最近帮we-need-money-not-art翻译了两篇文章，都是关于信息可视化的。WNMNA的文章大多源自we-make-money-not-art.com，但是因为后者被封所以只能用代理访问。如果你对Data Visualization和Processing感兴趣的话可以看看这篇《信息可视化是一种媒介》。翻译的不好，请多指教。
今年在意大利弗洛伦萨举办的CHI Conference的主题是art.science.balance，也就是强调科学与艺术的结合以及应用科学（科技）创造艺术，这也是我一直想做的东西。而在美国有几个也是学计算机的家伙（或教计算机的老师），不务正业喜欢在墙上涂鸦，于是他们成立了Graffiti Research Lab，做了一些好玩的东西。首先是LED Throwie，就是把发光二极管与纽扣电池和磁铁粘在一起，然后扔到钢制的建筑外墙上。接下来他们用一个瓦数很高的激光笔在在几百米之外的大楼上涂鸦。如果只是用激光笔自然不能画画，他们用一个瓦数很高的投影仪通过自编的软件将激光笔的运动轨迹投影至远处的大楼上。
看上去很酷吧？甚至他们的投影涂鸦作品还进入了很多有名的艺术博物馆和展览，如纽约现代艺术博物馆（MoMA）及Ars Electronica。根据Eyebeam博客的介绍，Graffiti Research Lab的创始人之一James Powderly因拒绝除放弃自由创作（he wouldn’t censor his little art project）而没能进到今年六七月在中国美术馆举办的“合成时代”媒体艺术展，并且该James将作品未被选入中国的展览而引以自豪。
说实话，我觉得他们想法很有趣玩的很大胆，也只有像他们那样的人敢在MoMA展出时里写“fuck this museum”的话来，甚至我一度考虑用其他的形式比如红外LED或者其他的轨迹捕捉方式实现涂鸦（最终以找不到瓦数那么大的投影仪告终）。可是事情没有这么简单，该James在北京奥运期间来到中国，自己在鸟巢附近再次表演了起LED Throwie来。重要的是，他这回真的是自由创作。
于是，这个笨蛋连同其他五个笨蛋一起被拘留了。
Recently I’ve got a picture featured in Vazaar (yes, not Bazaar). It’s a picture I took 9 months ago when I was visiting Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. It was a cold snowy day and the camp looked depressing, we were completely immersed in the darkness the sadness. I saw signs in the main entrance which read “HALT! STOJ!” with raw and bloody bones on it. Without much thought I took out my smena 8m and made my first shot in Poland.
After I went back to Prague two days later, I got my films developed and scanned. Though most pictures were out of focus (since there is only estimate focus on smena 8m), it turned out I shot 39 pictures in this roll, and fortunately this first one (numbered 00) was saved and surprisingly impressive! Since I was using cheap Fuji 100 film (wasn’t that cheap if you buy in Prauge), not much light is taken and color picture turned into b&w, adding sadness and vintage effect.
Original picture scanned from film (left) and after processing in lightroom (right)
One of the things I’ve recently noticed is that although China is not that a rich country, Chinese people are among the most potential consumers in expensive things…or luxuries. It’s inevitable to see some young pretty ladies wearing the latest Prada shoes or a pair of nice Gucci sunglasses in the street. And in shopping malls on weekends, there are always well-dressed people queuing in front of cash counters, waiting for swiping their credit cards on a several-thousands Yuan dress. As for people who can’t afford a genuine Gucci bag but still want one, they would probably choose to bargain on fakes. With one tenth or less of the original price, you can get the 99-percent-the-same-in-looking Gucci bag. So why not? Even my Czech friend was loving it and bought three *Amarni* suits for himself and his family.
But what actually interests me is that the passion people show on luxuries and brands and the whole consumptionism stuff. So i want to start a project in recording this, I named it “Project LV”, as most people regard Louis Vuitton, or LV is one of the symbol of luxuries.
I created a group in flickr where you can upload your pictures and videos of people with LV or other luxury brands. There in no rule for the pictures, no matter if it’s taken by digital or film camera, no matter if it’s clear or blurred, as long as there are people with LV it’s fine. If you can’t upload to flickr, just drop me an email with your picture/video link.