Burlesque dancer Michelle L’amour debuting couture line with Chicago’s own Love, Lulu Mae
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Burlesque dancer Michelle L’amour debuting couture line with Chicago’s own Love, Lulu Mae
•June 15, 2009 • Leave a CommentChicago Plus-Size Style Examiner: Rent a couture dress and more at a new Chicago boutique
•June 4, 2009 • Leave a CommentChicago Plus-Size Style Examiner: Designers, stores and fashons you need to check out
•May 16, 2009 • Leave a CommentCan graffiti really unite a community?
•April 29, 2009 • Leave a Comment
Graffiti: alternative media?
In my opinion, I feel as if graffiti is a great example of alternative media and could very well be a veteran in the field. Alternative media is about independence and the graffiti artist seeks independence and difference from a community. However, I do have a preference in regards to graffiti and I prefer someone who is adorning there community with pieces of art rather than with gang signs perhaps. I want to see a community come together and this form of alternative media does just that.
Divide or Unite?
Some of the work that my group witnessed in Chicago wasn’t just the stereotypical graffiti sketches plastered on several walls; it was the work of the people. In Hyde Park, the residents gratefully appreciated the artwork plastered along the underpass of the subway tracks. The art was for the residents of that community and from what we saw in that area, it united them.
Added value
Street art definitely adds to the value of alternative media and the appreciation of the alternative meaning and belief system.
Final thoughts …
•April 9, 2009 • Leave a CommentOne could be surprised in regards to the various types of guerilla media out there today. Rather you choose to get your work seen on the side of a building, create a mini movie with character of World of Warcraft, or you stand up for yourself and your community in the inner workings of underground press.
I was personally amazed at the drive that individuals had and how they didn’t get let anyone stand in their way. With the films we watched in class regarding graffiti and seeing these individuals risk, not only their lives but possibly getting ostracized by their community. The daring task that people risk to just be heard, if not vocally, than visually; is one that I can truly respect. If only someone could be educated, like I have and others in my class, in regards to guerilla media, than maybe this world wouldn’t be so arrogant to the creative side of individuals.
I once was so unaware of the extend this guerilla media class would go and hearing in depth the stories of people, the forms of guerilla media that I have never heard of, and the how abundant a community could be with followers. It makes you have a entire new outlook and also makes you think more deeply instead of just glancing at the subject or topic in question.
For example, I’ve always seen graffiti artist as being associated with crime but after seeing films, television shows, and reading up on individuals stories, I realized I was completely wrong. Not only was I stereotyping the field of street art but I was underestimating the amount of people partaking in the art.
Another guerilla media form that I really took a liking to was the punk subculture and the D.I.Y form. In researching the scene in its entirety and the reasoning behind these kids doing what they are doing, makes you realize that maybe I should stand up for something I believe in. Rather than sit and turn the other cheek, maybe I need to express myself, rather that be street art, a zine, or even taking an active role in my community. Something to show that I support the guerilla media in its entirety. Even if I wasn’t doing something that would having an effect on my community, I might be able to help someone understand the active role they could take just be being open to change and being open to taking the road less traveled. Seeing how much I have changed my outlook on punk, fandom, fanzines, memes, and hactivism to name a few; I feel almost like a different person because I opened my eyes.
Could just anyone be a graffiti artist or develop a machinima that gets world wide attention? Probably not but it isn’t about being able to do the forms of alternative media but supporting those who do.
For now, I will leave you with my favorite little clips of machinima …. World of Warcraft.
Work of art or work of distractions?
•March 26, 2009 • Leave a CommentAs an avid watcher of History Channel’s Gangland, I have seen graffiti plastered around every piece of community property. Personally, I respect someone willing to deface public property, get away with it, and then, possibly, get the work seen on a national television show. The other day outside of my dorm room in Baumhart, I saw a plain white truck whose ‘walls’ were covered with graffiti and quite frankly; I was in awe of the talent.
Should these works of art turn off a person because it is public property or because it is works of unknown origins? One of the best things about graffiti is that it is a representation of a person and that it is creative pieces of artworks that everyone can see. If you can’t afford a ticket into a museum, don’t worry, you can walk down your local alley way and find some graffiti work.
Within my final group project, we decided to document street art and I thought that there was just one clear definition of street art. Apparently I was sorely mistaken. There are 3 types of these works:
• Tagger: who would tag his/her name or possible street gang name on a piece of public property.
• Graffiti artist: one who would place, possibly demeaning items, on a public walk-way or area.
• Street-art: a mural on a side of a building for example could be definition or example of street art.
These sidewalk masterpieces or subway masterpieces make a city stand out and creates character.
Would I personally want my business to be plastered with graffiti that could possibly be rude or create issues towards consumers, no.
Would I want to open the eyes of consumers would artwork that expresses self-expression, yes.
Chicago Plus-Size Style Examiner: How to dress like reality starlet Lauren Conrad
•March 26, 2009 • Leave a CommentChicago Plus-Size Style Examiner: How to dress like British singer Lily Allen
•March 26, 2009 • Leave a CommentCitizen Press
•March 12, 2009 • Leave a CommentCitizen journalism, to me, it’s the growing future of journalism but I also feel that referring to yourself as a citizen journalist, you need to follow the similar lines of real journalist. Unfortunately, bloggers don’t see themselves as traditional journalist. In the Poyter article, the author easily expresses the different and various forms of citizen journalism. Everywhere you look, you can get tips, books and what not, on how to publish articles, to be a blogger, or you can even write articles for websites like Helium.
I do however appreciate that with web 2.0, myself and several others are capable of sharing information. In my opinion, I feel as though some of the community individuals have lost their trust for the media, therefore seek out the truth from peers, inexperienced or not. You don’t necessarily need a journalism degree to be a journalist anymore. The citizens have taken control of the media; for example look at Perez Hilton, who has made a claim for fame. Look at TMZ or other celebrity gossip, who post stories that we take as true and full of facts; that sometimes isn‘t fact and full of assumptions. They have made a name for themselves as a ‘legitimate’ sources.
Citizen journalism is what makes the world round because without it we wouldn’t have been exposed to the events of the past. For example, Rodney King and the Los Angeles police beating or Bristol Palin’s pregnancy less than a year ago. Without a blogger or a video vigilance individual, we would be without. The citizen journalist triggered within the media field, professional media field, to unmask the truth and to report what was going on.
In the Poyter article, the author mentioned about comments within the blogging system. I appreciate comment areas because they trigger emotion by including the reader and also allowing the author to look more into the story than previous. Also, the author mentioned that commenter might be able to share information along with the journalist.
My opinion could be seen as calling as the pot calling the kettle back. I publish weekly articles on the Examiner and so, I would be considered a citizen journalist but I have taken the approach of being a journalism student with ethics. I look at both code of ethics (SPJ’s and Rebecca Blood’s web log ethics) and I seek to fully cherish and follow them. Why? It is my duty to do so.
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