Complete the sequence

In the short time that I've written this blog, I've learned quite a lot. The juxtaposition of elements occasionally makes a connection and bingo! A unique idea is born. And in a way, it's like the game bingo and like you, I'm following along with my own unique card waiting for the right sequence that will complete the circuit and bring an idea to life.

Obviously, it's not a conscious thing beyond being open minded. It's a little bit frightening really how the brain works. To put it into perspective, look at the Stroop Effect, SNARC, or look at the image below from MIT. Square A and B are the exact same shade of grey. (Explanation HERE)


The point that I'm putting forward is that by putting a wide variety of stimuli into your sensory diet, you give your brain more stimulation and a greater range of building blocks with which to generate ideas. Common sense really, but contrary to how people generally seek out stimulus.

Typically, we fall into patterns guided by preferences forged by experience, but what I would like people to do more is to go past initial reactions of dislike or critical judgment and broaden their experience. Again, it sounds simple but in practice, we need constant reminders that sometimes our knee jerk intuition is not always our friend.

Links:
MIT - CheckerSquare Illusion
Institute of Neuroesthetics
26 Reasons What Think is Right is Wrong (source: Conscientious)

The London Olympics Logo

I was taken aback when I first saw the London Olympics logo, but really, it has to be recognizable from 1x1 inch upwards, will most likely appear even smaller on merchandise like your favourite soft drink, and will change over time as the Olympic colours are added.

It seems to go outside the comfort zone of a lot of people, but since when is that such a bad thing?

And looking back at the catalog of cookie cutter creations that came before this, it isn't a terrible shock to see that this design is getting lambasted. It certainly doesn't fit the status quo. And the webpage setup for the logo's introduction is a glowing nightmare. It doesn't exactly frame it in the best light but it is very "in your face".

What I do find surprising is the contempt and lack of contemplation on the part of many. I can see why people don't like it, but in terms of challenging peoples' expectations it fits in nicely with what I know of London.

Links:
Official webpage
BBC Sport: unveiling
Guardian Unlimited blog

SiouxWIRE Snippets 3.0

Another week, another collection of snippets from the net.

How I Spent the War - A recruit in Waffen S. S.
Günter Grass, The New Yorker
A fascinating and frank insight into Günter Grass.

Eliciting Poignancy
Jim Johnson, (Notes on) Politics, Theory & Photography
An interesting example of how a photographer and/or editor can manipulate the impact of an image. (source: Conscientious)

How To Be An Alaskan Fisherman
Corey Arnold, Fecal Face
A cross between a how-to guide, travel journal, and photo log. Just what it says on the tin.

A Hell of an Experience
Leon Vitalli/Jamie Stewart, The Reeler
Insight from actor and long time Stanley Kubrick collaborator Leon Vitalli.

Filming Frank Gehry
Sydney Pollack, Guardian Unlimited
Pollack's observations and realisations while working on the documentary 'Sketches of Frank Gehry' with commentary on the pitfalls of depending on world opinion for validation.

Khaela Maricich Interview
Miranda July, The Believer
A confectionary from Miranda July. What is the Blow?

The Eighth Samurai: Tatsuya Nakadai
Chuck Stephens, Criterion
A look back at the five decade long career of Japanese screen legend Tatsuya Nakadai.

MAN RAY and the moving image

In the 1920s, Man Ray created a number of films as part of the influential avant-garde Cinéma Pur movement. The trio below are an example of his work with the moving image. Additional films as well as home movies are available HERE.

L'Etoile de Mer (1928)


La retour à la raison (1923)

Ady (1938)

Links:
Man Ray - UBU Web
Man Ray Wiki
Man Ray Trust
Man Ray cinematic stills
Cinéma Pur Wiki

TERRY GILLIAM at LA SCALA: Giordano's "Andrea Chénier"

Terry Gilliam will be holding the reigns at La Scala for Umberto Giordano's opera Andrea Chénier which tells the story of the poet guillotined during the French Revolution. Production designer Dante Ferretti who has previously worked with Gilliam will be working on this production. It will have a 10 night run at the Milan theatre.

On the La Scala website, they have this to say about Gilliam's contribution to the 2007-2008 season:

Another work related to Puccini is Andrea Chénier by Giordano, which premiered in the same year as La Bohème (two French settings, two poets as heroes). An opera that ran the risk of being flattened by habit, we have entrusted it to an imaginative, unpredictable director, who has agreed to make his debut at La Scala and in opera: Terry Gilliam, the enfant terrible of the Monty Pythons, of Brazil, of The Adventure of Baron Munchausen. While on the stage part there will be the imprint of Dante Ferretti and Gabriella Pescucci, Liliana Cavani’s “cinematographic” collaborators. It is Gilliam’s first work for the theatre.

Links:
Guardian Unlmited (source)
Teatro Alla Scala (english/italian)
Dreams - Terry Gilliam Fanzine
Umberto Giordano Wiki
Dante Ferretti IMDB
Andrea Chénier Wiki
Andrea Chénier Stanford Univ. Synopsis
Terry Gilliam & the Tide - SiouxWIRE