The term postmodern refers to many developments in different areas, but in relation to what we are studying this week architecture is the most prominent expansion of modernism. The problem with a class such as Critical Media and Culture is that there are rarely opportunities for a hands-on experience. This is unfortunate, especially since many other majors at Rollins require a “lab” as part of the curriculum. Therefore, taking a trip downtown to physically see the relevance between what we are reading and what we are seeing was a great idea. Through the process of picking out buildings we were able to instill these new concepts into our heads. For example, Bank of America provided us with a perfect example of disharmonious harmony. All of the small specific details were both beautiful and architecturally intricate.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
kMO Post Class 2/7
WouldntULike2Know 2/7
While studying and observing postmodern architecture downtown last Thursday, many people gave us a prime example of a framework of postmodernism. During our time there, as this relatively small group of well-dressed, inconspicious young people were analyzing the different features of the buildings, others around suspected that we were up to no good. In a city with one of the highest murder rates in the nation, college students studying architecture were causing concern.
This experience has revealed to me that the initial statement made by Dr. Rog is true. We will never be able to look at things or experience things in the same way ever again... and I kind of like that fact.
This experience has revealed to me that the initial statement made by Dr. Rog is true. We will never be able to look at things or experience things in the same way ever again... and I kind of like that fact.
Bumble: Lyotard
Post Modern, Oh my goodness what is it!?
Jean-Francois Lyotard is one confusing man,
It seems to be that there is no reality, there is no set meaning to anything, and so does it make life better or worse? In many ways it seems a given that there is no way to categorize everything, and that there is no such thing as reality. In another way, as humans we are inclined to want to categorize things and place things into their proper places. What I understood about the meaning of postmodernism is that there is this phenomenon that every thing created can be considered legitimately literature or art or a rule. However, instead of trying to place the works or texts into established rules, you make the rules revolve around the work. If there are no set rules that you need to try to squeeze your life into, then what happens to the meaning of AUTHORITY? We are constantly in the process of inventing and reinventing rules so what is the meaning of the old ones. In many ways we live dual lives in which some aspects are modern and others are postmodern. In the discipline of art, creativity, and leisure most definitely we are living a postmodern life, practically everything can be accepted into a proper form of work. “the work he produces are not in principle governed by pre-established rules, and they cannot be judged according to a determining judgment…” (Lyotard 46). It is beautiful that suddenly everything under the sun or within the scope of an individual’s creativity or imagination can be credible. On the other hand, I often look at texts and say, “who decided that the work is art or talent?” There is no authority or comparable standards anymore. We live a more modern approach to government though. If everything were postmodern than we would all be running around like wild apes.
I hope to clarify this topic more in class!
Jean-Francois Lyotard is one confusing man,
It seems to be that there is no reality, there is no set meaning to anything, and so does it make life better or worse? In many ways it seems a given that there is no way to categorize everything, and that there is no such thing as reality. In another way, as humans we are inclined to want to categorize things and place things into their proper places. What I understood about the meaning of postmodernism is that there is this phenomenon that every thing created can be considered legitimately literature or art or a rule. However, instead of trying to place the works or texts into established rules, you make the rules revolve around the work. If there are no set rules that you need to try to squeeze your life into, then what happens to the meaning of AUTHORITY? We are constantly in the process of inventing and reinventing rules so what is the meaning of the old ones. In many ways we live dual lives in which some aspects are modern and others are postmodern. In the discipline of art, creativity, and leisure most definitely we are living a postmodern life, practically everything can be accepted into a proper form of work. “the work he produces are not in principle governed by pre-established rules, and they cannot be judged according to a determining judgment…” (Lyotard 46). It is beautiful that suddenly everything under the sun or within the scope of an individual’s creativity or imagination can be credible. On the other hand, I often look at texts and say, “who decided that the work is art or talent?” There is no authority or comparable standards anymore. We live a more modern approach to government though. If everything were postmodern than we would all be running around like wild apes.
I hope to clarify this topic more in class!
July 2-6-08
Exploring the downtown Orlando area was a learning experience for my colleagues and me. Although we looked like tourist we accomplished learning the different post modern architectures. I’m more of a visual learner and I needed that hand on experience, which was provided thoroughly. The most diverse structure was the Bank of America building because it was bigger and more creative. That is enough talking about our field trip on Thursday and more about our class discussion on Tuesday.
Our society has shaped our minds to believe the unbelievable. For instance, Dr. Rog gave the example about being blind folded and being asked to identify the flavor of grape juice. One may guess the product as being “grape juice,” but in reality grapes do not share the same taste as the artificial fruit juices. The mind does reflect upon these actions because it is done consciously. Also, the way our society perceives different groups or cultures tend to rub off when comparing one person to another. For example, I go to the mall and see a lady walking and immediately I say to me “She looks like a model.” What do these words mean? As an individual critic I am entitled to announce my opinions, but who form these ideas in my head? I have not been around modeling nor have I pursued a career in this field, but the media has brought all the knowledge I need to know about modeling to me. General media creates stereotypes about groups that determine their basic qualities. These qualities of those groups as a whole can’t always be true because everyone in that group is not exactly a like. Let’s continue to use the modeling example; all models are skinny, brunette or blonde, tall, bulimic, and dumb. There are some, who have these characteristics, but everyone who is a model does not have all of these traits, but we as the society generalize groups based on the media’s perception.
Our society has shaped our minds to believe the unbelievable. For instance, Dr. Rog gave the example about being blind folded and being asked to identify the flavor of grape juice. One may guess the product as being “grape juice,” but in reality grapes do not share the same taste as the artificial fruit juices. The mind does reflect upon these actions because it is done consciously. Also, the way our society perceives different groups or cultures tend to rub off when comparing one person to another. For example, I go to the mall and see a lady walking and immediately I say to me “She looks like a model.” What do these words mean? As an individual critic I am entitled to announce my opinions, but who form these ideas in my head? I have not been around modeling nor have I pursued a career in this field, but the media has brought all the knowledge I need to know about modeling to me. General media creates stereotypes about groups that determine their basic qualities. These qualities of those groups as a whole can’t always be true because everyone in that group is not exactly a like. Let’s continue to use the modeling example; all models are skinny, brunette or blonde, tall, bulimic, and dumb. There are some, who have these characteristics, but everyone who is a model does not have all of these traits, but we as the society generalize groups based on the media’s perception.
Bumble: Post class downtown!! 2/7
We’re going downtown!
After this trip downtown, I felt enlightened. I felt as though I had a great insight that other people who have not been exposed to this knowledge of post modern architecture had. In fact, I went downtown on Friday night to the Magic game and on my way there I passed by the bus station. I guess I never could have gotten the full effect of amnesis until the night time journey. The waves, which are very randomly eclectic next to the building itself, are BLUE! I felt as though they were waves of the ocean. Talk about irony as well… what are waves doing in the middle of downtown Orlando? I was compelled to point out the buildings we visited to all of my friends. I got a bunch of stares but was proud that I could point out the phallic symbol of the courthouse. Also in the courthouse I was able to see the crown. The peaks were lit up like jewels shimmering. The building holds a lot of power in this hegemonically dominantly male society. It could be even borderline symbolic of a king, or tyrannical kingdom. It most definitely holds double meaning which is supposed to infuse a certain feeling when being in the presence of the building.
After pleading with my friends to stop at the Bank of America, I saw the face, the anthropomorphism is very clear in the dark. In fact it reminded me of when I was a little girl and used to look for faces in everything. The most prominent place of finding these scary faces were in cars. The face at Bank of America very much reminded me of the headlights and evil smiles on the grills of the cars. Once you are aware of these anthropomorphic images in buildings, you can not help but to see them everywhere!
I found myself every thinking about post modern architecture in the middle of lacrosse practice. During a lap around the gym I see that the Alfond Sports Center has reoccurring patterns which are reflected and reused all over. If you look at the window panes, you find that they are placed everywhere on the building! Again, I felt compelled to tell my friends, look at how the Alfond Sports Center is postmodern. Hopefully by pointing these out to my friends we can continue spreading the wealth of understanding architecture as more than just buildings.
So thank you for this trip… Also, it was important to take this trip because I did not realize until being in their presence that these buildings can have multiple styles applied.
After this trip downtown, I felt enlightened. I felt as though I had a great insight that other people who have not been exposed to this knowledge of post modern architecture had. In fact, I went downtown on Friday night to the Magic game and on my way there I passed by the bus station. I guess I never could have gotten the full effect of amnesis until the night time journey. The waves, which are very randomly eclectic next to the building itself, are BLUE! I felt as though they were waves of the ocean. Talk about irony as well… what are waves doing in the middle of downtown Orlando? I was compelled to point out the buildings we visited to all of my friends. I got a bunch of stares but was proud that I could point out the phallic symbol of the courthouse. Also in the courthouse I was able to see the crown. The peaks were lit up like jewels shimmering. The building holds a lot of power in this hegemonically dominantly male society. It could be even borderline symbolic of a king, or tyrannical kingdom. It most definitely holds double meaning which is supposed to infuse a certain feeling when being in the presence of the building.
After pleading with my friends to stop at the Bank of America, I saw the face, the anthropomorphism is very clear in the dark. In fact it reminded me of when I was a little girl and used to look for faces in everything. The most prominent place of finding these scary faces were in cars. The face at Bank of America very much reminded me of the headlights and evil smiles on the grills of the cars. Once you are aware of these anthropomorphic images in buildings, you can not help but to see them everywhere!
I found myself every thinking about post modern architecture in the middle of lacrosse practice. During a lap around the gym I see that the Alfond Sports Center has reoccurring patterns which are reflected and reused all over. If you look at the window panes, you find that they are placed everywhere on the building! Again, I felt compelled to tell my friends, look at how the Alfond Sports Center is postmodern. Hopefully by pointing these out to my friends we can continue spreading the wealth of understanding architecture as more than just buildings.
So thank you for this trip… Also, it was important to take this trip because I did not realize until being in their presence that these buildings can have multiple styles applied.
Cuckoo 2/7
I really enjoyed Thursday’s class for a couple of reasons. I have never gone downtown to look at the architecture. It really helped me grasp the understanding of postmodern architecture by having the chance to actually look at the buildings rather than images. In class we have been looking at pictures of different buildings but being able to see the buildings up close and talk about the different elements of postmodern architecture really furthered my understanding. I never realized how many buildings where postmodern, but as we were driving downtown we looked out the windows and named some of the different types of building, many which seemed to be urban urbanism. It is not until you sit back and look at the buildings that, at least for myself, you realize how many different styles have been compressed into one building. I don’t think I am going to be able to look at a building again without thinking about disharmonious harmony, anamnesis, radical eclecticism, or any of the other concepts of postmodern architecture.
While we were looking at Bank of America Building the idea of an open text was brought up again. The building is composed of a couple of buildings at different levels and it looks like the Cingular symbol. When the architect was designing the building Cingular was not around, therefore, he did not intentionally incorporate the symbol. It is something that we saw in the building. This also goes into the idea of how we are able to look at a companies symbol and know what it is without having any word associated with it. When someone pointed out it looking like the Cingular bars we all were able to see what they were talking about. It did not have to be clearly pointed out and shown, we all were familiar with the image.
While we were looking at Bank of America Building the idea of an open text was brought up again. The building is composed of a couple of buildings at different levels and it looks like the Cingular symbol. When the architect was designing the building Cingular was not around, therefore, he did not intentionally incorporate the symbol. It is something that we saw in the building. This also goes into the idea of how we are able to look at a companies symbol and know what it is without having any word associated with it. When someone pointed out it looking like the Cingular bars we all were able to see what they were talking about. It did not have to be clearly pointed out and shown, we all were familiar with the image.
boo boo bear 2-7
Over the last couple of weeks I have grown a whole new appreciation for postmodern architecture and postmodern art. I have always thought that many forms of architecture are ridiculous and were something that anyone could do. I always felt like I could just draw up some building that was randomly put together but I now can see the true meaning of disharmonious harmony. These types of building aren’t just thrown together. They are fully thought through works of art. It amazes me how these buildings can flow and balance while looking like someone just threw a couple buildings together.
The field trip the other day (my first field trip since high school by the way) was great for me because I could see perfect examples of all the different forms of postmodern architecture in person. I thought it was interesting how the group would see five or six different forms of postmodern architecture in one building alone. The Bank of America building gave me visual examples of multiple forms postmodern architecture. I think that was when this quote really clicked and made sense to me, “The author and the critic are equally remote from a true appreciation of the work.” (I think that’s how it goes?) I find it hard to believe that when the architect was designing the Bank of America building he was trying to fit all of our forms of postmodern architecture into one building. But we, as the critics, could see many of the examples. Someone even brought up anthropomorphism somewhere around the lobby entrance. There was nothing close to anthropomorphism as far as I could see but that didn’t matter. Anyone with a strong enough imagination could find a facial resemblance on the building. And I could guarantee the architect wasn’t trying to make that building have a giant face on it.
The field trip the other day (my first field trip since high school by the way) was great for me because I could see perfect examples of all the different forms of postmodern architecture in person. I thought it was interesting how the group would see five or six different forms of postmodern architecture in one building alone. The Bank of America building gave me visual examples of multiple forms postmodern architecture. I think that was when this quote really clicked and made sense to me, “The author and the critic are equally remote from a true appreciation of the work.” (I think that’s how it goes?) I find it hard to believe that when the architect was designing the Bank of America building he was trying to fit all of our forms of postmodern architecture into one building. But we, as the critics, could see many of the examples. Someone even brought up anthropomorphism somewhere around the lobby entrance. There was nothing close to anthropomorphism as far as I could see but that didn’t matter. Anyone with a strong enough imagination could find a facial resemblance on the building. And I could guarantee the architect wasn’t trying to make that building have a giant face on it.
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