While sleep pattern meets artwork

News:
Sleep patterns to be re-interpreted as art (Samia O’Keefe)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/13/3037405.htm?site=arts


Description:
Lisa Carrie Goldberg is doing one artwork related to sleep research at UWA.


Comment:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/13/3037405.htm?site=arts

Visual arts should be as interesting as it could be to attract audiences because it is such a relaxing and enjoyable thing. So, when I see the word “sleep” and “art” headline on the lists of arts news search, I immediately decide to click in it and find out what that is.


Story begins with three questions paragraphs, for example, Have you ever wondered what you look like when you sleep? That’s one of my favourite styles of a colour story, making you thinking and wondering. Then, the author starts to reveal the 5W elements of news story and describe the difference from traditional science experiments, which is not finding a cure method.


Yes, in the sixth paragraph, the author makes clear it is one artwork. But it does not matter, because it has already hooked audience’s interests. On the other hand, the author uses lots of quotes from Ms Goldberg to finish the rest of story and many paragraphs are just one or two sentences.


The other thing I like this news story is the humour within it. I still remember one paragraph saying that due to the sleep observation which needs to be worked during the night, so what about Ms Goldberg’s sleep. The author said Ms Goldberg isn’t worried she’ll fall asleep herself but need more coffee.


I prefer short paragraph but I am still not sure that how long each paragraph will be the best. One of my friends studying communication in MQ once told me that one news writing assignment she had every class is writing the exact number of words of each paragraph according to the requirement of the lecturer. So there must be some rules in it and definitely I think it is a good way to start and practice.

Flashback

News:
Art imitates Everyday Living (Michelle Jones)
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101003/ENTERTAINMENT0507/10030310/1069/ENTERTAINMENT05/Art+imitates+Everyday+Living


Description:
A collection of 17 oil paintings of daily live landscape opens at Tennessee State University’s Hiram Van Gordon Gallery.


Comment:
To be honest, I cannot quite understand contemporary art, especially abstract ones. So, when I first see this headline “Art imitates Everyday Living”, it arouses my interest. I know this is different from what I have seen before.


When people who like visual arts are looking for the news story everyday, how can they not get bored? It is a big question that how to make this kind of news story as outstanding as looking at a piece of real artwork.


This news story begins with flashback to one year ago, and the author uses anecdote to start the narration. It flows smoothly to the recent show and gives information about it. Next, the author describes the idea of the collection of the artist, “For the most part, the images come from me just walking around, taking pictures going from point A to point B”. Right, that’s what is called everyday living, it really adds beauty to the theme and headline. After that, Jones uses the description of one painting artwork to further give images to audiences. Moreover, “Grier paints in a traditional style”, after this opening sentence, the author explains the artist’s painting style and his differences from other artists that Grier works with.


Online news stories are usually shorter than articles on newspapers because of the changes of people’s reading habit. It is a short and simple story but with impressive memory after I finished reading, the structure and the quotes. When I am doing research of my news story, I will get much information as I can. It is a hard work to sort out what I should leave out and what I should write in the story with the most reasonable order. It is important to let readers read fluently and be clear of the theme.

All we want is meeting audiences' expectation

News:
1 hand clapping at Japan Society (Ann Levin – The Associated Press)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101001/ap_en_ot/us_art_one_hand_clapping;_ylt=At.dXkmAqB0JW8nLjDQQyepcEBkF;_ylu=X3oDMTJ1bGM1NmRyBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMDAxL3VzX2FydF9vbmVfaGFuZF9jbGFwcGluZwRwb3MDMwRzZWMDeW5fcGFnaW5hdGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawMxaGFuZGNsYXBwaW4-


Description:
It mainly introduces the 18th-century Zen master Hakuin Ekaku and his exhibition in New York.


Comment:
After analysing these online news stories, I began collecting the elements that will make an online story outstanding and attractive.


Now is online world. Many of us get information online because of its convenience and richness. In terms of news, what type will gain most audiences? Stunning photos, interesting writing, or additional video will do. Plus, attractive headline and opening paragraph.


When I first see this title, “1 hand clapping at Japan Society”, I gain interests immediately. What does it mean? I keep reading it. In the first paragraph, Levin writes What is the sound of one hand clapping? Even after seeing that, I cannot guess its meaning, but I still have the curiosity. Maybe the magic of quiet? And then, the writer begins to introduce the Zen master and his idea of meditation through his collection.


However, throughout the writing, all I can see is flat description. I can predict the extraordinary style of master’s artwork, but I cannot see it in the piece. A good description should let the readers have a vivid image after reading the words. In the end of it, the writer says the master wants to convey his Zen idea in ways that ordinary people could understand the meaning. Is it the reason why Levin also uses plain sentences to write it? I doubt.


I know it is hard to give attention to two or more things at the same time. But after I look at a number of news stories, I can tell what is good and what is normal easier. Sometimes the readers will not spend time to think about the techniques or skills that a good writing has. What they can remember is the first impression the story gives them and it usually happens in the first three paragraphs. So, it is very important to be clear and right to the point. It means not only giving as much as information audiences expect, but also delivering a kind of visual perception, especially when dealing with visual art writing.

Magical words

News:
Monet is deeper than old impressions (Waldemar Januszczak – The Sunday Times)
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/world/monet-is-deeper-than-old-impressions/story-fn30267p-1225930231978


Description:
An exhibition of the first major retrospective of Monet’s work for 30 years is launched in Paris until January next year.


Comment:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/world/monet-is-deeper-than-old-impressions/story-fn30267p-1225930231978

If Monet’s artwork will be on show in Sydney, will you go and see? If you are a art lover, you will definitely go there. I will as well.

So, as the photo showed above, we can know the influence of Monet is still a major one in art industry. The photographer photographed not only the long line in front of the building, but also the posters of Monet outside to clearly show what exactly people are queuing for.


Yes, near everything readers expect is included in the writer’s piece. Sometimes, I really admire the specific words Januszczak uses to describe a scene.


Spell
… it spells money and huge crowds of enthusiastic visitors…
First, I am not sure about the exact usage of it and look it up in a dictionary. When it is used as a noun, it can mean “great attraction, fascination, etc caused by a person or thing; strong influence”. Similarly, as a verb, it can delivere the same meaning.


Tattoo
… for art lovers who believe that… and that the best art tattoos itself in the imagination…
We all know tattoos and how it is planted in the body. Here, the writer uses simile to humanise what art lovers think art is. When I read this sentence, I can see a strong argument conveyed from it and its importance in art lovers’ mind.


Parallel structure
… bigger Monet: a poet, not a realist; a dreamer, not a witness; a heart, not an eye.
Parallel structure is one of the most difficult techniques in writing, at least in my opinion. You need to think of corresponding words, similar word form, and smoothly connect the sentence or phrase. In the story, the writer writes this sentence after introducing the expression of Monet’s work, and concludes a bigger Monet from his point of view. After reading it, I can feel the power of these simple words and it persuades me.


I am doing a persuasive writing piece now and I always find hard to find appropriate word to describe what I want to say. Maybe, when I read more, I will know some techniques.

Nothing is meaningless

News:
An Artist’s Alfresco John Hancock (Colin Moynihan)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/18/arts/design/18momo.html?_r=1&ref=arts


Description:
It is about a piece of street graffiti which has exited for 4 years with a minority of people noticed.


Comment:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/18/arts/design/18momo.html?_r=1&ref=arts

When you are walking on the street, will you look forward or look down? Will you notice there may be something on the floor? I seldom notice.

When you first see this photo above, will you notice there is a trait on the floor? When I first see it, I cannot figure out what this means and get confused.


As expected, in the beginning of the story, the journalist writes like that Although it has existed for four years, the paint line has escaped most people’s notice. What is it? What does it mean? Who create it? A series of questions are coming after. However, the writer did not answer these questions right away, but uses some other passersby’s quote (how they think) to continue the mystery.


This is a long piece of street graffiti which gets a lot of controversy, such as legal issues. As a result, when interviewing the artist, he is not willing to reveal his name. The writer tells the readers this kind of massage. It is not important, on contrast, we know better the artwork, not about its meaning, creation process, but also the story behind it. That is what the readers have expected.


After reading this story, it reminds me of a conversation with a professional journalist. He has emphasized many times of different voice to make the news objective. In this story, I can see that. In the end of it, the writer continues to use people’s voice and comment to expend the influence of the artwork, especially the artwork itself is a controversial topic. The comments are very interesting and reflect the situation in that city to some extent. For example, the writer writes that Others suggested that it was part of a code between drug sellers and users. I can imagine according to his words and applaud for people’s ideas. Moreover, in my opinion, the reason why the writer writes them is to deliver the idea that many people will have thousands of interpretations of it, so it is your interpretation now. As for me, I really like the leaving space for the readers to think by themselves, whatever it is. 

Simple but rich

News:
Resurgent Agitprop in Capital Letters (Dorothy Spears)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/arts/design/29kruger.html?ref=design


Description:
This is about Barbara Kruger's and her current artworks in art galleries.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/arts/design/29kruger.html?ref=design

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/08/29/arts/KRUGER-5.html

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/08/29/arts/KRUGER-1.html

Comment:

Each artwork will represent some meaning anyway, just in different ways and styles. Some will use content, some will use composition, others will use colour. In Kruger's show, she loves white against a black background most.

The author use a strong negative sentence instead of a flat narration to open the story, It's hard...... not to see it as a critique of ...... Between the words, the author did give us an image of what her artwork is like in the museum, the style, the color, the content, right to the points of the exhibition. It is about consumption and in Kruger's view, the desire behind wanting and shopping is not limited to the power elite but we're all more and more in thrall to consumer culture. I can feel the charm of those simple words because we are becoming that kinds of people and do feel that way. And that's what makes an article a good one.


With the introduction of the exhibition, the author went deep into Kruger's life experience and career. The connection flows and it answers the questions why the author says that her work is global focus, why she will use this way to present it and the steps she changes in her career.

All her artwork is observation, not nostalgia, the author wrote and observed that the style of her work changes with the development of new technology and her archives are replaced with digital ones. I, especially, like the ending quote the author uses, We don’t need mirrors anymore. We look at ourselves on YouTube. We look at ourselves on Twitter. It’s ‘This is what I’m doing now'. The readers feel so familiar with these social networking tools those days and this observation is not about her artwork, it's all about what the trend is in the future.

Through the writing, we can see that how the author asks questions based on its angle and how the author presents it. We can not only feel the ideas the artist wants to deliver, but also think of the habits we are changing --- what the big impact that digital technology makes.

Great photos, great work, great sense

News:
Fragile art, fragile environment
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/fragile-art-fragile-environment-20100818-12f5t.html

Description:
Crystal Stubbs, an artist who has 37 hand-sculpted glass pieces on show in her Human Nature exhibition, hopes her artworks can help people protect our environment.

http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/fragile-art-fragile-environment-20100818-12f5t.html

Comment:

When I first open this page, I know I will fall in love with this story, with its eye-catching headline, photos and opening paragraphs.

Fragile art, fragile environment, that’s true. How can it be not fragile when the artwork is making in glass? How can it be not fragile when we have done enough bad things to the environment? When you are seeing an artwork that a big hand is holding an egg, what will you think of it at that time? New life? Yes. Many people will think that too. But Stubbs said I was using that egg shape to represent fragility.

They are two great photos and they explain everything, powerful and simple as well. I did like the two opening paragraphs which the author describes the chess board. It seems that we are watching a real chess game. However, it is not a game with real chess pieces but with symbols: human king and queen, castles, bishops, knights, rats, egg pawns. The author wrote that The piece is Crystal Stubbs’s striking illustration of the losing game our native species are playing against feral pests and mankind in an exhibition that shows both her delight and despair about the environment.

With the description of this outstanding glass piece, it follows the main theme of Stubbs’s artworks and her goal. The author skillfully uses a comparison with election environmental issues such as climate change that Stubbs’s work is more personal than political. I think it indicates that what she does is more practical, direct and right-away.

I understand that. Our planet is too fragile to bear any more damages. Climate change, pollutions, desert, flood, hazard, diversity…… they are far more serious than before. We all know that, and we are discussing, listening to others and fixing it. I’d like to think I design pieces that are just interesting to look at and people can read their own things into them. And she did make it: interesting and make people start thinking. 

Sometimes, excellent quotes matter most

News:
Sound artist Stephen Vitiello recreates 'loud silence' of bush (Ashleigh Wilson)
(http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/sound-artist-stephen-vitiello-recreates-loud-silence-of-bush/story-fn59niix-1225904658097)

Stone the crows, Broome has come to the Brickworks (Joyce Morgan)
(http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/stone-the-crows-broome-has-come-to-the-brickworks-20100819-12rkm.html)

Description:
Stephen Vitiello, a former punk guitarist, is making a new sound artwork called The Sound of Red Earth. In both articles, they introduce the features of the artwork and the process Vitiello makes it.


Comment:
Headline
In The Australian, the headline is Sound artist Stephen Vitiello recreates ‘loud silence’ of bush while the one in SMH is Stone the crows, Broome has come to the Brickworks. From them, we can see the different news angles. In my opinion, although different emphasis, the headline of The Australian uses contrast of loud and silence to attract readers, confusing them that what do you mean by ‘loud silence’? It intrigues us to keep reading. On the other hand, the headline of SMH uses simile technique, Stone the crows to attract readers from the visual side.

Structure
According to the theme and angle, the story will use varied structures. The article of The Australian focuses more on the artist himself and how he makes the artwork. So it uses the profile of Vitiello as opening. The one of SMH concentrates more on the new artwork because it is the first time to the public. It introduces the artist in the middle of the story and simply describes his making process.

Differences of the same thing
Two articles are written in different time (13 August-The Australian / 19 August-SMH). However, based on the same information, the articles in two newspapers display different style and level.

They both describe how Vitiello thinks about the idea and makes the artwork. In The Australian, Ashleigh uses a lot of excellent quotes from Vitiello to let he himself describe the process, while in SMH, Joyce just uses a normal sentence to say it. During his work, there was a crow accompanied him all the time. Ashleigh wrote Vitiello said. "I always felt like he or she was mocking me. It became a kind of interesting sparring partner." while Joyce wrote "It felt like everywhere I'd go, that bird was over my shoulder," says Vitiello. In terms of the descriptions and quotes, I like the one in The Australian more. It make feel like there is an image in my head when I read it. But the latter one feels a little bit boring.

Throughout the whole story, both languages are very vivid. But the one in The Australian is still clear in my mind with the interesting quotes and animated descriptions. It delivered the personality of the artist.

Presentation PPT

Hi, everyone
I just upload my presentation PPT on Slideshare.
http://www.slideshare.net/Yvonnezhang5003/presentation-mdia5003-by-yvonne-zhang-3279272

Welcome to discuss and comment.

Yvonne

I'm curious, what about you?

News: Ageless artist creates a wondrous house
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/ageless-artist-creates-a-wondrous-house-20100809-11txx.html

Description:
Ken Unsworth, near 80, best known as a sculptor, is working on his new art installation in his studio. For years, he has closely worked with performers including the filmmaker friend Patrick Harding-Irmer. This news story is about what the writer has seen in Unsworth’s studio and some backgrounds and information of his new installation.

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/ageless-artist-creates-a-wondrous-house-20100809-11txx.html

Photo: Well-known artwork by Ken Unsworth 1976

http://cs.nga.gov.au/IMAGES/MED/102234.JPG

Comment:
This is my favourite arts news story this week and I would like to introduce it to all of you.

It is a classic color news story, reminding me of its features I learned last semester. “Use a scene to describe the atmosphere first and introduce the 5W”, Matthew said.

In this article, the author writes two short paragraphs to describe what he saw when he walked into Unsworth’s studio and uses some simile technique. For example,
To step into Ken Unsworth's Alexandria studio is like falling down Alice's rabbit hole.
Next, readers know what the news story is about, and why it is written now because Unsworth is preparing his new art installation which will be on show late this month.

The best point that makes it a good piece is the incisive word the author uses and the quotes from Unsworth. For example, when the author asks Unsworth why his new artwork cover nine scenes, he uses an opening like this, The genial Unsworth, who at 79 has a child’s sense of play and wonder, is not about to offer any ready explanations, then the quote comes out like this, Because I don’t like eight. And seven would not be enough. Throughout the whole story, the author successfully depicts the personality of Unsworth, humorous and talented.

In the latter part, it is about a brief introduction of Unsworth and his new artwork. Unsworth has worked with performers for a long time because It is a meeting of weird minds. In his new work, he will reflect some performing technique to make them fresh. In terms of this stage, the author says something else related to this but not exactly the artwork. As a result, the story is ended like this, Curiouser and curiouser. And, it really makes me curiouser.

What's the difference?

News:Steeped in tradition (Christopher Allen)
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/steeped-in-tradition/story-e6frg8n6-1225900475736

Description:
This news story is based on the Tea and Zen exhibition in National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne in August. The story has covered several parts. Firstly, it introduces some history of tea and the relationship of coffee, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Zen. Secondly, it covers some information about the exhibition. Last, according to the Chinese and Japanese tea culture in the exhibition, the story clarifies the differences between these two kinds of tea cultures.

Comment:
Catalogued in Arts section, this story is soft news.
Rather than other news stories which follow the principle of “5W” at the beginning or in the middle, the author just uses three bullet points to explain the exhibition first:
    •Tea and Zen
     National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
     Until August 29
Then, it opens with the saying of the author of Chajing to lead to the theme and angle.
WE drink water to quench our thirst, according to Lu Yu, author of the Chinese classic Chajing, wine to banish melancholy and tea to clear the mind.
The writing is mainly about the relationship between human thoughts, the culture and beverage. It quickly uses the term reminds us in the third paragraph to write more than 17 paragraphs to introduce the history of tea next and accordingly relate to coffee, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Zen. In the 20th and 21st paragraph, with the words the relevance of tea, the story backs to the relevant information of the exhibition and introduces two different parts of it, Chinese and Japanese and the story is followed by the tea-making process and the differences of tea and Zen between the two cultures. With all of the information, the author uses compliments (more like similes and novel style) in the end to highlight the unique exhibition without using any words like the exhibition XXX.

It is a special writing piece, at least not familiar to me, with different sequences to write the story. It looks more like an additional introduction of tea knowledge and history (or feature story) than the real meaning of news story because it is hard to distinguish the news values or elements in it. However, it is good about the story angle, searching the deeper meaning of the relationsip between tea and human culture from an exhibition. Besides, the headline Steeped in tradition which goes straightly to the theme of the story: tea, Zen and the long history, is simple but covering all the content, and the beginning paragraph uses a very relevant and great old saying.

Beginning

Welcome everyone! I'm Yvonne.


Everything online seems so mysterious.
Finding the interests.


PS: Week 2 presentation, breathe and done.
Thank you for all.