improbable monument...idea

Stressed out for not having a clue what I wanted to do for this project. I asked Pete, my husband,  "what do I care about the most?" " I'm lost!" He told me, "You care about living your dreams, and live them with passion no matter what." Of course, I dismissed this right away. Saying,"What?!"  "How can I do a improbably monument with that??"

Take a few days, and I thought it was perfect.

If we all have the courage and confidence enough to just go after what we want to be, to fulfill our dreams, I  believe this world would be a different place. 

This is my idea thus far sans images....

I want to build a structure. The outside would be large, strong and organic. Much like a tree trunk. At the top, the "trunk" will branch off like "fingers" balancing a very large round glowing bulb. You would be able to go inside this "tree trunk," and on the interior walls would be flashes of different color lights streaming up to the top, and many voices of small children saying, " when I grow up, I want to be a....."

Also, I want the large bulb to be constructed where it could be opened and spread out (much like an actual representation of a globe map), so films could be played on this, now extended screen.

This is my idea thus far, and I really like it. I think this will be my improbably monument, to those who want, and to those of have,  fulfilled their dreams.

improbable monument....thoughts

I watched the film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" The opening sequence was of a man, a blind man, a man who's son had left to fight in WW11, a man who was commisioned to make a clock for the city.

His son had died in the war, and when the man did the big reveal of the new clock,  it went backwards, counter clockwise.

The man did this on purpose, he said if he had the power to turn back time, maybe all those men and women from the war would now be alive, that maybe his son would be with him now, maybe this war wouldn't have happened.

I thought that was absolutely beautiful. That was his monument.

Right now, I have nothing....

Monument Intervention

I did not chose a specific monument to work on for the intervention project. What I chose to do, and feel so strongly about, was making a video projection about the destructive nature of Black Friday. Black Friday is a first hand look of how manipulative corporations are to lower income families. It saddens me that they can be so easily seduced by cheap prices, and in-turn, cheaply made products. And what has come of it? Chaos, violence, and even death.

Isn't that what an intervention is really about? Giving truth to those who are blinded by it, and making the statement loud and clear.

My original idea was to make this video and display it on a Walmart or Target building on Black Friday, when people are standing in line at 3,4,5 o'clock in the morning. That was my ultimate goal. However, since this project's deadline was earlier, my collaborates, Hanada, Patrick, and I choose Sunday, the 14th, on the Mens' Macy's building in Union Square.

Since the project was my idea, I planned out what we should do and when to do it on a google spreadsheet for all of us to view and add. We stayed on track for the most part, and in the end we did accomplish creating a successful video. On the other hand, the actual projection was not.

Hanada, and I scouted out a place the week before, made sure everything was in working order, and we felt confident we could pull it off. However, when it was show time, we didn't realize how bright it would be from all the street lights. The projection was not successful, but we were glad we weren't asked to leave the Macy's store.

But thanks to the Hilton security guard, we were able to project from there. Again, not very bright or clear, but at lease we did it!

Would I do it again? Absolutely! I was determined to project the video as much as we could, but without a power outlet, that couldn't happen. But I'm now in search of buying a projector, a very powerful projector. It was definitely a high for me.

Coming home, I was determined to still get our video seen and our message heard. My husband suggested putting music to the video, he picked a great song, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." We laid that underneath the video, put it on youtube, and forwarded to everyone we know. Hanada, and Patrick has done the same thing. So far, in the last hour, there has been 37 views (and it's 1am). Hooray!

I would love to do this again on Black Friday.


Black Friday Projection from Jessica Johnston on Vimeo.

the "Black Friday" video

Culture Jam

"Walk Like a Dancer. Feel like a Dancer."

This is a poster that I would make, duplicate, and posted on as many places that would allow me to.

I want to spread the message that even the simplest task as walking correctly, can and will help you clear your mind, concentration, attack the problem or situation, and give you more confidence.

It's been scientifically proven that walking helps stimulate the brain as well as being a great cardiovascular exercise, but you don't need to walk miles everyday for this to be effective. What we need is to implement "walking like dancer" with every step you take.

I chose to put this up on Google Earth at the Minneapolis Walk Art Center, because someday I would love to have a gallery show there with, "Walk Like a Dancer. Feel Like a dancer." It would be performance, interactive, as well as video.

The Walker Art Center is where I fell in love with installation, and it's my home town.

Walk Like a Dancer.kmz

I found this just now..... Had to share.

Skyy sex logo

It was late at night, and my husband and I were driving home when I caught a glimpse at this Skyy Vodka Ad. I couldn't believe how blatant sex was promoted in this ad.

My remake of this ad isn't much of a stretch of the imagination, but it certainly is my take on it.

Here is an adbuster ad I saw on youtube. Wonderfully done!



and this one definitly get's the point across....

Random Inspiration

It was difficult for me to come up with a random set of rules to give in an art medium that would be interesting to either myself or my partner. I consider myself an artist, but as a filmmaker and that is what I know best. I contemplated my own discovery on ways I create moments on screen, and how I could implement that process to the given assignment. First, I realized that the process and inspiration is very random. Inspiration can hit you anywhere, with anyone, at anytime. Also, I felt that as artists we just try to answer questions that we feel that is relevant to our selves personally or on a much greater scale. We, as artist, usually have one message, one clear statement that we want to say, and that is how I came up with my random system.

I formulated questions given at random times to Patrick, my partner. He had to answer them the best he could as the question was given, as did I.

Here are the questions....

1. What genre was the last movie that you saw?
Patrick's response : Thriller "The American"
My response : Drama/Crime "The Town"

2. If there was one message you could share with the world, what would it be?
Patrick's response : "Were there is no vision, there is no hope"
My response : "Live with passion and love"

3. What is your location?
Patrick's response : At his desk 2nd floor of his house.
My response : Working, at the wine bar.

4. Ask the person you last talked to what their favorite name is.
Patrick's response : Mika
My response (I had to ask the barista) : Minerva

From these questions/ answers, I and Patrick (unknowingly) collaborated on two short films.

His is called "No Vision No Hope"


No Vison No Hope from Jessica Johnston on Vimeo.

Mine is called "Live Passion Love"


Live Passion Love from Jessica Johnston on Vimeo.

And here is Patrick's News Chance piece. Can you guess who it is?

 

I was surprised to find out that many people did know who this man was. It's Bret Favre.  I guess no matter how hard to try to recreate yourself, people will always see the real you.

I also pointed out that when he wasn't in his uniform or on the field, he never looked very happy. Maybe that's why he kept changing his mind about retiring. How can you leave something that you love, even if he is getting too old to play. 

Extended Body

My extended body part would be to enhance concentration.

In my research I found that this happens when your neurons fire at the same time with the visual cortex part of the brain. People suffer with ADHD because their neurons fire out of sync and therefor making it difficult for them to focus their attention.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Attention-Levels-Increase-When-Neurons-039-Fire-039-Together-

112850.shtmlhttp://news.softpedia.com/news/Children-More-Attentive-After-Physical-Activities-108368.shtml

I would create a devise that would use your heart to pump blood faster to the brain, making all your neurons fire at the same time. The devise would look very much like a pacemaker and would be activated by your voice with a small speaker that would be placed underneath your left collar bone. I would prefer using my own body, instead of pounding a 5 hour energy or all those other sugary energy drinks, to obtain clarity. To have when ever you need it, wherever you go, and no crash.

They have already built a pacemaker to treat depression, as well as people suffering from compulsive disorders.

http://www.impactlab.net/2008/04/28/brain-pacemaker-used-to-treat-depression/

Google Earth

My intention for the Google Earth project was to show the devastating place they were in at that time.

My inspiration was TIME magazine and the pictures they would show from thier amazing photojournalist.

Through these images, I hope to convey that we have it pretty good here, and we need to reach out to those in need. Don't sweat the small stuff.

file:///Users/peterdeutscher/Desktop/Jessica%27sFinal.kmz
 Below is the song that I used. "Uprising" by Muse

This is one video I found fascinating.





I love that you can actually seen the process of them making an image for google earth.
How incredible that they have the technology for people to see what they might never have been able to before.

SolLewitt Sentence

Hello world!

This is my first blog, ever!  Here is the sentence that I have chosen.....

13.    A work of art may be understood as a conductor from the artist's mind to the viewer's. But it may never reach the viewer, or it may never leave the artist's mind.

I like this sentence because, I believe that art will never come to fruition what is in our minds. I believe that our ideas and thoughts are so complex, that to make them physical is impossible.  However, in saying that, our bodies are able to create a different form of that idea, and it turn, can make it greater then the original thought.

I also believe that people who are more in tune with themselves, who exude self reflection are able to express themselves more at a greater level then those who can not; are able to accurately make physical their ideas. 

These physical creations, these interpretations of ideas and thoughts, may be too simplified or too complex for a viewer to understand.  It may, however, reach them at a different level, bringing new perceptions.

So, in which you can say, 'Does a tree make a sound, when no one is around?' Is art, art,  if it stops with a single thought?