Emma’s FMX 211 Blog

Unfortunately, I am not familiar with most of the shows mentioned in this blog but it was very entertaining to watch through the video clips and experience even a small portion of new shows. I personally have seen Wicked twice, Into the Woods , and Legally Blonde Off Broadway. I had the experience to see Annie  on Broadway in Manhattan a few summers ago and that was by far the best show experience I have ever had. While it was not particularly my favorite show, it was simply an amazing experience being at a legitimate Broadway show compared to shows I have gone to in Omaha or Kansas City in the past. The talent of the performers such as Idina Menzel, Liza Minnelli, Gwen Verdon and countless other Broadway greats blows me away. I also really appreciate the complexity of the set design, costuming, and blocking of Broadway shows. The shows are similar to very elaborate puzzles that require every detail to be perfect in order for the execution to be perfect. In filmmaking, there is so m

Pjotr Sapegin's ARIA struck a nerve with me that I have not been able to shake. While being a very simply made animation, the message was very complex. Before I started studying film, I was a very passive viewer that did not realize the extent that sound affects a story. I could quite literally feel every emotion that Aria was experiencing based off of the music alone. The typical melodramatic film relies on dialogue and much more minimal sound effects to express emotions while this opera and many similar to it only need visuals and music. I also was deeply moved by the ending of the story. How is a puppet to die? The emotions that she is feeling seem to be projected onto her by her makers in order to appear relatable as a character. The ending gave me the feeling associated with breaking the fourth wall despite there not being any dialogue. She slowly removes her human-like characteristics in hopes of removing her human-like emotions that have been projected onto her. This was

The idea of our brain acting like a parliament interested me because I never really thought about how inherently physical the arguments I have with myself are. While we as humans are relatively aware that we have a subconscious, I do not think most people understand the extent to which our actions are controlled by parts of the brain that we will never have full control of. For example, when you are deciding whether or not to tell someone a secret, one parliamentary system of neurons is competing with the other. How do you decide who wins? After thinking about this for awhile, I realized that the winning party typically varies for me. Originally I thought that the moral side of the brain would be the one that would rationalize and become victorious in such situations. However, in hindsight I realized that the inherent stress of holding onto a secret has influenced my decision making more than I thought. Dr. Eagleman truly made me more conscious of my subconscious. He thoroughly explai

A majority of the artwork that I have ever seen has represented and reflected society. However, Pierre Huyghe completely creates its own world that does not quite fit into reality as we know it. I see his art as belonging in an alternate universe and the only way that it could be thoroughly understood would be in that universe. He utilizes many mediums such as neon lights, puppetry, film, and parades to create his worlds. In many ways I relate Huyghe's work to the Netflix series Black Mirror. Instead of reflecting society, a majority of the episodes create alternate universes that act as social commentary to the reality in which we live in. Examples of this commentary are their episodes about technology, the prison system, and modern entertainment. While Huyghe's art does not have as strong of a social commentary as Black Mirror, they are similar in their avant-garde style with the universes created within them. The lack of rules and regulations for artists and filmmakers today

Art is fluid, art is diverse, and art is everywhere. They very idea of art being confined to simply a paintbrush and canvas is absurd. I see art every time that I walk outside and immerse myself in nature.  While I do not have much artistic talent outside of film, I am inspired by Marina Abramovic's avant-garde approach to art. The more that individuals appreciate the world around them, the more obvious it is that we are surrounded by works of art. When it comes to self expression, rules and restrictions do not apply like they do in the STEM subjects. Abramovic describes the studio as a seclusion that hindered her from truly connecting with the public. To her, it was ludicrous to even consider returning to the confines of classic mediums. While this does not mean that the typical mediums are basic or overused, it just means that the possibilities are endless when it comes to expressing yourself to the furthest extent. In many ways, I relate to this mindset. I have never been very t