Matt Gonia and "Senses of Cinema"

“Sense of Cinema” is an online journal based in Australia that is devoted to serious discussion of cinema. The writers and operators of “Senses of Cinema” believe that cinema is a true art from that can take many other forms. “Senses of Cinema” examines and talks about films from a verity of avenues from major Hollywood blockbusters to experimental video and media. “Senses of Cinema” tries to bring about an awareness of the histories of these different styles in film, video and experimental media work. “Senses of Cinema” attempts to cover nearly all films and videos that are made. Operators of this “Sense of Cinema” want to have journals, interviews, and articles about all of these films and more importantly the circumstances under which they were made, how they were made, and by whom. “Sense of Cinema” not only considers and records current film and video work but also goes to great lengths to consider the first works in film all the way back to the Lumiere Brothers film “Arrival at a Train Station” in 1865; the very start of the age of the camera. Considering “Sense of Cinema” is an Australian based web Journal it can be said that it not only looks at local films but considers international work as well.

This is apparent as they examine Hollywood Blockbusters. The work that is exhibited on the website is in journal and essay format, and carries links to other works of art, articles, journals, and publications. The work is circulated by links on the web site that lead the articles, journals, and other publications. The articles talk about everything that can be said about the film making process. They ask everything about technique, writing, lighting, sound, funding, to satisfy their readers. The two articles I have picked are Article 1 “Alex Cox” by Ralph Beliveau and Randolph Lewis under Senses of Cinema’s Great Directors topic, and article 2 “Power and the Mythic Gaze in Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler” by Arthur Rankin under Sense of Cinema’s Cinémathèque Annotations on Film.

These two articles are typical examples of the vast kinds of material that is on “Senses of Cinema.” Article one is a piece about the work of Director Alex Cox such as Repo Man (1984), Sid and Nancy (1986), Straight to Hell (1987), Walker (1987), Highway Patrolman (1991), Death and the Compass (1992 and 1996), The Winner (1996), Three Businessmen (1998), and Revengers Tragedy (2001). In this article by Ralph Beliveau and Randolph Lewis they present how Alex Cox made these films, the actors in them, and more. Over all an excellent article that really brings to lights how Cox made these films. While in Article 2, “Power and the Mythic Gaze in Fritz Lang’s Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler” by Arthur Rankin. This article brings to light more about Fritz Lang as a filmmaker and the creative choices he specifically made in, Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (1922 Germany 270 mins), more importantly how the cinematic choices he made in this film would be a refection of the era. This article was also an excellent one to read unlike article one which was more a detailed filmography coupled with details of the inner workings of the film. Article two was more of an essay describing Fritz Lang’s methods and motives in the making of this film. As I researched this web journal I find it is an excellent source, not just for academic use, or as just a current dailies report of what’s going on in film and video, I see it as an excellent learning tool, an aid to film professors, film students, filmmakers both independent and mainstream. “Senses of Cinema” is defiantly a journal I will be looking at fore quite some time.

Matt Gonia at Act-React Film 202 UWM

The two interactive art installations that I liked the most at The Milwaukee Art Museum were Healing #1by Brian Knep & Snow Mirror by Daniel Rozin. When I went to the Milwaukee Art Museum to experience all the exhibits at Act-React; the two that I enjoyed the most out of all the installations were Healing #1 and Snow Mirror.
In the exhibit Healing #1: this is an interactive art piece that included a large paneled floor with 4 projectors above it. On this large floor panel was projected a network of organic cell structures that were colored green and orange. And would dissolve once walked on by the participants who walked on this floor panel. Any direction or design one made could be made with the dissolving of the cells membranes. But what I thought that was really great to see was that the cells would start growing back slowly, instantly, and the cells that grew back would come back in a different pattern every time.
In Snow Mirror: this interactive art piece involved a screen projecting a ghostly image of the person who would be in front of the projectors in the room. The image of the person standing in front of the projectors is reflected back in the snow mirror and shows the person’s image stuck in a snow storm. When ever a person would stand still the programmed snow would collect on the person’s shoulders, head, face cloths, and one could literally brush off this snow. What was really interesting about this piece was that once the snow was brushed off, it would not just dissolve but instead flutter away in the snow mirrors breeze. I know I enjoyed this exhibit when I caught my self trying to make an effective looking snow angel in the fake snow in snow mirror.
When comparing these two art installations there are very similar in that they are both interactive pieces that the viewer can manipulate by doing almost anything within the pieces restaurants. In Both Healing #1 & Snow Mirror the viewers own body and what they do with it is what makes the piece even more interesting. When I went to go experience these exhibits in The Milwaukee art Museum with my friend we both interacted with these exhibits by are selves and then as a team. On Healing #1 the both of us were successful in completely clearing the floor paneling of the cells. We watched as the cells grew back slowly and form a new pattern just because of our efforts in this piece. In Snow Mirror we would both played with the snow trying to make snow men or just even see what we could make in this installation. These two pieces can be compared further in that the exhibits programming was made by scratch by both the artists.
However it is important to examine how uniquely different these pieces are as well. The first main difference between these two installations is that Healing #1 is displayed as floor paneling projecting cell structures on it. Snow Mirror displays a large screen on the wall with projectors capturing the person’s actions and placing them in the Snow Mirror. The cell structures in Healing #1 react to how people walk on the floor paneling; while Snow Mirror reacts more to the people’s upper body actions. The cell structures in Healing #1 reform in different patterns every time after being transformed. While the digital snow in Snow Mirror would gather and collect on the persons involved and react just like real snow.
My Involvement in changing, complete, and impacting the work is only a narrow event considering how many people interact with both of these pieces. Did I complete both Snow Mirror and Healing #1? I felt that I contributed to its evolution as a piece of art but I do not think that I completed the work and certainly not by my self. I have a feeling that these pieces of work can never be completed but can only evolve from all the changes they encounter and the people who interact with these installations in space. I defiantly feel that I changed these art works. Because it is quite possible that the designs or changes I made have never been made in these two pieces by anyone else. I think that these art installations respond well to how many people interact with them.
I do not think it is possible compare any of these pieces of art to anything else, only because these pieces of art unique and stand on there own. I don’t think that with how much they change and all that they can do can be compared to any other great piece of art work only because, there are only so many art works that can be manipulated and changed so much and non of them could compare to each other. Only because these installations have gone under a vast number of different experiences by so many participants I don’t think they could ever be fairly compared. The two exhibits I have chosen are so incredibly different and yet they share certain similarities that link them to the title interactive art work, the creators of these pieces should be proud of the work they have accomplished. The Act-React event at the Milwaukee Art Museum was a great experience for me I was glad to have been apart of it as an active participant, viewer, and artist.