dance dance revolution

i've been busily working on my final new media project for this semester so i haven't posted here for a while. i also have to keep two blogs for some classes at university so i've gotten a bit confused as to what i'm posting where. anyways, this is what i've been doing with my time:

in case it isn't obvious (which is most likely the case), i'm building a machine that's going to turn peoples physical outputs that occur during dancing into real spin paintings. it's going to be presented as an arcade machine and i'm using an arduino to program the whole electronics/robotics aspect of the project.

i've been having a really good time woodworking these past few days, but i still don't understand the whole computer programming aspect of the whole thing and i don't know if i'll ever wrap my head around it - i really wish i could though! there are just so many possibilities to put this technology to use in my future installation work!

i'm not even sure i'm going to be able to finish the whole thing on time so things are quite stressful at the moment. it'll all be over in a week though - i have to keep repeating this in my head in order to keep myself up and running.

i hope to get back to you soon with more work,

alessa.

oh kaye

a couple of weeks back my flatmate and I went to a free talk that tony kaye (the director of american history x) was giving at the nissan cube store.

i can't begin to explain how weird the whole thing was. some of his paintings were up which were sort of interesting and they were giving out this gross free wine (i guess one should never complain about free booze really). kaye played with a band at random intervals and "answered" some questions. i was pretty convinced he was off his face on drugs because he made no sense whatsoever and was a complete mess.

it was one of those disillusioning moments no one ever wants to experience. it's when you see your hero on the ground and you want to help him up, but at the same time you feel so let down. i guess it's just the realisation that if the industry manages to break someone like him, then what are your own chances?
we left early, as did most other people.


alessa.

illustration god

so i went to the ica today, where james jean was giving a talk about his work, influences and inspirations. oh yeah and tara mcpherson was there too, but i'm not really into her stuff to be honest (maybe if i was like 10 i would be).

it was uh-maaazing! he briefly talked about his upbringing and his inspirations, which are so obviously referenced in his work, i can't believe i never saw them before. he also showed a lot of work that isn't available online and a lot of his very early stuff. it kind of makes you want to curl up in a ball and die because he was already pretty much a genius at age 19 and his work just keeps getting better over the years even though it seems impossible!

oh yeah and then he also signed stuff, like these two fables covers:

or my sketchbook:

i also had a nice little chat with the man himself and he flicked through my sketchbook (this was the point when i was pretty sure i was hyperventilating and would have highly appreciated the ground below me opening up and swallowing me) - it was probably one of the best moments ever!

i would totally be his groupie anyday!
love,


alessa.

p.s. my presentation went over fine and dandy!

good morning sunshine

its 2.30am and i've only just finished a powerpoint presentation that i somehow forgot i have to give tomorrow - now i need to get to writing a 1000 word summary of said presentation. urgh. and all i want to do is listen to this (oh the memories!):

it feels like an appropriate time to shout the f-word at the top of my lungs, but i won't do that since my flatmate is fast asleep in the room next to me.

in other news i got told today that i have been a bigger enrichment to someone's life than the invention of sliced bread - it's the sort of thing a girl likes to hear. oh yeah and also, i have a really good weekend to look forward to, which is what's keeping me going right now

goodbye and good night,


alessa.

i want my mtv!

oh how i miss you bret michaels - king of trash tv. there's just nothing better on a gloomy sunday evening than tuning into your scandalous mischief and sketching away.
much love,


alessa.

burning down the house

my parents were pretty cool back in the days - probably cooler than i am now. here they are renovating one of their first houses in switzerland back in the 80's (click on the individual photos to get a better look):

 

 

don't you just love my dad's handlebar mustache? oh yeah and the lady climbing about on the roof would be my mum.
bye now,


alessa.

p.s. we are finally connected to the internet!

reasearch time

so after about a week of class and a brief visit here in london by my mum, new media suddenly doesn't seem quite as daunting as it initially did - it kind of feels as though i've joined the university's techy/robotics club and they happen to be making an art project. it's actually been quite motivating to realise that i am able to deal with technology on this level too and i am pretty excited for the project that i have in mind - i just hope it get's approved! so here's some interesting bits and bobs i've come across during my research (for similar music-based new media projects check out this place):

first person to guess what my project is wins a special prize!...maybe


alessa.

the best things in life are free

...apart from the glorious internet.

the current state of things: i'm back in london, at university, have moved into my new flat near notting hill, i'm spending the majority of my time at ikea, i just started my new course, it's raining and i'm having to write to you from the university library since we haven't managed to get the internet running in our new home yet.

my flatmate sara got me hooked on this site recently. keeping with her original instructions for me: close your eyes and let your cursor guide the way to great photographic discoveries. these particular gems are by peter sutherland.

until next time,


alessa.

UPDATE: i just found out that i got into my 2nd choice media pathway for this semesters practical module, which happens to be new media (my first choice was video). i'm currently trying to get myself excited about working with motion/heat sensors, writing algorythms and programming robots - i'm struggling to say the least.