405 Results
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FREE BUSES TO AGK! FREE BUSES TO AGK!
- From: YucknYum
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Description:
Join YNY on the 18th of September to toast our inaugural AGK (Annual General Karaoke) in the Dundee City Chamber Suite, 7.00-12pm.
*FREE* buses will depart from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen on the night but spaces are limited:
ABERDEEN
Leaving from Project Slogan @ 6pm
EDINBURGH
Leaving from the ROXY @ 5pm
GLASGOW
Leaving from St. Vincent’s Place @ 5pm
All buses will be returning to the same spots in the wee small hours of Sunday.
To book a seat on one of the buses email agk@yucknyum.com with your city of choice in the subject line. Seats will be given on a first come first served basis so be quick! - Blog post
- 11 hours ago
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On Shapes and Things On Shapes and Things
- From: stuartdfallon
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Description:
On Shapes and Things
Richard Healy and Gemma Holt
Sierra Metro
The sixth chapter of E.H. Gombrich’s 1979 book The Sense of Order: A Study in the Psychology of Decorative Art provides a ‘unique language’ through which Richard Healy and Gemma Holt (in a new creative collaboration instigated and supported by the gallery) have considered the bonds and hierarchies that exist between pattern and object, whilst effecting to explore the divergent and often contentious relationship that exists between fine art and design practice.
Gombrich’s chapter begins with discussion of the kaleidoscope. Invented in 1816 as a scientific tool and named after the Ancient Greek for ‘beautiful form’, it quickly became appropriated as a toy, creating thrills and wonderment at its ability to subvert the natural order and familiar ways of seeing. Similarly in Shapes and Things, common and familiar order has been displaced and recontextualised, and whilst there is beauty here, it’s of a strange, awkward type, characterized by compositional peculiarity and visual clashes- a beauty that necessitates observation from many perspectives and allowed to unravel and reveal itself over time.
The ‘fruitful tension between functional and ornamental hierarchies’ noted by Gombrich, appears to be of significant concern in the exhibition. Objects sit awkwardly in this interstice between function and ornament- the mirrors, the pouffes, the lighting, even the curtains have an inferred domestic purpose- yet their installation in the gallery renders them untouchable and facile. Two polarized exceptions exist: Holt’s hexagonal plinth, built and utilized with the specific purpose of serving Healy’s projection, and the fake wall segment installed by Healy, adorned by his Studio Plant Study II, which sits uniquely as an object of sheer decoration.
Closer consideration and inspection of the designed elements themselves, provides further disquieting distancing from the familiar. Etched into the mirrors is a malevolent arrangement of sawtoothed forms, the three pouffes- stripped of their cordial covers sit together like naked chopped sections of a superfluous ornamental pillar, the curtains hover at a disconcerting height above the floor like mischievous apparitions, purposefully concealing segments of the space. This conflicting disposition in the objects occurs similarly in the artists’ use of colour. The clash of coral against grey strains and upsets the eye- yet the vibrant glow of the lunar pendant, first encountered as a haze through a curtain or a tantalizing reflected blaze in a mirror, prompts a desire to bask in its glow. Its night-light blush, rhythmically seeping from fuchsia into aquamarine and turquoise, intimating warmth and comfort against the cold stone background.
As time passes, a considered grouping of objects becomes apparent. Each of the three curtains is paired with its ‘own’ selected elements that it shields and protects. Despite these individual arrangements, there is a distinct sense of lopsidedness to the composition overall. Given that Gombrich remarks that ‘symmetry implies cohesion’, it would seem that the artists have consciously shunned a more predictable order in favour of something more dynamic and less visually comfortable. Gombrich also discusses the importance of the ‘centre’- how the kaleidoscope draws the eye into the middle and how we unconsciously esteem centrality more generally (in religious iconography, ceremonial events etc). Shapes and Things has no centre. The middle of the gallery is empty of objects- barring a curtains edge hanging vaguely nearby- from this central viewpoint the balance of the objects presented is out of line.
Healy’s projected video seems to act as something of a synopsis of the exhibition content. It presents a perpetual conveyor of analogous elements: fractal geometric shapes, minimalist creations and monochromatic segments of pattern. The effect is immersive and hypnotic, and once you lose yourself in the visuals they work to echo, not only the close vicinity, but provide a kaleidoscopic vision of works in festival exhibitions elsewhere: the fragmented architecture of Coleman & Hogarth’s Staged, Iran do Espirito Santo’s gradated monochrome wall, the hunks of marble set to create Martin Creed’s new Scotsman Steps glide systematically across the screen.
Overtime the disjointed temporary contents of Shapes and Things begin to converse with their surroundings- revealing and highlighting the peculiar idiosyncrasies of the gallery space itself. Healy’s pulsating orb acts as an inadvertent parody of the bright redundant buoys hanging outside the window, whilst there is a previously overlooked awareness of how three white pillars abruptly defy the comfortable symmetry of the other six. Other patterns, shapes and shades from the work play-off the heavy permanent wooden fixtures, coatings of dark mustard paint and the frosted floral glass panels.
When discussing the general response to the effect of the kaleidoscope, Gombrich notes that people ‘usually respond with delight, but after a few exclamations of ‘ah’ and ‘oh’ they put it aside and talk of other things.’ Healy and Holt’s Shapes and Things provokes a similar initial reaction, however, there is enough intriguing conflict and intelligent construct here to hold the viewers interest long after this original impression has passed.
Image credits:
Shapes and Things, Richard Healy and Gemma Holt, 2010
Installation view, Sierra Metro, Edinburgh
Images courtesy the artists and Sierra Metro
Photography: Chris Park
- Blog post
- 4 days ago
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And so we face the final photo And so we face the final photocall...
- From: chrisdonia
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Description:
You know how sometimes you'll spend ages on a document/email/blog, getting everything perfect and embedding images and links and so on only to have something (say, Firefox) crash and leave you back at square one with nothing left and suddenly you can't face it and avoid the problem for days? And then other commitments leave you with very little time to do anything and it all gets a bit fraught...
Yeah. Sorry. Let's rush through to the end of the Book Festival, shall we?Debi Gliori. She was lovely and nervous about speaking in front of a crowd, but did magnificently; the adults were entertained by tales of her techniques and the children entranced by the reading of her new book and then being taught how to draw seals and rabbits. Made me feel a bit soppy, really.
Trying to get atmospheric shots of the site, I was playing with the juxtaposition of these flowers, the logo on the door and a queue going into the tent. Sadly, one grouchy old man (not seen here) decided that it was Immoral And Illegal And Wrong for me to be taking pictures of people without their permission, and despite my explanation of why I was taking pictures and what they were for and the legal status of what I was doing he was unshakable and insisted that he was going to complain. Oh well.
A group of Arab writers involved in the Beirut 39 collection; they each read some of their work and then had a translation read out. What was very moving was when one said that he was from Jerusalem, couldn't really move away from Jerusalem and would probably (he said in a matter of fact and slightly resigned to his fate tone of voice) die in Jerusalem. He then read some poetry in Arabic with such energy that the translation seemed far less exciting o interesting, even though I could actually understand it.
Dum di dum, trying to pap the staff cos they're important too...
Alasdair Grey, everyone's favourite jolly Scottish Santa.
Martin Bell, former independent MP and general nice guy with a grudge against corruption.
I was passing through the Signing Tent and grabbed a few pictures, as is my wont, when I suddenly realised it was Michael Rosen!
Despite being a bit of Danish totty, Lars Husem didn't draw the eye of the girls on site...
Here we see Dom Hastings the Front of House manager (who was very patient when faced with my running in and out of events) looking dynamic against a backdrop of Nick Barley, the newest Director of the Book Festival.
And the strangely disappointing David Shrigley. It's not so much that HE or his event were a disappointment, but I kinda wanted him to be a grotesque stick figure rather than a tall, well bred and recently washed Englishman with a near-RP accent.
Chris Close, who has been taking dramatic portraits of authors, was quite pleased to see that people were enjoying them.
Christopher Brookmyre at Unbound, singing with the assistant of Billy Franks. This was bloody packed - due in part to the free whisky I suspect...
And the man who DID draw the eye of the girlies: Alan Bissett, the gayest straight man I've seen in a long time.
Onto my last day then (sniff).
Tim Berners-Lee looking moody for the Press.
My brief foray into the Children's Bookshop and it's activity centre (because taking pictures of children scares me!)
A meeting with Maisie the Mouse and her creator, Lucy Cousins, with signing and enthusiastic Sian in the background.
Quintin Jardine, a man who exudes a strange enthusiasm.
The inimitable Lord Robert Winston (who may or may not have stolen a duck).
Ian Rankin talking about what he loves about Twitter (part journal and part uber-reliable source on up to date information) and why he has a white iPhone (they had run out of black ones, so he keeps it in a black case).
Nicholas Parsons, two thousand years old and still going strong - even if he does look like a fairy tale wicked witch.
A rare view of the Press Pod (Yurt) - here showing Frances Sutton aka The General, hard at work even long after she really should have gone home.
Mr John Hegley regaling the Unbound crowd with songs and stories in English and French.
Candia McWilliam here, just before she panicked at the sight of the camera and asked me not to use flash, "or I shall go totally blind!". I mention this because I had heard of her sight problems from one of the staff and so felt rather pleased with myself for the fact that I wasn't using - and indeed rarely do use - flash.
And the King of the Charlotte Square Castle, Nick Barley himself. I had been tasked with getting a Good Photo of him against the bustle of the festival but it never happened, so this was my last attempt.
And so it ended.
But the I popped back for Alan Moore (squeeeee!)
- Blog post
- 5 days ago
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Abbreviations & Acronyms Book Abbreviations & Acronyms Book (Unfolded 2)
- From: 19grams
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Description:
A concertina booklet exploring the complexities of modern abbreviations and acronyms and how they are overused in our society. The booklet includes the longest abbreviation and acronym on one side and a break-down of modern abbreviations and acronyms on the inside. A transparent overlay is included, which gives explanations of the content. Without this overlay the content seems very random and difficult to read, with the overlay however, everything becomes clear.
The book was selected to be displayed in the prestigious weloveyourbooks exhibition by Dr. Emma Powell
- 5 days ago
- Views: 8
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Abbreviations & Acronyms Book Abbreviations & Acronyms Book (Unfolded 1)
- From: 19grams
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Description:
A concertina booklet exploring the complexities of modern abbreviations and acronyms and how they are overused in our society. The booklet includes the longest abbreviation and acronym on one side and a break-down of modern abbreviations and acronyms on the inside. A transparent overlay is included, which gives explanations of the content. Without this overlay the content seems very random and difficult to read, with the overlay however, everything becomes clear.
The book was selected to be displayed in the prestigious weloveyourbooks exhibition by Dr. Emma Powell
- 5 days ago
- Views: 9
- Not yet rated
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Abbreviations & Acronyms Book Abbreviations & Acronyms Book (LOL Poster)
- From: 19grams
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Description:
A concertina booklet exploring the complexities of modern abbreviations and acronyms and how they are overused in our society. The booklet includes the longest abbreviation and acronym on one side and a break-down of modern abbreviations and acronyms on the inside. A transparent overlay is included, which gives explanations of the content. Without this overlay the content seems very random and difficult to read, with the overlay however, everything becomes clear.
The book was selected to be displayed in the prestigious weloveyourbooks exhibition by Dr. Emma Powell
- 5 days ago
- Views: 10
- Not yet rated
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Abbreviations & Acronyms Book Abbreviations & Acronyms Book (Side 2 unfolded 1)
- From: 19grams
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Description:
A concertina booklet exploring the complexities of modern abbreviations and acronyms and how they are overused in our society. The booklet includes the longest abbreviation and acronym on one side and a break-down of modern abbreviations and acronyms on the inside. A transparent overlay is included, which gives explanations of the content. Without this overlay the content seems very random and difficult to read, with the overlay however, everything becomes clear.
The book was selected to be displayed in the prestigious weloveyourbooks exhibition by Dr. Emma Powell
- 5 days ago
- Views: 5
- Not yet rated
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Abbreviations & Acronyms Book Abbreviations & Acronyms Book (Side 2 unfolded 3)
- From: 19grams
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Description:
A concertina booklet exploring the complexities of modern abbreviations and acronyms and how they are overused in our society. The booklet includes the longest abbreviation and acronym on one side and a break-down of modern abbreviations and acronyms on the inside. A transparent overlay is included, which gives explanations of the content. Without this overlay the content seems very random and difficult to read, with the overlay however, everything becomes clear.
The book was selected to be displayed in the prestigious weloveyourbooks exhibition by Dr. Emma Powell
- 5 days ago
- Views: 10
- Not yet rated
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Abbreviations & Acronyms Book Abbreviations & Acronyms Book (Side 2 unfolded 2)
- From: 19grams
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Description:
A concertina booklet exploring the complexities of modern abbreviations and acronyms and how they are overused in our society. The booklet includes the longest abbreviation and acronym on one side and a break-down of modern abbreviations and acronyms on the inside. A transparent overlay is included, which gives explanations of the content. Without this overlay the content seems very random and difficult to read, with the overlay however, everything becomes clear.
The book was selected to be displayed in the prestigious weloveyourbooks exhibition by Dr. Emma Powell
- 5 days ago
- Views: 7
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Looking for Creative Inspirati Looking for Creative Inspiration...
- From: Kaye11
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Description:
Sometimes when I've hit a wall when I'm writing, whether that be blogs or essays or whatever I feel the need to seek out some inspiration. For me that can come in many forms from pictures on blogs that I follow, looking through Central Station's Bulletin, or from reading a book and suddenly understanding what I've been looking for. Quotes for me are great for summing up one persons point and getting to grips with one point really quickly. There's also something really fun about sitting with your friends throwing quotes from your favourite films back and forward. I discovered a great site for this... Quotabl.es, it's one place to store all my favourite quotes, and tag them for others to see. Luckily for me they've also taken me on as an intern, so I get to immerse myself in a world of quotes two days a week!
So now I have another place to add to the list of creative inspiration... you can search for "creativity" or "inspiration" and somehow it just makes you feel better about your writer's/painter's... do photographer's get photographer's block??
Here are a few of my favourite quotes on the subject:
and...
Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.
What's wonderful is that I hadn't heard of these people before, now I have and their names will stick with me.
Let me know some of your favourite quotes... and if you want to get involved why don't you join quotabl.es and put them on the site (there's nothing better than finding a quote that someone else hasn't all ready published).
- Blog post
- 5 days ago
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Q&A: Martin Boyce Q&A: Martin Boyce
- From: gailtolley
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Description:
Image: Front cover of Sarah Lowndes' book Social Sculpture: The Rise of the Glasgow Art Scene
One of the closing events of this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival saw visual artist Martin Boyce, curator Adam Szymczyk and author Sarah Lowndes discussing the factors that have contributed to the rise of the Glasgow arts scene since the 1970s. Lowndes is the author of Social Sculpture: The Rise of the Glasgow Art Scene which provided a basis for the discussion.
Central Station spoke to Martin Boyce before the event about his experiences of studying and working in the city. He was born in Hamilton and studied at Glasgow School of Art. His work includes sculpture and installation and is often inspired by modernist design and explores its role in a contemporary setting. He represented Scotland at the 53rd Biennale di Venezia in 2009 with his exhibition No Reflections.
Do you think there’s been a resurgence of interest in Glasgow’s recent cultural history?
I don’t think there’s a resurgence of interest but I think as the history has continued to accumulate there’s more and more evidence that it wasn’t just a burst of activity; it is an ongoing situation that continues to be incredibly strong and healthy. Now you can definitely say that the situation in Glasgow and the art production, culture and music really has solidified as an important centre and I think it continues to attract people into it rather than it just being something happening within it.
What do you think it is about Glasgow that has led to it being such a fertile ground for artists in recent years?
It’s difficult to know because I certainly, as an individual, didn’t feel as though I was at the forefront of saying ‘Come on let’s build a situation here’. There were more vocal people around me that would articulate that and then through being in that situation it allowed you to reflect and think yeah of course, this could be a good situation, a situation that we stay in rather than flee from.
For me Transmission Gallery was a very central thing because it was basically an HQ for people, even if you weren’t on the committee it was a gathering point. And I think that kind of thing was important, but that can be a bar or a café or somebody’s house, just a place that becomes a natural gathering point.
And you enjoyed your time at the Art School?
Yeah, it was all I’d wanted to do even though I probably didn’t even know what happened at Art School. Particularly Glasgow School of Art, I don’t know exactly for what reasons, I guess [because] I was brought up in Hamilton, just outside Glasgow, so it was just this sort of beacon of hope. I really thought it was going to be much wilder. I was a bit nervous, [thinking] ‘what if there’s going to be an orgy on the first day?!’ but of course it’s just a bunch of other people like you.
Were you inspired by the artists who went before you?
I don’t know if this happened in every other department but I was in environmental art and the way the studio was laid out... everyone mixed quite a lot. When I was in the first year I was part of the fashion show which used to be a bit less about fashion and [more] a big theatrical thing and I remember Douglas [Gordon] had some sort of performance and Roddy Buchanan and all those sorts of people so I think I met them then. So by the time [Gordon] was in fourth year and then left there was a bunch of people in different years who were all friends.
You were not influenced by their work necessarily, it was definitely people’s attitude, how they spoke about their plans for the future, what might be possible, what they wanted to do and their ambitions. There definitely were a few people whose level of, not ambition in as much as they wanted to be famous artists, but just that idea that it would naturally continue, it wasn’t that sense of ‘ok what do we do now?’ All of that seeps in and stays with you.
Is it different for graduates now?
I do think that with art schools there’s a funny thing where people who are a couple of years before you are really influential to other students, rather than other artists that are out there. I remember feeling that quite a bit and I see it when I’ve done some teaching at the art school, you do get this frustrated feeling that people’s levels of ambition are quite restricted. There are always one or two people who set their sights much further, way beyond what’s happening in the art school. It’s not about slotting into the success of someone 2 or 3 years ahead of you.
You’ve also spent time in Berlin, what was that experience like?
It was really fantastic, it just came at the right time I think. I’d always lived here [in Glasgow], I’d done an exchange in LA when I was studying in ’95 but apart from that I’d never really lived anywhere else so this opportunity came up and it seemed like a break. We put everything in storage and basically went to this new studio with virtually nothing.
Even at that time [2005] it was very popular with artists but in the last five years it’s transformed as well, so many artists and so many galleries have moved there so it’s kind of overloaded, it’s changed quite a lot. It really felt like it was still on the end of its glory period since the wall came down, a real city of possibility.
Did it give you a new perspective on Glasgow and working in the city?
There was definitely a sense of being able to view Glasgow from another viewpoint and looking at what had been built up and think about whether it’s still important to go back and be part of that.
There were lots of pros and cons, it’s just a very different city. And it’s different when it’s home. Berlin really felt like anything was possible because it’s really new to you. Also living in a city where I didn’t speak any German, you’re living in your own kind of bubble, socialising with other artists, so there was kind of a reality chunk that was missing which was very attractive for a short period of time.Social Landscape: The Rise of the Glasgow Art Scene is out now in paperback and published by Luath Press Ltd.
- Blog post
- 1 week ago
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The Book That Everyone's Been The Book That Everyone's Been Reading
- From: thistleburden
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Description:
printed social networking site profile pictures, ink, acrylic, beer bottle caps, selotape
- 1 week ago
- Views: 7
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(e)motive Exhibition 2010 (e)motive Exhibition 2010
- From: Thom.Isom
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Description:
`We Love Your Books` is a yearly international and experimental artists' book exhibition - each year a theme is set and bookmakers around the world are invited to create their own response. This year's theme was (e)motive, myself and felllow book makers submissions are now showing at Artworks-MK in Milton Keynes. For more details and to submit your own piece for next years exhibition please visit We Love Your Books.
Photographs from this years private view and a selection of this years submission can be viewed here
(e)motive is running from Tuesday 31st - September 25th -
Artworks-MK, Great Linford Arts Workshop, Parklands, Great Linford, Milton Keynes, MK14 5DZ
- Blog post
- 1 week ago
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THE CUMBRIA ENERGY CENTRE THE CUMBRIA ENERGY CENTRE
- From: Richard Taylor
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Description:
"We're now exposed to the maintenance tracks. Such observations would be impossible if there were but a break in the clouds in the sky for the sun: now more houses, more settlements and more trees and common land in between are set behind us. And there's a constant black line that floats beside me on the other side of re-enforced glass - it's not that comforting though it keeps disappearing above the window frame."
There's an age where both Ine and Pie go well together and a new form of energy is created. Right now I am around ten minutes from the border between Scotland and England, heading south east of Dumfries towards the next stop, which is Carlisle. My final destination, after meandering through the hills of Ayrshire down in to the valleys of the Lake District and through to the northern hills of Lancashire, is eventually Manchester.
There was an age when this journey would have been altogether more troublesome and harder to navigate. As the window set to my right dost frame each scene as I occasionally look out, the landscape escaping before my eyes, there's a hill another hill a town a townhouse a church a paddock a river lake tree forest fence and field. All rolled in to one and relative to us as a travelling hanger of internal sound.
We are not reserved - just quiet
Before all these 'objects' of the landscape, the very fabric of a traveller's horizon would have been North South East and West by way of tree, hill, lake and track - all forayed before each step forward. And none of these tunnels or bridges would ever have existed. Right now I think of the short walk books my father keeps in his trunk at the top of the stairs, behind where the dog used to sleep.
The page says jump (with a smile) It was on a walk through the Peak District that I lost one of these books. He blames me as he entrusted the book in my hands. I was the navigator following the instructions set before me with each turning page.
"Walk three miles east of the pink tree set before you and come to a fence two metres in height. From this fence head down a track through a stile and over a dry stonewall. From here see the tip of a reservoir to your left. Follow its line around North West arriving at a dam. Scale the dam reaching midway between water and stone. Jump off in to the water and swim to the shore on the Eastern side. Once there head north to a second stile..."
And so on. I do this with a smile of course, as I'd rather forget how I left the book, having survived its rigorous instructions, on the top of the car - we set off, the gravel underneath us crunching and expanding space beneath our tyres, the book flew off the roof caught by the Winter's afternoon sky.
And we are now in England and the accent is altogether different. Carlisle is as grey as Glasgow's West End on a sunny day and from here the world seems to be not so much as awake as the humdrum of the engine I sit behind. I am facing north west now and there's not a stile in sight, just more bridges and tunnels that disguise our guise as a linear travelling collective machine.
- Blog post
- 1 week ago
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The Konami Code The Konami Code
- From: benwerd
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Description:
This year's Book Festival has been concerned with the future of narrative, and of books themselves: with the publishing industry apparently taking a flaming nosedive at the hands of digital culture and participatory media, what can it learn from its inadvertent assassins?
It's perhaps an overstated question, because books aren't going anywhere anytime soon, and the likes of McSweeney's have shown that publishing, literature and storytelling can benefit from thoughtful innovation. However, there's no doubting that digital culture is taking over, and games are at the forefront. In terms of financial turnover, games are bigger than movies; they're bigger than music; they're bigger than books or art. Yet, at the same time, they're often still considered to be nerd territory: a form of culture far away from the mainstream, to be feared and questioned.
Tom Chatfield is an arts writer, most notably for Prospect Magazine. He participated in two events in order to promote his book, Fun, Inc: Why Games are the 21st Century's Most Serious Business.
Chaired by play theorist Pat Kane, the first session asked many of the now-familiar questions about digital culture. Swathes of the conversation could easily have been subtitled: Video games: they're not as good as going outside, are they? Despite this, Chatfield gave a good overview of gaming culture for the older audience in attendance, although he oddly concentrated his focus on the implications of World of Warcraft on sociological research and population modelling. Sure, participants' activities in massively multiplayer online games can be measured and statistically modeled, but games have other things to tell us about who we are.
Like most people in my generation, games were my introduction to computers. I can readily remember when the term video games wasn't a quaint anachronism. I stared in fascination at the Afterburner machine at my local swimming pool; was responsible for a series of horrific crash landings in Timex's Flight Simulator on my ZX81; spent a year living in North Carolina coveting my neighbour's NES. For my thirteenth birthday, I asked for a source code compiler, and for most of my teens I traded homemade computer games with my friends. We ran Spire Magazine, one of the first hypertext-based online magazines, which led to coverage in the Financial Times and in other places, which in turn led to my Internet career. Just as some kids learn to play the guitar and end up writing their own songs, I learned how to program. Code and games are arguably the new rock, for at least a subset of my generation; for me, Peter Molyneux and the Bitmap Brothers were every bit as cool as Kurt Cobain.
Games aren't just about death, although there's always been a heavy emphasis on bloodsport, which can be cathartic or unsettling depending on your point of view. Take The Secret of Monkey Island: released in 1990, this was part of an adventure series produced by LucasFilm. You can't die, and there is no scoring; playing these games is about the experience itself, and the only thing you need to do to win is persevere. They crossed a line between movies, interactive fiction and game-playing, becoming ever more sophisticated. Portions of Monkey Island were written by Orson Scott Card, the science fiction author responsible for the classic novel Ender's Game. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis was based on an unproduced movie script, but easily made the transition to a more interactive format. As you progressed, your decisions shaped the kind of gameplay you experienced; if you were more orientated towards action, you could fight your way to the end. If, on the other hand, you were more interested in puzzles or character development, those were also available routes.
The Dig was in some ways the culmination of this genre; it was based on a story idea by Steven Spielberg, and took a psychological, atmospheric approach to weaving a story. Backgrounds were hand-painted, and characters were sparsely animated. Dialogue and plot took a front row seat.
Unfortunately, as the games industry evolved and consumers wanted bigger bangs and fancier graphics, LucasFilm started to focus more and more on flashy, fight-centric Star Wars titles. Their adventure games - undoubtedly classics, both of storytelling and gaming - were discontinued.
All, however, is not lost. The indie games movement only got a brief mention in Tom's talk, but similarly to the indie film movement's role in the wider industry, this has become the new home for quieter, more artistically expressive gaming ideas - for example, the breathtakingly beautiful Machinarium.
The second session, Where's the Fun? took over the Spiegeltent for a discussion about what fun is, how it's evolved over time, and whether we're having more or less fun than we used to. Barry Miles discussed the fun he had in sixties London, in underground clubs with the likes of the Rolling Stones, and wondered if the corporate influence on the culture of fun is having a detrimental effect. Digital culture in general, both authors noted, is largely owned by large corporations.
This is actually changing - by technical design as well as through the rise of the indie movement. Just as the corporate managers aren't the people actually playing or composing music, they're also not the people genuinely innovating in digital culture. This is still the domain of hackers, who treat it as more of an art or a political endeavour than business. (The open source blogging platform WordPress makes this point succinctly in its motto: "Code is poetry.") In fact, many people responsible for games, social networks and platforms are unsettled by the corporate influence, and are actively seeking to do something about it. The likes of OStatus are specifically designed to ensure that Facebook and its monolithic ilk will be less relevant in the future than they are today. Similarly, we are likely to see decentralized massively multiplayer games, where different parts of the game universe are crafted by completely separate artists, hackers and designers. The gaming world is evolving, and it is as artistic as it is lucrative.
It's become obvious that there is a generation gap that affects understanding of digital culture, but it's not insurmountable. Like most things, you have to experience it to really understand it: Facebook and Twitter, for example, is a terrifying idea to people who don't actively participate. I'll fully admit that war games like Call Of Duty scare me, but I know that if I played them, I'd grok their significance and purpose.
Just as rock and roll was a new, envelope pushing culture in the fifties, sixties and seventies, digital culture is remaking who we are in the 21st century. Games are an integral part of that, and are an artistic medium to embrace and explore rather than fear and question.
- Blog post
- 2 weeks ago
- Views: 110
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to be a closed book to be a closed book
- From: distorted.time
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Description:
- 2 weeks ago
- Views: 14
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We Made a Pop-UP We Made a Pop-UP
- From: ay-pe
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Description:
A self-promotional piece to send people to 'ay-pe.tv' to see the Pop-Up Book film we made...
- 2 weeks ago
- Views: 7
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DavidLupton
- Views: 25
- Since: 2 weeks ago
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‘The Poulantzas Reader’ by Nic ‘The Poulantzas Reader’ by Nicos Poulantzas
- From: dan_corporation_pop
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Description:
Full book cover design.
Verso Books is the largest English-language radical publisher in the world, with offices in London and New York. In the course of a year we produce upwards of 20 cover designs for their titles. Featured here are a selection of our favourites.
- 2 weeks ago
- Views: 4
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‘Democratising Democracy’ edit ‘Democratising Democracy’ edited by Boaventure De Souza Santos
- From: dan_corporation_pop
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Description:
Full book cover design – first title in a series of three printed in both hardback and paperback.
Verso Books is the largest English-language radical publisher in the world, with offices in London and New York. In the course of a year we produce upwards of 20 cover designs for their titles. Featured here are a selection of our favourites.
- 2 weeks ago
- Views: 4
- Not yet rated
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