I’M SORRY, BUT OUR PRINCESS IS IN ANOTHER CASTLE

This was a triumph.

 I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS.

 It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.

 Aperture Science  —Contempory art

We do what we must

 because we can.

 For the good of all of us.

 Except the ones who are dead.

 But there's no sense crying over every mistake.

 You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.

                I’m sorry, but the relevance of those lyrics was just far too great to overlook. Now, this is a farewell of sorts, since I doubt I will continue to update this blog in the future (and more crucially, I doubt anyone will read it). So, what have I learnt? Well, I reckon the most important thing I have learnt isn’t a fact, it’s something I used to know, but have long since forgot. I learnt to ask ‘why?’ why is art art? Why do artists do what they do? Well, in a lot of instances, there is no answer, but asking the question is sure to lead to enlightenment nonetheless. Good day.

SIMPLICITY IS COMPLICATED

Making something simple is very difficult. The best modern example of simplicity is the iphone (or the ipad, which is simply the same thing, only bigger), a very intelligent phone with only one button (well, four, really), apple have stripped away all the complex interfaces, leaving us with what we really need. Now, with my grade-bolstering apple flattery out of the way, I can move on.

LAWS OF SIMPLICITY;

LAW 10: the one

Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful.

                LAW 9: failure

Some things can never be made simple.

                LAW 8: trust

In simplicity we trust.

                LAW 7: emotion

More emotions are better than less.

                LAW 6: context

What lies in the periphery of simplicity is definitely not peripheral.

                LAW 5: differences

Simplicity and complexity need each other.

                LAW 4: learn

Knowledge makes everything simpler.

                LAW 3: time

Savings in time feel like simplicity.

                LAW 2: organise

Organisation makes a system of many appear fewer.

                LAW 1: reduce

The simplest way to achieve simplicity is through thoughtful reduction.

(laws by John  Maeda, and stolen from http://lawsofsimplicity.com/?tag=laws) 

Hopefully you will interpret the structure of this post as an interpretation of these rules, rather than laziness on my behalf. In an ideal world, I’d have finished now, but I’ll write a bit more to be on the safe side. The more simplistic something is, the more of an impact it makes. Again, take the iphone, it’s simple touch interface changed the market, whereas the more complex design of a blackberry changed nothing. Another apple analogy can be made with the PC vs mac debate; apple is changing the game, simply because OSx is far more simple than Windows. Now, with windows 8, Microsoft are attempting to out-apple apple, providing the most simplified attempt at an operating system. Sadly, whenever I see footage of it, I am reminded of Law 9.

I’m sure I could have made some witty references to spaghetti hoops, or cake, but I simply couldn’t think of any.

THE INTERNET IS A STATE (OF THE ART EXHIBITION AREA)

                The internet is big business these days, with, literally, like a bagillionty people logging on each day. So, it follows that such a popular platform will undoubtedly have numerous artists standing upon it. The internet’s a peculiar place, where the likes of ‘Nyan cat’ prove to be more successful than traditional art. The rules and etiquette surrounding your typical gallery are thrown out the window, and the most absurd ideas have the most precedence. One artist in particular has embraced this modern notion, thus creating pieces that are both off the wall and up the roof; Stelios Arkadiou (or ‘Stelarc’) is a firm believer that the human body, like an iphone 4, is obsolete, he believes this to such an extent that he went and put a third ear on his left arm. Now, moving back to the topic at hand, I shall talk about a specific piece of art, one that so perfectly represents the absurdity of the internet.

                In a piece of art he dubbed 'Ping Body an Internet Actuated and Uploaded Performance’, Stelarc attached numerous electrodes to his body. These electrodes would stimulate movement according to traffic on a particular website. And before you think he’s insane, he’s an artist, he can do things like that. Of course, there is a profound explanation for his actions; "I mean, effectively the body and the machine become one operational system. There is a psychological collapse in distance and time. In this body's interaction with the world, it performs more or less subtle and sophisticated actions whose feedback either affirms or negates previous behaviours." Oh right; if ya say so. If you don’t mind, I’ll be watching the 10 hour rendition of Nyan Cat.

                Now, a personal opinion! I think that the internet is fantastic. It gives one the power to do what they see fit; it reveals the true nature of humanity. Granted, this is something the fancy-pants artists have been doing for centuries, but not on the same level as the internet. Take a look at the comments under a youtube video (it doesn’t matter which one; they all pretty much read the same, anyway). You’ll see an argument of some description, foul language and terrible grammar. Now, I forgive you for wondering how I can find such a thing so fantastic, watch, I’ll swing it ‘round! The reason everyone’s so strongly opinionated is because they can say whatever they please, the internet is great because it offers freedom. Yes, our culture offers ‘freedom of speech’, but that’s not the same, so long as we have an identity, we hold in our innermost thoughts (well, we should, anyway). Take this blog, for example. If this were a traditional essay, I wouldn’t have made such prolific references to either cake or spaghetti hoops… oh, I’m hungry now. Well, that’ll do for now, I guess.