Cradle to Grave by Pharmacopoeia

"Cradle to Grave explores our approach to health in Britain today. The piece incorporates a lifetime supply of prescribed drugs knitted into two lengths of fabric, illustrating the medical stories of one woman and one man.

Each length contains over 14,000 drugs, the estimated average prescribed to every person in Britain in their lifetime. This does not include pills we might buy over the counter, which would require about 40,000 pills each.

Some of the treatments are common to both: each starts at birth with an injection of vitamin K and immunizations, and both take antibiotics and painkillers at various times. Other treatments are more specific. The woman takes contraceptive pills, and hormone replacement therapy in middle age. The man has asthma and hay fever when young, but enjoys good health until his fifties. He finally stops smoking after a bad chest infection when he is seventy. He is treated for high blood pressure for the last ten years of his life and has a heart attack and dies of a stroke in his seventies. He takes as many pills in the last ten years of his life as in the first sixty-six.

Cradle to Grave also contains family photographs and other personal objects and documents. The captions, written by the owners, trace typical events in people's lives. These show that maintaining a sense of well-being is more complex than just treating episodes of illness."

This is a good example of documenting lives in a scientific way, as well as displaying a collection of personal belonging which represent a person throughout different stages of their life. Seeing something set out in one place can make a big impact. More so than just so a video of someones life. It shows the bigger scale. 

Maps & Journeys Project Proposal

Originally our initial idea was to explore the mapping of the brain, and what each part does. This would of been done by the audience selecting an area of the brain they wanted to explore, and then showing what happens in that part by projecting clips onto a screen related with that brain part. This was greatly inspired by science related installation piece Biomimesis: Hyphae.
Biomimesis: Hyphae from Szymon Kaliski on Vimeo.

However, after having a massive group meeting to rethink our idea on how to make it more meaningful and send a message to the audience (rather than just showing information/facts), we concluded that our project would be about exploring Senses, mapping the senses, and the journey of external stimuli from the outside environment through the brain to achieve an emotional response.

In our project we would have to replicate the process in which senses are picked up and processed by the brain. We would need something that acts as the stimulus, then something that represents/shows the journey down the neurons in the brain, and then which are of the brain map will be used depending on what the stimulus is, and then we would have to show the response.

My role in the group is to research the scientific side and make sure it is accurate, as well as helping develop the idea. In order to make this as scientifically accurate as possible I researched into the brain, so I would know what part of the brain that will need to be highlighted.

The cerebrum or cortex is the largest part of the human brain, associated with higher brain function such as thought and action. The cerebral cortex is divided into four sections, called "lobes": the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe.

• Frontal Lobe- associated with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem solving 
• Parietal Lobe- associated with movement, orientation, recognition, perception of stimuli 
• Occipital Lobe- associated with visual processing 
• Temporal Lobe- associated with perception and recognition of auditory stimuli, memory, and speech 

The cerebellum, or "little brain", is similar to the cerebrum in that it has two hemispheres and has a highly folded surface or cortex. This structure is associated with regulation and coordination of movement, posture, and balance.


Our nervous system including our brain in made up of a network of neurons which journey from different parts of the body to the brain.

We are initially using a microphone and a connect to pick up sound and movement, then the parts of the brain we will be looking at/highlighting, by changing the colour in that area of the brain on the project will be the occipital Lobe and Temporal Lobe.

We also researched on what would happen if our senses are overloaded, which led us looking into condition of sensory overload (usually connected with people who have autism or ADHD).


Web articles explaining these effects:

http://nspt4kids.com/healthtopics-and-conditions-database/sensory-overload/

https://www.law.berkeley.edu/files/EffectsofPsychologicalTorturepaper%28Final%2911June10.pdf

http://sharonheller.net/psychopathology.php

http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/sensory-overload-sources-and-strategies

We then thought how we could make this visual and an installation. It will consist of a model of a brain, which will be projected on to, with an image of a heat map of the brain or a neuron network in the brain similar to the pictures I have posted below, a screen where it will show abstract shapes and colours which will change due to the intensity and type of stimulus which will be picked up by the microphone and/or kinect. The abstract shapes is almost a metaphor for the type response we may have, depending on how aggressive the sounds and movements are.

Also if there is too much movement or if the sound is too loud, then the highlighted area on the brain map will become more intense the screen's artwork will be disorientating, and eventually might shut down momentarily. This is to explore the effects of Sensory Overload.

DIGITAL FILM SCREEN ARTS.					YEAR:  2
NAME:  Julia Cowell				DATE:  22 October 2014
LEARNING AGREEMENT PROFORMA.			Deadline for submission: 23/10/2014
GROUP PRODUCTION SOLO PRODUCTION	TITLE: Maps & Journeys		UNIT CREDIT			30
Information: - This form is a basic list of requirements.  You should write as much as you need to describe what you intend to undertake and methods employed to achieve this work.
DESCRIPTION: (You should describe in detail here the work you intend to undertake in fulfilment of the module’s Aims and Learning Outcomes. In doing this you will need to make reference to the module descriptor in the Programme Handbook)
The idea is to create an interactive installation piece consisting of sensors such as a microphone or a Kinect camera, a screen and a model brain where a heat map of the brain's activities will be projected. People will approach the installation, and their movements/sounds will trigger movements of abstract shapes on screen, reflecting on how our brain interprets signals. This invites the user to be playful and learn how to interact with the installation. Depending on how aggressive the sound and movements are depends of how calmly/ fast the shapes on the screen will move and react. To In relation to the unit descriptor:      . Research themes around our idea to further develop our understanding of the concepts [Maps to A2 and A4] To. Determine whether the choice of an interactive installation is the best to illustrate our idea [Maps to A3 and A5] Re. Research and Figure out how to technically and visually achieve and create our idea [Maps to A1]                             . To effectively time plan the project, and make sure we hit our goals before certain dates [Maps to A4] M. Make sure our target audience, the general public, understand the base of the project by making sure the presentation is clear and engaging [Maps to A5] My role within the group is to make sure we have a heavy research background for this project, and to make sure the scientific side is as accurate as possible. My role is also make sure there is a production folder for this project. I will also help develop the idea visually, and work closely with the other members to make sure the technical side is successfully followed through, and that the instalment is set up properly.
RESEARCH: Academic reference material, sources and contextual materials
“See Yourself Sensing: Redefining Human Perception” by Madeline Schwatzman [2010] (Book) “Syn” by Consonant (Installation),
SKILLS AND RESOURCES: Identify the technical and networking skills you will need to develop and the resources you intend to use
·       LYNDA.COM ·       YOUTUBE.COM ·       FACEBOOK/SKYPE (PRODUCTION MEETINGS) ·       LIBRARY RESOURCES
WORK PLAN/TIMETABLE:
23 OCT: Present Idea and Get Feedback 24 OCT – 06 NOV: Individual Research 07 NOV – 04 DEC: Build / Develop Project 05 DEC – 10 DEC: Install Project 11 DEC – 12 DEC: Assessment
STUDENT SIGN:		DATE: 23/10/2014
TUTOR APPROVAL:
TUTOR SIGNED:		DATE:

Keep On Researching!

Even though we have formulated the basic idea of our project, I still want to look into maps & journeys, particularly installations, as it is interesting to look into and may help to develop our brain idea visually.

I particularly want to look into psychogeography , art & science and possibly memory and how they link to mapping and journeys. Also researching more into it may give me further inspiration for future projects.

I started by getting books out from the library. One includes Digital Art by Christiane Paul.

There were some interesting projects within this book, some that related greatly to the idea of maps & journeys. One of which was a project PDPal (2003) by Marina Zurkow, Scott Paterson and Julian Bleeker. This project is an ongoing series of for the Palm PDS, mobile phone and web. It is based around mapping and attempting to transform your everyday activities and urban experiences into a dynamic city that you write. It engages the user through a visual transformation, highlighting the technologies that locate are often static and without reference to the lively nature of urban environments.

"Your own city is the city composed of the places you live, play, work, and remember. Itís made of the routes and paths through which you make connections. Your city is also about the meanings you ascribe to the places you inhabit, pass through, love or hate. You imagine those places and routes as more than a street address, or directions you may give. These places have vivid, metaphorical meanings and histories that PDPal allows you to capture and visualize imaginatively, effectively writing your imaginary city.

In response to the plethora of mapping projects that have utilized GPS and measurable cartography, PDPal has been anti-geographic and anti-cartesian, preferring to experiment with the construction of relative, emotionally based systems that ask: what makes social or personal space. PDPal responds to the century-old idea of the urban explorer: from Baudelaire's "flaneur" (late 19th c); the Dadaists' public performances of nothing, sometimes called "deambulations" (1921); Benjamin's texts on the urban wanderer (1920's); the Situationists' algorithmic "derives"; Hakim Bey's "Temporary Autonomous Zones" that spring up in the cracks of urban regulations, and are opportunities for brief piracy of a place; and contemporary work in psychogeography - all deliberate projects of "getting lost" in the city, thus restoring it to a great dense space of wonder, not just a locus of labors."

This is a really interesting concept as it allowed anyone to contribute showing their emotion in relation to areas of cities. This was done by the audience achieving four questions every and the answers , together with postal codes of the participants. This created an emotional landscape which could be access through the internet. This was a good example of psychogeography (the study and effects of the geographical environment on individuals' emotions and behaviours, which was developed by Situationists in the 50's).

I might explore this idea of places and emotions. I know I have certain connection to places, especially where I live.  Having emotions for certain places can be shared with other people, and thats why I find this subject particularly interesting.

Set build Project: 2nd Group Meeting, Anne Feedback & My role

In our second meeting we had a look at the script Dowan had written to see if it fit our idea appropriately and if ided to be improved slightly. We also decided our roles within the group.

INT.LIVING ROOM.DAY 

THE MAN ’Middle Aged’ Slopping back on the sofa dazed into
the commercials playing on the TV. With the remote in one
hand and a beer in the other. Within the background we see a
lack of personal belongings,dirty dishes on the table and on
the wall a grey patch of what use to hang there. THE MAN
flicks through the channels until he hears one about a new
phone being released. He blankly stares into the TV taking a
sip of his beer. 

TV COMMERCIAL
(Roughly what is said, can be
changed of course to take the
piss out of consumerism)
Are you bored of the phone you just
bought? Do you want to Impress your
fake friends on facebook? Do you
want to splash a lot of cash on a
phone that does the same thing as
your old phone does? 

THE MAN continues to stare aimlessly into the TV, taking
another sip of his beer, and burps as he starts to seem
satisfied. 

TV COMMERCIAL
If your answer is YES, YES, AND
YES. Well this is the phone for
you. Order online now and receive
1% off YOUR phone.
(Fast Dialogue you hear at the
end of adverts)
Terms and conditions apply. Please
do not read them as we will screw
you over. 

THE MAN smiles blindly at the TV and picks up his phone in
order to purchase the new phone just advertised. Looking
down at his phone we see THE MAN purchase the phone at a
ridiculous prize (£600 for example) After the purchase he
logs into Facebook and makes a statues about the phone. 

THE MAN
(V.O)
Just brought the new I-diot 7
phone. Best purchase I’ve made in a
long time. 

THE MAN continues to stare at the phone screen when
instantly he starts to receive several likes and comments. 

FACEBOOK FRIENDS
(V.O’S)
- Well done mate! - I love that
phone! - You’re so lucky! - OMG I
want that phone. 

As he continues to receive likes and comments as he smiles
ecstatically. Seconds later we hear the sound of THE MAN’S
doorbell ring. With his phone still in his hands - 

POSTMAN
(SHOUTING)
DELIVERY! 

He instantly throws it behind him as he gets up to answer
the door. We follow the phone as it lands into a big pile of
phones on the floor.

Because we had a simple character profile and basic set out of the campaign, Anne gave us some feedback to think about. 

http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hamilton-just-what-is-it-that-makes-todays-homes-so-different-p11358/text-summary

Looking at the feedback, we want the main character to be younger, in his 20's instead of mid aged as we thing this was appeal/ be more relatable to the audience this campaign is aimed at.

My role in the group is the producer. In pre production I will assess the risks of building the set as well as shooting. I will all create a schedule. 

Developing the Brain Map Idea

After a group meeting of us sharing research an ideas we decided that we are going to expand our ideas for the interactive instalment, and make the brain touchable instead of having USB's coming out of it. When the viewer touches a part of the brain, a clip related to that part will show on the screen (using a projector). We will need to do a lot of research into the brains and its different parts in order to make this accurate.

We want to look into neurons which helps carry out the journey of signal to the brain. Here are some visual references below:

Visualising the beauty of mathematics

For our interactive piece we could possibly use more than one screen to show the responses/ how the brain works inside and outside the body.  These three screens focus on the same subject, but show different aspects. One shows the mathematical side related to equations, the seconds shows the diagrams and the third shows the object itself. Showing all the perspectives shows the complexity ad beauty in just everyday normal items.

"For non-mathematicians (or maths enthusiasts), equations appear daunting, let alone even considered for any aesthetic qualities. The project “Beauty of Mathematics” by Yann Pineill & Nicolas Lefaucheux, take these equations, and animate them to show their true image; that these equations depict movement, describe snowflakes, or create a masterpiece of computer technology. Just like we read artworks, equations are also meant to be interpreted for their meaning, but not everyone is trained to read equations. The project reads the equations for us, translates them if you will, and we are then able to relate a series of numbers and symbols to objects in our daily lives."

http://www.artandsciencejournal.com/post/83021415262/visualizing-the-beauty-of-mathematics-in-the-above

Little Boxes Projection Mapping

This artist uses layered projections onto a 3d surface to create visual art. I really like prjection art, as I feel you can create a bigger picture and you are not confined to a small screen. Also being in a dark room makes it more immersive as you only focus of the projections. I really enjoy this feeling, much like going to the cinema to watch a movie. Rather than watching it on your TV or computer screen at home, it has a certain charm and you can be more appreciative. I would really like to use projections in our project to create this experience.

"While projection mapping is sometimes a generic spectacle, there are artists who transcend the genre. Alinta Krauth’s work Little Boxes, a combination of projection mapping and visual art, is a hypnotizing world of exploding color and light, where animation beams from origami sculpture as if by magic, and kaleidoscopic patterns shift between shapes as if on little origami television screens.  She has transformed the use of a projector and software to become truly a fine art."

http://www.artandsciencejournal.com/post/99210717846/little-boxes-projection-mapping-by-alinta

Jabberwocky Final Sound Recording

This project was certainly challenging. Whilst I have little experience with sound, and next to no experience of protools I defiantly learnt a lot within this unit. I have learnt a variety of skills with recording on different devices, as well as using the features on protools, to create a short sound clip to accompany the narration.

Within the sound clip you can hear the man walking through the forest. He then sits down and waits by a tree for the Jabberwocky. The jabberwocky then flies in. The man fights the Jabberwocky, which is heard by the sword slashes.

The Art of Our Bodies

I really like seeing things in its true form with all the little details. These mouldings shows the detailed network of the heart and bloodstream in certain areas of the body. This is something that really interests me, and would be an interesting thing to show to an audience. We do not get to explore what is inside us often, we just accept it as part of us without really thinking about it in detail.

"These photographs both fascinate and repulse, but most importantly, like the exhibit, they educate viewers, allowing us to get a glimpse of how our bodies function. After the initial shock of seeing our insides so exposed, viewers begin to discover the great detail in our veins and the spectrum of colour found just in and around the heart. Our bodies present themselves as works of art, in this case, exhibited and then photographed.

The aim of BODIES: The Exhibition is to “[allow] visitors to see the human body’s inner beauty in educational and awe-inspiring ways”, with bodies and organs preserved using “a revolutionary process called polymer preservation, in which human tissue is permanently preserved using liquid silicone rubber.” Every aspect of the body is covered, allowing curious minds to see up close that which most of us never get to see."

http://www.artandsciencejournal.com/post/84448309279/the-art-of-our-bodies-the-intricacies-of-the

Working on my Jabbawocky Sounds

Just like with my previous recordings, I imported my sound recordings into clips, organised them and cut then down. I also added fades to the sounds that cut off abruptly. 

Some of the clips I adjusted the volume using the pen tool, to create depth and make it seem like the Jabberwocky is coming from afar and walking towards you.

 With a few of my clips such as the sliding chair and barks which were turned into the roar/growl of the Jabbawocky and the sword swipes (which I changed to different pitches to make them slightly differentiate), I changed the semitons because affects the pitch.

 I also had to speed up and slow down some clips, to make them fit better in the soundscape.

I wanted to apply a reverb to several of my sounds. Instead of putting a reverb on each one I create an aux with the effect on it. I then sent all the clips I wanted the effect to be on down the same bus to that aux. The reverb I applied was ambient sound that made the clips echo and make forest appear large, and give a sense of surrounding.

I also experimented with the volume and pan tool, to make it appear like the jabberwocky was walking past and away from the character.

Once I made sure everything on my project was fine, and the sound levels were under -10db I exported/bounced it to the required settings.

Maps & Journeys Joining A New Group

Even though I did have an idea for my own maps & journeys project I decided to join Josh's group, as  am interested in interactivity, as well as the scientific elements in which his project holds. Im hoping my interest in A Level Biology will help with this project, making it as accurate as possible.

The idea was to show the mapping of the brain, and the journey responses take within the body. The initial idea was to have USB attached to each part of the brain. You could then plug in a device to the certain part and it would play a video related to that area. After Josh talking to Kathleen with his idea, and Lauren and Thomas joining our group, we thought we would research into how we could make this piece more interactive, and have more of a meaning.

Looking into science and art, I came across a really interesting blog that had a variety of pieces which appreciated science related subjects as art pieces (http://www.artandsciencejournal.com/#top). One that particularly grabbed my attention was an instalment Biomimesis: Hyphae.

"The piece includes abstract lines and minimalist shapes as a representation of the fungus and it’s growths. This simulated fungal growth can be ‘maintained’ by standing in front of the screen. The viewer’s movements act as the food which helps the digital life-form stay alive; no movement means the digital life-form before you begins to decay, and even die. It is a piece that puts a heavy responsibility on the audience; they have the power to create or destroy life, symbolic of the impact we have on both technological advancements and natural devastation (and vice versa)."
I really like this idea of the audience being in control of the pieces and being able to interact in this immersive experience. It is something we want to include in our final piece, whether its using movement, touch or sound.