This might not be documentary, but I had to share this.
There are some amazing things that you can do with film now a days, especially now that everything is digitized. But you have to admit, there is something about the use of simple pencil and paper, a few cuts here and there and a straw or two that can make something incredible.
This is taking recycling to a whole new level. Imagine if every neighborhood had some sort of art installation like this…
When I think of chalkboards, I think of screeching noises and sneezing. Just thinking about the screeching noise makes my teeth hurt, but seeing these drawings dulls the feeling. I love the contrast of light and dark in this film and the editing beautifully done.
I like to think of this chalkboard art kind of like camera work. We don’t realize how physical art can be, especially in the creation stage. Here, Peter Han uses his whole body to create his artwork- cameramen do the same. They have to use their whole body to get some of the shots that they get.
When I was in film school last year, we had an instructor who had us move around and do a combination of yoga, breathing exercises and martial arts. On camera, every movement counts including every breath and heartbeat. By having us practice these movements, we became more aware of our bodies and how our movements translated to the big screen. This is exactly what Peter is trying to teach to his students.
Sometimes by using your whole body, you can make something even more impact on your audience.
I’ve always admired those who can create something so beautiful even when they know that it will disappear soon after. How someone can spend so much time on something so beautiful only to have it disappear?
I find this film mesmerizing and calming- something I think the artist feels when he’s creating his art, hence why this film and the music work so well to convey the reason for the time and effort that goes into something so brief.
As a type of artist, I would always like to think that I’m original in everything that I do. In reality, a lot of my work begins to looks the same. I prefer to think of it as personal style.
Just as others do in any field, I like to look elsewhere for inspiration to keep my work from looking too homogeneous. I believe that original works are created by combining various elements that we find elsewhere:
Same goes with creating ourselves as people.
Admittedly, there are the rare individuals who come up with something so original that they generate a frenzy of followers- all attempting to mimic this novel approach to something. I’m thinking of someone like Leonardo DaVinci who inspired a completely new approach to painting. However, we have come a long way from Leonardo’s “The Last Supper” and “Mona Lisa” and found other ways to inspire the masses (smart phones, electric cars, fast food, etc.).
So for October, I’m dedicating this month to the original things that people do. Perhaps these ideas or approaches won’t take off like a Renaissance painter’s, but there are some pretty inspirational creations out there all the same.
Beyond eating to stay alive, food is an integral part of culture. Bringing people together is one of the best things about food, an this video says it all.
No pun intended.
So what is the future of our food? An interesting question… I really love the use of food to tell its own story.
The Japanese are known for their utilization of every little bit of space that they can find. I suppose it is extremely important considering how the population size in such a small country. This is taking space usage to an extreme. Growing most of the fresh food served in the office cafeteria in the same building that it is consumed in. Ingenious idea!
Think about it. If every company used their office space as efficiently as this company we could eliminate a huge amount of food pollution etc. Probably not a very likely solution to providing fresh local food even for city dwellers, but it is an interesting concept. Maybe we could find something in the middle… Something between growing everything onsite and trucking it in. I wonder what that would look like?
I’m getting on my digital soapbox again. Well sort of. Just by posting this I feel like I’m on my soapbox and that’s really not my intention. I just feel inspired by this video.
I am constantly surprised at how people that I would consider to be highly educated- doctors included, seem to know so little about food, nutrition and what our bodies really need us to put in to let us live our best. I wouldn’t consider myself knowing all that much about the topic, but just by talking to some people I realize that I know more than many of my associates.
I like this film because it’s addressing the issue that people are unaware of how their food is grown and why its important for themselves and for their community. I love that it goes beyond the biology of it all and concentrates on historical and social preservation as well.
Stepping off of soapbox now…
What is a geometric cake you may ask? Well let me show you, or rather, let pastry chef Caitlin Freeman show you:
Food isn’t only about nourishing our bodies and concerning ourselves with where our food has come from and how processed it is. Its also about what we do with the ingredients and what it looks like when we’re done with our creations.
I admit that I like to bake, but this cake design completely daunts me. My layer cakes never come out quite like they do in the picture but they usually taste ok. I won’t go into my mom’s birthday cupcakes from a couple years ago- let’s just say that mini cupcakes were good in theory….
I digress from the video. It’s colorful and fun and it makes a very daunting cake design look a little bit easier. Anyone care to try?
emfirno 