culture jamming

Culture Jamming is something that I've noticed but never dwelled on as a concept. I visited New York a number of years ago and was instantly aware of the insane driving and incessant honking. Because of this, signs were posted telling the public to "Honk Only if Danger." One day, I walked by one of these signs and the "D" had been scratched out, changing it to read: Honk Only if anger. I found this to be hilarious and awesome, but did not think of "culture jamming." Similarly, whenever I see stop signs that have been changed to say "STOP WAR" and the likes, I immediately get the undeniable urge to do something like that.... something that I now know as "culture jamming." It's fantastic; it has the ability to open eyes, and force people to think twice... and allows for a public statement standing by anything that someone feels so strongly about to voice in the most wonderful and thought-provoking ways. It's creative vandalism that makes you think. If you notice it.

Unfortunately, a large percent of our population does not notice it. Or isn't affected by it. As Marc Dery discusses in his article, media is brainwashing. Everyone is hooked to their television... the device that tells them only what they want to hear and shows them only what they want to see. So there's no room for extra thought... there's no space for questioning. It's pointless and meaningless... until culture jammers come spice it up.


The Yes Men:

http://theyesmen.org/hijinks/plattsburgh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yK9Cs_UcTEE


Logos over time...

Columbia Pictures: The Columbia Lady

MGM Studios: MGM Lion

reference

more culture jamming...

reference

reference

this one just looks cool

reference

indeterminacy

CHANCE RADIO

You'll need:

• a radio
• 30 free minutes
• recording device
• computer with QuickTime player and Jing
• a deck of cards

Steps:

1. Choose a radio station, any radio station.

2. Over the course of 30 minutes, every 3 minutes record whatever is playing
    for 10 seconds. 

    (you should end up with 11 recordings, 1 minute and 50 seconds in all
     [if you accidentally record a second or two longer, that's fine])

3. Put the recordings on a computer and use QuickTime (or the likes)
    to compile them.

4. Grab Ace (being 1) through Jack (being 11) from a deck of cards.
    Shuffle them. Lay them out, side by side, in front of you.

    Use that to decide which order to put the recordings in.
5. Use Jing (or the likes...) to record. 

6. Compose a song!


ChanceSong












(Brian Machado's Chance System) CHANCE EXPRESSION

or...