Concept and theme:

I decided to focus on SUBCULTURE for this whole part 3 and explore the element and branches of it. For instant, cyberpunk, vapourware, underground or internet. 

For this poster, I was listening to my friend's song he made 5 years ago. He is an infamous song writer who used to make underground trap back to about 5 years ago. Back to that time, the trap song hasn't become popular around the world. For me he is a signal of the underground culture in China which is definitely a branch of subculture. 

I use the cover of his song which is a collection of Dohits, and also his dumb photo. The song's name is Xiali which is a brand of car made in China which was popular 10 years ago because the the low price. However it was stopped produce now and the company is also about to broke. So it is kind of a symbol which is presented the old time in local China. It remains me of the connection between future and past. Speaking of future, nothing else can perfectly matches this theme more than cyberpunk.

Cyberpunk is a culture of how people in present imagine what the world would be like in the future which is rooted in the new wave since fiction movement of the 1960s and 1970s,when writers like Philip K. Dick, Roger Zelazny, and Harlan Ellison examined the impact of drug culture, technology and the sexual revolution while avoiding the utopian tendencies of earlier science fiction.

But the first element I want to research is the structure of the building instead of the concept of the future utopia world. Because of the overpopulation in the future ( it is happening right now), and the lack of the space, human have to use the 3 dimansion space by keeping building the high building up to the sky. But in the ground, it would still be crowded. The crowded building is where my idea came from. I use this element in the layout of the text. It is full of the Chinese character since in the world concept of cyberpunk the centre of the world would be in Tokyo or Shanghai, and Chinese or Japanese would be the future language.  

I also make the car(XIA LI) looks like running speedy which is almost impossible because according to bloodzboi(song's maker) said, the speed of XIA LI is about 20. To make it sarcasm, also present the time is fading fast.

After the researches of cyberpunk, I relative it to a branch of it, vapourware. 

If cyberpunk is about to imagine the future in present, vapourware would be people in present trying to create a surreal world back to the 1970s and 1980s for chilling. It can be electronic mood music or internet meme. For instant, smooth jazz or elevator music, mostly remix the disco old song from the end of last century. But for the imagination of the past, it hides the tough and awful thing but left the unreal and utopia vibe in this culture. Using ancient greek statues or the decoration like balls or triangles. 

I want to create the picture with the opposite way of it. Militants try to create the chilling and beautiful images for vapourware, so I decided to choose the Chinese traditional folk art for my project because most teenager think those old ladies dancing in the square, the old men who drive the electric mobile or the street artists which is the symbol of poor and kitsch for them. I want people to know that traditional folk art can be cool just like western art, there is no strictly stander of art, no higher or lower aesthetic.

For today's workshop, I try to express the feeling of vaporwave by 3D way by creating the model of astronomy with white plastic balls and wire. 

At first I didn't relative the work to my project, but then I found that I can separate the structure of the astronomy diorama to a single balls. And connect the different balls with wire but in different way. As the researches I did before, geometry is also an important element of vaporwave. Then I let the plastic balls flowing around the floor by blowing wind from my mouth. It didn't work because the wind is not strong enough. It might be better if I use wind blower.( can do at home.)

Then I use the map pin sticked inside the balls which remains me of the connection of people nowadays by internet and social media. Everyone can be connected with some else. The internet brings people together. This intense and crowded map pins just like the structure of future building from the concept of cyberpunk. Human are bonded together because of the improvement of technology.

However I can't use the work I made in my final project because I supposed to explore the opposite way of it. But still, I like the experiment today and quite satisfied with it since it is really good looking and bonds with the concept of the culture for my theme.

By using the photographs and films I took before in China, it is not difficult to find the street view, the real scene, no beautify, no vilify. I took the random scene and there are electric mobile, people dressed kitsch or old and traditional building everywhere. Even the souvenirs selling on street next to the famous sightseeing spot are interesting. It all shows the reality instead of the specific group of people like middle class or the poor in poverty areas.

Then I started to find a work relative to normal people. There is a TV show called Country Love in China and popular for normal people( mostly the middle age people in not improved area because it is close to their own life). The story happens in a non developed  countryside area, focus on the villager who live in this small town. Most people I know are pretty shame of it because it is too "low" for them. So that would be the perfect reference I can use, since the propose of this unit is to achieve atheistic and culture diversion.

The main characters in this show are interesting and easy to dig in because of their special characteristics. Combining them with the genera vibe of vapourwave, replace ancient greek statues with character from Country Love, replace beautiful decoration with local souvenir with ugly package. 

Just like what most people I know before, they might be rich, but shallow and narrow. They never want to explore this true society because they are so look down those"peanuts", and they think they are better than them. Those people can only accept those"fake fancy dream", but not the cold reality.

Just like aesthetic and culture, if people only 

After finished the final work of this project, I actually got one favorite one image which is the first poster of XIA LI. It expresses the concept of this project. Finding the relationship between the past and future, by subculture's way. 

However I'm not quite satisfied with others, because I think I didn't do enough research. And I didn't find a main element so these images might be a little messy and chaos which is no highlight and the main point in this project. Moreover, all the image I made(except day 1 poster) are just in surface. There is no actual straight connect to my proposal, these images are more like visual only.

I should treat the subject I was researching more careful and try to find the idea from it as more as possible. Also research from a different angle with the same thing might be helpful. I use this method for my previous works, however it is not been used in this project. That is the main reason why I don't like the rest of works.

The theme of this single project is about freezing time.

Freeze can be different explanation. It could be keeping fresh for food, you put the food in the fridge. It also could be pause, like if you are a running criminal the police might said ''freeze'' to you. 

So there are two point I can do researches for. 

The first thing came up to my mind when I thought about freezing food, the packages. It is quite interesting for the plastic plate or plastic wrap. And the meat is packed by plastic wrap can also bring me some ideas. But till yet, there is only about ''freeze''. So I thought about what kind of freezing thing can be relate to time. The simplest and ovbiously item is clock. It is a item for measuring time. So I wrapped clock with a lot of plastic wrap and putted it in the fridge see what would happen. Unfortunately because of the mess of my fridge, it didn't get well vision effect. Also it is too surface, then I gave up to keep going on this idea 

''Freeze'' for the meaning of pause. 

"Pause" can describe with online video, relationship, game, 

2 Medias for freezing: 

Resin (Seal

Water(put it in the fridge and turn to ice

What item to freeze:

Clock/Watch (to measure time

too visually 

not deep enough

Special items can bring back memories.

too subjective 

Meat( record the process of decomposing

coasting time

Main reason why I failed in "freeze" experiment.

It is not much easy than I expected to shape by resin and water, and always be out of control. 

Experiments of resin:

I tried to make a device like what shows in rick and morty in workshop. A headset to extract human's feeling. However I was not feeling comfortable doing works in front of people and it always limited my conscious. So I didn't expected too much then. However, it provided idea in other way.

As I mention before, the function of resin in this project is about to freeze. It doesn't has to be "extract", because feeling can also be sealed by pausing time going, like an insect was frozen in a small piece of specimen forever. Like second dimension and third dimension.

After abandoning all plans I made before, I decide to focus on other references and media. It happened that I was watching a animation sitcoms named Rick And Morty. A interesting episode showed a city full of ricks and mortys from different time line or dimensions. A scene of fiction commercial gave me some inspirations of this project. To create a device can extract human(a rick)'s feeling(happiness). Then they put those happiness on their product(wafer biscuit), so people who taste it can taste happiness.

According the research I've done for Chindogu, I was thinking I can make a fiction commercial as well, just like what they did in Rick And Morty. 

Then the poster I found in Adbuster really inspirit me in another way. Every one knows smoking cigarettes is unhealthy, and the commercial of it was banned by government already. What if I copy from the commercial was full of racist and sexist back to the beginning of 20 century, try to marketing smoke could make people feel happy?

Material limited:

The experiment of resin was totally failed. I used to use resin a lot, because it is a perfect material to creating sculpture and specimens with seeing through. However, it might because the vessel is not clear enough to see through, either not big enough to cover the full cigarette. 

It might be better if I use a large and clear glass bowl.

Color of resin:

Because of the blue vessel, matching with the light purple I mixed in resin looks like a full of dark.

Media:

I was thinking a flyer to be the outcome. But since most flyer is only one page(double side), if I put all story on it would be too busy and crowed which is the opposite way of my"less is more" goal. 

If I could do it second time, I might try to turn the posters into ads magazine.( Free magazine, full of low budget commercials) Also test more of resin sculptures, consider about the vessel seriously. 

Concept:

A lot of people found the proposal can be really confusing. Then I imagine what if I am a stranger who docent know me trying to understand? Then I realize it was not clearly from a stranger. Because I barely think of it. So next time I might need to consider about people who doesn't know me.

The project I've done so far is about exploring the future imagination by referencing cyberpunk aesthetic, the past parts are focus on ancient time and Victoria era. If cyberpunk is the imagination of what future be like for people in present, then steampunk is about people in the past( started in Victoria era.) imagined what future would be like. Before the invention of electricity, people wouldn't believe the reality nowadays. But imagine what would present world be like if electricity didn't be invented, the world might be full of gears, clock springs and steam train or cars( one thing can be sure is we wouldn't still use horse ride). In any ways, steampunk is a new aesthetic I can add to my new project which totally matched with my time and dimension error.

In the outcome of the site project, I didn't use much ancient era elements but ancient greek status.(because it is so vaporware.) In another way, I find the side story line would be much more interesting if I focus on improving of people entertainments. Also the ancient greek era. is too far away from our generation, and the only way we can get to know about that history is through the hypothesis from the archaeologist which means we can't never know if that was truly happened. (And the entertainment method back to that time is SO BORING has nothing to do about it. 

I've done a lot of collages by mixing different building in different location from different time( or dimension) together, then tried glitch art. But it was actually harder than I thought since the sample filters on smart phone app are basic.

I was trying to make a film as outcome, and I did tried. After spending 3 hours on editing I just realize that my editing skill is too poor to support my idea. So I gave up on video since I've done enough moving images during part 2. Though the media form so far I've been used is limited. Instead of doing 3D sculpture by different material, I've been all doing still images(most those are poster). And the resin experiment of last project was not successful at all. So in following weeks of the rest, I will try to use different material making 3D physical works and turn these 2D again.

People desire more and more.

Thanks to the technology dramatic development, people invented different way and equipment for them entertainment. Radio, Television, personal computer, then the smart phone. Every invention I mention lead us to a new world we never even imagine. 

Just few days ago, I did research of the period when the advertising and consumerism industry rising in America. The interesting fact that on the other side of earth in China, it was not easy to go through. It was just ended wars for a long time, people just started to get themselves together. But you couldn't chase materialist before feeding yourself. It is a interesting contrast of "desire".

By doing research of 1950s China, the whole thing back to that time was so wild and rough, however people would never be more active and strived, though it was full of lie and scam. And they tried the best to make everything economical. because of the lack of resources and material. Everyone was proud of saving anything. 

The clothes full of the patch is an epitomizing and symbol to that time. 

sewing and making commodity by theirselves if accessories was demand 

Previous research for building structure and layout:

 busy, crowd, cold, hard

Previous research about patch :

shabby, loose, 

Experiment:

Over-pose, noise point, reflect light 

By reference Sick's work for architecture structure in Chongqing, her other works also inspirited me. A series portrait photographs she took before is also my favorite. Strong contrast, noise point, or over posed effects are like a language to read without eyes, just bring strong feelings (same as black and white sometimes).

Speaking of which, those photos remain me of me being a kid who didn't like taking photo, so I always tried to hide somewhere avoiding eye contacts and hope nobody would see me. Though the form you fill on internet might be private or safe, it just feels like it is naked to publish your information to anyone. But I guess all people need to express after all, so I can't stop wondering if there is a safe place for people who can chat without knowing anything of each other(untraceable like deep web)

  In another way to express the situation close enough to no desire, what some Buddhist monks believes they can abandoned all material culture, the goal in their whole life is chasing the most basic life only can make them survive. It is actually the same like what I mentioned before like patched. 

Same like the patched, in the past, monks use one piece of cloth from each one in the small village(where thy live) and sewing them together to a clothing. The one reason is to remain to always appreciate people, in another way, it is a good way to show the spirt of "no desire".

I was actually satisfied with the final work of fabric. It gets all the element I've been researching. And surprisingly a wonderful effect by using flash light. But if I had to say something to improve, it might be the size. I used to consider the same question before, a3 or a4 are a little awkward. This piece might be better if I make it larger, but to be honest, I don't have enough time for doing that, and knitting spending a lot to time. But if I do smaller size, it wouldn't be like a 3D city.

And the second point is it might be better if I create more layers on it. Since the feeling I want to show is the different experience from different time and dimension, it supposed to have more layers on it. And with that, the fabric would be busier and crowed. 

Proposal :  explore material need, try to find the balance between greed and bored. 

Black/White/Grey = No(less) desire 

 - old TV is black and white

 - "boring color"

 - old photographs black and white

Clam&Boring

Color = Desire

 - Neon(street view)

 - LED Screen( modern technology and media)

 - TV series turning colorful

Desire seems cute and innocent(or you will not fell into it), but it wants more and more, till one day you couldn't afford.

There are a lot of holes in circuit board, which remains me of my previous experiments of astronomy diorama. Those white and light plastic balls match the opposite of "hole" I've been thinking yesterday. 

White plastic ball: Pure(less desire)

Light: easy to move, mostly moving because of the flowing air( following trend like what consumerist try to brainwash people

 Experiment material today: white clay, circuit board and plastic white ball

Is the while plastic ball the sign of pure or desired?

Both.

Because it is all abstract and subjective concept, it is really hard to tell what is desire or pure. There is no such thing really pure. 

Patched: cover the hole.

So I need to create hole, then cover it by whatever.

Hole

A lot of holes

Full of holes 

Uncomfortable 

          ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Trypophobia often presents with an autonomic nervous system response. Shapes that elicit a trypophobic reaction include clustered holes in innocuous contexts, such as fruit and bubbles, and in contexts associated with danger。

Other reported symptoms include goose bumps, body shakes, feeling uncomfortable, and visual discomfort such as eyestrain, distortions, or illusions.

Hole: the lack of human desire

Fill the whole: fill yourself with desire 

1950s in China might be the generation which people desire less. People patched their cloth, no need for dressing up or make up and shamed of living fancy life. 

It is a time with black and white.(Photographs) 

Now people is getting more and more desire because of the consumerism brainwashed. They overdraft for things they couldn't afford to or don't even need. They fake themselves on instagram. They do things for attention. 

Fancy and colorful life.

Fabric Size: A3 is a little awkward size for posters. Normally most people like to see really large scale poster hanging up outside. It is understandable because large scale could really brings strong vision effects, also show more detail. However, the worst thing for anti social people like me is showing your thoughts or your works in front of people. But a3 is just awkward because it is big enough for people to see while they pass(and they did).

It should be print out with a5 or smaller. Because in the world I was trying to create and imagine in the future, it is difficult so people wouldn't pay attention and time on things non of their business. If I got another chance, I might use smaller size(maybe frame it as well to make it look like old photographs).

Experiment:

As I mention before, size is an important point. Though I don't like people to see my works, and I did use small scale for clay experiment. However it might be better if I test more time and try different scales see which one is better.

This is supposed to be a mini project inspirited from last one, keep exploring of desire by comparing human's entertainment media development during these 50 years. Then it just not really relative to my original theme. Also due to the limited time, I couldn't finish this self published. However, its title is Suicide Development , a fiction website for anti social people who want to express themselves without connecting others, a comfort zone in internet where people can hide in the dark. Then quote "someone" or "some people" with illustration and photographs. Though all the quote in it from my social media account which barely no one has seen. 

In another way, it might be the timeline(or summery) of Upper Dimension . 

Back to 2000, the most popular media used to all base on graphic. Newspaper, magazine flyer or advertising board on street you can see those everywhere. And before that time, television was still "new media". For this generation like us, it is hard to imagine how it fell when you watch tv program in a vintage small black and white television. The truth is the popularizing rate just started to rase. And before that, television was not just like luxury for most family, but a signature of the higher status. People gathered around with their neighbor who has a tv, it happened all the time.

 However it is a turning point for the people's entertainment changing to an expected way, smart phone. Since television is not an uncommon thing for most people, the television program became more diversify. Thanks to the rising development technology of filming equipment and special effect, the quality of TV plays was getting higher, 

watching is much easier than reading

people prefer not thinking too much when they enjoy recreation

Since the popularization and application of smart phone and personal computer, internet developed in a way people might not expected. Just like people who lived in Victoria Era, the time steampunk appeared, their imagination of the future technology, science system and building structure&material is all based on the invention of steam engine and inexistent of internal combustion engine. But the future is not always the way people imagine off. During the second industrial revolution, people started to working with electric power system, instead of the low effective steam causing much population, then cyberpunk appeared. 

Now we live in the information era, the information we accept everyday could not be measured because of the extremely large number. But people don't get smarter than before, it might because the most of information we get is useless trash. Then the most of those trash are advertising because they are everywhere. You can always see ads in the tube, on the street, the flyer you get, magazine, tv shows or those stamps you can see sticking no matter wherever  you go. But these are not the worst because at least you can try to not look at them. Nowadays we couldn't even avoid it, video web like youtube force you to watch advertising if you don't buy their value-added services, any pages you've been reading might be a advertorial.

There are already a lot of works imagine the relationship between humanity and commercial. One episode in South Park  tells a story that there is a human living advertising in south park elementary school. And in an American sitcoms named Community, Subway hired a human to be "Subway", study at community college like everybody else, but his whole life couldn't  have any personality himself. After "subway" was fired, one day he came back to community college to become a living advertising for Honda. 

The purpose of ads is used to help or convince people to buy the product they cover with fancy expectation, then it becomes selling fake fantasy in defraud way since get consumerism culture brain washed. 

 - Game Machine

Handheld game console

  - TV Play

 - Smart Phone Application 

Internet used to be a safe place for anti-social group.

MSN (Windows Live Massager) is the first instant messaging system what I've know since the radical development of internet. It was getting popular in 2000s, then disappeared in a few years because of Facebook appeared. Others like Instagram or WhatsApp. However, Instagram or Facebook are more likely to be exact social media, live massage is only an attachment function of these. 

FAKEBLOCK -

 - A FICTIONAL INTERNET PRIVACY SOFTWARE COMPANY

A college student George Michael creates a fake software about internet privacy by accident which mean to be a  simple and basic application for playing wood block instrument. Then he with his cousin suddenly becomes celebrity and successful young genius for doing nothing but making out  a non-real privacy/anti-privacy software.

Imagine what if there is an application can truly protect your privacy, a comfort zone of anti-social social media? It actually happened already before those popular social media appeared back to 2000s, just like I mention before, the birth of MSN and OICQ, people just began exploring more possible while people was so curious about this emerging industry called internet. Then they found a new world, a world that you can hide who you really are. By using cryptonym, people chat with others you might not be seem in the whole life.  

(trending all over again like a circle )

A day after being nice, faking smile, talking to someone you don't want to, being a person you hate so much, people want a place for just being themselves. 

Then because of social media which people share with their location and privacy on it, and application always ask too much permission to steal your every single moves, your browser history and your hidden secrets. However they don't seems like care about it.

What we do?

Cryptonym might solve it. (Deep Web)

Fake IP