Today I will attempt to recap various elements of my experience that I feel are worth noting but have not yet been written about. We will begin with a coursework update to get us up to speed, and where it goes from there is up to the old man upstairs.

I am currently in the second semester of my studies. This semester we only have our thesis and one practical course, advanced learning/application of networked media. The course load has been lightened considerably, but my plate is still full. Funny how that works, somehow we always find our “free time” immediately consumed. Anyways, class meets Monday and Thursday from 9am-1pm.

Practical coursework during the second semester has been focused entirely on learning Flash since the completion of visiting artist Laura Nova’s workshop (the Personal Space Protector was created as a result of the workshop). Flash was one of the primary elements I was looking forward to in the Master’s program. It has been a slow, uphill battle the whole stretch of the way, but worth every second. We have been fortunate enough to have various professionals and artists using Flash instructing different elements of the class. Hopefully by the time I leave I will have created the foundation for the relaunching of my extensive “new” website featuring portfolios, loads of photos, and all kinds of good stuff.

I think the Personal Space Protector went over pretty well; many people requested their own or asked me when the PSP was hitting the shelves. Some even talked about adding cup holders or even compartments for street vendors to hold their goods! During the gallery reception a person was getting accustomed to wearing the PSP and operating the alarm when Christo Doherty began his speech regarding the display. He was repeatedly interrupted and disturbed by the sounds of the PSP’s alarm blaring in from the other room. I think a majority of the people in attendance could not resist from bursting into laughter. Good times good times.

My final second semester project will be a collaborative effort between primarily myself and Praekelt Consulting. It will be a web and mobile-based platform titled “Megaphone” that attempts to amplify the voice of the individual by taking their submitted incident “report” and instantly contacting different channels to inform them of what has transpired. Real-time charts and graphs will break down reports and responses by category, and I will be creating live data visualizations via networked programming. This project is a blatant response to my experiences of fighting Wits and realizing that one person could never fight that fight and come out victorious. It is exactly the metaphorical situation of David vs Goliath.

I am attempting to get people (especially here in South Africa) to stop rolling over and accepting complacency, corruption, and aa-around shit service because that attitude only contributes to the problem. Maybe people, once they realize that action will be taken, will catch on to this and some change can arise from it. On multiple occasions I have been informed that “I am thinking like an American” thinking that one individual can serve as a catalyst for change, but again my rebuddle is that a person’s attitude of helplessness and complacency only tightens the grip of the problem. Isn’t it always the one person that goes above and beyond and puts all their strengths into what they believe in that ultimately sees lasting results?

One of the concerns I have about creating all of these artworks here in SA is that I will not be able to take them on a plane home with me. What will happen to them? Their ideas will resonate and indeed inspire further artistic explorations, but what happens to the physical creation? If it is not sold, does it just rot and potentially become remixed into someone else’s creation? One thing is for certain, if “Megaphone” catches on I think it could last well beyond my time at Wits.

Beyond Wits I will be teaching Advanced Photography at Market Photo Workshop starting this week. This week I will be conducting a Photojournalism Live-Blogging Workshop, and then the following week commences my self-created course with students in the Advanced Photography
program, which will focus on Photoshop. For some extra cash and to get my hands into something different I took on some freelance graphic design work for the Drama For Life festival, and will be continuing working with them for their seminar in October.

Coursework/Academia topics end

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It is hard to believe that I am on the “home stretch” and less than three months remain of my stay in South Africa. During July it felt like there was so much time left, and now it is September and I am setting up stateside reunions and appointments with clients for when I return! Repeatedly I have reflected on my experiences and often find myself in pure amazement of the different things I have witnessed/experienced in such a short time.

One of the dilemmas I faced with this experience was the fact that I understood that the people I met here will probably never be seen again after I leave, so I found it difficult to form what I would consider a “true” friendship. Many faces have come and gone through International House, and I have met many people in passing, but I am only now realizing that real friendships have been forming with the very special people I have met along the way. Recently I have met so many more truly amazing, inspiring people that will never be forgotten; and I think when this realization combined with the results of a personal status evaluation the trip again gained another level of complexity and greatness. Rob Mills said it best on Friday night when he said that the temporary friendships or experiences with people often tend to be the most influential and/or memorable.

Although I tried my best to not come into this experience with expectations because that would be foolish, the past seven months have blown me away in ways beyond explanation. No blog post, picture, video, status update, or combination of the prior could ever convey the complexities of an experience such as this. Surely others who are reading and have been fortunate enough to experience living in another country for an extended period of time understand how influential something like this truly is.

I am looking forward to getting back and seeing everyone again. Eagerly I await Thanksgiving dinner with the family, Christmas with the families, seeing all my friends and hearing all their crazy stories of their own adventures, New Year’s Eve with friends, ripping a trail or jumping off something high and dangerous on my bike (I don’t care if it is winter), and all that other good stuff.

Thanks for reading. Will leave you with a fun lil vid.

Directions:
1. Grab a really shit CD you regret ever buying or burning.
*I know we all have one or two of those
2. Put the label side (side with the writing)
down against the microwave turntable.
3. Cook until you dont see any more sparks.
4. Enjoy!

Nevermind the Pittsburgh crap, that’s a picture of Cleveland.

Matt Scullin has some beautiful pictures of the city that I posted below.
He is in Ireland right now, and has been blogging about his travels.
Find his blog here.

Thanks Matt.

Mark your calendars Clevelanders — I will return November 19th, but December 6th will be the first Browns home game I can go to when I get home. Someone better be bearing the elements with me to tailgate and rock out at a game.

Head of Digital Arts Christo Doherty was kind enough to agree to take pictures of the event. Below are most of his pictures that he has posted to Flickr as a set. You can find all of them in their original location here. Updated video will be posted soon. Holla.

This guy ducked to get out of the way?

The Personal Space Protector will be on display in The Substation at University of the Witwatersrand from August 24th – 27th. Laura Nova’s work will be featured, and fellow MA students creations will also be on display. If you are in the Joburg area and are reading this, come to the closing reception on Thursday at 6:30pm. The usual will be provided.

Enjoy, respond, comment, do something!

Or, instead of navigating away from my e-space, you can visit my neighboring course blog for the full documentation write up and an explanation as to what a Chindogu is. Please read it or at least browse! In a general sense, “Personal Space Protector,” also known as PSP or “The Human Bull Bar,” is a wearable metal perimeter that protects a person from having others get too close when in a crowded environment. If someone does happen to get too close, have no fear!!! The Personal Space Protector is fully equipped with motion sensing alarm and a user-controlled Panic Button system for when the going gets rough.

Personal Space Protector will be hitting the streets for full testing in one week’s time, and will be shown in late August at The Substation gallery on Wits campus with visiting artist from NY, Laura Nova. My classmate Wayne was nice enough to help me by wearing the device for the first trial run in public (I will be wearing in town next week). Please enjoy the photos taken during first tests on campus, and check back soon to see the short video reel of the project.

Cheers!

First, a low quality picture of the Personal Space Protector without Panic Button unit shown.

Panic Button unit.
Straps to support belt for easy access.

Now for the pictures of The Human Bull Bar in action.

Fluxus is about the blurring of the line between art and life. For our course, we were required to create some fluxus instructions. Below are my original thoughts. Please, someone act some of these out and let me know how it goes!

Check out “Learning to Love You More” for a really amazing project along the same lines.

Tree Hugger, A Fluxus Series

1. Tree Hugger
Hug a tree and hold it for 30 seconds. Take a picture of yourself hugging the tree. Do not let your day end without being the cause of someone else doing the same.

2. Waste Crusader
If you see rubbish on the sidewalk, in a public place, blowing by you in the wind, or anywhere else outside of a bin; throw it away. Repeat.

3. Environmental Avenger
If you see someone leaving their food waste on a table, ask them to throw it away. If they ask why they should do such a thing, tell them “because I said so.” See what happens. Act accordingly.

4. Hallelujah
When you see someone throw garbage in a bin, sing them high praises.

5. Sensitivity
Listen to the grass grow for a minimum of five minutes. Then, smell it.

6. Recycle
Recycle.

7. Reuse
Reuse an object for a purpose other than what it was created for. Repeat.

Picture taken from here.
Need tips on how to hug a tree? Read this.

Social Disorders, A Fluxus Series

1. Bob and Weave
If you see an extension or some other piece of hair on the ground, pick it up and tell the closest female she dropped it.

2. Sorry
When waiting in a large queue, line-jump to the front of the line and act like nothing happened.

3. Patience
Hold a door for someone approaching from a distance. When they get close (but not too close), let the door go and watch them scramble.

4. Love at First Sight
Stop a random person and tell them you love them.

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