It was really interesting to see professor Trumpy’s house it definitely changed my perception about what it means to live off the grid. When I think of people living off the grid I think of people living out in the woods that live in a one-room log cabin with no electricity and are basically living like they did back in the 1800s. Which I would never be able to and cannot imagine how they enjoy that kind of life style I think it would be just miserable. So seeing that you could live a modern and comfortable life style and still live of the grid was really eye opening for me. I think more people would live off of the grid it they knew that they really wouldn’t have to give up the life style they have now. They can still live in a nice house but more importantly they can still have a normal job and be a normal member of society which I think is what would be the most difficult. You shouldn’t have to leave the community you currently belong to in order to live off the grid, which is what I previously thought you would have to do. I would like to see more building practices that would allow more people be less dependent on the grid and use materials that are local to reduce the impact that traditional home building has. Collapse has been really boring so far; it’s like reading a textbook. There are so many facts and figures that it becomes really overwhelming and with so many they become irrelevant. I understand that he is talking about societies that have failed. He explains why but in way to much detail. Also, he fails to really make it important to today which I thought was the point, learning how previous societies fail so that we wouldn’t let them happen to the societies today. I have yet to understand what the point of me reading this book is for the class besides that a trend seems to be that destroying the environment lead to some of the collapses. But do we really need to read the entire book to get that. I could of just read one example to get that instead of eight.
Marian Perez ADP III 11/21/09 This week’s lecture was really fun. I especially enjoyed learning about the different types of huts and home designs. It really related to my group’s project for the class, creating a hut out of recycled material and technology to adapt our selves to nature rather to adapt nature to us. The house our professor is building was so interesting and looked very good. It was defiantly a great combination of efficient simple resources, such as hay, with modern design. I liked the clay colors and sands used in a lot of the houses on the slides because of the richness they depict compared to the dryness and dullness in the cement we use for most of our homes. The lecture really reminded me of my orange and pink house in Mexico. When I was a little kid, I noticed the house differences in Mexico and the United Sates and felt the ones in Mexico were so much more fun because of the colors and materials used that gave them more texture. The creativity of easily designing your house in Mexico into any shape you want has always been a common thing to do, whereas in the United States the house designs are much more basic and uniform. One thing I remember being curious about was how in Michigan most of the houses had basements and in Mexico none of them did. I noticed it because I hated basements when I was little, and asked my mom why our house in Mexico did not have a basement like the one in our Michigan house. I learned that it was because Mexico experienced earthquakes instead of the tornados. I realized then how important terrain and the environment was to the structure and house type built in an area. I believe it is important to recognize and learn about other house designs in different countries because they are all so unique and effective. I have always thought that the United State’s basic house was very efficient and safe, but not fun. Places like India and Kenya have out door rooms or kitchens to enjoy the environment by. I never really have thought of huts or sand buildings being primitive, but interesting in process and aesthetic. The mosque examples we saw were so beautiful, big and cool. Even more impressive were the houses carved out of rocks and stones, very admirable work done with out bulldozers and trucks that we us to build our buildings and houses. The houses and buildings in Jay Wolke’s work are also very beautiful and reminded me of the fascination I had with houses in the PC game The Sims. Building my houses, although very modern, in the game was always so much fun in setting up the design and location of things. Jay’s methods of framing his work and placement reminded me a lot of video game environmental design. The architecture he captured are so unique and not over flashy. “Along the Divide” was my favorite section because of the simplicity and carefulness of the objects or settings he captured. I have always been a huge admirer of settings and backgrounds, an area I wish I had more knowledge about.
This week is an easy one: I can just discuss what I thought of Joe Trumpey’s house. Personally, I think it is a great model of a home that can never be utilized in society. Sure, one footprint has been greatly decreased and he can live 100% off of his own resources, but how can a standard citizen be expected to do this?
In 2008, Joe Trumpey made over $80,000. In my mind, that is a lot of money, something I would kill to reach in my lifetime. Then again the majority of people don’t make it that far with their income. This considering too that Joe said it was a hefty and expensive project even for him. So, for us to actually contemplate, research, and dedicate time enough to build a house like his would take up a large chunk of our lives. This to me just doesn’t seem feasible.
Also, he is pretty isolated there at his house. There is a thing called community for a reason. Being “off the grid” isn’t necessarily the best for all areas. According to the World Changing book that he had us read, cities and condensed areas are actually more efficient than most rural regions. I’m not saying Trumpey’s house isn’t great for the environment, I just think it’s not feasible at all for other people to try and copy.
Following that, Joe Trumpey is a well-educated professor in the Program in the Environment at a prestigious university. This easily places his knowledge of the environment far above other people who are on the market for homes. I know I’m beating a dead horse here by continuing to argue this side, but it’s just not an option for people to copy and I don’t think the building of this house is really going to change much. It might give builders and mass home producers ideas on how to change some structures, but it’s just too expensive to consider doing on a mass level.
Just wanted to reflect on My Stuff and the Field Research project. I think My Stuff was a good look at the things we have and use everyday in our lives. It helped quantify it instead of just looking it over generally. The Field Research project on the other hand was too broad and didn’t really give us enough direction. I love being able to go and find out something about an industry or place, but after that, I wasn’t really sure what to report on.
Of everything discussed in this week’s lecture, what I took notice of most was the sheer amount of hands raised to ask questions about Joe Trumpey’s house. No matter how unreasonable to live off the grid may seem, clearly it is a topic that peaks interest. The process is expensive, time-consuming and exhaustive, but every day green habits are becoming easier to access and more efficient. Honestly, 5 years ago, if someone began talking to me about hybrid cars I would have looked at them in confusion until he or she realized that I had absolutely no idea what on earth that was. Today, all you hear about is hybrid cars, eco-friendly grocery bags, and other affordable environmentally habits for the everyday American. It is only a matter of time before someone develops the technology to do the same with solar power and local building resources. Though it is hard to say how soon we can possibly hope for such drastic change, the interest seen in recent lectures bodes well in my opinion. I could go on about how insanely great I think Professor Trumpey’s house and habits are, because simply that is the truth, but since I would not be surprised if other people make many similar comments, I would instead like to mention just how fascinating it was to view all those houses around the world made from local material. Each region had such a beautifully distinct style and technique, with detailing that attested to the heart and effort put into each home. Houses such as those seem alive to me in a way that the houses in America are not, particularly with the growing popularity of developments. Living in the greater Cleveland area my entire life, I have seen developments and other such projects pop up plenty over the years. Granted, there are beautiful parts of Cleveland. My high school happened to be situated in the middle of a neighborhood filled with old, rich and diverse architecture. However, those houses were the sizes of mansions. What about houses for the average citizen? Condominiums and developments, these are the growing fad that I have observed. I know I never want to live in a development. The whole idea of it is just so bland and lifeless to me. Who would want to see the same boring house, house after house after house? I do see how that lifestyle may be comfortable for certain people, but it will never be comfortable for me. I’m a little too...spontaneous for a life like that. If I want to paint my door purple, well for Pete’s sake I am going to paint my door a violent shade of violet! I have often times discussed this with my mother, and my supposed dissatisfaction with this country often frustrates her. I have said we lack of culture, but I am not simply appeasing her when I acknowledge that we do have culture. That culture is just not nearly as rich and well defined as every other area on this earth; it does not hold the vivacity, passion, and history that I find extremely appealing. Hopefully I can find the means to travel and experience the cultures I long for and bring my experience back to my home when the time comes.
I know some people might think it's weird but I'm really enjoying reading collapse. It is pretty heavy with facts and figures in some parts but I found that I needed it to really understand what kind of impact we have on our environment, and then ultimately ourselves. Now, onto the hot topic of Joe Trumpey's lecture about his house and habits. Well, I think its fantastic. But, I'm really glad that he mentioned that not everyone can live like he does. I'm not saying more people shouldn't, but I'm glad he kept in mind that his habits are not feasible for a majority of our population (that live in cities). I think its people like Joe that make the prospect of Detroit's future so exciting. Like, imagine if everyone in Detroit had a small garden or farm? It would be like a new Green energy era and could set a standard everywhere to create self sustaining cities! Detroit's practically there now, maybe in a decade or so other cities will try it. Back to collapse though, maybe we'll discuss it tomorrow, but I was really shocked just by the first chapter of everything Montana has to do just to fix prior mistakes, and the common belief that if we've been living with it for so long it must not be that bad. It's arsenic in the water how the hell can that not be bad for you? It's just further proof that inaction will literally kill us all.
So in lecture Joe talked about his house, showed us pictures, told us all about his lifestyle. Very cool. Very respectable to me. Personally I think I would be way too lazy and poor to live like he does, but maybe if I had enough money I would be inclined. I think it would definitely be a very rewarding lifestyle. Moving on, in lecture today we talked about manifest destiny and the Hudson River School. This really got me thinking. We, as Americans, absolutely love nature. We always have. We love the rugged outdoors, we retreat to nature as an escape from real life, we pride ourselves on the beauty of the west and even the landscapes of our own homes, yet we constantly try to take over. We feel this need to manipulate what the earth has naturally created and make it ours-we are possessive and destructive of natural beauty. Sure, a lot of the west has maintained its glory and much of the land is preserved. However, a lot of this space has also been drastically altered, “upgraded”, or simply destroyed and taken over. It’s funny how we see unscathed nature and decide to take over, yet we also attempt to recreate this beauty. Central Park is gorgeous. So we glorify and destroy-manipulate to make it ours. Edward Sheriff Curtis and the other photographers of the 1800s angered me a bit. Here we have yet another example of the human need to manipulate. The altering of the photos taken of the Native Americans just goes to show how much we try to control natural, free forming environments and, in this case, even cultures. Why must we always conquer the unknown? Of course these are questions aroused from obviously outdated viewpoints of Americans, but nevertheless, I feel these are observations we can apply to human nature today as well.
Anita Sidler These last few lectures we’ve been talking a lot about alternative homes. Trumpey showed us what he is contributing to the good cause and examples of real homes, art and architecture related homes too. I really enjoyed exploring some of the homes he showed us from the variation of countries they were built in. I like this idea of building your home to its environment instead of making the environment adapt to your home. I think if we did that more, we would learn to communicate with those around us better. For example, you would need help to build unique homes and you would meet interesting people who know a lot about the subject. I think back to the Amish and how they live. I really there is truth to what they believe. We have lost a lot of our communication with each other and lost foundational techniques for the real world. For example, I often look on the bus around me, EVERYONE has headphones on listening to music or they are texting their best friends. Ten years ago, when ipods and fancy phones weren’t invented yet, all people had for communication is the people next to us. Now more and more people are scared of each other, no one says a friendly “hello” on the street. We don’t let our children walk home alone anymore because we are afraid of the creepy old guy who walks on the same sidewalk. But the truth is, there hasn’t been an increase in crazies or kidnappers, but only because media tells us more about them. Media romanticizes dramatic events and elevates them, then tells the world about it. This is how they get people to watch their news, because we are addicted to it. We constantly want to know what who did what and how low it is, but all this blame is on others, what about ourselves? We feed off of it. Going back to homes, I think we should be building better homes, and build them ourselves. I think it is important to learn certain basic skills like tools or understand weight, etc. I guess maybe that is why I chose to be an artist. We are one of the closer areas of study to learning basic things. I know how to weave, sew, and knit. I know how to just big tools to cut wood to make things, and so much more. I always laugh when I hear from LS&A student say that art students don’t do anything. Thing is, all most of them have to do is memorize or make up some essays, when it comes down to survival it I think I’m better off. Plus we are creators, not copy cats that just memorize some history facts and call it a degree.
I have heard many people tell stories about what a nightmare it is to deal with building codes and how nitpicky the inspectors can be, but for some reason the hoops that Joe Trumpey had to go through were surprising to me. I don’t know why, but I always assumed most of these housing regulations were only a big deal in suburban residential areas. I found it odd that someone living in a relatively rural area like Tecumseh was subject to so many restrictions. Even in a more populated place, you would think that local governments might even start to give insentives for people who want to build a green home instead of making it difficult for them. If Joe Trumpey had such a hard time with this, what hope is there for the average person who wants to build a home? I doubt that there going to go to the lengths that he did to make it happen. Its sort of a depressing indicator of how far off we are from these alternative building methods becoming more mainstream. I guess when everything was said and done, he did have permission to build his house and I’m sure it will gain some interest among builders and maybe some of those inspectors. I guess it’s a good start, but for some reason I thought we were a little further along than that. I guess Germany is a pretty good model for progress in this area. I guess many people have been using solar energy since some recent renewable energy laws were put into place a few years ago. It is not uncommon to see houses that are hundreds of years old equipped with solar panels and other changes that make it more environmentally friendly. I also know a guy in Germany who owns a company that sells these solar panels and he’s making boatloads of money.
Much of Brandon Sorg’s work has only bits and piece of nature left in it. I looked though his projects titled “This Nation” and “Going West” and they both seemed to resonate with the same kind of theme. In “This Nation”, many of the pictures seem to show how humanity has objectified nature, and made it into something that we own instead of something that we are a part of. One picture that really screamed this idea what the “KEEP OUT” sign on the slightly forested field. We see these type of things everyday but not many of us stop and ask why. Why is there are keep out sign on an empty field? Who owns it, and why do we think that we have the authority to own pieces of nature? We see nature as something for us to use how we see fit, and if that means manipulating or destroying it, then so be it. “Going West” was not at all what I expected it to be. Throughout America’s history the west has been a symbol for expansion and wilderness. It is the “wild west” after all. But all of Sorg’s pictures were of buildings, empty lots, and railroad tracks. There are bits a pieces of nature where it has either grown in through the cracks, or been strategically placed by our own hands. What used to be a grand wilderness is now tamed and unimpressive. It seems to me like the wilderness of America is slowly becoming one big lawn as to make it more manageable. Another picture that stood out to me was the one of the fence that separated a housing development from a patch of land with trees and grass. As we encroach even more upon the natural world we are also building barriers meant to keep the wild out of out domestic lives. More people need to make art that brings attention to these issues. These are things we see everyday, and I wouldn’t say that they are exceptionally good photographs, but they serve their purpose. They point out the ordinary everyday things that are right in front of us, but which we pay no attention to.
I really enjoyed the last couple of classes that discussed vernacular housing, and homes. I felt it to be very refreshing to see how other cultures adapt and live to their setting with the resources they have, rather then trying to prostitute their land. Vernacular housing is really the most interesting unit thus far to me, for it feels like the embodiment if the creative mind. As artists we create crafts that surround us and decorate our lives, it only seem practical to apply the same thought and care to our homes which are the center of our lives. When employing local resources the community is benefited, and the environment prospers with exposure to less, or nonexistent waste. There is also a great creative advantage for those who develop vernacular housing. I think it is a great way to stretch your imagination while being environmentally conscious. The house that Trumpy is building really interests me and makes me want to see more changes amongst the normal living American.
Dana Pierfelice ADP RESPONSE It's a little late, sorry.
Brandon Sorg’s photos have very close ties with reality. The pictures are not devoid of color or overly saturated with it. This lends to scenes that look like you just took a viewfinder up to your eyes. He strays away from portraiture. None of his photos look staged or manipulated in any way. That is why I feel the humor he conveys in his photographs is an extremely tangible one. We have all seen situations like the ones he captures, but we all don’t have the camera or photographic eye to capture them ourselves. It is safe to say that he has an eye for detail. I think this really expresses itself in his “This Nation” and “Everyday Absurdity” project. He has captured aspects of life that others see but do not think to remember. Some of the photos that struck me were the ones where he photographed some of the signs, the poop on the roads and steps, and the teepee with the latte sign. In real life passing these situations may only garner a minimum inquiry. With his photographs we are stopped to assess the humor in the situations and are almost shamed to admit this is our country. His “Where fun goes to die” project is an accurate depiction of college life. He has these college parties photographed like someone who was recording the event for facebook would. They are then juxtaposed with images of scholarly libraries and busts of collegiate. What I am having trouble figuring out is how his work deals with things we have learned in ADP. While the parties are wild, they are not excessive. He is not making any case for nature in his other projects. They are just capturing everyday life.
After reading about Easter Island in Jared Diamond’s Collapse, I have a brand new appreciation for earlier civilizations. Granted, the book focuses on how a civilization becomes extinct after a series of reckless decisions, I still find the Easter Island dilemma one of inspiration and fascination. Similar to the Egyptians and Mayans, the Easter Island colony uses an impressive amount of state-of-the-art tools and methods to garnish their society. For instance, one of their largest attractions, the large stone blocks and the delicate statues that stand today, weighed anywhere between 10 to 270 tons. The inhabitants were also able to navigate through the treacherous Pacific Ocean on leaky canoes. Even though they lacked compasses or other navigational tools, they managed to use the bird migration to predict the location of an island more than a hundred miles away. Part of what makes them so interesting is how much the explorers who traveled to these islands underestimated them. Many of them doubted that such an advanced society could ever develop from a third world country such as Polynesia. This says a lot about our ancestors’ mentality. We would see ourselves as a deity with supreme technology and would disregard anyone below us. This problem continues to stem into much of our modern life. For instance, take the early American settlers all of the way on to the sixties. We continually harassed and treated African Americans as dirt only because we were originally superior to them technologically. It took us over three centuries before we can comfortably integrate them into our society. By doing so, we are not only depriving ourselves of valuable human talent capital but putting ourselves in an unmoral situation where we need to face the penalties later on.
It was really interesting to see professor Trumpy’s house it definitely changed my perception about what it means to live off the grid. When I think of people living off the grid I think of people living out in the woods that live in a one-room log cabin with no electricity and are basically living like they did back in the 1800s. Which I would never be able to and cannot imagine how they enjoy that kind of life style I think it would be just miserable. So seeing that you could live a modern and comfortable life style and still live of the grid was really eye opening for me. I think more people would live off of the grid it they knew that they really wouldn’t have to give up the life style they have now. They can still live in a nice house but more importantly they can still have a normal job and be a normal member of society which I think is what would be the most difficult. You shouldn’t have to leave the community you currently belong to in order to live off the grid, which is what I previously thought you would have to do. I would like to see more building practices that would allow more people be less dependent on the grid and use materials that are local to reduce the impact that traditional home building has.
ReplyDeleteCollapse has been really boring so far; it’s like reading a textbook. There are so many facts and figures that it becomes really overwhelming and with so many they become irrelevant. I understand that he is talking about societies that have failed. He explains why but in way to much detail. Also, he fails to really make it important to today which I thought was the point, learning how previous societies fail so that we wouldn’t let them happen to the societies today. I have yet to understand what the point of me reading this book is for the class besides that a trend seems to be that destroying the environment lead to some of the collapses. But do we really need to read the entire book to get that. I could of just read one example to get that instead of eight.
Marian Perez
ReplyDeleteADP III
11/21/09
This week’s lecture was really fun. I especially enjoyed learning about the different types of huts and home designs. It really related to my group’s project for the class, creating a hut out of recycled material and technology to adapt our selves to nature rather to adapt nature to us. The house our professor is building was so interesting and looked very good. It was defiantly a great combination of efficient simple resources, such as hay, with modern design. I liked the clay colors and sands used in a lot of the houses on the slides because of the richness they depict compared to the dryness and dullness in the cement we use for most of our homes.
The lecture really reminded me of my orange and pink house in Mexico. When I was a little kid, I noticed the house differences in Mexico and the United Sates and felt the ones in Mexico were so much more fun because of the colors and materials used that gave them more texture. The creativity of easily designing your house in Mexico into any shape you want has always been a common thing to do, whereas in the United States the house designs are much more basic and uniform. One thing I remember being curious about was how in Michigan most of the houses had basements and in Mexico none of them did. I noticed it because I hated basements when I was little, and asked my mom why our house in Mexico did not have a basement like the one in our Michigan house. I learned that it was because Mexico experienced earthquakes instead of the tornados. I realized then how important terrain and the environment was to the structure and house type built in an area.
I believe it is important to recognize and learn about other house designs in different countries because they are all so unique and effective. I have always thought that the United State’s basic house was very efficient and safe, but not fun. Places like India and Kenya have out door rooms or kitchens to enjoy the environment by. I never really have thought of huts or sand buildings being primitive, but interesting in process and aesthetic. The mosque examples we saw were so beautiful, big and cool. Even more impressive were the houses carved out of rocks and stones, very admirable work done with out bulldozers and trucks that we us to build our buildings and houses.
The houses and buildings in Jay Wolke’s work are also very beautiful and reminded me of the fascination I had with houses in the PC game The Sims. Building my houses, although very modern, in the game was always so much fun in setting up the design and location of things. Jay’s methods of framing his work and placement reminded me a lot of video game environmental design. The architecture he captured are so unique and not over flashy. “Along the Divide” was my favorite section because of the simplicity and carefulness of the objects or settings he captured. I have always been a huge admirer of settings and backgrounds, an area I wish I had more knowledge about.
Andrew Hainen
ReplyDeleteADP III :: James Rotz
Weekly Statement :: Tuesday November 24th, 2009
This week is an easy one: I can just discuss what I thought of Joe Trumpey’s house. Personally, I think it is a great model of a home that can never be utilized in society. Sure, one footprint has been greatly decreased and he can live 100% off of his own resources, but how can a standard citizen be expected to do this?
In 2008, Joe Trumpey made over $80,000. In my mind, that is a lot of money, something I would kill to reach in my lifetime. Then again the majority of people don’t make it that far with their income. This considering too that Joe said it was a hefty and expensive project even for him. So, for us to actually contemplate, research, and dedicate time enough to build a house like his would take up a large chunk of our lives. This to me just doesn’t seem feasible.
Also, he is pretty isolated there at his house. There is a thing called community for a reason. Being “off the grid” isn’t necessarily the best for all areas. According to the World Changing book that he had us read, cities and condensed areas are actually more efficient than most rural regions. I’m not saying Trumpey’s house isn’t great for the environment, I just think it’s not feasible at all for other people to try and copy.
Following that, Joe Trumpey is a well-educated professor in the Program in the Environment at a prestigious university. This easily places his knowledge of the environment far above other people who are on the market for homes. I know I’m beating a dead horse here by continuing to argue this side, but it’s just not an option for people to copy and I don’t think the building of this house is really going to change much. It might give builders and mass home producers ideas on how to change some structures, but it’s just too expensive to consider doing on a mass level.
Just wanted to reflect on My Stuff and the Field Research project. I think My Stuff was a good look at the things we have and use everyday in our lives. It helped quantify it instead of just looking it over generally. The Field Research project on the other hand was too broad and didn’t really give us enough direction. I love being able to go and find out something about an industry or place, but after that, I wasn’t really sure what to report on.
Trisha Previte
ReplyDeleteADP III: James Rotz
Of everything discussed in this week’s lecture, what I took notice of most was the sheer amount of hands raised to ask questions about Joe Trumpey’s house. No matter how unreasonable to live off the grid may seem, clearly it is a topic that peaks interest. The process is expensive, time-consuming and exhaustive, but every day green habits are becoming easier to access and more efficient. Honestly, 5 years ago, if someone began talking to me about hybrid cars I would have looked at them in confusion until he or she realized that I had absolutely no idea what on earth that was. Today, all you hear about is hybrid cars, eco-friendly grocery bags, and other affordable environmentally habits for the everyday American. It is only a matter of time before someone develops the technology to do the same with solar power and local building resources. Though it is hard to say how soon we can possibly hope for such drastic change, the interest seen in recent lectures bodes well in my opinion.
I could go on about how insanely great I think Professor Trumpey’s house and habits are, because simply that is the truth, but since I would not be surprised if other people make many similar comments, I would instead like to mention just how fascinating it was to view all those houses around the world made from local material. Each region had such a beautifully distinct style and technique, with detailing that attested to the heart and effort put into each home. Houses such as those seem alive to me in a way that the houses in America are not, particularly with the growing popularity of developments. Living in the greater Cleveland area my entire life, I have seen developments and other such projects pop up plenty over the years. Granted, there are beautiful parts of Cleveland. My high school happened to be situated in the middle of a neighborhood filled with old, rich and diverse architecture. However, those houses were the sizes of mansions. What about houses for the average citizen? Condominiums and developments, these are the growing fad that I have observed. I know I never want to live in a development. The whole idea of it is just so bland and lifeless to me. Who would want to see the same boring house, house after house after house? I do see how that lifestyle may be comfortable for certain people, but it will never be comfortable for me. I’m a little too...spontaneous for a life like that. If I want to paint my door purple, well for Pete’s sake I am going to paint my door a violent shade of violet!
I have often times discussed this with my mother, and my supposed dissatisfaction with this country often frustrates her. I have said we lack of culture, but I am not simply appeasing her when I acknowledge that we do have culture. That culture is just not nearly as rich and well defined as every other area on this earth; it does not hold the vivacity, passion, and history that I find extremely appealing. Hopefully I can find the means to travel and experience the cultures I long for and bring my experience back to my home when the time comes.
I know some people might think it's weird but I'm really enjoying reading collapse. It is pretty heavy with facts and figures in some parts but I found that I needed it to really understand what kind of impact we have on our environment, and then ultimately ourselves.
ReplyDeleteNow, onto the hot topic of Joe Trumpey's lecture about his house and habits. Well, I think its fantastic. But, I'm really glad that he mentioned that not everyone can live like he does. I'm not saying more people shouldn't, but I'm glad he kept in mind that his habits are not feasible for a majority of our population (that live in cities). I think its people like Joe that make the prospect of Detroit's future so exciting. Like, imagine if everyone in Detroit had a small garden or farm? It would be like a new Green energy era and could set a standard everywhere to create self sustaining cities! Detroit's practically there now, maybe in a decade or so other cities will try it.
Back to collapse though, maybe we'll discuss it tomorrow, but I was really shocked just by the first chapter of everything Montana has to do just to fix prior mistakes, and the common belief that if we've been living with it for so long it must not be that bad. It's arsenic in the water how the hell can that not be bad for you? It's just further proof that inaction will literally kill us all.
Brijit Spencer
ReplyDeleteADP III
11.23.09
So in lecture Joe talked about his house, showed us pictures, told us all about his lifestyle. Very cool. Very respectable to me. Personally I think I would be way too lazy and poor to live like he does, but maybe if I had enough money I would be inclined. I think it would definitely be a very rewarding lifestyle.
Moving on, in lecture today we talked about manifest destiny and the Hudson River School. This really got me thinking. We, as Americans, absolutely love nature. We always have. We love the rugged outdoors, we retreat to nature as an escape from real life, we pride ourselves on the beauty of the west and even the landscapes of our own homes, yet we constantly try to take over. We feel this need to manipulate what the earth has naturally created and make it ours-we are possessive and destructive of natural beauty. Sure, a lot of the west has maintained its glory and much of the land is preserved. However, a lot of this space has also been drastically altered, “upgraded”, or simply destroyed and taken over. It’s funny how we see unscathed nature and decide to take over, yet we also attempt to recreate this beauty. Central Park is gorgeous. So we glorify and destroy-manipulate to make it ours. Edward Sheriff Curtis and the other photographers of the 1800s angered me a bit. Here we have yet another example of the human need to manipulate. The altering of the photos taken of the Native Americans just goes to show how much we try to control natural, free forming environments and, in this case, even cultures. Why must we always conquer the unknown? Of course these are questions aroused from obviously outdated viewpoints of Americans, but nevertheless, I feel these are observations we can apply to human nature today as well.
Anita Sidler
ReplyDeleteThese last few lectures we’ve been talking a lot about alternative homes. Trumpey showed us what he is contributing to the good cause and examples of real homes, art and architecture related homes too.
I really enjoyed exploring some of the homes he showed us from the variation of countries they were built in. I like this idea of building your home to its environment instead of making the environment adapt to your home. I think if we did that more, we would learn to communicate with those around us better. For example, you would need help to build unique homes and you would meet interesting people who know a lot about the subject.
I think back to the Amish and how they live. I really there is truth to what they believe. We have lost a lot of our communication with each other and lost foundational techniques for the real world. For example, I often look on the bus around me, EVERYONE has headphones on listening to music or they are texting their best friends. Ten years ago, when ipods and fancy phones weren’t invented yet, all people had for communication is the people next to us. Now more and more people are scared of each other, no one says a friendly “hello” on the street. We don’t let our children walk home alone anymore because we are afraid of the creepy old guy who walks on the same sidewalk. But the truth is, there hasn’t been an increase in crazies or kidnappers, but only because media tells us more about them. Media romanticizes dramatic events and elevates them, then tells the world about it. This is how they get people to watch their news, because we are addicted to it. We constantly want to know what who did what and how low it is, but all this blame is on others, what about ourselves? We feed off of it.
Going back to homes, I think we should be building better homes, and build them ourselves. I think it is important to learn certain basic skills like tools or understand weight, etc. I guess maybe that is why I chose to be an artist. We are one of the closer areas of study to learning basic things. I know how to weave, sew, and knit. I know how to just big tools to cut wood to make things, and so much more. I always laugh when I hear from LS&A student say that art students don’t do anything. Thing is, all most of them have to do is memorize or make up some essays, when it comes down to survival it I think I’m better off. Plus we are creators, not copy cats that just memorize some history facts and call it a degree.
Matthew Acomb
ReplyDeleteI have heard many people tell stories about what a nightmare it is to deal with building codes and how nitpicky the inspectors can be, but for some reason the hoops that Joe Trumpey had to go through were surprising to me. I don’t know why, but I always assumed most of these housing regulations were only a big deal in suburban residential areas. I found it odd that someone living in a relatively rural area like Tecumseh was subject to so many restrictions. Even in a more populated place, you would think that local governments might even start to give insentives for people who want to build a green home instead of making it difficult for them.
If Joe Trumpey had such a hard time with this, what hope is there for the average person who wants to build a home? I doubt that there going to go to the lengths that he did to make it happen. Its sort of a depressing indicator of how far off we are from these alternative building methods becoming more mainstream.
I guess when everything was said and done, he did have permission to build his house and I’m sure it will gain some interest among builders and maybe some of those inspectors. I guess it’s a good start, but for some reason I thought we were a little further along than that.
I guess Germany is a pretty good model for progress in this area. I guess many people have been using solar energy since some recent renewable energy laws were put into place a few years ago. It is not uncommon to see houses that are hundreds of years old equipped with solar panels and other changes that make it more environmentally friendly. I also know a guy in Germany who owns a company that sells these solar panels and he’s making boatloads of money.
Shelby Roback
ReplyDeleteADP III
Much of Brandon Sorg’s work has only bits and piece of nature left in it. I looked though his projects titled “This Nation” and “Going West” and they both seemed to resonate with the same kind of theme. In “This Nation”, many of the pictures seem to show how humanity has objectified nature, and made it into something that we own instead of something that we are a part of. One picture that really screamed this idea what the “KEEP OUT” sign on the slightly forested field. We see these type of things everyday but not many of us stop and ask why. Why is there are keep out sign on an empty field? Who owns it, and why do we think that we have the authority to own pieces of nature? We see nature as something for us to use how we see fit, and if that means manipulating or destroying it, then so be it.
“Going West” was not at all what I expected it to be. Throughout America’s history the west has been a symbol for expansion and wilderness. It is the “wild west” after all. But all of Sorg’s pictures were of buildings, empty lots, and railroad tracks. There are bits a pieces of nature where it has either grown in through the cracks, or been strategically placed by our own hands. What used to be a grand wilderness is now tamed and unimpressive. It seems to me like the wilderness of America is slowly becoming one big lawn as to make it more manageable.
Another picture that stood out to me was the one of the fence that separated a housing development from a patch of land with trees and grass. As we encroach even more upon the natural world we are also building barriers meant to keep the wild out of out domestic lives. More people need to make art that brings attention to these issues. These are things we see everyday, and I wouldn’t say that they are exceptionally good photographs, but they serve their purpose. They point out the ordinary everyday things that are right in front of us, but which we pay no attention to.
Amber Harrison
ReplyDelete11/24/09
I really enjoyed the last couple of classes that discussed vernacular housing, and homes. I felt it to be very refreshing to see how other cultures adapt and live to their setting with the resources they have, rather then trying to prostitute their land. Vernacular housing is really the most interesting unit thus far to me, for it feels like the embodiment if the creative mind. As artists we create crafts that surround us and decorate our lives, it only seem practical to apply the same thought and care to our homes which are the center of our lives. When employing local resources the community is benefited, and the environment prospers with exposure to less, or nonexistent waste. There is also a great creative advantage for those who develop vernacular housing. I think it is a great way to stretch your imagination while being environmentally conscious. The house that Trumpy is building really interests me and makes me want to see more changes amongst the normal living American.
Dana Pierfelice
ReplyDeleteADP RESPONSE
It's a little late, sorry.
Brandon Sorg’s photos have very close ties with reality. The pictures are not devoid of color or overly saturated with it. This lends to scenes that look like you just took a viewfinder up to your eyes. He strays away from portraiture. None of his photos look staged or manipulated in any way. That is why I feel the humor he conveys in his photographs is an extremely tangible one. We have all seen situations like the ones he captures, but we all don’t have the camera or photographic eye to capture them ourselves.
It is safe to say that he has an eye for detail. I think this really expresses itself in his “This Nation” and “Everyday Absurdity” project. He has captured aspects of life that others see but do not think to remember. Some of the photos that struck me were the ones where he photographed some of the signs, the poop on the roads and steps, and the teepee with the latte sign. In real life passing these situations may only garner a minimum inquiry. With his photographs we are stopped to assess the humor in the situations and are almost shamed to admit this is our country.
His “Where fun goes to die” project is an accurate depiction of college life. He has these college parties photographed like someone who was recording the event for facebook would. They are then juxtaposed with images of scholarly libraries and busts of collegiate. What I am having trouble figuring out is how his work deals with things we have learned in ADP. While the parties are wild, they are not excessive. He is not making any case for nature in his other projects. They are just capturing everyday life.
After reading about Easter Island in Jared Diamond’s Collapse, I have a brand new appreciation for earlier civilizations. Granted, the book focuses on how a civilization becomes extinct after a series of reckless decisions, I still find the Easter Island dilemma one of inspiration and fascination.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to the Egyptians and Mayans, the Easter Island colony uses an impressive amount of state-of-the-art tools and methods to garnish their society. For instance, one of their largest attractions, the large stone blocks and the delicate statues that stand today, weighed anywhere between 10 to 270 tons. The inhabitants were also able to navigate through the treacherous Pacific Ocean on leaky canoes. Even though they lacked compasses or other navigational tools, they managed to use the bird migration to predict the location of an island more than a hundred miles away.
Part of what makes them so interesting is how much the explorers who traveled to these islands underestimated them. Many of them doubted that such an advanced society could ever develop from a third world country such as Polynesia. This says a lot about our ancestors’ mentality. We would see ourselves as a deity with supreme technology and would disregard anyone below us. This problem continues to stem into much of our modern life. For instance, take the early American settlers all of the way on to the sixties. We continually harassed and treated African Americans as dirt only because we were originally superior to them technologically. It took us over three centuries before we can comfortably integrate them into our society. By doing so, we are not only depriving ourselves of valuable human talent capital but putting ourselves in an unmoral situation where we need to face the penalties later on.