Alejandro's response

So I just got done reading David Bryne's article about New York, and It seem to affirm my idea of what New York really was. Through my life, and college career, the city of New York was made to look like the center for every hunger artist to go to make it life. I always thought that this idea was a bit contrive due to fact that if so many people are going there then there's no way all of them are going to get the thing they're looking, especially when it cost so much. So now after reading this article and hearing how the so called 1% are slowly pushing the creative culture that made the city away for a more of a playground for the rich, it kind doesn't surprise me, this sounds like something that I would expect wing the cynic that I am. It sucks of course, I hate the idea of this happening, I just now know why I didn't want to go and live in New York.

David Byrne RR - Whitney Ratliff

David Byrne has noticed the decrease in New York's artistic culture as it focuses more on business. Even the state of living seems to be dropping in New York, with the wealthy buying buildings but only living in them a few weeks out of the year and the middle class continues to struggle with living costs alone. He questions what the future holds for New York and where it will end up without the emerging artists now forming, seeking a community that thrives on the necessity of art and culture. Where New York was once a diverse, legendary state where things happened, especially for the visual arts, is now headed into a new "Gilded Age" as he calls.

He believes, "the city is a body and a mind – a physical structure as well as a repository of ideas and information. Knowledge and creativity are resources. If the physical (and financial) parts are functional, then the flow of ideas, creativity and information are facilitated. The city is a fountain that never stops: it generates its energy from the human interactions that take place in it. Unfortunately, we're getting to a point where many of New York's citizens have been excluded from this equation for too long. The physical part of our city – the body – has been improved immeasurably. I'm a huge supporter of the bike lanes and the bikeshare program, the new public plazas, the waterfront parks and the functional public transportation system. But the cultural part of the city – the mind – has been usurped by the top 1%."

New York is losing its flare, so to speak, crumbling when it comes to the cultural department and lacking immensely in artistic charm that once thrived in the city decades before. Now, it is nothing but hardships and living expenses no emerging artist can afford, especially on talent alone. It has lost its ethnic beauty and is now a large focus on corporate businesses such as Wall Street. Needless to say, one cannot have a full functioning community without both the mind and the body. A healthy balance is needed to make New York a thriving city worthy of cultural diversity and artistic charm. 

(GIF) What New York is basically doing to emerging artists. 

New York, New York (First Reading Assignment)

Hey everyone. Ok, so here is our first reading/conversation topic for next wednesday.

What does it mean to move to New York as an artist/designer/creative entrepreneur? David Byrne of Talking Heads fame had this to say last year: "If the 1% stifles New York's creative talent, I'm out of here" The article is just one opinion in a long conversation that has been going on for years, but which is really coming to a head.

Here is another recent article on the matter in Bloomberg News, and I'm sure if anyone wanted to do a little digging, you could find lot's more.

 

Welcome to Advanced New Media at UNT

Welcome to the UNT Advanced New Media 2014 Class Blog. Many of you have studied with me in the past, and will be familiar with how class blogs are used, but for the uninitiated, here is how it works: Theoretical readings are assigned most weeks, and the following week we will discuss the reading in class. To advance our discussion, you will post responses here. You should also read the responses of your fellow students. You may respond to them in the comments section if you like. Please feel free to post pictures, video, links, and other items that will advance the conversation. Looking forward to a new semester with you.