Renaissance Prospects

Click here to listen to Doug Rushkoff's lecture "Renaissance Prospects"

Memes of subversion

Whatever is unnamed, undepicted in images, whatever is omitted from biography, censored in collections of letters, whatever is misnamed as something else, made difficult-to-come-by, whatever is buried in the memory by the collapse of meaning under an inadequate or lying language -- this will become, not merely unspoken, but unspeakable. - Adrienne Rich

"Every image of the past that is not recognized by the present as one of its own concerns threatens to disappear irretrievably.” – Walter Benjamin

Interesting reflection on how photography and media work

Lobsters, Art & Public Policy A Conversation with Ben Cameron 10/27/2004

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What can we learn from lobster fisherman about the 'ecology' of arts and culture? Ben Cameron leads a lively conversation about the value of arts and culture in our region.

Here is Ben Cameron's talk at TED from 2/26/2010

Is new media a replacement for traditional English studies?

A colleague of mine who teaches English posted this video on his blog. I enjoy it immensely and think it applies to the discussion of media studies, culture, and the convergence of legacy media into new digital media and the ongoing struggle between depth and breadth of knowledge as we expand our command of technology and see English departments blending in with Communications departments. Where I teach, digital photography and video production has found its way into English classes and traditional composition is being taught in our photography and video courses.

While the representation of Nazi's is a little harsh the irony is worth it. I wonder what Walter Benjamin would think...

Visual Poetry: A collection of Photographs

Perhaps one of the fundamental issues with being in grad school is formulating the answer to a question of self identity. Why am I doing this? Why do I seek recognition through the completion of another degree. The workload necessary to work full time and go to school certainly puts a strain on family relations and on my own sense of self as I try to balance out external and internal demands.

In the past month I have tried to revisit my core self by returning to work on my personal photography. In reviewing my work I take comfort in knowing that it is perhaps the purest expression of who I am. The written word obscures what I can feel within the tonality of a black and white photograph. Here is a small collection of black and white silver photographs that I have made from images I have created over the past twenty years.

The Decline of American Newspapers - An Independent Film Project

Here is a preliminary trailer I have put together for a film I am working on about the changing media landscape and the decline of American newspapers.