CoP 2 Initial Ideas

COP 2015 ideas/notes

Demonization of marine life in movies/film….?

Whale in Pinocchio?

Jaws movie poster

Drug culture

Living in a world where the correct information is held back from us, and drugs that could be helping our health/mental health are still globally illegal only because the government wants to “save face” because of their crap decisions made decades ago (1960’s hippies, “say no to drugs” act and LSD ban. What would happen if drugs were legalised?

Link this to art/illustration somehow??? Art, creativity and psychadelics?

https://vimeo.com/141665601

Street Art/Graffiti culture

Defacing private property vs freedom of speech, expression and creativity

Is urban graffiti a force for good or evil?

5 pointz?

The effect of street art/graffiti culture on society?

growing trend of guerilla artists creating non-permanent "digital graffiti" via digital projections and using the facades of building as a surface for projecting political statements and art installations.

Links:

http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/arts/2015/07/18/street-art-detroit-culture-clash/30363471/

http://archinect.com/forum/thread/58642239/graffiti-culture-thesis

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/aug/22/5-pointz-new-york-graffiti-torn-down

Quotes:

that graffiti is always the enemy because it is easy to erase unlike poverty, failing schools, etc. 

I think graffiti is about making a disruptive statement in a counter-cultural manner (really like that term). Billboards happen through a "proper" social process, so I think they're more about an established form of visual communication, like Randh points out.

But In many ways graffiti culture has infiltrated our everyday lives. Graffiti has played a role in things like motion graphics and communications design. Walk into any big name advertising agency and you will meet people who have a street culture background. The creative class has basically digested spraypaint graffiti.

I'm willing to bet that Frac's examples are gang graffiti, or the shenanigans of a few underclass middle schoolers. Bear in mind though, that good things still emerge from the bottom. One day those troublemakers might be doing graphics for Fox news billboards, or study psychiatry in an attempt to understand their childhood behavior (any stats on this?)

Documentaries:

“Bomb It” marc ecko?

This video relates to a link metal posted (ITN architects): http://vimeo.com/49149385

Meet 2011 TED Prize Winner: JR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5MEC5MPjvg

Books:

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Calligraphy-Beyond-Markus-Mai/dp/3899550625

Breaking Convention 2015 - Greenwich University

Research following attendance at breaking convention conference June 2015

Breaking Convention 2015 - http://2015.breakingconvention.co.uk/

Jess Dawson & Zak F H - Bottom Left

As an interesting and quite different start to summer plans, my partner and I decided to attend one of the most important academic meetings of this years calendar - 'Breaking Convention 2015', the 3rd international conference on psychedelic consciousness.

The conference itself gathers scientists, journalists, academics, psychologists, doctors, artists, ex commissioners and many more (you get the picture) with the aim of sharing recent research, findings and hard earned results surrounding psychedelics, psychedelic/psychoactive medicine and its growing awareness as a whole all over the world.

As a bit of general background, in the 1960's research into psychoactive chemical compounds was at a high with many medical professionals and scientists (outside of the hippie movement) researching and finding out about certain substances which could do more good than harm to our brain science and well being - targeting specific debilitating conditions such as PTSD, Bi-polar disorder, anxiety, depression and cancer to name just a few. Unfortunately due to the large recreational use of and bad publicity surrounding substances such as LSD, psilocybin mushrooms and MDMA at this time - most research projects by universities and pharmaceutical companies ceased following the "Say No to Drugs' campaign lead by the United States.

Since the 1960's little to no funding into this area of research, and the tabu around the subject has meant that progression in research has been slow/ almost non-existent. Governments refused to fund such projects and studies and few saw it beneficial to invest or sponsor high end scientific research. 

In recent years, this is finally beginning to change as more and more people (not just academics and scientists) are recognising the benefits of psychedelic "drug" usage following ground breaking studies and awareness is growing, along with the ability to research and provide help to the many thousands of people across the world in need of alternative medicines, after only having access to the more common poison like pharmaceuticals with their high chance of debilitating side effects and low chance of success rate.

Currently drugs such as MDMA, LSD, Ketamine and natural substances such as Marijuana, DMT, Acacia, Magic Mushrooms, Iboga and Ayahuasca are proving to be more than just your "feel good" soul searching trip, aiding and ultimately curing serious mental based medical conditions and addictions as well as helping fight Cancer, Dementia and Alzheimers etc.

This is what brought my partner and I to the convention and the research and findings speak for themselves. Laws are beginning to change, especially with substances such as Marijuana now becoming decriminalised and medically legal in many US states and MDMA being used to treat a huge variety of medical conditions such as PTSD in a controlled medical environment. To hear from the professionals and scientists about these drugs and how they can help many people suffering throughout the world was inspiring and it is clear to see how this is no longer something associated with a bunch of hippies just wanting to have a good time - it is neuroscience at its best. This research and its results are real, current and now academically sound with many of the top universities across this country and the world offering scientific, professional doctor based courses in psychedelics and psychedelic medicine.

Links:

Breaking convention 2015 website - http://2015.breakingconvention.co.uk/

Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/BreakingConvention/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/breakingcon

Vimeo (Video Recordings of Talks) - https://vimeo.com/ecologycosmos

Attending this academic convention over the summer has highlighted an area of interest to me that I would really like to develop and understand further. I feel this research and theme is extremely relevant to culture and society today, and has had impact across all contextual areas including the progression of technology, science, medicine and our understanding of consciousness & creativity. It is because of this that I think the theme of psychoactive substances and their potential / impact / place within culture and society, is one with enough depth/scope to make the possible basis for my CoP2 project. - Even CoP3?

In Studio Task, Ideas and Task 1: Practical "Find, Observe and Record"

In Studio Task and Ideas

After last years Context of Practice research and essay project, I really want to find a new topic that I can expand my knowledge on that I am really interested in. I really struggled to sink my teeth into the module last year until I searched long and hard and found the right research and supporting information in an area of my subject that interested me. This caused obvious delays and lack of motivation and I am determined to not let that happen again.

Ideas in relation to the contexts: Culture and Society and Politics

Drugs culture, medicine and politics:
-1960's "Hippie" image vs leading medical science surrounding psychedelic substances.
-Psychedelic drugs, the 1960's medical truths and the "Say No To Drugs" effect on the world and medical progression. (Incorrect propaganda to the masses for decades, money spent on the war against drugs, scaremongering vs the facts. )
-Psychedelic drugs and the effects these substances have had on artists in history

Nature
-Nature vs Nurture - Humans attempting to control and exploit nature (e.g GM crops) and the impact of this
-Nature vs nurture - Human instinct vs experience, impact of surroundings and individual choices. Environment vs Genes Vs Individual Choices.
-Nature vs Humanity - Environmental issues surrounding deforestation, over fishing and natural habitat destruction for human needs. Can be linked to other effects such as animal agriculture and pollution.
-Nature vs Over Population. Artistic reportage and publicity and how this applies to further generations and has changed society.
-David Attenborough's "Humanity is a Plague" argument vs Lord Robert Winston's "no need to worry" hit-back and IVF argument.
-Animal Agriculture and its true devastation including the UN's recent statement regarding how humanity needs to move to a vegetarian/vegan diet to improve the worlds environment.
-Animal Agriculture: Food products and the treatment of animals. Effects and truths surrounding Organic, Free-range and Halal products vs the growing switch to Vegetarianism/Veganism.
-Where Nature fights back - examples. derelict buildings etc


Resources & Notes

• The man who says we can live to 400

The Times and The Sunday Times
Advances in medicine mean it’s time to stop fearing old age, a leading professor in longevity Read the full story

• Demonization of marine life in movies/film….?

Whale in Pinocchio?

Jaws movie poster

• Drug culture

Living in a world where the correct information is held back from us, and drugs that could be helping our health/mental health are still globally illegal only because the government wants to “save face” because of their crap decisions made decades ago (1960’s hippies, “say no to drugs” act and LSD ban. What would happen if drugs were legalised?

Link this to art/illustration somehow??? Art, creativity and psychedelics?

Pyroclastic blow from Luminokaya on Vimeo.
https://vimeo.com/141665601

https://shogofawafa.wordpress.com/2015/08/02/sex-and-psychedelics/

• Street Art/Graffiti culture

Defacing private property vs freedom of speech, expression and creativity

Is urban graffiti a force for good or evil?

5 pointz?

The effect of street art/graffiti culture on society?

growing trend of guerilla artists creating non-permanent "digital graffiti" via digital projections and using the facades of building as a surface for projecting political statements and art installations.

Links:

http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/arts/2015/07/18/street-art-detroit-culture-clash/30363471/

http://archinect.com/forum/thread/58642239/graffiti-culture-thesis

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/aug/22/5-pointz-new-york-graffiti-torn-down

Quotes:

that graffiti is always the enemy because it is easy to erase unlike poverty, failing schools, etc. 

I think graffiti is about making a disruptive statement in a counter-cultural manner (really like that term). Billboards happen through a "proper" social process, so I think they're more about an established form of visual communication, like Randh points out.

But In many ways graffiti culture has infiltrated our everyday lives. Graffiti has played a role in things like motion graphics and communications design. Walk into any big name advertising agency and you will meet people who have a street culture background. The creative class has basically digested spraypaint graffiti.

I'm willing to bet that Frac's examples are gang graffiti, or the shenanigans of a few underclass middle schoolers. Bear in mind though, that good things still emerge from the bottom. One day those troublemakers might be doing graphics for Fox news billboards, or study psychiatry in an attempt to understand their childhood behavior (any stats on this?)

Documentaries:

“Bomb It” Marc Ecko

This video relates to a link metal posted (ITN architects): http://vimeo.com/49149385

The Hive Graffiti Apartments by ITN Architects from ACCLAIM Magazine on Vimeo.

Meet 2011 TED Prize Winner: JR 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5MEC5MPjvg

Books:

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Calligraphy-Beyond-Markus-Mai/dp/3899550625

********************************************************************************************************
Task 1 Practical: "Find, Observe and Record"

Keeping these new ideas in mind, we were asked to head outside and get some visual reference, inspiration and photographs linked to our chosen theme. These visual references are to be used as a basis for initial drawings and visual responses in our COP visual journal.

Observational Reference Photos: