1. Bringing awareness to the pollution in Onondaga Lake
2. Wonder Twins activate!…form of…a WATER BOTTLE!
3. Location = Armory Square, because lots of people are always there.
4. Onondaga Lake has gone from awesome to not awesome due to pollution since the turn of the century
5. Awareness needs to be drawn to the pollution level of the water of Onondaga Lake
6. Intervention, because something needs to be done about the contaminant levels in the water
7. I don’t see why not
8. I hope that the piece fits in with Armory Square by getting the people walking by involved
9. Demali Ayo’s panhandling for reparations has inspired this in some way. Her piece was controversial as is this project in its own way.
10. Raise awareness about the pollution
11. Number of water bottles given out
12. Local people are the target audience because they have to live with Onondaga Lake being practically in their backyard. They should be surprised by the facts presented on the water bottle.
13. Simply take a bottle.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Monday, November 5, 2007
A Funkified Nation
Adrian Piper's Funk Lessons (1982-84) were dialogic experiments that incorporated the learning of black funk music and how to dance to it. The real underlying motive in these experiments, however, was to shed light on racial issues. These issues would become obvious as the whites preconceived notions were revealed about funk and its relation, or lack thereof, to ‘high culture.’ Piper’s funk lessons provided a way for racial issues to be confronted in a positive, voluntary manner.
Adrian Piper’s Funk Lessons were designed to bring a part of black popular culture to a white audience that had been, until this point, mostly inaccessible. These lessons, which were an “energetic, ''Soul Train''-style demonstration that at least some perceived racial distinctions are learned, and learnable, behavior” tried to break down racial barriers between whites and blacks (Cotter 1). This experiment had a few goals such as to teach the intricacies of funk music to a white audience who might have taken the music for granted, as well as teach them some basic dance moves, all while trying to expose this important part of black culture and alleviate certain racial issues.
Piper realized early on that there seemed to be a cultural gap between blacks and whites. Often times, when she would have guests over for dinner, she would start playing classical pieces by composers such as Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven. However, as the night progressed, she would interpose some funk music and note her guests’ reactions as they all became puzzled, or even aggravated. This is what originally alerted her of this cultural divide, giving her the idea for Funk Lessons.
By placing this group of whites outside their comfort zone, Piper's funk lessons effectively brought to light issues of race. Not only were these issues brought up, but also overcome as Piper notes; “We were all engaged in the pleasurable process of self-transcendence and creative expression within a highly structured and controlled cultural idiom, in a way that attempted to overcome cultural and racial barriers” (Bishop 131). In other words, the environment that Piper created with her audience was conducive to voluntary dialogue about the individual feelings of each participant. Often times, the experiment would first make the white audience experience anxiety, anger, or contempt.
“Anxiety, because its association with black, working-class culture engenders unresolved racist feelings that are then repressed or denied rather than examined; anger; because it is both sexually threatening and culturally intrusive to individuals schooled exclusively in the idiom of the European-descended tradition of classical, folk, and/or popular music; contempt, because it sounds ‘mindless’ or ‘monotonous’ to individuals who, through lack of exposure or musicological training, are unable to discern its rhythmic, melodic and topical complexity.”
Bishop 133
Paired with these emotions, audience members would often feel embarrassment as well because of funk music’s association with adolescent dancing, dating and sexual competence. These negative subconscious views would often remain into adulthood. Adrian Piper’s lessons, however, finally opened up the door for her audience. They felt accepted into the culture, and thus eventually expressed themselves freely via dance. This allowed them to overcome these racial barriers that Piper mentioned. In this sense, Piper’s Funk Lessons were very effective.
Although the project seemed successful for the participants, it did not, however, take into account the feelings of blacks who might hold the belief that funk should not deem the title of 'high culture.' Perhaps jazz, which, in a sense, could be considered more of an elite genre of music and thus high culture, should have been used for the lessons. However, dancing is not as inherent in jazz as it is in funk. Piper would then have been faced with making a sacrifice; either sacrificing the dance, or the ‘high culture.’ Funk, however, still did not seem as accessible to white culture as jazz, and so there seemed to be more of an unknown, unexplored factor to it. By choosing funk music and dance as her medium, Piper created a controlled environment that allowed the whites to break out of their comfort zones and feel accepted into a new culture.
Piper's funk lessons could have had an even more successful impact on the audience, perhaps, had the project forced more racial dialogue once the members had become comfortable with the dancing. On the other hand, perhaps Piper did not want to push the envelop too far, worrying that the audience might then revert back to being uncomfortable about the racial issues.
These funk lessons, done in the mid 1980’s, were successful in many respects due to the musical separation of that time. Today, hip-hop has been infused into white culture a lot more than in the past, thus posing the question of how the same type of project would be effectively constructed in the present. A growing number of white artists are even making it in the hip-hop business, showing that the cultural gap is slowly diminishing. With this in mind, one could question whether the same experiment would have any effect at all in today’s society. In a sense, it would be forcing the assimilation of two cultures that have already, over the years, become assimilated naturally. Perhaps, for this experiment to have the same effect as it did in the 1980’s, a more extreme cultural difference would have to be imposed on the white audience. Interestingly enough, it is very difficult today to find traits that belong to only blacks . Black clothing styles, Ebonics, and hip-hop music have all become commonplace in white culture. Thus, perhaps what Adrian Piper was originally trying to achieve, has in at least someway, occurred naturally since her funk lessons in the mid 1980’s.
Unlike Damali Ayo's panhandling project, where she asked for reparations from whites, Piper's lessons did not have the intent of forcing guilt, but rather had a positive impact. By avoiding the issue of slavery, unlike the panhandling public art project, the audience, although at first uncomfortable, were able to have positive, productive dialogues and ultimately overcome racial barriers. Perhaps the intent is not what needs to be examined, but rather just the outcome, which in almost every instance, was positive. According to Ron Platt, the curator at the Weatherspoon, Piper is “really asking that people think about their own attitudes about race and class and gender” (Frascina 11). In a sense, she is not forcing a view of how whites should act about issues of race, but rather asking them to evaluate how they really feel about those issues. Piper has “been doing pieces the significance and experience of which is defined as completely as possible by the viewer’s reaction and interpretation. Ideally the work has no meaning or independent existence outside of its function as a medium of change” (Kester 69). In other words, there is no real intent with many of Piper’s art projects. The defining aspect of her works depend entirely on the audiences interpretation and reaction.
Adrian Piper’s Funk Lessons were executed in a very controlled environment. The audience was willing to participate. The dialogue was somewhat guided by Piper herself. The number of people participating was specifically selected for the purpose of success. However, in the real world, there are no controlled environments such as this. One wonders if such a racial barrier breaking project would be met with as much success, or any at all, in a less controlled environment such as the real world. Perhaps it would be a different type of success. As Piper said herself, there is often no real intent of her works. If a large ‘audience’ in the real world, composed of people of all ages and races, was introduced to a certain culture’s music, perhaps it could be met with success in the sense that that audience has now been invited to enjoy something that might not have been accessible to them otherwise. On the other hand, in a less controlled environment, individuals might be less likely to leave their comfort zones and participate.
Had the project been completely turned around - whites teaching blacks how to dance - would it have brought up racial issues as effectively, or might it be taken differently and even considered racist? Do blacks have the same repressed feelings of anxiety, anger, and contempt about ‘white music?’ Perhaps the project, consisting of teaching blacks about white ‘high culture,’ and allowing them to participate, could be seen as racist, even though it would be no different than Adrian Piper’s original experiment. Might it even evoke more anger than successful barrier breaking? Perhaps, since the two cultures are more mixed today than they were in the 80’s, this reversal of Piper’s project would be just as ineffective.
Through funk lessons, Piper’s white audience was able to come to terms with personal racial issues from past experiences, as well as learn the intricacies of funk music. Her experiments enjoyed much success due to the fact that in the 80’s there was more of a cultural divide between whites and blacks, and also due to the controlled environment that she imposed on the lessons. However, it seems clear that this experiment would have to be radically altered to be effective in today’s society, if it could be executed at all. This can be explained by the almost natural assimilation of the two cultures over the past 20 to 30 years. Although racial issues still exist today, the meshing of black and white culture has grown in today’s society.
Adrian Piper’s Funk Lessons were designed to bring a part of black popular culture to a white audience that had been, until this point, mostly inaccessible. These lessons, which were an “energetic, ''Soul Train''-style demonstration that at least some perceived racial distinctions are learned, and learnable, behavior” tried to break down racial barriers between whites and blacks (Cotter 1). This experiment had a few goals such as to teach the intricacies of funk music to a white audience who might have taken the music for granted, as well as teach them some basic dance moves, all while trying to expose this important part of black culture and alleviate certain racial issues.
Piper realized early on that there seemed to be a cultural gap between blacks and whites. Often times, when she would have guests over for dinner, she would start playing classical pieces by composers such as Bach, Mozart, or Beethoven. However, as the night progressed, she would interpose some funk music and note her guests’ reactions as they all became puzzled, or even aggravated. This is what originally alerted her of this cultural divide, giving her the idea for Funk Lessons.
By placing this group of whites outside their comfort zone, Piper's funk lessons effectively brought to light issues of race. Not only were these issues brought up, but also overcome as Piper notes; “We were all engaged in the pleasurable process of self-transcendence and creative expression within a highly structured and controlled cultural idiom, in a way that attempted to overcome cultural and racial barriers” (Bishop 131). In other words, the environment that Piper created with her audience was conducive to voluntary dialogue about the individual feelings of each participant. Often times, the experiment would first make the white audience experience anxiety, anger, or contempt.
“Anxiety, because its association with black, working-class culture engenders unresolved racist feelings that are then repressed or denied rather than examined; anger; because it is both sexually threatening and culturally intrusive to individuals schooled exclusively in the idiom of the European-descended tradition of classical, folk, and/or popular music; contempt, because it sounds ‘mindless’ or ‘monotonous’ to individuals who, through lack of exposure or musicological training, are unable to discern its rhythmic, melodic and topical complexity.”
Bishop 133
Paired with these emotions, audience members would often feel embarrassment as well because of funk music’s association with adolescent dancing, dating and sexual competence. These negative subconscious views would often remain into adulthood. Adrian Piper’s lessons, however, finally opened up the door for her audience. They felt accepted into the culture, and thus eventually expressed themselves freely via dance. This allowed them to overcome these racial barriers that Piper mentioned. In this sense, Piper’s Funk Lessons were very effective.
Although the project seemed successful for the participants, it did not, however, take into account the feelings of blacks who might hold the belief that funk should not deem the title of 'high culture.' Perhaps jazz, which, in a sense, could be considered more of an elite genre of music and thus high culture, should have been used for the lessons. However, dancing is not as inherent in jazz as it is in funk. Piper would then have been faced with making a sacrifice; either sacrificing the dance, or the ‘high culture.’ Funk, however, still did not seem as accessible to white culture as jazz, and so there seemed to be more of an unknown, unexplored factor to it. By choosing funk music and dance as her medium, Piper created a controlled environment that allowed the whites to break out of their comfort zones and feel accepted into a new culture.
Piper's funk lessons could have had an even more successful impact on the audience, perhaps, had the project forced more racial dialogue once the members had become comfortable with the dancing. On the other hand, perhaps Piper did not want to push the envelop too far, worrying that the audience might then revert back to being uncomfortable about the racial issues.
These funk lessons, done in the mid 1980’s, were successful in many respects due to the musical separation of that time. Today, hip-hop has been infused into white culture a lot more than in the past, thus posing the question of how the same type of project would be effectively constructed in the present. A growing number of white artists are even making it in the hip-hop business, showing that the cultural gap is slowly diminishing. With this in mind, one could question whether the same experiment would have any effect at all in today’s society. In a sense, it would be forcing the assimilation of two cultures that have already, over the years, become assimilated naturally. Perhaps, for this experiment to have the same effect as it did in the 1980’s, a more extreme cultural difference would have to be imposed on the white audience. Interestingly enough, it is very difficult today to find traits that belong to only blacks . Black clothing styles, Ebonics, and hip-hop music have all become commonplace in white culture. Thus, perhaps what Adrian Piper was originally trying to achieve, has in at least someway, occurred naturally since her funk lessons in the mid 1980’s.
Unlike Damali Ayo's panhandling project, where she asked for reparations from whites, Piper's lessons did not have the intent of forcing guilt, but rather had a positive impact. By avoiding the issue of slavery, unlike the panhandling public art project, the audience, although at first uncomfortable, were able to have positive, productive dialogues and ultimately overcome racial barriers. Perhaps the intent is not what needs to be examined, but rather just the outcome, which in almost every instance, was positive. According to Ron Platt, the curator at the Weatherspoon, Piper is “really asking that people think about their own attitudes about race and class and gender” (Frascina 11). In a sense, she is not forcing a view of how whites should act about issues of race, but rather asking them to evaluate how they really feel about those issues. Piper has “been doing pieces the significance and experience of which is defined as completely as possible by the viewer’s reaction and interpretation. Ideally the work has no meaning or independent existence outside of its function as a medium of change” (Kester 69). In other words, there is no real intent with many of Piper’s art projects. The defining aspect of her works depend entirely on the audiences interpretation and reaction.
Adrian Piper’s Funk Lessons were executed in a very controlled environment. The audience was willing to participate. The dialogue was somewhat guided by Piper herself. The number of people participating was specifically selected for the purpose of success. However, in the real world, there are no controlled environments such as this. One wonders if such a racial barrier breaking project would be met with as much success, or any at all, in a less controlled environment such as the real world. Perhaps it would be a different type of success. As Piper said herself, there is often no real intent of her works. If a large ‘audience’ in the real world, composed of people of all ages and races, was introduced to a certain culture’s music, perhaps it could be met with success in the sense that that audience has now been invited to enjoy something that might not have been accessible to them otherwise. On the other hand, in a less controlled environment, individuals might be less likely to leave their comfort zones and participate.
Had the project been completely turned around - whites teaching blacks how to dance - would it have brought up racial issues as effectively, or might it be taken differently and even considered racist? Do blacks have the same repressed feelings of anxiety, anger, and contempt about ‘white music?’ Perhaps the project, consisting of teaching blacks about white ‘high culture,’ and allowing them to participate, could be seen as racist, even though it would be no different than Adrian Piper’s original experiment. Might it even evoke more anger than successful barrier breaking? Perhaps, since the two cultures are more mixed today than they were in the 80’s, this reversal of Piper’s project would be just as ineffective.
Through funk lessons, Piper’s white audience was able to come to terms with personal racial issues from past experiences, as well as learn the intricacies of funk music. Her experiments enjoyed much success due to the fact that in the 80’s there was more of a cultural divide between whites and blacks, and also due to the controlled environment that she imposed on the lessons. However, it seems clear that this experiment would have to be radically altered to be effective in today’s society, if it could be executed at all. This can be explained by the almost natural assimilation of the two cultures over the past 20 to 30 years. Although racial issues still exist today, the meshing of black and white culture has grown in today’s society.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Funk paper
1. Adrian Piper's Funk Lessons (1982-84) were dialogic experiments that incorporated the learning of black funk music and how to dance to it.
Piper's funk lessons would often begin with the introduction of basic dance moves to the audience, as well as the discussion of their cultural and historical meanings.
By placing this group of whites outside their comfort zone, Piper's funk lessons effectively brought to light issues of race.
Although the project was somewhat successful, it also upset many blacks who believed that funk should not deem the title of 'high culture.'
Piper's funk lessons could have had a more successful impact on the audience, perhaps, had the project forced more racial dialogue.
Today, hip-hop has been infused into white culture a lot more than in the past, thus posing the question of how the same type of project would be effectively constructed today.
Unlike Damali Ayo's panhandling project, Piper's lessons did not have the intent of forcing guilt, but rather had a positive impact.
Had the project been completely turned around - whites teaching blacks how to dance - would it have brought up racial issues as effectively, or might it be taken differently and even considered racist?
2. Thesis: Adrian Piper's Funk Lessons provide a way for racial issues to be confronted in a positive, voluntary manner.
Thesis 2: Through dancing, whites are able to come to terms with personal racial issues from their past, as well as learn the intricacies of funk music.
3. "We were all engaged in the pleasurable process of self-transcendence and creative expression within a highly structured and controlled cultural idio, in a way that attempted to overcome cultural and racial barriers" (131).
Piper's funk lessons would often begin with the introduction of basic dance moves to the audience, as well as the discussion of their cultural and historical meanings.
By placing this group of whites outside their comfort zone, Piper's funk lessons effectively brought to light issues of race.
Although the project was somewhat successful, it also upset many blacks who believed that funk should not deem the title of 'high culture.'
Piper's funk lessons could have had a more successful impact on the audience, perhaps, had the project forced more racial dialogue.
Today, hip-hop has been infused into white culture a lot more than in the past, thus posing the question of how the same type of project would be effectively constructed today.
Unlike Damali Ayo's panhandling project, Piper's lessons did not have the intent of forcing guilt, but rather had a positive impact.
Had the project been completely turned around - whites teaching blacks how to dance - would it have brought up racial issues as effectively, or might it be taken differently and even considered racist?
2. Thesis: Adrian Piper's Funk Lessons provide a way for racial issues to be confronted in a positive, voluntary manner.
Thesis 2: Through dancing, whites are able to come to terms with personal racial issues from their past, as well as learn the intricacies of funk music.
3. "We were all engaged in the pleasurable process of self-transcendence and creative expression within a highly structured and controlled cultural idio, in a way that attempted to overcome cultural and racial barriers" (131).
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