Thursday, January 30, 2014

A Night in November





When it came time to choose an image, I began searching deep into my mental archive of photographs and assorted imagery. However, everything I knew didn't feel right. So I set out on a quest to find "new" imagery that I appreciated. I went with the New Yorker cover because for years I've been so captivated by how both beautiful and profound their covers can be. This image originally reminded me of a night I spent in New York with a dear friend. We sat in a park in NYC and watched the fire flies. Then, I looked at this cover again.
What I first saw as an image of leisure (which later manifested itself into the idea of "people watching") quickly changed. I took a closer look at the windows and noticed two common themes. A gathering of people and turkeys. It's thanksgiving day. I am not sure why the date didn't lead me to see that in the first place but I'm glad it didn't. This man, sits in a city park, why he's alone is unknown but it doesn't matter. He's sitting alone, in a park on a probably cold night with the company of pigeons.
Although, it does have a rather pessimistic lens I think something good can be taken from it. To appreciate all those around us and to help those not as fortunate. I've seen how little people can have and how easy it is to get there. Which can be very scary. However, we can take time out of our fortunate lives and help out those who were dealt the wrong cards.

"40 Part 34 – Chris Ware Narrates New Yorker." The Ephemerist. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014



Short Stop Motion Animation by PES


PES is a film director and stop motion animator who was actually nominated for an Oscar last year for his stop motion movie, Fresh Guacamole (here is the link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNJdJIwCF_Y  It also set the record of shortest film ever nominated for an Oscar.  

Roof Sex (2001) was his first animated film.  The film is a minute long but actually took 20 days to film on a New York City Rooftop.  It is a prime example of the love and labor that goes into making a stop motion animation film.  

Not only do I love the concept of the film but I really like the theme of taking every day objects and giving personality and meaning to them.  PES uses this theme in many of his short films.  He successfully uses the medium of stop motion to aid in his tongue and cheek perspective on society.


-Rachel