The End, It has Come!

Having served its academic purpose, and been fun in the meantime, I have now decided to kill off this blog.

My new Journal is kept at joesart.org along with loads of other things and bobs.

ps Because of not understanding my new blog system properly, I deleted all of the tags on this one, on well!

Wikipedia Photobombing Entry

There's now an entry on Wikipedia telling us what my photobombing project is about. I wonder if I should augment it with some information about me. I guess not. At least not until its "notable".

Speaking of quotes

Another Chaos quote.

"I accept chaos. I am not sure whether it accepts me. I know some people are terrified of the bomb. But then some people are terrified to be seen carrying a modern screen magazine. Experience teaches us that silence terrifies people the most."

Bob Dylan

Seminal... I think...?

"The posh girl's daughter died of dyslexia."

Caiti Berry

Photobombing

Well after writing my ambition to do a photography project, using my images from my 12 month photo diary. I've set up all the technical side of it; see http://photobombing.com. Now I just need to do it, do it.

Academia so far, seems ok

Well, I handed in my journal. I finished my projects and exhibition piece, we did the show. All good, good fun and productive in work terms too.

I did a poor presentation for my assessment of this year, but hopefully I'll make up in other areas. But possibly I'll be let down in other areas. Anyway, year 1 - it all could be worse.

Part of my exhibition was a display of about 950 photographs, making up a photo diary of the last 12 months of my life. During the process of taking them down (much more fun than sticking them up, 4 bits of blue tack per photo is 950 * 4 little pieces of blue tack) I was thinking about what to do with the photos.

I've decided that I will start another photography project, I'm going to attach my photos to public places with blue tack. Each one will be tagged with a sticker, that links to a website detailing the project. I'm also going to try and photograph the situations in which I put the prints and also try and photograph whoever takes the photo from its situation. I think I'll call it photobombing.

Also - must make an Eastenders style soap, but in a documentary style. Perfect.

Twiimendous

Discovered the potential power of a Wii remote and I've decided to use it for my University show, it will form the "button" part of my audio installation. In order to record a snippet of audio, you will have to make a gesture with the remote - assuming my programming skills are up to the task.

Legal Fish

Just came across an interesting article, relevant to anyone who downloads unofficial MP3s (or those that download offical ones, for that matter).

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/03/30/1849206

Heroes is Back

A couple of months ago, my friend gave me a disk with the first 18 episodes of a US tv series, Heroes. I got addicted immediately, and lost two days of my life to constant watching.

Anyway, after the mid-season break its back, and I just watched the new episode - marvlous. I don't think its that good, in a critical sense, but the enjoyment I get from the act of being addicted is simply fantastic.


Also, I've started freecycling.

Reflections on This & Bibliography

I slept for a pittyful hour or so this morning, with birds tweeting and the light endlessly seeping into my room. I wasn't working, rather my head was looping various thoughts, some about WikiPedia - I spent a lot of time reading it yesterday - and also Nena's 99 Red Balloons came back to haunt me again. So I'm not the freshest daisy today!

Today is the day to hand in my journal. This, I think, will be the last entry for the adjuged 1st year journal. I thought it maybe useful to reflect on how I've developed through writing it. Also I want to state its omissions.

I hope that I'll continue to write this journal, writing has proved to be a valuable thinking tool as well as delivering gratification simply to try and articulate my thoughts. Writing is something I used to hate, but the older I get the more enticed I am by the beauty of it. Also, as I'm slowly becoming desolved into a world dominated by Google and the Blogosphere, I should make a stand. Take the fight to them.

Incidental- I asked one of the IT guys in Chatham if there would be any mice lying around, for me to dismantle, for my Autotalk button. He's a nice guy, we ended up chatting about Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/) - just another facet of the dawn of Web 2.0 and the internet's constancy of innovation.

I'm not sure if its evident, but I certainly feel like my writing has progressed through the practice I've had here. Maybe it's just a confidence thing, either way, a good feeling.

Incidental 2- For Autotalk, paint the floor black and invite the audience to write something down if they'd prefer that to leaving a recording of their voice? Maybe getting too wishy-washy.

I've tried to be referential to other artists, as I believe that's an area where I generally falls down, in terms of being assessed for University, but I still don't think I've fixed the problem. I guess its because I've only been exposed to the art world (and actually looked at it, in anything other than a casual sense) since September last year and the majority of the time I've been relatively self-obsessed. Mainly looking at other artists' work as it relates to my own progress. Also I harbour a strong belief that if I like something, for no particular reason, there is no need to spoil it by over-analysis and being overly critical. Or indeed critical at all. So maybe that will be a weak spot of my journal.

Another thing that I know I haven't done "to specification" is reviews. I have written only two reviews, I think, as a result of sitting down after having come to the decision to write a review. I do, however, have significant other review-type-text that hopefully will fill the void, if it can be distinguishsed from general musings.

Lastly; a bibliography.

The one text that I'll mention (again) is Brian Eno's A Year with Swollen Appendicies. I don't think I've used any material directly from it, but as I previously stated it has been a useful tool for generating confidence and, to an extent, has probabl been the largest influence on my style of writing.

Otherwise I haven't looked at any literature to find out about things or gather inspiration. As you may have correctly presumed, WikiPedia is generally my first port of call regarding pretty much anything (particularly anything that, should be, factual). If WikiPedia itself doesn't satisfy my curiosity I would then revert to traditional web searching using Google (althought depending on the subject this is sometimes my starting point). To catalog my browsing throughout the writing of this journal would result in a list of thousands of unconnected websites, and not really mean anything useful.

Incidental 3- my good friend David, from my hometown/school classes is having an interview for Interactive Arts today. It would be so good to do some collaborative work, were he to get on.
Other sources are the television and the Guardian. I've never previously got into reading a news paper (apart from the Metro, but does that count?), but with a little practice I've learnt my way around this particular one and enjoyed reading it a lot, as well as doing the "quick" crossword whenever I can - normally being shamed by my wiki-saboteur friend Matthew.

Breakfast time now I think, then after David's interview I can go home, relax and catch up on yesterday's missed sleep.

Conservapedia

Created to combat the, alledgedly, anti-USA and anti-Christian WikiPedia, Conservapedia.com has this about Dinosaurs;

Dinosaurs were created on day 6 of the creation week approximately 6,000 years ago, along with other land animals, and therefore co-existed with humans.

Oh dear.

How time comes together

I like the concept of time, and every piece of work I do has lots of dependency on time. Music and photography in particular. I also like its fluid-ness, and the immense value of looking back at things with retrospect. I suppose that's why I decided to try and do a project based on it.

So far, at least, my time exploits haven't come to anything tangible. I tried to suggest that some of the images I presented at my half year review had their artistic basis in representing a moment of time, but its more true that that was retrospective thinking after each image had been captured. As an aside, I really like thinking of taking photographs as, in a literal sense, actually capturing the beams of light that are creating whatever it is I'm photographing. Maybe its the hunter gatherer in me coming out.

I do however, have several on-going pieces of work that are spawned directly from my time project. Its ironic that they're taking me more time to complete as I initially guessed they would or maybe I am simply still suffering from procrastination-fever.


Fresh Air. I think this moth had just emerged from a cacoon.

Sensible, sensible

I subscribed to Artists News today. What a sensible thing to do! Immediately I'm inspired and encouraged about the wealth of opportunity out there.

Emailing a Saltaire based gallery about a photography exhibition and there's an intriguing commission for a public space in Coventry.

Innovative, exciting and experiential, it should engage with both adult and family visitors. The piece must also evolve during the exhibiting period either through audience participation or as phases.

I figure my audio installation for the end of year show would fit in with this perfectly, so I'm going to try and follow this up.

Autotalk Patch, at present. This is a shot of the "finished" Max/Msp program for my Autotalk installation, for the end of year show. Getting pretty complex!

Thoughts from a year ago

About this time last year I was feverishly trying to put together a portfolio (from nothing, diddly-squat) to get me through my interview for Interactive Arts. The ideas that I eventually presented to Tony, all stemmed from the writing on these envelopes. I'd forgotten most of them, I should really pursue them.

One of my favourites, comes from the concept of attaching a bucket of paint to all the taxi's in the city. Each with a hole in the bottom, slowing leaking paint, and eventually tracking where all the taxi's go. Hopefully creating something aesthetically pleasing to look at.

Not possible I know, but maybe using GPS, similarly to how Adele Prince worked in Nottingham.


Its also really nice looking at these and seeing how my thinking has developed vastly in the last year. Although, importantly, I'm very aware that my referencing to other artists, and indeed knowledge of other artists could do with improvement. I hope during the networking activities that I'm going to undertake next year will help improve this.

Singing Ringing Tree

I visited Tonkin Liu's "Singing Ringing Tree" - which shares its name with a 60s children's TV programme - near Burnley in Lancashire. Its supposedly an architectural kind of installation.... thing. I'm trying to write in a frustrated manner; because I often get tempered by coating simple works with layers of meaning and complexity that are beyond their worth. I don't want to just sound anti. I really love the Tree, its one of the coolest pieces of art that I've seen in a while, and I think this is how art should be done. But I would really love it if things could just be appreciated for what they are rather than smearing wonderful things with a veneer that (in me at least) encourages suspicion.

Can you feel the noise? When I visited the tree (in February) it was blowing a gale, and despite having a spattering of beautiful sunlight, was desolate. I think it added to my experience though, despite limiting it to a few fleeting minutes before I lost the use of my fingers. There are some wind turbines in the valley behind the tree in this picture. Its an interesting contrast, the use of the wind to enthral and inspire in the Singing Ringing Tree and capturing its power for industry and commercial use.

The tree's party piece, is the noise that is created by the wind blowing through the tubes. Aesthetically, of course, it looks both "cool as fuck" and carries much beauty - in my mind at least. But its the haunting noise, coupled with the location high on a moor in Lancashire, that really evokes strong feelings in me and made me feel affected by the tree.

Apart from writing from a critical point of view, I'm really interested in work, that like this, is in a public place and for anyone to enjoy. I should think of things I could do in this manner.

Casts. It never crossed my mind until just now, but could these be guns? I've probably been thinking about it too much.

Artistic Landscape. With these two pictures I kind of see the links to architecture more. Imagine a block of flats built such as above.

Run from the Wind. It was cold.

Button Action (required)

I spoke to Daniel Staincliffe again, in a chance encounter in the studio at University. It turns out he's probably saved me some time, we're both trying to figure out the best way of having "a button" attached to a computer, in its most literal sense. One of my plans was to dismember a computer keyboard and try to harness the power of just one of the buttons - but Dan has tried this approach already and it is plagued with problems.

I suggested (another of my plans) maybe doing exactly the same but with a mouse instead, its much simpler inside and only has two buttons in the first place rather than 102 on a keyboard. He just said "Why didn't I think of that?" so hopefully it is going to turn out to be a good (working) idea. Fingers crossed, because if it doesn't work I'm going to be a bit stuck.

Action required, by me, to test it out!

Showing Off

Despite having the first obstacle of handing in my journal in a few days, my head is filled with ideas and mulling over exactly what I'm going to do for my end of year show. I've definitely put my eggs in the Max/Msp audio installation basket, but I really want to represent my other activities from throughout the year.

Autotalk installation, Max/MSP program so far.

Ideally I would like a whole room to myself, with large speakers strategically positioned for my audio installation. Then I would pepper the walls and any other surfaces with printed photographs taken throughout the year but with gaps in the photos to project video work in. Over and above that I do have some interactive audio and video things that I'd love to make publicly accessible.

Having accepted that I don't have the time, space or funds to do that I've decided to explore the possibility of making a photograph trail from the foyer of my University building up to the studio and exhibition area. Arranged in chronological order it would very simply recount the last year of my life through all (that's several thousand) the photos I've taken. It would link really nicely with my Time video piece, which uses all the photos taken from when I started University to the Winter.

Need to check out how they could be attached to the building, if I would be allowed, how much all the prints would cost. Et cetera.

Things since the end of 2006. Self-described.

Bringing anarchy to a Wiki

A Wiki, is a website that allows its users to add, edit, delete or change its own content. WikiPedia (http://www.wikipedia.org/) is a free encyclopedia that functions in just this manner.

My friend Matthew spent some time earlier this year deliberately trying to sabotage WikiPedia. I think it came about out of boredom, and mainly focused on changing entries subtly so they included a reference to goats. For instance doctoring the page about US president George Bush so the first sentance read; George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current U.S. President, serving from January 20, 2001 and he is not a goat.

All of Matthew's edits were reversed, usually within minutes, sometimes seconds and occasionally taking a little longer. So the system works. Matt (and my) IP address (the thing that uniquely identifies computers on the internet) was relatively quickly banned from making edits for a week. Apparently there are actually many people that spend incongruous amounts of time editing WikiPedia, and indeed have become addicted to it. Bizarre.

Initially I thought maybe doing the same as Matthew could constitute as a work of art somehow, but then remembered that WikiPedia is invaluable to me as a research tool and is one of the few resources that out-and-out trust what it says. This comes down to the ethos of WikiPedia editors and its rules and regulations, two of which are;

Neutral Point of View: All Wikipedia articles and other encyclopedic content must be written from a neutral point of view (NPOV), representing fairly and without bias all significant views that have been published by reliable sources.

Attribution: Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not a publisher of original thought. The threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is whether material is attributable to a reliable published source, not whether it is true. Wikipedia is not the place to publish your opinions, experiences, or arguments.

Much as these rules create a brilliant resource, they (purposefully) prevent people from using WikiPedia as a forum for original thought or self-promotion and it is enforced strictly. Again, I agree with this whole heatedly, but can't help but think its not fair that all the successful artists, musicians and writers are on WikiPedia and may derive promotional value from that. Whereas anyone unknown or aspirational can't get onto the resource, because nobody knows who they are and nothing is published elsewhere about them. Catch 22.

I created a WikiPedia page about my Dad, to see if his credentials were enough to allow his page to be left on and not deleted. So far this has worked http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_lindley has been live on WikiPedia for a few weeks now, despite containing a warning that "this article lacks information on the notability (importance) of the subject matter". So not perfect. I could probably put something on the page that would give it some kind of importance, though I'm not entirely sure what. I should put he is father to aspirational artist Joseph, which would maybe get my foot in the door.

I came across a kind of paradox that will, potentially, allow me to achieve my desire of having my own WikiPedia entry. I guess the reason I want this is that is feels like a sign that I would have arrived as an artist, if the WikiPedia editors think that I have the required notability. How it would work, is that I systematically sabotage WikiPedia, but work to a rationale. Realistically I think it would have to involve an aspect of networking too, for instance getting multiple other people to help me as the task is too big for one. Otherwise I could write a computer program to do it. If I can get around the constant re-editing by the WikiPedia monitors, and alter something sufficiently thought-provoking or controversial, enough times and involve enough people; ultimately I could evoke so much interest that I could then get media coverage (even if it is local) or better some sort of comment from a critic. This in turn should constitute relevance and notability enough that my page on WikiPedia would be allowed.

It may seem a bit ridiculous, with that long explanation, but I really think it would work and if its done in the right way it could actually have artistic merit.

Picasa excellence and picasa annoyance

I've been using Google's image organisation and editing software for a few months now, and I must say its largely made my life much easier.

Somehow, however, my Picasa library just got deleted. This means I now have to load in my 20-odd-thousand photos again, and I've lost various albums I've put together.

Oh well, I guess I should try and utilise having a "fresh" look at my pictures.

Cornerhouse Copy Cats

On reading the Cornerhouse's website, I've discovered that they're just commencing with a project entitled Bitmapping (see http://www.bitmapping.com/)

The idea basically comes down to a game of consequences, but rather than using words images will be used. And rather than using paper, mobile phones (and their attached cameras) will be used. The whole thing will go on for about 3 months, and as each picture is sent it will be printed and displayed in the Cornerhouse Cafe.

Its brilliant.

However it's also rather frustrating for me that I came up with precisely the same concept. I guess that, if nothing else, it at least means I'm thinking along the right lines!

Rewritten Why's Alive

I was quite disappointed at my poetic efforts with writing about "To ask why is to live".

This is a rewritten, and still rather dark version, but I'm happier with it. I really like thie ending passage;

Battlefields and pavements are playgrounds
Middle men and junkies doss like
Doll
Why are they, they?
What makes their folly?
Whats the point?
Where's the sign?
What's my name?
Why's today?
Why is alive
To ask why is to live

This is the whole thing:

Inkling for Recording

I've got a deadline, of September, to complete a professional-sounding recording of an album's worth of my musical material. I had the same deadline last summer, but missed it, so I can't really not do it and come away feeling un-aggrieved. So I'm gonna do it. So far this year I've hardly spent any time with my music, mainly focusing on more University-aimed work. But I have the Inkling. And I'm sure its gonna be good, so I'm looking forward to it.

Nice Swiss Writing. Note from Leo, the guy who runs the record label who are going to put out my album. He's a lovely guy, and I think his handwriting is cool. Also I like the style of putting "Best, Leo" at the end of an email or letter.

I'm going to try and get a Variax guitar, which is a clever "modelling" guitar, hopefully giving me an expensive sound for not very much money. We'll see...

Listened to Hot Chip's second album, The Warning, for the first time properly. Its cool. Not quite as much character in parts, as with the first album, but it makes up for it with ingenuity in other ways. Really cool!

Hi-Fi. Play Station 2 based karaoke. Really good fun. This photo probably needs some audio accompaniment.

Lemurs & Genius

I've written about the Jazz mutant Lemur a couple of times in previous posts, its an interactive control system for computers. Discussing it on a chairlift in France with my brother, he said he'd email me a link to a control system he'd seen. Similar to a sequence in the film "Minority Report" with Tom Cruise.

Its a system where you fully interact with a screen, using gestures (even body movements) to control a computer that then shows the result on the screen. It really can't be described properly, but I suggest you take a look at the video which is online here; http://multi-touchscreen.com/perceptive-pixel-jeff-han.html

The best thing about it is that the whole system was put together by a boffin and "about a ton" of hardware in his bedroom. Anything is possible!

Space Invasion. I found this rather unique key in my old house. I've always wondered if it was brought to earth by an alien race invading our planet. Maybe.....

The End is Nigh

It feels to me as if something is coming close to an end. I can't quite figure out what it is, is it the impending hand-in date for this journal? Or is it the now ever-constant coverage of global warming that's getting me down? Or could it be the ever-dwindling student loan in my bank account combined with a scarily low number of days before the end of my University year. It all seems to have just sneaked into my consciousness without much prior warning.


Ending. Owned by my friend Fred it is memories of this guitar that are my first memories of any guitar. It seems to have been around for ever and I'm sure has inspired many; well at least me and Fred. This is a ritual burning of it, after it was rendered useless by a short drunken Scottish man.

I'm currently on a skiing trip in Vallandry, a small alpine village near Albertville in southern France. I've been here a few times before, but not for 3 or 4 years. Nothing has changed though, except here there is, too, a new-found awareness of global warming issues. The risk of the skiing trade disappearing has just jumped from nothing, to everything (in the property investors minds, anyway).

Climate change is a serious issue, but as it is patently clear; we've created a big problem. We now have to tackle the problem with gusto - I can't think how better to put it! Believe it or not, when I phoned up my school friend Lindsay when I was 13, really distressed about the fact the world was "going to fuck up" imminently, I reflected (at the time) that I was overreacting. I guess I wasn't really.
Unforgiving Mountain.

I just read in a newspaper that British Airways looses 23 bags out of each 1000 they load on to a plane - the worst in Europe.

Compliance. After jumping through hoops, doing obstacle courses, burning enough fuel to power the city for a day and a financial outlay equal to a small country's national debt; I finally received my valid UK passport. It was ordained with this insightful label.

I'm on holiday with my immediate family - a Christmas present to to us all from my Dad - and also with my auntie, uncle and two of their friends. Its quite a giggle and definitely a stark contrast to my cleshay-ridden and wholly student-like existence. Without going into too much detail describing my friends and family's background; being on holiday with such a concentration of knowledge and intellect, that is rooted in such different methods and concepts to that of my peer group, is very uplifting. Inspirational in a way.

Last night a conversation arose about sudoku, it turns out my auntie is an avid player, while my uncle doesn't really play at all. I'm quite a fan of sudoku, despite the huge amount of time it takes me to complete even an easy grid. Its a real art form. Apparently, this is the number of combinations you could have for a 9*9 sudoku grid.

Six sextillion, six hundred and seventy quintillion,
nine hundred and three quadrillion,
seven hundred and fifty two trillion,
twenty one billion, seventy two million,
nine hundred and thirty six thousand,
nine hundred and sixty.

Its definitely one of those things where the actual number doesn't matter. You just know; its a lot.

I also read an amazing article in the New Scientist last night (New Scientist makes excellent holiday reading, although I forgot this week and had to borrow my brother's copy!) that talked about number patterns just like sudoku. Mathematicians in the Europe only discovered these magic ways of arranging number in the last few hundred years, even though the Chinese have been aware of them for over 4000 years. Fancy that. It turns out that these magic squares, which are the same as sudoku squares, are actually invaluable tools for writing computer error-checking codes. By utilising these squares, a computer or electronic circuit, can transmit a message over an extremely "noisy" wire and actually decode it at the other end. By using the square, a computer can convert an extremely poorly transmitted message with missing or incorrect characters in, such as; " e i br n rox he zlay uog" into the correct message "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog".

The same kind of techniques are used already for the Internet, digital TV and CD/DVD drives, but by utilising the sudoku squares scientists can transmit high-bandwidth digital signals over electric power lines - the hardest thing to send a message through because of the extreme high voltage and crudeness of the lines. Its quite an odd thing to write about in the context of art, but for one it gave me that warm feeling I get when I see a movie that I really love, or an inspirational piece of art work, or listen to an amazing piece of music. But secondly, the point that really grabbed me was that mathematicians discovered these number patterns some time ago, but never really understood them and just thought of them as a game. Now they're being used at the cutting edge of technology to do something truly influential. The article included the sentence "maths can, once again, be seen as an art form." I think that's kinda cool.

Origami by Joe Gilardi. This is a dollar bill, creased, folder, cut up and put together again in this form. Another musing I arrived at whilst reading the New Scientist was the crossovers that exist between high-level mathematics, magical illusions and art; they're rife. I doubt I could be a magician, but it'd be cool to explore any artistic magical possibilities that arise.

During our conversation about Sudoku, however, my uncle (a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author) raised a question of what it is to guess? Also how to distinguish between this and an estimate. I wish my alcohol-impaired brain could remember the exact context of the question; it was to do with the human way (as opposed to a computer) of completing a sudoku grid- almost everyone makes assumptions that they're not sure of in order to see if they're correct. Just like guessing a word in a crossword; you may be wrong but even if it is it may well lead to some other correct answers. I thought it'd be cool to do some work reflecting on humans ability to guess and estimate. I'm sure that most guesses are actually more informed than the "guessee" thinks at the time.


Irrelevant Pomp. I created a WikiPedia page for my Dad... it says it "Lacks Relevance". In fitting with that sentiment, here is a photo that lacks relevance, but one that I think captures the spirit of an instant in London.

Fourtet Contest

Well my entry didn't win the Fourtet video contest on Italian media website, qoob. In fact it received quite critical comments! However, I am still pleased with the result and it seemed to go down okay in my half year review.

The standard was very high, and the winning entry - although not my favourite - was very slick. It used still photographs of six people in a line, each with a percussion instrument, and all set against a white background. As the music progresses each person becomes animated perfectly in time with the beats of the song.

1. Consider copying the technique with a different subject
2. The video also used wide aspect, like a cinema screen - try it!
   

Use Case

In software engineering and system engineering, a use case is a technique for capturing functional requirements of systems and systems-of-systems.

Each use case focuses on describing how to achieve a goal or task. For most software projects this means that multiple, perhaps dozens, of use cases are needed to embrace the scope of the new system.

This would be a fantastic method of ideation. Rather that using a use case to desribe how to achieve a goal or task, use it to describe how to a respresent a subject artistically or describe how to create a particular vision.

Ain't half clever these software developers.

Incidentally, I discovered that Edinburgh University's Informatics department, have a person employed specifically to inform the staff about and create digital art. How good is that?

Technorati

Technorati searches blogs, millions of them, this one included. Its in competition with Google and Yahoo et al.

Very useful tool, should use it more. Advantagous over WikiPedia in its basis in opinion and thought, rather than pure facts and citations.

Having just written that I decided to use it, and vaguely entered some search terms. It yielded relevant, interesting and useful results immediately. Brilliant! I discovered the Arduino board, which is a little electronic circuit you plug into your computer via USB, it has a number of connectors, which you can plug just about anything into. On the Arduino website there are many examples of interactive installations people have put together using the Arduino - and it interfaces seamlessly with Max/MSP which is also interesting. Potentially knowing of it will allow me to follow up on some of my more challenging concepts.

I discovered the Arduino after landing on a journal belonging to a student in a similar position to myself, also studying in England. He and his friends were trying to utilise Arduino and Max/MSP to create a self-contained installation that takes shadows cast by the sun as input and outputs audio and video. It sounded good, if a little far fetched. I've enquired as to the outcome.

Adele Prince & Mars Bars

Adele Prince (an Interactive Arts graduate) came to talk to my group this week. She has been very successful with exhibitions, commissions and winning an innovation prize from the Yahoo! website. Through her various projects she has also attracted a lot of media coverage. Her success alone was enough to keep me attentive, but as it turned out I really enjoyed the presentation and her work definately aroused my interest. Most of Adele's projects seemed to utilise the web, with more recent work reflecting the changes in the how the internet is used and having a distinctly Web 2.0 feel about them. One of her latest works, involved being tracked via GPS, which updated her position on a map on a website, and being given instruction via mobile phone - very technology heavy! This web-centricity was particularly interesting to me; as many of my ideas and things I'd like to do involve the same kind of things.

One commission that Adele showed us, was for a train station in Linconshire. How she created her work (which was a video installation) was to travel the length of the trainline and alongside it. But she did this by foot, taking photographs at 5 minute intervals throughout (the whole journey took several days). With the journey complete the photographs were Adele's source material, along with video footage recorded by her boyfriend who was following her on a bicycle. The end result is displayed on two video monitors housed within the station ticket office. I really liked this concept, its the kind of self-involving art that I really like. I guess there is something of a likeness to post modernism with exposed self-referencing, that really gets my juices flowing. With this piece I like it that there is no certainty about what the images would be, but together they can be directly relevant to the subject.

Another piece of work she talked about (my favourite I think) was her "Lost Something?" website. This was born from Adele collecting lost items from the street, and cataloging the item, where it was found, and when. Eventually all these items were compiled and uploaded onto a website. People can log on to the website, check the list and see if their lost item is there. Launched in the late 90s Adele still recieves many emails per week with regard to the lost items on the website.

Adele seems to have been prolific since leaving University, with further projects including Lost Something and another web-based affair; Trolley Spotting. Trolley Spotting is an online database (with maps & images) chronicling Adele's journeys around various cities to find trolleys. It is true that trolleys turn up in many odd places!

I'm enticed by the all Adele's work, and it is very reminicent of a number of my own concepts - I couldn't help but feel there was something missing for most of the projects. Like a "missing link". Of course this is just my preference, and I was exceedingly excited to see someone doing things so similar to some of my aspirations. Also her success speaks for itself.

The presentation did make me think back to discovering the Bookcrossing.com website. On the site, you register your details and you're then given a serial number. You print the number in a book, which you then leave anywhere you like! The idea is that someone else finds the book, which as well as the serial number has details of how to get the website. They then register the fact that they've found the book, where, when, how etc then once they're finished with the book they are supposed to leave it somewhere else. Thus you get a large network of people sharing books with people using the Internet as a medium for tracking it.

There is another website called WheresGeorge.com and another called PhotoTag.org - one tracks US currency and the other disposable cameras (and then shows the pictures taken with each camera). The ideaology seems very similar to that of a lot of mail artists, but in this case making the most out of the internet.

When I discovered these websites (about 3 years ago now) the concept of each struck a chord with me; and I started trying to wrack my brains to figure out something similar that I could set up myself. The lost something idea was one that came to mind (I was unaware Adele had done it!), but I decided it would only really work as a self-contained thing if the lost objects were posted on the website by its users, rather than just me, and that this would constitute a massive programming task!

The thing that really turned me on about BookCrossing (which, incidentally, is now a word in the Oxford English dictionary!) was the fact that the people interacting with the site were giving each other a gift. Even if it is to a complete stranger! I like this idea of not being able to control something, but engineering conditions so the "art" actually evolves by itself (plus its always nice to get something for free, from another person). The concept is quite similar to Dave Gorman's book Googlewhack Adventure, which is an amazing book. I think it qualifies to be called a work of art.

Mars Bars! I think the reason I chose Mars bars was that it rhymes, and I liked the phrase "Mars bars go far.."

My plan is to create a replica of the BookCrossing system, but modified so that Mars bars are the subject, rather than books. I will start with, say, 100 Mars which I will release through a variety of methods - each of them tagged with their own serial number and instructions. Whoever finds or recieves one of the bars, is instructed to log on to the website and record the fact they've recieved (and eaten!) the chocolate they are then requested to purchase a replacement chocolate add a serial number (provided by the website) and release that bar.

I would love to create this chocolate giving network, see how far it can spread, track its progress, ultimately see where it takes me and see where it takes the Mars bars.

Later on, I had two thoughts; firstly I was worried about the legality of using the Mars company's trademarks but then that led me to thinking how valuable it maybe for the company. I wonder if I could create such a thing and sell it to Mars as a viral marketing technique or simply tell Mars about the project and see if they would give me a nominal sponsor to get it off the ground.

So I'm extremely grateful to Adele for rekindling my interest in this kind of project and very pleased to have been made aware of her work, which I'm going to be watching with a keen eye. Maybe at some point we could join forces! Its funny how things work together, I started doing my first computer programming in ages with Max/MSP last week, and now I'm thinking about doing a whole load more.

Autotalk

Trying to think of a name for my Max/MSP based voice recording/playback invention. Autotalk is my favourite so far, I think it kind of gives a feeling its been dreamt up by some zany Germans. Der Autotalk.

I really liked the Singing Ringing Tree near Burnley and part of that comes from to fact it is out there and available for the public this made me think about making an Autotalk installation in a public place. I've got dreams of installing 100 microphones and 100 speakers in a public space somewhere. A modern day confessional? Or it could even be counselling, where the counsellor is completely passive. Cognitive behavioural therapy, eat your heart out.

Infact would it be a good subject for the installation... pose the audience the question what should this be called? Then record the answers.

Depression. This photograph came about purely by chance, but the result I feel is saturated with meaning. Narcotics consumed, utilising packaging from prescribed anti-depressants.

Max/MSP Project (continued)

This project was inspired by watching a programme on BBC2 - "The Grumpy Guide to Art". I found it pretty amusing, but if I can imagine in some frames of mind I would have thought it rather depressing - even though I know that isn't the point.

My inspiration came from Sir Gerry Robinson's comments about people "talking bollocks" about art. As an issue, I think its one that idealogically I sit on the fence with; although I'm often frustrated (even angered) with over complicated and non-contexural analysis of art I also love diversity in work and acknowledge that with that comes a natural caveat for over the top, nonsensical anaysis. I must admit (here and nowhere else) that Sir Gerry actually said this at the end of his little section; "its probably a brilliant name for an installation, 'Talking Bollocks'". Having got the nasty mental image of a the literal meaning of that out of my head, I immediately knew what I wanted to do; create an installation to explore the issue but to try my best to avoid a biast viewpoint.

I want to create a space that consists of a central piece of physical work. Viewers of the work are invited to make an audio recording of their thoughts and the piece. Each recording left is stored on a computer and will actually be played back into the same space, in real time. So overall you will have a piece of work to view, as well as (potentially) hundreds of different view points being played out of speakers at you whilst you are looking at the piece; and then (if you want to) you can contribute you own opinion.

It feels like my explanation is not as good as the idea I have in my head. I guess the only way to find out is to create it and try!

I'm a little apprehensive, not because I lack faith in my concept, but that I've been here lots of times before and then discovered I don't have the skill/tenacity to actually get it done in the available time. Must be positive.

Max/MSP Project

I mentioned in a previous post a thing called the Lemur, that can be used with Cycling 74's Max/MSP. To explain a little, the Lemur is a kind of "control surface" that can be utilised in many different bits of software on PCs and Macs. Control surfaces roots are in computer-music, they were developed in order to allow computer based musicians to have a hands on way of controlling their entirely digital synthesisers. With a digital synthesiser as well as playing it (with a keyboard, just like a piano) there are seemingly endless parameters that can be changed whilst in use, to change the sound of the synth. Many of these controllers simply manifest themselves as a keyboard with an array of knobs, switches and buttons available however in the last few years, new technology has started to allow for much more inventive and intuitive options for controlling parameters. The Lemur, is a box with a touch screen. Using software provided with it you actually design your own interface with any type of slider, knob, button, switch, dimmer, button or display you can imagine. As well as this, it is a new type of touch screen, that allows you to touch it as many times as you want. So you can have (for example) 4 fingers spread out, each on its own touch sensitive slider. You could drag each slider up and down at a different speed, in a different direction. I'm afraid my explanation isn't quite comprehensible so look here; http://www.cycling74.com/products/lemur

The Lemur is made by a company called Cycling 74 - who's 'flagship' product is Max/MSP. Max, once you install it on your computer, does nothing. Max doesn't have a set purpose or function, rather it allows the user to create their own program to do whatever they want; it just provides a framework for doing that. Its rather like a computer programming environment (eg C++, Java or Visual Basic) that specialises in maniupulating and controlling digital media. With Max/MSP and its various add-on options, you are given a toolkit for doing literally anything you could imagine with sound and music, video and images, and because you can utilise Java from within the software anything else that you might want to do with a computer. It is an extremely powerful tool.

As an aside, the software was originally brought to my attention by a friend of mine, Matt Donkin, who used Max for his 3rd year show for Interactive Arts. Matt's project consists of a music keyboard, and a monitor. The two are linked via Max, and if you play notes that are in tune with one another, the monitor displays "tuneful" graphics. If you play random notes, then nothing very pretty is displayed. It's an interesting idea. Most "visualisation" programs (such as you get with most computer-based media players) simply process the sound to extract the beats of the music. That is then the basis for displaying graphics to fit with the music. The problem is that the graphics are mostly randomly generated, the only thing that links to the music is the beat and that is often sketchy at best. With Matt's project, it is the very notes themselves that create the image. Also the image that is created is intrinsically linked to the beat of the music, for the same reason.
Autechre's Max Patch. Autechre are electronic artists, making forward thinking music mainly using Max/MSP. This image illustrates how complicated "Patches" (Max programs) can get.

I think its really intesting how finding out about a tool, such as this, can actually inspire someone. I guess it applies to me more than, perhaps, a sculptor; just because my work exists almost entirely in the digital realm. But I think anyone can derive inspiration from such things
. I'm sure there is an argument that an artist should have a concept, and then find the tools to create it, but I feel its just as valid to see a tool and then come up with the idea as a result of knowing about it. Such utilisation of the available resources and tools is one reason why Moore's law (the idea that computing power will double every 18 months) has proved to be correct for the last 50 years and why advances are made so quickly. I suppose that my thinking comes down to this: If there is a way of doing something; someone will do it!

I'm currently developing an idea (that I will write about tomorrow) that will almost certainly be made possible by using Max.

Berliners, Ideas & Remixology

I've been to Berlin, and returned, despite having an extremely dodgy passport. I'll write about it further at a later time, but I've completely fallen in love with the place. With the atmosphere, the people, the "way things work" as well as the rich artistic and cultural feeling that seems to spread from each corner of a block to the next. Since being there and returning I think I've been riding on a wave of positivity and free flowing ideas - a much needed boost.

Trickles on Monument. The full title of the monument is "The Monument to the Murdered Jews of Europe"; it was one of the places in Berlin that affected me greatly. Opened in 2005 the monument is made from 2,700 stone slabs near the Brandenburg gate, arranged into geometric lines and rows, but each stone is slightly 'awkwardly' set in the ground, creating an uneasy contrast. An amazing places that I recommend anyone visit.

Whilst abroad I discovered the saga of naming my University course "Interactive Arts" (apparently the advent of that name brought significant extra funding - at the time). I thought it would be cool to set up some kind of forum (more of a list though) whereby students can record what they would refer to the course as, at any given time that they choose. The result would be an ever evolving list of creative titles or labels - potentially a fantastic source of inspiration. A bit silly on the face of it, but I think it could be really useful. Digital or paper?

Another thing I thought would be interesting to do, would be collate everybody's photographs of Berlin and arrange them so that any photos of the same object or place are grouped together. It would be really nice to see all the pictures together, but also interesting to look at different individuals points of view. Probably logistically impossible.

The last idea is also probably impossible, but I'm trying to rationalise it and figure out a way that it could work on a relatively small scale. I'd like to create a system that would (ideally) have screens visible on all the extreme surfaces of a room. The easiest way to describe it would be to have a box room, with a desk and chair at its centre. The walls, ceiling, and potentially floor would have all their surfaces covered by screens. Next a location is chosen; it could be at the top of the Eifel tower, or Everest or in the centre of Bejing - anywhere. Now pre-recorded images & sounds are played from loudspeakers, and shown on the screen. The idea being that the person sat at the chair has a 360 degree audio-visual experience of what its like to be in that place. Far reaching; but I'm looking at it on a much smaller scale, using TV screens and my garden.

Also discovered an interactive control pad - the Lemur - which is another thing I'd like to create my own version of. I'm not sure I have the technology skills required though (the Lemur is made by one of the most forward looking, and advanced, technology houses in the world; Cycling 74). Its hard to explain, but you can watch a video of it in use by following this link; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O70FrnH2JU

Made friends with Dan Staincliffe in Berlin, really like his work, check out these games; http://www.piczo.com/danielstaincliffe?cr=4&rfm=y




Dan's Pigeons. One of Dan's photographs taken with a mechanically triggered camera.

Entry or writers block?

I've often thought of writing critically about things in my journal, but then avoided it because I think the content isn't relevant enough, or I can't do it justice. I mentioned this in a journal workshop with 3rd year students, and the girl I spoke to simply said I should write about the inability to write.

So I'm giving it a go.

Mostly my reasoning has been routed in not thinking I, myself, am qualified to write about a particular subject. And in some cases I've just become frustrated by my own pompousness or submersion in doctoring my subjects with colourful language. The final convergence of thought that has put me off has been just thinking the subject matter is uninteresting; this includes topics such as Neighbours (the TV soap), children's animation Charlie & Lola (which I saw at the Bradford animation festival), Google's image editing software Picasa, Anthony Gormley's Another Place, and so on. Of all those things I have opinions of them all, which to some extent I think would be useful for myself and others to consider. But maybe not quite as much as other topics and more to the point I believe that writing about other more obviously important things will probably leave more of an impact on the reader, or audience.

At this juncture I'm tempted to think this entry falls into the pitfalls I mentioned as reasons for not including several entries. I think my upbringing and frequent dinner table philosophical discourse as a child has left me with an avid appreciation of paradox. This in turn I think is fed by my own paranoid tendencies to think in circles.

It would be interesting to explore peoples' cognitive processes in a work of art. In my case, here, thinking self-referentially, but it would be excellent to explore some common examples of traps. Maybe look at common dreams as a source?

Clean Sheets

Its a bit odd, for someone with a bed as unpleasant and messy as my own, but I really lust after the feeling of newsly laundered sheets that are freshly put on a bed.

Maybe I should have them more!

An ex-colleague of mine, Matthew McArdle, said he irons his sheets so they're perfectly smooth.

Rotten Apples

Why does the iMac keyboard that I use to type not have a delete key? What is up with that? Backspace is fine, but I need to delete!

Incidentally - running Windows on MacOS seems to be a real reality now (if thats gramatical?) Maybe I should get a Mac next time I get a computer. In 2050.

Ideation

Remember you can do it.

And this is a good lesson.

Just Finishedness

I can't quite remember why I wrote this. But I like it.

Brian Eno

When I began to write my journal in earnest, I decided to follow a favourite route for producing something good. The starting point for this was searching the University library for "art" and "journal". This yielded two results, one was spurious, the other was Brian Eno's A Year with Swollen Appendices. This was quite a find, as I'd only days before been reading about Eno and I was really interested in his work. This I think was largely due to his status as a ex-Rock Star with Roxy Music, record producer for people including U2 and Talking Heads, as well as a highly influential recording musician and working artist. Pretty much everything I aspire to be.

It turns out from reading his book Eno appears to be something of the metaphorical anal retentive. But despite this he writes easy to read and entertaining prose, about things that normally would (appear to) be very personal to him. The insight into a successful and intelligent man's life and the anecdotes and stories that go with are one thing, but seeing how his he produces his work and thought processes is another. I've used the book as a resource to dip in to as and when I feel like it, or feel like I need it. The point being I've always come away from it with a confidence that Eno's thinking (I don't think at least) isn't too far distant from my own style and methods.


Currently I owe £4.50 in library fines. Worth every penny.

Word

pettifogger: a petty, unscrupulous lawyer; also, who quibbles over trivia.

Who would have thought?

Write about Matt's word program idea.......

Fourtet Video Contest

I just had a look at Fourtet's website (http://www.fourtet.net/) - there is a competition currently running to make a music video for one of his tunes, which I think I will enter. The competition is run by an Italian website, that I had not previously been aware of (http://it.qoob.tv/) but it seems to be pretty good; it seems to be a social networking site (see MySpace or Facebook) but completely centered around the arts. Each user of the site can upload their own images, videos or pieces of audio/music and then any other members can rate, review and comment. On its own its not that amazing, but the actual quality of the work seems to be relatively high.

Fourtet (aka Kieran Hebden) is a creator of music, in one form or another. I actually have a personal connection to him, which I guess has influenced my opinions quite a bit, but nonetheless he is probably my favourite modern musician. Which is quite a big deal for me.

I will write more about Kieran soon, but for now I must work on the video for the competition.

The tune is called "A Joy" so I'll have to do something around that I guess.

Jarvis. To suit my current vocation of doing a music video to "A Joy" here's Jarvis, having some Joy.

Things to Do:

I've fostered my procrastination for this particular task for some time, despite it being requisite for the journal; making a weekly plan (weekly. . . !)

• Photography
• Print some more photos using the Mac suite at University
• Find out if I can get access to the Manchester University print room (this will allow me to print up to A1 at high quality, currently I can only print up to A30
• Transport my framed prints into University for my review in February
• Enquire about showing those prints at the Link gallery
• Restart my daily regime of taking photos of my face, bedroom, ash tray, kitchen, garden (I've let this slip recently, but the videos would be excellent for VJ purposes)
• VJ
• Continue refining library and further develop my understanding of the software that I'm using (OpenTZT; http://opentzt.sourceforge.net/)
• Animate my Romanian doll
  
• Create some more digital psychedelic backdrops for overlaying natural images on top of
• Look at animating my motorway time-lapse images for VJing
• Prepare my time-lapse videos for review in February
• Set up my web cam for recording time-lapse again (I would like to position it looking at the street, but I need to purchase a longer cable and set up a mount!)
• Put together comprehensive plan of what I need to do to prepare my VJ 'set' for my review
• Time
• Compile a display of time-based photographs and video pieces
• Look at different presentations of my 'Time' material
• Music
• Complete "Diamond Apologies" track (should only require some more vocals and maybe a high synthesiser line, could consider recording Bouzouki but it may make it too busy)
• Revisit other recently recorded tracks (Lifeline & other forays into electronic based music) and look at adding more acoustic elements
• Put together live set of "finished" material ready to show to Leo
• Supply Fred Baker (http://www.myspace.com/fredbaker) with recordings for his professional adjudication & input
• Buy new guitar strings (again!) - Martin, extra light seem to do the trick
• Book the sound suite at University for mixing down of my tracks using the monitoring system
• Other Things
• Sort out passport!!!!
• Write to Granny and send some photographs
• Identify something good to review (maybe write a review of the Joe Columbo exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery?)
• Print photographs taken at the weekend
• Have a go at making a video for a newly recorded track
• Decide upon some good music for my VJ demonstration
• See if Paddy still needs me for the Victoria Hall gig in Keighley
• Send of release form & DVD to LocalPoint TV
• Hassle myspace.com more to see why I can't post anything to it & try to put new recordings up there
  
• Ask people if I can do remixes for them
• Canvass opinion of local shops for sellings my prints
  

Having written this it seems highly likely that not all of these will be done and will appear in a future to-do list!

Matt; taken at the weekend on another excursion to Chorlton Water Park. I can't deduce any particular message or meaning from it - but I like simply like the aesthetics of the image. I converted the original from colour to black and white and increased the contrast in the image to bring out his silhouette. I really like the detail that you can see in it, down to the curls in Matt's hair.

Back it up; Rhymes with f _ _ _ it up

Crude I know. I feel entitled to be crude having deleted a good 15 hours of work on a piece of music. I have no idea how it happened, but on returning to it, its not there. File recovery programs haven't recovered anything- simply reassured me that I was so stupid in the first place.

Oh well.

Sorry Leo! (the Creaked Records man)

Undesirable Webs

Despite my 'love' of the web and the internet - it is my primary source for doing, well, pretty much anything! - the bigger and better it all gets it simultaneously develops more and more shit flying around it.

My first ever comment on my journal/blog was this (since deleted, thankyou very much);


"Tshhhhh."

The VJ Low-down

Note to self:

This requires quite a lot more than this to put in to words and convey its breadth, realistically, but as a pre-cursor it is fit for purpose; It would be best to have a distinct set (set of visuals) for each mood or musical genre that you might encounter; straight-4 dance music, funk, deep house music, ambient, indie etc.

This has natrually come about anyway from putting together my "visual library" so far - but putting it in words I think will help put my thought processes in order!

Flesh out this idea with a proper concept - has been added to to-do list!

Good Vibes

"Good Vibes" are a thing that I crave from time to time. I wrote a song about a succession of these feelings that came about over the course of a weekend in the summer of 2005, you can listen to that on my MySpace page here; http://www.myspace.com/josephmymusic. I don't know why it is that when I'm discussing, thinking about or being critical about the arts, I always start to talk in terms of a concept as abstract and non-specific as vibes. Generally I'm very logical and like to see things in fairly black and white or clear cut terms. I guess its probably a requisite skill that you can see shades of grey when trying to analyse something that doesn't necessarily have a beginning and end, or a correct "answer", even a particular meaning or reason for existing.

Well really this is all an aside, and not really worthy of being a journal entry. I began writing this just to try and put down in words a good feeling that I've gotten from at least getting this far with my journal and regaining some ground lost through November and December. I think my elation has been augmented further with a feeling that my writing is progressing. It has been some considerable time since I've written anything structured, for that matter writing anything anything at all; apart from note-taking and scribbling lyrics down. Reading my initial post to this journal and contrasting it with my Pan's Labrynth review- I'm sure there is progress there. Good vibes.

I must exhibit restraint (a good title for image-based-work maybe?) for if I were reading this as a third party even more objectively (than I write it) I would almost definately think the author were being smug.



Beach Party at Benicassim, in Spain at the FiB (Festival Internationale de Benicassim) festival in August 2006. On the final night there is a free beach party thrown by the organisers to say thanks to the locals for putting up with thousands of drunk English people (amongst many other nationalities). This is a shot of the sea filled with revelers. If I were less intoxicated I could probably have gotten some better shots, but I am still very fond of the depth in this picture and of its encapsulation of movement and atmosphere (or Vibes).

Pan's Labyrinth

I went to see the film a few weeks ago, and felt it would constitute a good subject for a journal review. I was drawn to it, with the preconception in my mind that it would be solely animated, and that it would probably be inhibited by being a modern fairy tale, which I generally have distaste for. Now, its safe to say that my preconceptions were wrong, but also completely unfounded. Firstly I got the facts wrong, the film is not animated. It does include sections with digital animation being combined with film, but largely it is (or, at least, appears to be) a live-action movie.

Ofelia; as played by Ivana Baquero, in trouble after going on a critical mission inside the trunk of a dead tree. She has wrecked her new clothes, bought by her wicked step-father and will be in trouble.

The central character is Ofelia, a young girl who's mother has married a man (not her father) who is a captain in Franco's army after they have taken Spain in 1944. This situation eventually brings the girl and her mother much pain and strife. This is the first parallel to a "standard" fairy tale plot-line. Twenty minutes into the film after the scene has been set, and with fairy tale promise but also an extremely dark and sinister overtone; Ofelia finds a gateway into a mystical world filled with fantastical creatures, stories and monsters. Here perilous evil and potential haven stand side-by-side, if only she can fulfil the tasks set to her by a Fawn, the first creature she meets.

At this point in the movie, the directors obvious intentional showcase of the contrast between the stark reality exhibited by the setting of the film with authentic fairy-tale concepts becomes evident. Simultaneously the contrast (but also seamless blending) of the digital animation and effects, with the live action filming and Ivana Baquero's natural performance (as Ofelia) works with sublime effect.

The exposition of pure conflict is generally what fantasy is about, but in this film I was taken with quite how well the conflicts were presented. Parallels are obvious between the mystical fantasy world Ofelia has discovered, and the world that her and her mother actually inhabit. In both places Ofelia must confront her fear, drawing on her own bravery and strength.

Ofelia's mother (bearing the commander's child) falls gravely ill with pregnancy complications and Ofelia is constantly bullied and resented by her step-father. He is a man obsessed with ruthlessly hunting down and killing all of the resistance fighters who are hiding in the nearby hills; on more than one occasion you are shown quite how brutal he can be with plenty of blood and relatively crudely used gore- for want of a better word. However this doesn't detract from the film at all, and if anything makes the other sections seem all the more real.

Eventually Ofelia ends up in the Labyrinth and discovers a Fawn. Despite his slightly freaky (but definitely intimidating) appearance, he appears to be her friend. The Fawn tells her she is the lost princess of a secret Kingdom, and that she can return to take her throne and the riches that go with it. She only has to perform the three tasks he sets her, without fail and without questioning him.

Ofelia meets this creature whilst completing one of the tasks set to her by the Fawn. Intensely creative costume and presentation. This particular beast's voice is deep and harsh, I would commend the voice artist and audio engineer equally. Very scary!

The two parallel worlds, only joined together by Ofelia, form the basis for the rest of the plot to unfold. The plot continually confronts you with unexpected twists but is still easily accessible and simple for the mind to move along with.

I think because of the sensibility and intense emotion being conveyed in the film, it does feel like it takes quite a long time to get you from beginning to end, even though it is only two hours long. Again though, for me this is a big plus rather than anything negative, and adds to the over all effect.

To sum it up I think its an excellent piece of cinema and is certainly a film that could be watched several times without decaying its affecting qualities. Unsurprisingly this comes from all the pieces of the jigsaw coming together perfectly; excellent live action cinematography which is uncomplicated but exquisitely presented. Digital animation to the quality that most people have come to expect thanks to the explosion of that particular medium. Ivana Baquero's Ofelia leaves a bitter-sweet taste in your mouth, but all of the key roles are delivered with tactility and finesse- something I often find abundant in European cinema and lacking in Hollywood pictures. Topped off with an original concept and plot line the whole thing comes together faultlessly.

Ofelia talking to the Fawn, who is her guide. This shot stirs memories of the Alien films.

Being in the position I am - experimenting with film and animation (amongst my other exploits) - watching a successful picture of this ilk I am both inspired and awestruck. It somehow seems impossible to imagine being in a position to create such a work, but there's only one way to find out, and that is to try. Hence I came away from the film totally satisfied with my cinema going experience and with a drive to create a narrative based film with a similarly intense reality come fantasy texture.