Future dystopian concept

Centuries ago a legion of alien creatures landed upon the planet earth. These aliens, having lost their home planet by means of their own arrogance, sought refuge on other planets with a similar atmosphere with intentions to blend in and survive without disturbing local wildlife. For decades these aliens observed and lived peacefully on the Earth, releasing spores to reproduce only when necessary and using their parasitic abilities to increase the intelligence or physical abilities of creatures slowly when needed for the earth to develop. These aliens, that we foolishly coined as fungal plants, even helped with the growth of the human race due to their particular fascination with the creature. The alien peoples, humans, and creatures of all the earth lived in relative harmony for hundreds of years until the humans began to create their own developments beyond what the fungal aliens could provide for their hosts. The aliens, out of proud curiosity, allowed these developments to occur. However, before it could be stopped the humans innovated beyond what was thought possible. Every decade something new, every decade creating more and more, and using more and more. Every decade the human race took one more ignorant step towards destroying the planet. As this continued the fungal aliens began to become more and more cautious and worried about the state of their adopted home. In a blind panic to save the earth they tried to infect the minds of human scientists, knowing that they can only develop their beloved human creation in a slow manner. It was all in hopes that if they can momentarily increase the intelligence of the science community within the human race they could perhaps genetically splice multiple species and save as many creatures as possible from the impending, carcinogenic doom of the earth as technology takes over. The results of these botched experiments resulted in dire and ugly consequences.

Future Sci-Fi review paper

Noel Johnson

Paper Summary and Analysis

Predicting our downfall

            Within all of these papers the authors predict the downfall of man. All of which are also products of man’s own blind follies. Within the first reading, “The Machine Stops” it is detailed that man has migrated to underground cities run entirely by a technology referred to as “The Machine”. Within this society human beings have lost so many things that we currently associate with humanity itself. There is no longer human contact as all communication happens through screens and speakers. While means of in person communication is still available, it is societally considered an unnecessary waste of time and somewhat inappropriate. This leads to a lack of desire for physical contact as well. Due to an underground life humans have grown to hate and even fear the earth’s surface and the things it offers, like air and sunlight. The machine that they live within, despite being knowingly created by man, begins to be worshiped like a God and all who speak out against the “blessings” of the machine are disposed of. Permission of basic carnal human needs for reproduction even require permission from the Machine and its committee.

            It is referenced within this story as well that the reason for this underground civilization is that the surface of the earth has become inhabitable. This ties this story in with the other two as well: bringing all three around to the subject of climate change even though “The Machine Stops” is largely a criticism of our worship and use of technology. All three also criticize our out of control consumption of luxury items without any idea of repercussions that this consumption may have on our future. However, all also have slight tinges of hope. The idea that, hopefully, humanity will learn either well before or at least recover after its mistakes. In terms of writing, all stories provide enough information to piece together a narrative, but it also leaves enough information hidden that allows for the audiences’ imagination to complete the rest of the story. I hope to draw inspiration from this writing style and translate it into a visual narrative that allows a story to be built, but also allows for the audience to finish parts of the story on their own.  

Assemblage; The Forrest of Agonized Wanting

The Forrest of Agonized Wanting 

Angular Screenshots:

Detail shots:

Piece Description: 

Within this piece there is a desired focus on the effects of the consumption of media. On the surface level you see a conglomerate of hands, all of various size, reaching with a sense of painful necessity towards a treasure trove encased within a transparent skull. Here, it is insinuated that the desire for things that are purely luxury has devolved into a false sense of necessity for these items. This is because the hands reach towards the encased treasures in the same way you would imagine a starving hand reaches for food: with a sense of urgency, with a sense of need to relieve pain, out of pure necessity to survive. Still focusing on the hands, it can be noticed that these hands vary in size as well, pushing forth the narrative that this sense of need to consume effects those of all ages and class. The larger hands can represent either adults, or large corporations while the smaller hands can represent children or a citizen that is considered lower in class standing. The "treasure" that is being reached for also has layered meaning. It is a collection of things, but it is also a collection of symbolism. The nude female bust and the stereotypical sexual legs of a woman not only represents the medias use of women as a product, but also shows that the media would have the public consume sex as well. A similar case is present with the guns as well, not only do we buy the materialistic gun itself, but we also consume violence through media. The same goes for most of these items. It is also emphasized that we place great value on these objects by having them all painted with a gold toned color. It is also emphasized that we value these objects over our own earth due to their collective size overtaking and jutting out of the earth. Lastly, addressing the skull, a conclusion can be made that this overwhelming level of consumption and the perceived necessity of this lifestyle with ultimately lead to our downfall and the downfall of our planet, in time.  

Questions For Readings

Questions for Readings

The Effects of Consumption:

1. What should be valued as more important: Jobs and economic prosperity or the slow decline of our planet due to the mass consumerism caused by our capitalist lifestyle? Is this Capitalist lifestyle of ours the reason for our perception of lower product demand leading to a depression (a.k.a We associate the sheer volume of products we own with economic prosperity). Is there a chance that if society put less value on material products we could stop the progress of damage being caused to the earth? 

2. Personal self question: If the planet is slowly dying due to the over use of land for the production of cash crops and meat farming (for things like cattle) would a mass transfer to vegetarianism help cut back on that, or would land still be overused due to cash crops? Or would said cash crops change to apply to vegetarian consumerism, ultimately not solving the problem at all? 

 

Artist Statement (likely will be subject to change)

Artist Statement (subject to change)

This congregation of works intends to embody the idea of juxtaposition. However, whether it is direct and obviously presented in a surface level form varies. Some of the pieces may have a juxtaposing composition or have juxtaposing objects, while others play with juxtaposing ideas that highlight the ironies, flaws, or excellence of each other; this form of juxtaposition, although more difficult to find, occurs more prolifically throughout the pieces. Inspiration for these more deeply ingrained messages is likely drawn from the influence of absurdist artists, such Don Hertzfeldt an Throne Brandt, whose seemingly meaningless and highly strange artworks reveal intricate messages. A substantial difference, however, is that this body of works very closely relates to issues of the personal variety and often are used as a form of catharsis for strong emotions and observations of these emotions, such as loneliness, self disgust, a disconnect from humanity, and so on.   

TINDER

T.I.N.D.E.R (Together In Network, Distant when Entering Reality)


For this project I was posed the question "What Now?". In response I wanted to criticize the way technology has twisted and morphed into an entity that, rather than connecting us as people as it was originally intended to do, causes distraction and a misconception of what true human connection is. In order to combat this I wanted to criticize this aspect of the Network by utilizing it for its intended purpose of real human connection. This, to me, happens when the Network is used as only a form of introduction to an individual, while the in depth learning of one another happens face to face, with present mind and present body. True human connection is an experience of thought and laughter and self-consciousness. However, in our days society we are too engulfed in our Network to want to think about these things. In this video I invited individuals from a notorious dating app called Tinder, to meet with me in person and open up about themselves while also contributing to art. The product is an amalgamation of juxtaposed personalities, uncomfortable silences, and, in some cases, admission to ones own flaws; a compilation of human connection on a level more true than a text message.

Broken

Broken

This piece was performed in a separate room from the audience and was streamed into them through a projected skype call. The writings on the four mirrors in order of appearance are: "You shouldn't have trusted him!" "What were you wearing?" "Get over it" "Stop crying" "Pity Party" "Dis-gusting Dis-gusting Dis- gusting" and "You will never get better". This piece was inspired by my own personal experience with being a victim of violent sexual assault. The first mirror is a representation of the things people said to me when it had initially happened, the second represents things people say to me now (a year after it happened), and the third is a representation of the way I felt about myself for an incredibly long time - sometimes even today. The fourth mirror, however, is a representation of my current struggle with it, thusly being written in a different color of lipstick and going unshattered. This piece is meant to be ripe with symbolism. The mirrors are a representation of these things that were said to me and how, now that I am slowly learning how to cope, they mean nothing anymore, shattered into pieces in my mind. However, the mirrors also represent my past self before I was sexually assaulted, shattered and broken with no hope of return much like my past self. However, this creates a new meaning for the last mirror. The last mirror states "You will never get better". It is a representation of the struggle I have with thte current idea that I will never be able to recover the person I was before, however, since it remains unshattered and is a representation of my past self as well, it shows that I still have hope of that recovery in spite of what I am feeling currently. The reason for it being performed in my underwear is to show how vulnerable this topic makes me feel as well as to show my overcoming of my body issues (even though I do still have my bad days with it). And lastly, I used lipstick as the medium to write with because, even though it does effect many different kinds of people, the issue of sexual assault and rape with in the United States is a predominant issue among women socially. I am a firm believer that no one deserves to be treated negatively after experiencing something so horrible and I am aware that it does occur among men as well, however, women are taught in our society that is almost an inevitable occurance in our lives. The statistics are incredibly high and we are expected to learn tactics for staying safe - carry pepper spray, knowing how to get out of certain holds, walking in groups at all times, and so on - as if the responsibility of our sexual assault or rape lies solely on our shoulders. I wanted to address this social flaw by showing the link between sexual assault and being a woman, and that is why I used lipstick: a traditionally feminine product in our society.