iMedia: Frank Gehry's Architecture

      Frank Gehry and his architecture has taken the "norm" out of the word normal. As one can see, the building to the left and to the bottom are not normal looking buildings. The one to the left looks as if it will collapse at any moment because of the weird bend, but it's called art. The building at the bottom looks like it's from the future. Even though we are not used to seeing buildings like this, Gehry's architecture has changed the way buildings can be built, and his creativity has changed the way we think. If you Google "Frank Gehry Buildings" you will find some of his best works and some of the most interesting buildings you have ever

seen. By watching a documentary about him, we were able to see how his creative process works. He basically takes random pieces of paper and puts them on a model in weird and awkward angles and wa-la, we've got ourselves a fantastic new building.
     What I'm getting to is that by seeing Gehry's work and being able to see how he creates it, gives students like us hope. Hope that maybe one day, things that we create- whether it be "normal" or not-will change someone's view. Gehry's work was unlike anything before, it's very modern and sometimes it's hard to understand, but his awkwardly shaped and futuristic looking buildings has made him a sufficient load of money. Architecture was something his old teacher told him wasn't for him, but now he's made well-known and well-liked buildings, and he's doing something he absolutely loves and he gets paid for it, so what's better than that?
     Gehry has also paved a way for others to create whatever goes on in their mind, to make something of themselves and maybe one day, their art can be appreciated as well.

Blogging Around

Justine: Connecting the movie Once to other Hollywood movies. Deliberating on similarities and differences.

I agree with you, that the movie Once was so different from some of the movies that I usually want to see or watch. It was kind of a nice change from the typical love story from those Hollywood movies because most movies have gotten very predictable and they're not that fun to watch anymore. What happened in this movie was definitely unexpected because I was totally predicting that the two main characters were going to end up together. Like you said, the way he showed her that he cared about her was something new, but still cute at the same time. I also agree with your point about Once and other Hollywood movies; Hollywood movies are now being filmed in a way for the audience to feel like they're watching a home video and for the audience to feel that the story is real. It was something far-fetched from the movies I am used to watching, but it was nice. Great job on your blog!

Rachel: Talks about the inconvenient truth about technology, how it evolved and how it may be hurting us more now than helping us.

Everything you said about technology was so true. I do believe that technology has become a total obsession than a helper. I could never, never, never get rid of my iPhone because it's like a part of me. I just couldn't imagine life without it and I keep wondering how I lived without it before; that makes me sound like a totally iPhone obsessed person, but I bet half the teenage population would agree with me. I almost never just use my phone for texting now, it's always for social media apps and games. It is definitely a need now. I think we should take a break away from technology as well and get back to going outside and hanging out with friends in one place instead of talking to each other and staring at a computer screen all day.

Change of Mind: Postmodernism

       Before going over the Modernism and Postmodernism chart in class, I payed no attention to those two words; to be honest, I didn't really know what those words meant. Then, we went through a very organized chart that differentiates between Modernism and Postmodernism. I took an interest in the Postmodernism side, because it's from 1945 to the present, the time period in which I lived in and am living in now.
       In "The Individual" part of the chart under Postmodernism, two ideas spoke to me. The first, "space is corporate" (Allen) was something I didn't think about before. I didn't look around and notice all the ads that were plastered in every open space or the arenas, buildings and other places named after companies. When I watch the Blackhawks play, the rink is covered in advertisements from all their sponsors and there isn't a space left untouched by corporations. By talking about this, it helped me realized that space is corporate, companies own almost everything we use and the places we walk into everyday. The second, "mediation of experience: what is distant can be close and what is close can be distant" (Allen). Another idea that I also did not think about before discussing it in class. I admit that I'm the person that is always on their phone, but then again, so are my friends. We all have iPhone's now, so we get anything instantly and we can access anything when we want to, it's all in the palm of our hands, literally. But, I guess that's the problem isn't it? We distance ourselves from the people close to us who are there then and there, by using our phones to connect with people who aren't there.
       The section, "Worldview" changed the way I see the world today. Two more ideas, changed my mind on my worldview. I learned a new word: Pastiche, it is the coexistence of the past and present (Allen). We examined how the people from the past influenced the way we built, created, and mastered things in today's society. How architecture from ancient Greece can be seen on modern buildings, how we took old inventions and made them better and more efficient. The little things from the past are sprinkled here and there and now I know that they're there. Then, there is the idea that "the distinction between economic and cultural breaks down" (Allen). Commercials are supposed to help sell a product, but nowadays they seem more like a public service announcement and they use like 3/4 of the commercial to talk about something other than the product... like the Chrysler Superbowl commercial... was that supposed to be about the car or a farmer?
       Lastly, the section "Truth" and the fact that it is "impossible to have historical authenticity" (Allen) changed my mind as well. I always thought as a kid and even now, that places like Disneyworld and places where we can go on cool safaris were really fun! but apparently places like that destroys historical authenticity, because instead of visiting the actual place we can get the fake version right here close to home. I understand that they're trying to make it convenient so we don't have to travel to those far away lands, but I would actually much rather see the real, true thing in person where it's naturally supposed to be.
       So, by going through the Postmodernism side of the chart and seeing all the examples, my mind has been changed and I look at the world in a different perspective.