2c Photography

CONNECTION TO HUMANITIES

Photography connects directly to the study of humanities as it provides a means of capturing and documenting all aspects of humanity. Photography allows for the transcendence of information regarding values, customs, practices, ideals, material goods, buildings, clothing, and everything else related to humanities. Photography provides humanity with the means to pass down visual representation of culture and peoples ideas. Magazines such as Time and National Geographic have perfected the art of documenting the works, ideas, lifestyles, and customs of various peoples. 

OBSERVATION

I chose photography because of the possibilities it offers to humanity. They are absolutely endless and photographers with an artistic eye can manipulate and use this medium in countless ways to benefit humanity. The fact that you can freeze moments in time and share them with other cultures and peoples fascinates me. The light-tight box that allows film to be imprinted when exposed and developed and made into a timeless work of art and documentation. Throughout history photographers have used film to expose scandals, document historical events, show the tragic conditions of cultures and practices, documented types of animals, been used in school for educational purposes, labeled criminals, and many other things. For example, photos of Vietnam are extremely shocking and moving, showing the true ugliness of war. I saw a photo of the exact moment when a Vietkong was executed and it affected me to my core, a life changing photo. 

INTERPRETATION

My choice is about the preservation of humanity and everything that entails. We are diverse, complicated yet simple, constantly changing, thus in desperate need of photography in order to capture and preserve all aspects of humanity that would otherwise be lost in the abyss such as photographs of the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, the great fires in San Francisco in 1906, as well as family history. 

JUDGMENT

I am currently enrolled in a beginning photography class and have been reading up on the subject thus I have been discovering a great deal of new information that has blown my mind. I think that without photography people would have trouble relating with one another, learning anything new, documenting historical events, and everything in between. Imagine a life without any photos whatsoever, only drawings. Nothing would be accurate, people would have different perceptions of everything as there would be no universal representation, no photo albums, no photos in newspapers, no family photos, no criminal documentations, no photos of hotels and vacation resorts, no documenting of wars or historical events. Life would be nothing like it is today. I feel that photography is one of the most important inventions in the entire history of the earth and has drastically altered our culture for the better. 

QUESTIONING

I am learning darkroom techniques, such as how to mix the chemicals and whatnot, but I would like to know more about the initial invention, the early implementation of photography and how it has developed over time.

CLASSMATES WORK

I learned from Kendra that the Museum of Natural History in Los Angeles "...houses more that 35 million specimens and artifacts covering 4.5 billion years of history." This is absolutely astounding to me that we can even collect 4.5 billion years of history let alone collect it and place it in a museum. After reading about the museum from Kendra's blog I would very much like to go and visit the museum. I remember going to a Natural History museum as a kid and loving it. I also loved the movie "We're Back" which dealt with a similar topic and took an Anthropology class last semester and was pleasantly surprised when I actually was interested by the history of human beings. It is related to our class as it contains history of humanity and our development. Historically and culturally this museum is connected to all of humanity, not just one culture, yet has elements of particular cultures. 

http://kendra-human7spring09.blogspot.com/2009/02/2b-natural-history-museum-of-los.html

2b SFMOMA

CONNECTION TO HUMANITIES STUDIES

The works found within a museum reflect the inner thinking’s, ideas, visions, and the creative ability of each individual artist that translates some information, truth, reality, or provides insight into some aspect of society from which it is drawn. Something does not come from nothing, thus all artistic work had inspiration. Inspiration can be derived from numerous places yet at its core it originated in humanity thus works of art are directly related to and extremely relevant towards the study of humanities. Furthermore, each individual culture reflects and portrays similar ideas in very different ways, some even completely contradictory to that of another culture.

OBSERVATION

I chose the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The SFMOMA was founded in 1935 and was the first West Coast museum to show exhibitions of modern and contemporary artwork. My partial reasoning for doing so was that for component a of this project I chose San Francisco as my place and am keeping in line with that theme. What caught my eye was the “The Face of Our Time” exhibit of four relatively unknown photographers whose images captured a distinct aspect of reality that is captivating, real, intense, rough, and that each photograph conveys a distinct message. These photos convey the current conditions of the world in which we all live. They are eye opening, for instance, the photographs of Africa portray aspects of the politics, culture, and community that are a part of everyday life for Africans, an everyday life that would make any American shudder. The majority of Americans are so removed from such a harsh lifestyle/reality that this type of exposure to the rest of the world is desperately needed. There are photographs of Iraq protestors who are standing up and speaking out against a seemingly endless war that is responsible for taking the lives of countless human beings, many of them barely eighteen years old. These protestors are struggling to end the bloodshed that plagues the Middle East. How would you feel if it were your family members or you, yourself overseas in combat? Another photographer captured images of the aftermath of acts of terrorism and his work clearly displays what life is like living in a time of acts such as these, a time of fear, desperation, the unknown, and crude mortality. Other photos depict the effect of commercialism/capitalism upon a removed culture in Morocco.

INTERPRETATION

My choice regards the reality of the world around us and the desperate need for all citizens of every nationality, every background, every culture, and every nation to understand it in its entirety.  The SFMOMA is a vehicle of conveyance of the truth that makes such an understanding possible.

JUDGMENT 

I think that too many people are growing up sheltered in such a way that they are cut off from the reality of the world though many events that occur throughout the world seem distant, removed, irrelevant, and unconnected to the life that many lead. This is not so. If an event affects humanity, fellow mankind, it is relevant on every level. Everyone must be able to comprehend the reality and truth of the world they inhabit for with that comprehension achieved by the citizens of the world, a collective difference can be accomplished. The world would become a better place. The photos and aftermath of terrorism along with the harsh reality of life in Africa touched me deeply and if the whole world knew and empathized as I did, these situations would no longer be a reality.

QUESTIONING

I understand that the SFMOMA displays a variety of exhibitions and that the photographers whose work was shown in “The Face Of Our Time” exhibit were relatively unknown, I would like to know more about the process of exhibition selection.

CLASSMATE LEARNING ASPECT

I learned from Frank some interesting information about San Bernardino. San Bernardino contains many works of historic architecture labeled “Googie Architecture” that is essentially futuristic and consists of geometrical shapes. Though there are some buildings that fit that description in Sonoma County the majority of buildings have different styles such as Spanish Style Architecture as apposed to the more futuristic and contemporary style architecture. I would love to visit San Bernardino as it seems like a great place through Frank’s description.

 

 

Works Cited

Frank's Humanities 7 Blog

http://humanities7fxd.blogspot.com/2009/02/2a-san-bernardino-ca.html

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

"About SFMOMA Overview." SFMOMA. 2009. 23 Feb. 2009      pages/about_sfmoma>.

"Face Of Our Time." SFMOMA. 2009. 23 Feb. 2009      exhibitions/378>.

"San Francisco Museum of Modern Art." Wikipedia. 11 Feb. 2009. Wikimedia 
     Foundation Inc. 23 Feb. 2009      San_Francisco_Museum_of_Modern_Art>.

2a San Francisco

San Francisco contains people from every cultural background, every ethnicity, every religious group, and every walk of life. With such a variety of cultural elements San Franciso is a hot spot for artistic expression in the form of music, film, literature, sculpture, dance, and everything in between. San Francisco is always buzzing with activity, always alive and generating new and exciting things. Simply walking down the street proves to be an eye-opening experience. It is a melting pot of cultural expression, practice, and belief thus it is relavent to the study of humanites in that one gains insight into unknown cultures.


The streets of San Francisco are always, no matter the time of day or night, full of interesting characters. During the day they are bustling with people heading of to a multitude of destinations yet during the wee hours of the morning the sidewalk traffic slows to a trickle. The streets are lined with shops, restaurants, coffee houses, hotels, offices, laundramats, and strip clubs. The Mission District is known for the various murals that decorate buildings and fences that depict elements of the eclectic mix of cultures. Haight Street in San Francisco has a great deal of history set in the 1960's. Many movements during this landmark time sprang about or were alive and kicking in the Haight Ashbury scene. Each and every building has history and its own unique character perhaps by means of color, shape, or decor. The old victorian style homes that stretch on and on are similar to one another yet completely different simultaneously. The style, accent peices, decor, and character make each house striking and unique from those around it. The people that thrive in San Francisco come from all walks of life and encompass every possible interest group, political group, religious affiliation, culture, style of dress, eating habits, and any other cultural element possible. The constant hub of cars whizzing by, chatter in the background, music of every style, horns, and the occasional call for a taxi create the backdrop of noise. The only time the city is every quite, though I believe it never truly is as the city never sleeps, is in the early hours of morning, say three a.m. The lights sparkle in every direction once dark falls upon the city, no need for a flashlight if one chooses to roam about. The city lights brighten even the darkest corners and allow life to thrive continuously.

My choice is about living in harmony with those of various and contrasting lifestyles, cultures, and beliefs. Its about accepting others for who they are and not forcing conformity upon anyone simply because they are different. San Francisco is a perfect example of a melting pot living alongside one another.

What led to my choice was personally witnessing the horrors of humanity when tolerance fails to be a factor. I feel that everyone in the world can learn something from the way various cultures and those that practice them blend together, live alongside one another, tolerate others beliefs and practices, and eliminate prejudice. I am strongly against prejudice in any form. For example, I have a homosexual friend who, in my small hometown, was ridiculed, taunted, and tortured for his sexual orientation yet in San Francisco people would look past that and get to know him for who he is as a person without the label.

I learned that during the 1950's the coffeehouse culture was established in San Francsico and has played an important role in the social movements of the 1960's that led San Francisco to recieve a label 'liberal activism'. I would love to know more about the activities of such activist groups that sparked social revolution in our nation forty-some odd years ago.


When Liz thinks of California she thinks of "..diversity, opportunity, and uniqueness." Which, consequently, is pretty much parallel to my thoughts. I feel privileged to not only be born in the United States, but also in California where opportunities are abundant, the people come from all walks of life, a perfect example would be San Francisco, and there is not another place on earth that even compares, nothing remotely like it. This class deals with this world, this country, this state, and the people that inhabit it. Anything relating to the qualities portrayed by the people and relates to the exploration of cultural aspects and how these are expressed by society. It is related to historical and cultural context of not only this country, but more specifically of this state in that from the moment California was inhabited by Native Americans, then pioneers, and continued to recieve a great influx of immigrants from all over the world, it has become a state of diversity and developed into the cultural melting pot that it is today. In fact, it has not halted since the earliest days of its existence in culural exploration, expression, and acceptance.

http://lizhuman7.blogspot.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco

Assignment 1c

1) I chose Sierra. Sierra thinks of stereotypical things when California comes to mind. My favorite thing she thinks of is Disneyland!

2) Paulo worked in Chile for five years as an adult educator and was exiled for a total of fifteen years. He became the Assistant Secretary of Education for the World Council of Churches in Switzerland and traveled all over giving lectures. 

3) This will relate to our study of humanities because Paulo was a brave soul who was not deterred from helping his fellow mankind even when he was persecuted and forced to leave his home and loved ones. Without people like him humanity would be in dire straits. 

1)I chose Morgan. Morgan lives 8.8 miles away from Santa Rosa Junior College.

2) I learned that Paulo was born on September, 19 1921. I also learned that he wrote his first book in 1967 entitled Education as the Practice of Freedom. 

3) Again this will relate to humanities as the subject is the accumulation of all works of people. Every cultural aspect brought to the table by the people we study and ourselves, including our everyday lives, deals with humanites.  

Assignment 1b

Paulo Freire

1) Freire believes that education is a means by which to induce social change. He strongly advocates and promotes adult literacy as he is aware that illiteracy is much like an anchor weighting someone down, preventing any social mobility. Freire worked towards liberating those being oppressed, those held back by poverty that affect all areas of their lives. In Brazil one could not vote unless they were literate, which, unfortunately, many were not. His radical thoughts regarding education sparked a great deal a great deal of reform in other areas as well. Areas such as environmentalism, health services, and social movements. Freire's ideas have reached to nations such as Africa, Latin America, North America, Europe, and Australia. If his ideas are not implemented solely for the purpose of education they are implemented in alternative methods, such as political empowerment put into action by many industrialized nations.  In Freire's mind there were two ways that education could be implemented. Education could either be used to mold and force citizens in order to fit them into the present system or it can encourage people to critically examine and question reality to discover how to transform society itself. Students are not blank slates, the empty bank theory is not accepted by Freire, he believes that both the student and teacher impact each other. Their roles are interchangeable and they each bring a great deal to the table, both learning and teaching. Thus, democracy in a classroom. 

2) Freire's background has clearly had a great influence on his ideas and viewpoints regarding education and society. He personally experienced the poverty and oppression of which he writes and combats. Freire lived through the 1929 Great Depression and his family experienced difficult times yet rose above them. He went on the go to law school at a prestigious university. These hard times in the past shaped his concern for those in poverty and the oppressive forces holding them back. He went on to take many active roles to turn his theories into reality. He became the Director of the Department of Education and Culture of the Social Service in the state of Pernambuco and worked with the illiterate poor, as literacy was required to participate in elections. In 1961 Freire became the Director of the Department of Cultural Extension of Recife University. He put his theories to the test and succeeded in teaching three hundred sugarcane workers to read and write in forty-five days. After this grand success the Brazilian government approved thousands of cultural programs across the country. Due to his hard work to induce social change Freire was thrown in prison and labeled a traitor followed by a brief exile. He went on to participate in many other movements such as the Christian Democratic Agrarian Reform Movement, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the Workers Party. Freire's entire life had a great influence over his theories, ideas, and beliefs from early childhood to his work with the under privileged, and positions in the educational world. Without his personal experience, Freire would not have identified on such a personal level thus giving him the drive to accomplish his goals. 

3)Freire saw knowledge as a social construct and he believed that only two types existed. There was unconscious knowledge which is labeled as practical and critical. The second type of knowledge is reflective or theoretical knowledge. Beliefs are a different category yet can be developed into knowledge through discussion, critical thinking, and thorough reflection. One can know things through common sense yet to obtain a deeper meaning one must critically examine all aspects of a subject. Humans have the ability to set themselves apart from animals in that they can use this knowledge to shape the world around them to enhance their future. All actions have an affect on the future. This knowledge, once obtained, can help eliminate all the oppressive forces that limit success. If the poverty stricken cannot see a light at the end of a tunnel, no way to escape the dismal reality in which the exist, then they do not have the will to make any sort of attempt to cast off their restraints. Once they obtain knowledge the tunnel grows increasingly brighter. 

Works Cited

Lyons, John. "Paulo Freire's Educational Theory." New Foundations. 4 Jan. 2008. 
     3 Feb. 2009 
     Freire.html>.

Yoo, Sung-Sang. "Freiran Pedagogy." Paulo Freire Institute. UCLA. 3 Feb. 2009 
     .