Post 3: Critique of a website in terms of Web Art/Design (UPDATED)

Topic:
Each student is to present a site / (v)blog or some other online experiment that engages them – as an example of an art form or design - how it contributes to the development of the internet and identifying possibilities for contemporary art/design practice. This will followed up by a critique of 700-800 words due next week – posted on blog. You will need to consider:
a. whether it falls into design and/or art (and why);
b. how it relates to other art/design forms on the web.;
c. how it may reflect in content or style your final project.

Website I found:
Erwin Olaf: works by the artist
http://www.erwinolaf.com/

Interesting & sarcastic homepage to start with,subtitles:first image: I WISH____middle image: I AM____right image:I WILL BEThe overall style of the website is concise & effetive, with good visual impact.

Question a:
It does fall into art /design. and because it is primarily a online gallery of the artist's work, it is more of an form of art.

Question b:
Compared with personal blogs, this website is more about the constructed identities online, especially seen from the Self-portraits series from the artist. So it is 'constructed' instead of being straightforward or personal. However, there are also other photographic works that shows more besides the artisit himself. Different from showbox websites, this one is far less commercial and has strong visual and emotional impact on the viewer.

Question c:
This website definitely has the potentiality to influence my final project. As been said above, it is related to online identites mostly in the medium of photography (digitally processed). Even if the art medium is going to be different. The idea is similar (see to Post 1) .

Critique:
The content of the website is brilliant and intriguing. However, in terms of webpage design, what i envision is something more robust and vigorous. Instead of being a 'gallery' /display of artworks, the whole website could have been a piece of art work, which in itself touches people.

[Response to Feedback-please see to comment 3; Comment 3 is part of this Post]

Retrospective: Visual Idiocity

on 12-8-09
I always knew it, today I just got it confirmed: For the gigantic fact that we've been trained day and night 'architectually' for 3 years (emphasising 'day and night'), we are still visual idiots!
I am not ashamed of admitting that though. There are different levels of visual sensibility. Presumably, architecture is dealing with 3D, which is spatially superior than 2D (or Graphic Design). However, when it comes 'down' to 2D, the fact is NOT that I can handle it skillfully, but rather, i had the feeling of having wasted all the years learning nothing in terms of the ability to produce a visually effective graphic design.
I remember the experience of struggling in the process of visual design: I foresee the possibility of myself getting it done (had a glimpse of light), but then got lost halfway, and ended up producing some mundane version of cliche. Question: Is it time for me to get over this?

Weakness(lacking...): Technical skills, aesthetics, design sensibility...

Post 1: Exploring "Identity"

What is IDENTITY? It could be interpreted in many different ways. Identity tells you who someone is. But that is what we all know and are very accustomed to. Would it be more interesting if someone’s interpretation/ presentation/ performance of identity makes you wonder who he/she is? Factually, many artists (esp. Post-modern artists) have done similar things in their artworks. Some of the expressions are quite strong and intriguing. They are not always pleasant, but most of the times “attack” people’s feelings and their way of seeing things.

There are some artists I think to be most relevant in terms of my understanding of "identity":

-Cindy Sherman (U.S.)

-Yasumasa Morimura (Japan)

The Start

A brand new START isn't a solution at all. Nonsense does make sense as good as good sense.

I always believe the VISUAL matters more (is more expressive) than the verbal; but how? Let's find out! That would be the first thing I am keen to learn and explore.