Hallie’s Work

Jenny Holzer

Sign on a Truck (1984)

Jenny Holzer is an American neoconceptual artist based in Hoosick, New York. She investigates how language is employed as a medium of communication as well as concealment and control. Large-scale installations, advertising billboards, projections on buildings and other structures, as well as illuminated electronic displays are all part of her work. Her aphorisms remind us that language may be basic and direct: self-evident truths, street-level expressions concerning war, politics, death, and violence.

The ability to move content is a great feature of electronic signs. I enjoy it because motion is similar to speech in that you can emphasize phrases and roll and pause, which is the kinetic counterpart of inflection. Having that programming capability is a huge bonus. For Holzer, technology is a tool that allows her to reach a much larger audience with her ideas. In her art, she frequently employs light projections and LED signs. The LEDs are based on technology that has been used in public advertising and warning signs for years. She may ensure that her art is displayed in locations “where people look” by using these screens. The first piece I chose is called Sign on a Truck (1984). Holzer employed a vehicle equipped with a sound system and an electronic display to offer a mix of lectures, interviews, and amusing pictures. On the eve of the US presidential election, the initiative was an attempt to use technology to ignite conversation and record a varied spectrum of voices and ideas. With the use of 27,000 electron tubes, Holzer’s Sign on a Truck allowed New Yorkers to have their pre-election remarks not only heard but also seen.

Inflammatory Essays (1979-1982)

The Inflammatory Essays are a collection of comments influenced by political theorists, religious extremists, and passionate “folk” literature. Holzer has always been interested in ‘rapturous writing’ and has wanted to compose ‘ecstatic, fantastic stuff’ since he was a child. She also employs this tight framework to investigate a range of extreme ideas, with each essay having exactly 100 words in twenty lines. She tests the audience’s reaction by juxtaposing obsessive declarations with the certainty of popular opinion. Originally, the essays were distributed by flyers across New York City. Holzer, like many other artists of her time, relied on mass media and advertising to support her work. She came up with around 300 honest principles, insights, and slogans based on universally acknowledged truths and clichés in the late 1970s. Initially, Holzer would disseminate these phrases to the public via a variety of media, including posters, stickers, and t-shirts, before moving on to electronic displays.

Text Piece

Gun Violence T-Shirt:
Gun violence has become a global human rights issue in recent years. It puts our most basic human right, the right to life, in jeopardy. My first thought for this assignment is to would like to represent gun violence in the US. So far, my thought process has been to illustrate phrases related to gun restrictions and the resulting violence that people may encounter. I’d print this on either a t-shirt or as a poster with words like “stop,” “dead,” and “murder” on the front. I’d use a different font for each word to demonstrate that the words are getting darker and more meaningful as they go further to the worst potential conclusion of gun legalization. Another idea I have relating to this is to have these same words going from left to right with the same fonts below forming the shape of the gun.

Bullying Poster:
For my second Idea, I would like to represent bullying. Bullying is a major issue that many people have sadly experienced. It is defined as unwelcome, hostile behavior with a real or perceived power imbalance. Over time, the conduct is repeated or has the potential to be repeated. Making threats, spreading rumors, physically or verbally abusing someone, and purposefully excluding someone from a group are all examples of bullying. There are a variety of people who express themselves through makeup and get bullied for it. My plan is to photograph my sister Jordyn with her makeup smeared down her face, almost as if they are her tears  She’ll have a sad expression on her face, and in the background behind her, I’ll have terms like “ugly,” “fat,” and others that people have said to her. ​​Makeup is her life, and she loves to experiment with different looks to express herself, which I think is fantastic! To make an artist multiple, I’ll print four copies, each with a different coloured background to emphasize how these colours reflect distinct emotions.

Paper Filled Boxes:
My third idea is to have two boxes each filled with 100 pieces of rolled paper. One box will have a pen and blank white paper inside. This is for people who might be feeling down, want to express themselves, or even just wanna get something off their chest. It will be anonymous. The second box will include various coloured pieces of paper with encouraging sentiments written on them by me. This is for individuals who need a pick-me-up or simply wish to feel better. They are free to read as many notes as they want. On the side of the box, it will say, please return me after reading.

Final Idea and Coasters

I had been going back and forth on this assignment, attempting to come up with an idea that I liked for a long time. I chose to deviate from my gun concept because I was having trouble coming up with a component I was happy with. When I finally came up with an idea I thought was great for this project, I purchased eight coasters and decided to write messages on them telling people “not” to use the coaster.  I came up with this idea when I noticed coasters on the table beside me, as well as my mug next to the coaster just sitting on the table. I began to come up with phrases and words like “STOP,” “Only for Show,” “Use the Table,” and several others that I found to be ironic. I can picture these in a house or even in a restaurant where coasters are used often. Due to the fact that many restaurants are closed and I do not feel comfortable going to them, I could not take pictures with these in use. Below are all the coasters I made.

Process Images

To make these coasters, I had to paint numerous coats of white over the cork until it was opaque, wait for it to dry, and then paint each word on. I had intended to make eight coasters, but trying to make every letter look nice and clean took a lot longer than I had anticipated so I ended up with six. I decided to paint over the cork as I felt it made it look more professional and clean. Although they look hand-made I truly think it adds to the overall effect.

Parents Video

My parents are a huge part in my life. They do so much for me and my family every day, by cooking, cleaning, working, and overall providing me and my family with an amazing life. For this assignment I felt it would be interesting to hear what goes on in both of my parents lives, as they are completely different and both amazing in their own way. For my moms video I curled my hair and wore something she would usually wear around the house in order to “become” my mom. For my dad, I tied my hair back into a pony tail and wore an oversized flannel that he wears very often.

It was a lot harder then I had anticipated to get all the words spot on as if they were coming out of my mouth. I had to redo this many times and eventually decided to do it in clips (although I did not like the look of it as much), I felt it would be more successful in the end. Although some parts are off with me mouthing the audio, overall I think I did a good job making it look like I was speaking.

Internet Culture Video Research

How is it shot, and framed? Where does the material come from? What is the quality of the footage?
Many clothing hauls are either shot on an iPhone or a professional camera like a DSLR in order to achieve a good quality video. A vast amount of YouTubers set up a tripod and make sure the lighting is good, although this very’s from person to person. The footage is often of good technical quality; it is clear, stable, and in focus. Haul videos originally gained relevance around 2006/2007 through the beauty vlogging community on YouTube. But then the concept has since spread through plenty of other niches. And though they’re still most common on YouTube, they’ve also spread to other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

How is it edited, and does it flow from clip to clip?
iMovie is the most used editing app for YouTubers. It contains a wide range of editing tools, as well as built-in transitions and titles. When used correctly, these can produce astonishing results. Final Cut Pro is another popular editing tool available in 2020. Packed with features, it has been used on blockbuster films and is able to handle the most complex of editing briefs. The clip selector, editor, and timeline are all on the same three-panel interface as iMovie. It’s simple to see why the latter is so popular with YouTubers because it’s “magnetic,” allowing video to easily slide around each other. Lastly, Adobe has been the standard for Hollywood filmmakers for years and is trusted by many of the world’s most famous YouTubers. Premiere Pro has a vast number of capabilities that, after some practice, can help editors produce stunning video content. To sum it up, there are a plethora of good software editing alternatives available, and YouTubers employ a diverse range of tools to create their smooth flowing films.

What does it sound like? How are sound or image manipulated and transformed from original footage?
A clothing haul is a recording, posted to the Internet, in which a person discusses items that they recently purchased, sometimes trying on the item for viewers to see how it looks or even going into detail about their experiences during the purchase and the cost of the items they bought. Many YouTubers add voice overs in order to either make their voices more clear or to add in something they missed, etc, they add transitions from scene to scene and or add images over top of the video to make it more interesting and or more original.

What are some of the key features that define this genre?What are some weird variations on it?
Many young adults have displayed their shopping hauls, while including their beauty and design commentary in the narration. The videos are often grouped by store name or by type of product (cosmetics, clothing, shoes, postage stamps, etc.) Before haul videos became an online trend, millions of people spent time watching other people, in technical product videos, unbox their latest new gadgets and technology. The trend of “unboxing videos” had emerged during 2006.

What are some of the reasons these kinds of videos are compelling or useful in this historical moment?
Haul videos have also led to celebrity status for some people. Other haul video bloggers have entered sponsorship deals and advertising programs from major brands. Haul videos are rarely negative about the products. This aspect of the genre of haul videos makes sponsorship by brand advertisers particularly appealing. Hauls are often used by YouTubers and influencers to encourage more brands to sponsor them and provide them with free products. This can be incredibly harmful for the planet. Not all brands are bad but many such as Shein and Zara are. According to research on the environmental effects of fast fashion, the industry generates 92 million tonnes of garbage and consumes 79 trillion gallons of water each year. The fashion sector produces 20% of worldwide water pollution and is responsible for one-third of all microplastics discovered in the ocean. What role do fast-fashion hauls play? The emergence of the clothing hauls has aggravated the industry by encouraging manufacturers to produce more. Since the year 2000, the number of garments manufactured annually has doubled. Production rates rise in tandem with demand. Furthermore, the more these businesses produce, the more waste they generate.

How do you relate to it?
When I was younger I would sit for hours constantly watching clothing hauls and adding things to my cart, wanting to own everything they did. On top of this I have ordered from Shein as it is cheap and affordable for a student like me. Now knowing what I do about the harmful impact it has on the environment, I defiantly will not purchase from there again and will try to do better and educate myself on clothing stores before I make a purchase.

Power Puff Girls Video Assignment

Tattoo Assignment

Initially, I struggled to come up with a concept that was both conceptual and satisfying for this task. I attempted to design a tattoo based on my family and twin since I believed I could do a lot with it, but I became stuck. After a while, I decided to entirely rethink my idea, and that’s when I came up with the concept of facial hair. I was thinking about masculinity and how there are gender stereotypes that women should be hairless and shaved, whereas males don’t have to worry about it. This reminded me of my elementary school days, when I was often judged for having hairy arms. In the summer, I would always wear long sleeves since the kids would stare at my arms or make comments if I wore tank tops or t-shirts, making me feel self-conscious and sad about how I looked. For this project, I wanted to focus on the concept of hair and how it might be used on females. It makes no difference what gender you are so I took some photos in public and, while I received a variety of reactions, I was fine with it came to embrace it.