Kady+Murzin+Spring+2013

My name is Kady Murzin. I am a freshman from New York City double majoring in Fine Arts and Interior Architecture and Design.


























 * Response to //After Effects// Article By Manovich**

I found it very interesting that today it is inexpensive and easy to edit and design imagery that cost thousands of dollars thirty years ago. Before only a few people with vast resources were able to do the same work that any person can do today. I think we take adobe and other software programs for granted. These programs have affected our society by putting everyone on the same plane when it comes to creating digital imagery. Today, any layman has the opportunity to edit and/or design an image for their business, webpage, etc. While it was only thirty years ago that these tools were limited to a few people who had access to expensive programs such as Paintbox. I think it’s a huge step to creating a more leveled, equal field, when the variable of money is removed from the equation and each person then has the same opportunity to use these tools. It was upsetting to read that most people either did not notice or take for granted the fact that these graphic software programs have become more accessible to the average person.

(Un)Monumental I would define a monument as a structure that was not meant to be used to live in or for business but meant to be symbolic to the viewer. The next three images are of monuments around the world.

5 Pointz is a building in Long Island City, Queens that lets artists legally graffiti on the building. It is located across the street from the art museum PS1 and 5 Pointz is itself a piece of art which is why I would consider it a monument.

The Alamo sculpture (also known as The Cube) is located in the center of a busy intersection in the NYC neighborhood Astor Place.The sculpture looks completely solid and stable except that it can be rotated on its point. With enough participants the cube might move an inch for you but most of the time its stubborn and refuses to budge. The sculpture has become a significant part of this neighborhood which is a mixture of streets filled with drug paraphernalia and tattoo parlors and expensive gyms and starbucks. Both the neighborhood and the sculpture have the ability to be altered. I believe that The Cube could be an unconventional monument for Astor Place.

The Highline is located in the New York City neighborhood Chelsea. The park was created on top of the old train tracks that run above ground through the west side. I would argue that the Highline is a memorial for what was there before it. A memorial for the train tracks and the trains that would transport goods to the factories in that neighborhood. The factories and the trains are long gone. The Highline now stands in its place.

Response to Counter-monuments: the anti-monumenal and the dialogic While reading this article I thought about what type of monument Maya Lins' Vietnam Memorial would be. Unlike the other monuments on the National Mall, the Vietnam Memorial does not tower over the viewer which would make it an anti-monument. The Memorial could also be considered a dialogic monument because it critiques the existing monuments by being an counter-monument. The Vietnam Memorials height, width and location are so different from the existing memorials on the National Mall that it questions the effectiveness of the existing monuments. Are the monuments effective in creating an emotion for the viewer? Do the visitors think about the subject of the memorial when viewing it? I find that the existing monuments fall short of their effectiveness as a monument. When I go to the Lincoln Memorial I do not think about the accomplishments Lincoln made during his Presidency. I think about how great the view looks. I believe that all future monuments should all go against the past thinking of how monuments are designed. We should not be worried about how large the monument is but how it can invoke a feeling for the viewer. That the future monuments should all be counter-monuments. While I do not agree with the name of the movement I agree with the thinking behind it. I do not think the counter-monument movement is a negative movement, as the name would make you believe. Its just shifting from the old thinking of how monuments were created to a new thinking. I think the title of this movement should have been something like Novum-monuments or something else that sounds more positive than counter-monuments. While at the same time I like the anarchist sounding aspect of the name. The name Counter-monuments sounds like a bunch of punk rock teens created the movement.

Monument to the Past The monument is an homage to the past. It appears to be growing out of the grass. The structure of the monument will be made out of opaque glass. The monument will be filled with children's toys from 20 years ago to represent the past. Viewers can enter inside the dome and view the toys from the past.

Monument to the Working Class and the Environment The monument is very simple and less about the asthetic look than its use. Viewers can brow cleaning tools from the monument to use to help clean the National Mall. The viewers will experience what it means to clean a park. Maybe they will leave with a better understanding of the occupation and will treat workers better. Also the viewers are helping keep the National Park clean.

Color and Life The monuments that already exist on the mall are colorless. This monument would create a space that would bring life and color to the National Mall. An almost overwhelming amount of color.

Light 10 foot glass prism located next to the reflecting pool, between the trees. The light from the sun would be absorbed by the prism and reflected in the form of a rainbow.

Memorial to Libraries This memorial was inspired by the children's book writer, Maurice Sendak who said on the Colbert Report that, "I hate those ebooks. They cannot be the future. They may well be. I will be dead. I won't give a sh#t." Are ebooks bettering our society? Are people reading books more since the invention of ebooks? This memorial calls in to question the influence of ebooks.

Wall of Past Dreams When we were children we dreamed of being firefighters, ballerinas, rock stars, etc. As we grow up we forget those dreams. This wall of mirrors has painted on uniforms of different occupations to bring back those dreams. When you stand in front of the mirror you can imagine yourself as that job.

Facebook We live in a technology age. This memorial is a homage to the past and also a celebration to the present.

Genderizing We can no longer split our race by gender. Our population does not only have women and men but members who either identify as both genders or neither. This simple design is based on the bathroom signs. These signs are impersonal and dehumanizing.

Global Economy This memorial would represent the global economy. We may speak different languages but we have a global idea of the economy and money. Does it make sense to be nationalistic and have boarders in a global economy?

Art Memorial This memorial will be located next to the the reflecting pool between the trees on the open grass. The piece will sit flat on the grass. The monument allows artist to get permission to add graffiti to the piece. The monument will support the arts while bringing some color to the National Monument.

(Un)Monumental: Graffiti Monument Sketches