Q&A with Rhi Etzweiler discussion
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Challenging Perceptions
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http://allthingstrans.tumblr.com/post...
Sitting here staring at a black square, instead of cleaning the apartment.
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(I'm still looking for the blue, I've only ever seen the red and green.)
Yea I did :)Took me a while to see it though.
I blame the lack of caffeine. Someone stole it.
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I saw it right away. Though, might be a professional thing.. I'll leave you two alone to stare at it, lol."
It's all in your level of sensitivity--what you "train" your eyes to see, and your subconscious perceptions, right? I'd posted this elsewhere and got a response of, "what's with the plain black square." =)
Hmm...how many blue squares are there? I can only see the one between the top two red ones.it looks red-blue-red then green-green-green, then red-green-red to me...
Are my eyes broken??
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(Aren't you glad I didn't sign that commission in the Air Force... LMFAO.)
Initially (before reading the text) I went "hmm..black square...that's a curious thing to post" But when I glance at it now it seems like a purplish square with a black border.
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I wrote the short piece in this blogpost many years ago, but every time I revisit it, I see something new in it.
So I finally decided to toss it up and hopefully enlighten others ... and maybe engage some conversation.
Too Much Music--Exploring Communication.
I have to admit that while the painting for me was 3 shades right away, this one needs me to re-read it, but that's because I tend not to notice people's gender that much. :)
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I've always wondered what color the sky is, to a colorblind person...
(Conversation pieces are fun, and it's interesting to get the perspectives of others about their sensitivity to different sensory inputs. :D )
I am not colorblind, but I have a defect that makes it harder to see depth, so if I stare at the painting on my screen, I can't see a thing. I was too ashamed to confess, lol. A few days ago my brother was making fun of me because I spent time staring at black paintings in a museum, and I've realized I saw this painting - or other paintings by the same artist - at MoMA in New York in 2009 and I remember I could see the differences in "color" standing in front of it. I think I'm learning an additional lesson: you can't really have your perception challenged until you're really exposed to the challenge :D
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Absolutely... I couldn't see anything but a purplish black colored square until I realized, reading the description, that there was supposed to be something else there. Once I'd read the description and knew what should be there, it still took a little while -- I, too, have difficulty with depth perception although it usually isn't noticeable unless I'm driving at night or when it's overcast (I'm very cautious because I can't tell how fast oncoming traffic is actually going when I'm making a turn).
And it definitely makes for an interesting concept. Generally speaking, it takes a person being aware of the presence of a difference in order for them to see it. Not always. Some people are naturally more sensually perceptive than others and detect nuance without any prompting.
I'll admit I had a grand time playing with that "default blindness" in BTB, and even encouraged it in the reader. =D (yes I know, naughty cruel author...)
"you can't really have your perception challenged until you're really exposed to the challenge :D "Very true :)
I've learned that my view on things is usually a bit uncommon, but honestly for a long period of time I thought everyone was like me, LOL
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That's said entirely in humor. I swear.
Of course, I just had a random individual inform me that gender does matter, when you live in the real world. And so now I'm trying to stop twitching and figure out if I've just become so intolerant to belligerent ignorance... or if I'm in danger of becoming a rage-filled lunatic and need to unplug for a while.
I definitely think the unplugging thing is a good idea...
Rhi wrote: "(Everyone is like you, they just don't realize it yet!)That's said entirely in humor. I swear.
Of course, I just had a random individual inform me that gender does matter, when you live in the r..."
I learned that sometimes it helps to try to "educate" people, other times, it's completely useless. In that case, I do with the unplugging...
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You can toss effort at educating people but if they've already entrenched themselves in a position, it's a useless waste of time. Doesn't matter what you say, they'll just shake their head, stick their fingers in their ears and yell, "you don't exist!"
Figuratively speaking. :D
Rhi wrote: "Figuratively speaking. :D"And against proof of the contrary! It's when someone tells me "you shouldn't experience that problem because it's not supposed to work like that", but the problem is occurring, so - some way - it ALSO works like that :)
Abstract Painting
Ad Reinhardt (American, 1913-1967)
1963. Oil on canvas, 60 x 60” (152.4 x 152.4 cm). Gift of Mrs. Morton J. Hornick. © 2011 Estate of Ad Reinhardt / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
143.1977
Abstract Expressionist New York
October 3, 2010–April 25, 2011
Abstract Painting contains three distinct shades of black, which become visible only after prolonged looking. Reinhardt was intensely sensitive to such subtle variations. He explained, “There is a black which is old and a black which is fresh. Lustrous black and dull black, black in sunlight and black in shadow.” When Reinhardt’s black paintings were first exhibited at MoMA, in 1963, their reductive imagery and stark palette shocked visitors, prompting at least one Museum membership cancellation in protest.