me, especially since he is so good at voice acting, in my opinion.

I think I have a solid plan for my life. Learning from the classes I have this year can definitely help me with the achievements I want to obtain. Ultimately, I came to the University of Tampa because I thought it was just a beautiful campus and a great place to have fun and make more friends.