Jen

Increasing pixels and sound

I can't write much because I have a lot of shit to do today - but I wanted to let everyone know that there is an opening tomorrow at the Museum tomorrow from 5-7 pm. The work we have on display is by Paul Berger (who I have mentioned before), which is mostly all digital work besides his older, much cooler stuff. The other main featured artist is Jason Salvon, a Chicago artist, who has created his own software that color averages photographs. There are images from three series in the gallery - one of yearbook pictures, the other of homes from different areas and price ranges, and by far the best of them, playboy centerfolds.

Besides that work, there is also some work by Paul Bergers students, and the best of that work is a video by Neil Chowdhury (too bad about the last name! it's sounds like another word for vomiting) that is extremely good.

Ok, that's all.

Jen

yee-haw!

I did not get the chance to say that even once in Austin.

After going to SPE (Society for Photographic Education) I don't really think that I have any reason to go back. It was fun though, but the lectures seemed to be lacking the inspiration that I was looking for. I did, however, meet my photo twin - she does nearly the same project I do, and with the same camera, but the images look totally different - and it was cool to talk to her and compare work and techniques.

Austin is very pocket-sized compared to Chicago, but still very pretty - much greener than I expected. Almost always when I travel to a city smaller than my home, I always wonder for the first few hours if I could be happy living there. Of course Austin is very self-sufficient and has tons of cool shops and bars, although I don't think I could stay there. Just as an FYI - 6th street - the main attraction for nightlife - was not at all what I expected and I was kind of disappointed. Maybe it's because I didn't know the right places to go. I dunno.

My first night there, I ended up in an anti-war protest. There is this main bridge on Congress that crosses over the Colorado River. Anyway, I missed the first evening lecture of SPE and my friend, Brian and I decided to figure out what all the noise we were hearing was about. It ended up being the remaining hours of two protests - one that started on the bridge and another that was pushed down by the police from the capital.

Being in the midst of the protest was really a quite amazing experience. It was so easy to be caught up with everything and everyone. I met some many amazing people too, so all in all, it was such a positive experience. Even the cops were quite cool about everything until about an hour into my stay there. That is when things got a bit more tense. At first there was a warning that there would be arrests in one hour due to gathering without a permit. After the hour passed, there was another 15 minute warning to leave before there were any arrests. During this time, I witnessed 2 buses pull up, filled with the Austin police force dressed in riot gear holding batons, and another empty bus, I was assuming, to carry away the arrests.

My stomach dropped when I saw a straight line, as wide as the bridge, marching towards the lines of protestors. At this point, Brian and I figured that it probably wouldn't be a good idea if we got arrested, especially because Columbia fronted most of the bill for this trip, so at the last warning, we decided to leave - unfortunately, it meant we had to leave through the line of cops. I can't tell you how frightning it is to see them all lined up that way, and I feared for the safety of all the protestors that would stay behind for their cause. We were lucky, Brian and I, and a few others were allowed to cross the lines before they began to very quietly, pull person by person from the ground to the bus.

I felt better in knowing that no one got hurt. Thank god.

It an amazing thought knowing how many people were out this weekend wanting the war to stop. I missed everthing that went on here in Chicago, not to mention San Fransico and New York. Doesn't that tell you something? Doesn't it prove that not all of us want a war?

Jen

Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie

So I'm nearing the corner of Jackson and Wabash when I hear the conversation of three people.

Girl Robot: Hey what song were you siinging earlier?
Boy Robot #1: Bye, bye Miss American Pie.
Boy Robot #2: Hey, yeah! I like that song!
Girl Robot: Me too, it's a really good song!

(I only say robot because this conversation seemed like it was programmed)

I thought that this conversation was a little odd anyway, but then, about two blocks down, as I'm about to cross the street, I hear this girls singing the song. It was so strange. Christie, that guy who used to be in Mike's band - didn't he have some sort of issue with things like this. Can I be any more vague? The thing with the thing?

Ok, so I'm off to Austin tomorrow, so you will recieve a full report of dork fest, um, SPE, when I get back!

Jen

don't ask me how i've been

It's been a strange weekend, kinda lonely and yet somehow not lonely all at once. Partially that is my fault, I mean, I could have called anyone here on this blog, yet I didn't. I did get a lot of work on my thesis project done, so that's pretty cool.

I'm in the digital lab once again, waiting for shit to print out. It frustrates the hell out of me knowing that all this could be done so quickly if some asshole somewhere in this small room wasn't printing out their personal shit or files too big for the printer. I have no idea who keep printing out the crap, and I've been trying to keep my eye on the printer to see who walks away with what. I don't even know what I would do if I saw who it was. . . Do I go up to them? Tell them not to print out crap on the communal printer? That's not cool, but I'm still bitter about it! Now, I'm just curious . . .

For the second time this year, I have missed wings. It's not a huge deal, really, but I was depressed this past Thursday. The thing that sucks about that the most is because that is really the only time I get to see Christie and Brian (I USED to see Becky and Greg more - but those two are always so busy - and full of surprises). Argh. I miss you guys.

Hopefully, we all will be attending Bri's fantastic St. Patty's day party that I don't want to even attempt to explain - only Brian can really do that.

This past week and this week, we have been once again deinstalling the old and installing the new show at work. I'm not a huge fan of the new stuff -it's by a guy named Paul Berger. I guess (I still need to do my reading on him) he has been using digital imaging/photography for a long time now - maybe even one of the first? He makes a lot of books too - one of his earlier works is called "Daily Life" which, I think, is reminiscent of Robert Frank's work (I like this stuff). Anyway, I'm hoping that his explaination for his work will make me appreciate it more, but then again, do I really want an explaination to make me like it? Shouldn't I just be engaged enough by the work to make me want to look at it? Anyway, I've been staring at it so long that I really don't want to look at it anymore, and I am thankful that the show is only going to be up for just over a month. I really suggest coming by - that and there are rumors that this opening will be sponsored by Tanqueray. Do you like your drinks shaken or stirred?

Ah ha. I found the printer culprit. some girl. grrr.

Jen

Have you ever done something and then think that you've made the worst decision ever? I keep thinking that even though I also think that what I did was for the best.

I know you read this. I'm sorry.