1. The project is a mock version of lights on the lake. It is meant to make a statement about the pollution in the lake.
2. The project will be a mock website that we create, going off of the original lights on the lake website.
3. We have chosen a site a few miles down from the original lights on the lake, so that our lights on the lake could happen at the same time.
4. The lake has been polluted since around 1884. Despite recent cleanup efforts, the lake still remains one of the most polluted lakes in the world. Lights on the lake has been a long kept Syracuse tradition, attracting many different people.
5. This site is appropriate because it allows us to make a statement. People love lights on the lake and although an actual mock lights on the lake would cause controversy, it would also raise awareness and hopefully dialogue about the pollution plaguing Onondaga Lake.
6. I’d say this project is an intervention because it will cause controversy. We are really making a statement by transforming a holiday ritual, enjoyed by children and adults alike, into our own personal declaration about the pollution in the lake.
7. No we will not. If we were to actually do the lights on the lake we may have to. We, then also risk being denied permission due to our projects inappropriate nature.
8. It will definitely disrupt the surroundings.
9. The Yes Men have been our largest influence. Just as they took the WTO website and transformed it into their own version, we are doing the same with lights on the lake.
10. Our goal is to educate people about the pollution problem in Onondaga Lake. We also hope to shock people into conversation.
11. We will measure the success of our project by the amount of people who attend and the amount of shock and conversation that our project ensues.
12. The people of Syracuse are our target audience. Many people do care about the pollution problem, while others really could care less. We expect to shock our audience.
13. We want them to come to our lights on the lake, believing that they are just there to see a Christmas light show. We hope they drive or walk through the entire two miles and although many people will be offended, we hope that they understand our goal. They must see the whole thing in order to fully grasp our concept.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Valery's Ankle Essay
Lauren Glass
November 5, 2007
The Art of Valery’s Ankle
Hockey is often seen as a symbol of Canadian culture. The sport has transformed into one of Canada’s most popular past times. Although hockey requires much athletic skill, the escalating violence in the sport tends to overshadow the importance of talent and the game itself. Canada’s love of hockey overlooks and often sanctions the increasing brutality that is associated with the sport. Using this as a basis for an experimental essay film, Brett Kashmere created Valery’s Ankle. The thirty-one minute documentation of Bobby Clarke's deliberate attack on Valery Kharlamov's ankle during the 1972 Summit Series and subsequent violent incidents combines stills, previously recorded clips, music and a background narrative, by Kashmere himself, to create a basis for discussion. Because his composition was not made for popular release, Kashmere employed copyrighted works in order to generate his piece of art. Brett Kashmere questions many commonly accepted customs and socially acceptable ideals through his illustration of the danger of hockey violence, both to the players and to the art of hockey itself. Valery’s Ankle has artistically crossed, political and social boundaries enamoring both those who admirer and those who oppose the sport.
Although aggressive behavior has always been part of the sport, hockey violence has escalated to a hazardous level. This became extremely evident during the 1972 Summit Series when, in an act of desperation, Bobby Clarke, following orders from assistant coach John Ferguson, intentionally broke Valery Kharlamov's ankle (Houston). Without their star player, the Soviet Union was unable to beat Canada in the eighth and final game of the series. The 1972 Summit Series “was to be the only time in sporting history that a team - an entire nation, so boldly laid their hearts on the line; so positive that they were going to win without a doubt. To sum it up in just three words, it was, in fact, The Cold War” (Yee). Canadian victory was widely celebrated by both Canadians and Americans as it was also seen as a victory for “capitalism against communism” (Gross). In 1972, children stayed home from school and adults called into work sick in order to be able to watch the games (Yee). This win continues to be celebrated as it is often dubbed as one of Canada’s proudest moments. Spectatorship of ESPN Classic Canada increased by fourteen times when the channel replayed the series in 2002 (Houston). Even now, Clarke’s slash pails in comparison to Canada’s victory. Similar to the vast reactions to the film, there are many different interpretations of hockey violence and its affect on society in general. While many people believe it is a crucial aspect of the sport, numerous others agree that excessive violence in hockey is unnecessary, “Some people think violence occurs because hockey is an intense emotional game, but now is the time when the inaccuracy of such explanations is most clear” (Moore). Hockey is an intense sport and this intensity is frequently seen as an excuse for malice. Just as malevolent hits are illegal outside of the game of hockey, they must be stopped on the ice. The “goon tactics” (Moore) exploited during hockey matches subtracts from the sheer dexterity that is necessary to play the complicated sport and the utter brilliance of the sport itself.
Viewers of Valery’s Ankle respond differently to the film and to its questions. Some of the audience members cringe at the site of these horrendous attacks, while others marvel at the brutal nature of the sport. To Kashmere, celebration of the 1972 victory and succeeding celebrations of hockey violence should raise questions about the morality behind this violence and what it says about society in general:
Hopefully the film also provides an occasion for others to also ask questions about masculinity and success, corporate culture, organized sports, the politics of identity and nationality, nation-building etc. If anything, I think the film says: Wait a minute, something is wrong, we need to look at this problem critically and creatively (Kashmere).
Just as the 1972 Summit Series has been seen as a metaphor for the Cold War, Kashmere uses hockey as a metaphor for common social acceptances in Valery’s Ankle. Women’s hockey is not as physical as men’s hockey. It is also not nearly as popular and there are no professional women’s hockey leagues. Men have been stereotyped as being the more intimidating of the two sexes and often are taught to express their masculinity through bullying behavior. Corporate culture awards this ruthless “do anything to win” attitude and rarely calls it into question. Little boys admire their hockey heroes and often aspire to mature and be just like them. Being rewarded with large sums of money and fame only ensues that more young children will desire the notorious reputation, good and bad, associated with becoming a bully like figure.
Both conventional and unconventional forms of art are frequently used as tools for expressing oneself and getting the community involved. Through artwork, artists are able to make statements, as well as ask questions. Different interpretations of a work of art allow the viewer to embark on a journey of conversation and thought. Valery’s Ankle is Brett Kashmere’s interpretation of what hockey violence articulates about present society. By imposing interesting questions onto his audience, Kashmere creates a community of conversation, "Art in the public interest is activist and communitarian in spirit; its modes of expression encompass a variety of traditional media, including painting and sculpture, as well as untraditional media" (Kwon, 105). As Kwon states in One Place After Another, art can take many forms. Kashmere’s brilliant use of media draws the viewer into the film. Valery’s Ankle is composed of montages of stills and previously recorded excerpts from larger pieces about hockey or from actual hockey games. Many of these montages contain clips of vicious hockey fights and malicious player on player assaults. The footage is real and is put together in order to expose the viewer to the violent aspect of the sport:
While a painting, even one that meets photographic standards of resemblance, is never more than a stating of interpretation, a photograph is never less than the registering of emanation (light waves reflected by objects)—a material vestige of its subject in a way that no painting can be (Sontag, 350).
Although Kashmere raises questions through his film layout and narrative, all of the images and video are real life footage. Kashmere does not modify the images in order to force his own interpretation onto the audience. A painting, as Sontag explains, is always subjective, but a photograph is a chronicle of the past. Kashmere expresses his own views towards hockey violence through his creation of the film. The audience is able to ponder his inquiries and produce their own conclusions about themes brought into question by his portrayal. To Sontag, photographs are true historical references. Because Kashmere was not present at many of the events documented in Valery’s Ankle, photography and previously recorded media played an imperative role in the construction of his film.
Underground artwork is often used to tell a story that the artist is unable to clearly tell in the public eye. Valery’s Ankle is Brett Kashmere’s expression of art. Although he hopes for a vast audience, he also understands and appreciates the fact that because of the copyrighted material used throughout the film that it could never be a wide released movie, “The best film essays challenge traditional modes of representation and narration, so they can be difficult for mainstream audiences” (Kashmere). If Valery’s Ankle were to be more commonly released, its individuality would be compromised. Kashmere would not have been able to use the copyrighted work without being granted permission. His own identity would be called into question, rather than society’s principles. Valery’s Ankle would fall victim to our culture’s fear of speaking the unspoken and defying social customs. The film’s unconventional nature has birthed a large underground following. Instead of succumbing to Hollywood’s glamour and egotistical nature, Kashmere has remained humble. He makes countless appearances, sells Valery’s Ankle for little more than production cost and is still astonished by the success of his film and all that it has accomplished (Kashmere).
Valery’s Ankle has succeeded in becoming a piece of dialogic art. Brett Kashmere utilized his talent to create a film that forces thought and conversation. This film has sparked countless conversations about hockey, violence, and society in general. By making its way to Universities, younger generations are beginning to contemplate the importance of Kashmere’s questions. If silenced, this violence and other negative aspects of society will intensify. Creating thought and dialogue is the first step towards change. In forcing people to become active in the thinking process, Brett Kashmere’s Valery’s Ankle transgresses aspects of popular film making social questioning and communal change an art form.
Works Consulted:
Kashmere, Brett. Email Interview. 3 November 2007.
Houston, William. “Hockey series brings dramatic increases for ESPN Canada”. The Globe and Mail. 20 September 2002. 28 October 2007..
Gross, George. “The 1972 Summit Series hardly is mentioned in Toronto these days, but in Russia, they continue to salute the historic event.” The Toronto Sun. 26 August 2007. 28 October 2007.
Moore, Mark. “Playoff violence bad tactic; This is the part of the season when hockey should be at its best, not a time for cheap hits, writes Mark Moore.” The Toronto Star. 23 April 2007. 29 October 2007
Yee, Krystal. “Discovering the 1972 Summit Series.” 1972 Series.com A September to remember. 2007. 3 November 2007.
Miwon, Kwon. "From Site to Community in New Genre public Art: the Case of ‘Culture in Action’" One Place After Another. 2004. MIT Press. 105.
Sontag, Susan. "The Image-World". 1977. 352.
November 5, 2007
The Art of Valery’s Ankle
Hockey is often seen as a symbol of Canadian culture. The sport has transformed into one of Canada’s most popular past times. Although hockey requires much athletic skill, the escalating violence in the sport tends to overshadow the importance of talent and the game itself. Canada’s love of hockey overlooks and often sanctions the increasing brutality that is associated with the sport. Using this as a basis for an experimental essay film, Brett Kashmere created Valery’s Ankle. The thirty-one minute documentation of Bobby Clarke's deliberate attack on Valery Kharlamov's ankle during the 1972 Summit Series and subsequent violent incidents combines stills, previously recorded clips, music and a background narrative, by Kashmere himself, to create a basis for discussion. Because his composition was not made for popular release, Kashmere employed copyrighted works in order to generate his piece of art. Brett Kashmere questions many commonly accepted customs and socially acceptable ideals through his illustration of the danger of hockey violence, both to the players and to the art of hockey itself. Valery’s Ankle has artistically crossed, political and social boundaries enamoring both those who admirer and those who oppose the sport.
Although aggressive behavior has always been part of the sport, hockey violence has escalated to a hazardous level. This became extremely evident during the 1972 Summit Series when, in an act of desperation, Bobby Clarke, following orders from assistant coach John Ferguson, intentionally broke Valery Kharlamov's ankle (Houston). Without their star player, the Soviet Union was unable to beat Canada in the eighth and final game of the series. The 1972 Summit Series “was to be the only time in sporting history that a team - an entire nation, so boldly laid their hearts on the line; so positive that they were going to win without a doubt. To sum it up in just three words, it was, in fact, The Cold War” (Yee). Canadian victory was widely celebrated by both Canadians and Americans as it was also seen as a victory for “capitalism against communism” (Gross). In 1972, children stayed home from school and adults called into work sick in order to be able to watch the games (Yee). This win continues to be celebrated as it is often dubbed as one of Canada’s proudest moments. Spectatorship of ESPN Classic Canada increased by fourteen times when the channel replayed the series in 2002 (Houston). Even now, Clarke’s slash pails in comparison to Canada’s victory. Similar to the vast reactions to the film, there are many different interpretations of hockey violence and its affect on society in general. While many people believe it is a crucial aspect of the sport, numerous others agree that excessive violence in hockey is unnecessary, “Some people think violence occurs because hockey is an intense emotional game, but now is the time when the inaccuracy of such explanations is most clear” (Moore). Hockey is an intense sport and this intensity is frequently seen as an excuse for malice. Just as malevolent hits are illegal outside of the game of hockey, they must be stopped on the ice. The “goon tactics” (Moore) exploited during hockey matches subtracts from the sheer dexterity that is necessary to play the complicated sport and the utter brilliance of the sport itself.
Viewers of Valery’s Ankle respond differently to the film and to its questions. Some of the audience members cringe at the site of these horrendous attacks, while others marvel at the brutal nature of the sport. To Kashmere, celebration of the 1972 victory and succeeding celebrations of hockey violence should raise questions about the morality behind this violence and what it says about society in general:
Hopefully the film also provides an occasion for others to also ask questions about masculinity and success, corporate culture, organized sports, the politics of identity and nationality, nation-building etc. If anything, I think the film says: Wait a minute, something is wrong, we need to look at this problem critically and creatively (Kashmere).
Just as the 1972 Summit Series has been seen as a metaphor for the Cold War, Kashmere uses hockey as a metaphor for common social acceptances in Valery’s Ankle. Women’s hockey is not as physical as men’s hockey. It is also not nearly as popular and there are no professional women’s hockey leagues. Men have been stereotyped as being the more intimidating of the two sexes and often are taught to express their masculinity through bullying behavior. Corporate culture awards this ruthless “do anything to win” attitude and rarely calls it into question. Little boys admire their hockey heroes and often aspire to mature and be just like them. Being rewarded with large sums of money and fame only ensues that more young children will desire the notorious reputation, good and bad, associated with becoming a bully like figure.
Both conventional and unconventional forms of art are frequently used as tools for expressing oneself and getting the community involved. Through artwork, artists are able to make statements, as well as ask questions. Different interpretations of a work of art allow the viewer to embark on a journey of conversation and thought. Valery’s Ankle is Brett Kashmere’s interpretation of what hockey violence articulates about present society. By imposing interesting questions onto his audience, Kashmere creates a community of conversation, "Art in the public interest is activist and communitarian in spirit; its modes of expression encompass a variety of traditional media, including painting and sculpture, as well as untraditional media" (Kwon, 105). As Kwon states in One Place After Another, art can take many forms. Kashmere’s brilliant use of media draws the viewer into the film. Valery’s Ankle is composed of montages of stills and previously recorded excerpts from larger pieces about hockey or from actual hockey games. Many of these montages contain clips of vicious hockey fights and malicious player on player assaults. The footage is real and is put together in order to expose the viewer to the violent aspect of the sport:
While a painting, even one that meets photographic standards of resemblance, is never more than a stating of interpretation, a photograph is never less than the registering of emanation (light waves reflected by objects)—a material vestige of its subject in a way that no painting can be (Sontag, 350).
Although Kashmere raises questions through his film layout and narrative, all of the images and video are real life footage. Kashmere does not modify the images in order to force his own interpretation onto the audience. A painting, as Sontag explains, is always subjective, but a photograph is a chronicle of the past. Kashmere expresses his own views towards hockey violence through his creation of the film. The audience is able to ponder his inquiries and produce their own conclusions about themes brought into question by his portrayal. To Sontag, photographs are true historical references. Because Kashmere was not present at many of the events documented in Valery’s Ankle, photography and previously recorded media played an imperative role in the construction of his film.
Underground artwork is often used to tell a story that the artist is unable to clearly tell in the public eye. Valery’s Ankle is Brett Kashmere’s expression of art. Although he hopes for a vast audience, he also understands and appreciates the fact that because of the copyrighted material used throughout the film that it could never be a wide released movie, “The best film essays challenge traditional modes of representation and narration, so they can be difficult for mainstream audiences” (Kashmere). If Valery’s Ankle were to be more commonly released, its individuality would be compromised. Kashmere would not have been able to use the copyrighted work without being granted permission. His own identity would be called into question, rather than society’s principles. Valery’s Ankle would fall victim to our culture’s fear of speaking the unspoken and defying social customs. The film’s unconventional nature has birthed a large underground following. Instead of succumbing to Hollywood’s glamour and egotistical nature, Kashmere has remained humble. He makes countless appearances, sells Valery’s Ankle for little more than production cost and is still astonished by the success of his film and all that it has accomplished (Kashmere).
Valery’s Ankle has succeeded in becoming a piece of dialogic art. Brett Kashmere utilized his talent to create a film that forces thought and conversation. This film has sparked countless conversations about hockey, violence, and society in general. By making its way to Universities, younger generations are beginning to contemplate the importance of Kashmere’s questions. If silenced, this violence and other negative aspects of society will intensify. Creating thought and dialogue is the first step towards change. In forcing people to become active in the thinking process, Brett Kashmere’s Valery’s Ankle transgresses aspects of popular film making social questioning and communal change an art form.
Works Consulted:
Kashmere, Brett. Email Interview. 3 November 2007.
Houston, William. “Hockey series brings dramatic increases for ESPN Canada”. The Globe and Mail. 20 September 2002. 28 October 2007.
Gross, George. “The 1972 Summit Series hardly is mentioned in Toronto these days, but in Russia, they continue to salute the historic event.” The Toronto Sun. 26 August 2007. 28 October 2007
Moore, Mark. “Playoff violence bad tactic; This is the part of the season when hockey should be at its best, not a time for cheap hits, writes Mark Moore.” The Toronto Star. 23 April 2007. 29 October 2007
Yee, Krystal. “Discovering the 1972 Summit Series.” 1972 Series.com A September to remember. 2007. 3 November 2007
Miwon, Kwon. "From Site to Community in New Genre public Art: the Case of ‘Culture in Action’" One Place After Another. 2004. MIT Press. 105.
Sontag, Susan. "The Image-World". 1977. 352.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Valery's Ankle Essay
Thesis: Through his film essay, Valery’s Ankle, Bret Kashmere illustrates the danger of hockey violence, both to the players and to the art of hockey itself.
Thesis: Bret Kashmere’ underground film essay, Valery’s Ankle, has helped the underground film industry transform into a trendy, political art genre.
1. Art is often used as a tool for expressing oneself and getting the community involved.
"Art in the public interest is activist and communitarian in spirit; its modes of expression encompass a variety of traditional media, including painting and sculpture, as well as untraditional media" (Kwon, 105).
2. Film has evolved into a popular art form.
(quote from critical art ensemble)
use quote from: New American filmmakers : selections from the Whitney Museum of American Art Film Program
Quote from Sontag:
“Such images are indeed able to usurp reality because first of all a photograph is not only an image (as a painting is an image), an interpretation of the real; it is also a trace, something directly stenciled off the real, like a footprint or a death mask” (Sontag, 350).
3. Underground artwork is often used to tell a story that the artist is unable to clearly tell in the public eye.
Quote Bret
4.. Although violence has always been part of the sport, hockey violence has escalated to a hazardous level.
“Some people think violence occurs because hockey is an intense emotional game, but now is the time when the inaccuracy of such explanations is most clear.” (Mark Moore)
or
“I am not a preacher of non-violence. But violence belongs in war, not in sports. As do most Canadians, I like tough, physical hockey and played it. As do most Canadians, I don't like the cheap illicit stuff - the knees, the checks from behind, the charging, the goon tactics when a team is down.”( Mark Moore)
5. Kashmere’s film essay has had a profound affect on its viewers.
(Quote from Bret and quote from his website)
6. Conclusion
I will also talk about the implications of making an underground film throughout the paper.
Thesis: Bret Kashmere’ underground film essay, Valery’s Ankle, has helped the underground film industry transform into a trendy, political art genre.
1. Art is often used as a tool for expressing oneself and getting the community involved.
"Art in the public interest is activist and communitarian in spirit; its modes of expression encompass a variety of traditional media, including painting and sculpture, as well as untraditional media" (Kwon, 105).
2. Film has evolved into a popular art form.
(quote from critical art ensemble)
use quote from: New American filmmakers : selections from the Whitney Museum of American Art Film Program
Quote from Sontag:
“Such images are indeed able to usurp reality because first of all a photograph is not only an image (as a painting is an image), an interpretation of the real; it is also a trace, something directly stenciled off the real, like a footprint or a death mask” (Sontag, 350).
3. Underground artwork is often used to tell a story that the artist is unable to clearly tell in the public eye.
Quote Bret
4.. Although violence has always been part of the sport, hockey violence has escalated to a hazardous level.
“Some people think violence occurs because hockey is an intense emotional game, but now is the time when the inaccuracy of such explanations is most clear.” (Mark Moore)
or
“I am not a preacher of non-violence. But violence belongs in war, not in sports. As do most Canadians, I like tough, physical hockey and played it. As do most Canadians, I don't like the cheap illicit stuff - the knees, the checks from behind, the charging, the goon tactics when a team is down.”( Mark Moore)
5. Kashmere’s film essay has had a profound affect on its viewers.
(Quote from Bret and quote from his website)
6. Conclusion
I will also talk about the implications of making an underground film throughout the paper.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Mary Jane Jacobs Lecture
"Art in the piblic insterest is activist and communitarian in spirit; its modes of expression encompass a variety of traditional media, including painting and sculpture, as well as untraditional media" (105).
By bringing art to the streets, Mary Jane Jacobs has transformed many people's ideals of what constitutes as art. As she explained in her lecture, primarily about South Carolina, sites in the communities become the art projects. Often times, people from the community are involved. For example, she mentioned the two white houses in South Carolina. One was turned into a museamesque portryal of the history of fashion. Outside of the home, the owners created a fashion show. This also brought up South Carolina's strong historical ties with slavery. Clothing warn in the fashion show and displayed in the house, was often clothing from this era. This forced conversation about slavery.
Althought I did not find Jacobs' speech particularly interesting, some of the art projects that she glanced over were remarkable. The house that was painted army style was one of these projects. It created public interest and communication. It also used a traditional form of art to create an unconventional piece of art. The artist simply painted a house. The fantastical colors and pattern are what make it unconventional and spark conversation. Jacobs is succeeding in her goalfor art to become a more public medium and allow people to get involved and talk about her art.
By bringing art to the streets, Mary Jane Jacobs has transformed many people's ideals of what constitutes as art. As she explained in her lecture, primarily about South Carolina, sites in the communities become the art projects. Often times, people from the community are involved. For example, she mentioned the two white houses in South Carolina. One was turned into a museamesque portryal of the history of fashion. Outside of the home, the owners created a fashion show. This also brought up South Carolina's strong historical ties with slavery. Clothing warn in the fashion show and displayed in the house, was often clothing from this era. This forced conversation about slavery.
Althought I did not find Jacobs' speech particularly interesting, some of the art projects that she glanced over were remarkable. The house that was painted army style was one of these projects. It created public interest and communication. It also used a traditional form of art to create an unconventional piece of art. The artist simply painted a house. The fantastical colors and pattern are what make it unconventional and spark conversation. Jacobs is succeeding in her goalfor art to become a more public medium and allow people to get involved and talk about her art.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Valery's Ankle
Topic: Valery's Ankle
Questions (I know I only needed two but I came up with four):
1. How does underground art become popular?
2. How has film essay evolved into a form of art?
3. What are the political implications of making an underground film?
4. What was the historical and political context of the film and the message behind the film?
4 resources:
1. Book:
Title: New American filmmakers : selections from the Whitney Museum of American Art Film Program
Published: New York, N.Y. : American Federation of Arts, c1976
2. Book:
Title: Film art : an introduction
Authors: David Bordwell, Kristin Thompson
3. Article:
Title: Translating the Essay into Film and Installation
Personal Author: Alter, Nora M.
Journal Name: Journal of Visual Culture
4. Article:
Title: Just call it Moscow in Motown
Journal Name: State, The (Columbia, SC)
Questions (I know I only needed two but I came up with four):
1. How does underground art become popular?
2. How has film essay evolved into a form of art?
3. What are the political implications of making an underground film?
4. What was the historical and political context of the film and the message behind the film?
4 resources:
1. Book:
Title: New American filmmakers : selections from the Whitney Museum of American Art Film Program
Published: New York, N.Y. : American Federation of Arts, c1976
2. Book:
Title: Film art : an introduction
Authors: David Bordwell, Kristin Thompson
3. Article:
Title: Translating the Essay into Film and Installation
Personal Author: Alter, Nora M.
Journal Name: Journal of Visual Culture
4. Article:
Title: Just call it Moscow in Motown
Journal Name: State, The (Columbia, SC)
Sunday, October 21, 2007
The Power of Photography and Film
Before the invention of the photograph, people relied on stories and memories to translate the past. Although photographs have been useful tools in understanding the past, they have also allowed for the elimination of interpretation. Film and documentaries rose from photography and similar to it, the artist caters to a certain audience by placing emphasis and drawing attention to a particular theme or interpretation. Because Hollywood creates history through its clear manipulation of the public’s ideals, even documentaries must be viewed with skepticism and critical awareness. Film must be seen as a form of communication, rather than a chronology of history.
To Sontag, a photograph is a documentation of history. She believes that photographs are necessary to the understanding of an experience, “Such images are indeed able to usurp reality because first of all a photograph is not only an image (as a painting is an image), an interpretation of the real; it is also a trace, something directly stenciled off the real, like a footprint or a death mask” (Sontag, 350). Photographs are chronicles of the past. They tell a story, yet leave the viewer to his or her own interpretation. Critical Art Ensemble stresses the authority photography and film have over the viewer’s understanding of a piece, while Sontag believes that photographs are pure traces of history and powerless, in the sense that the interpretation is left to the viewer.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Lauren Glass
October 14, 2007
Superfund and Onondaga Lake
The Superfund program began in 1980, in order to clean up some of America’s most polluted areas. Although eight hundred and eighty-six sites have been cleaned since Superfund’s introduction, this year only forty high-priority waste sites have been cleared, leaving 1,203 dangerous areas on the “National Priorities List”. Fewer harmful regions are being decontaminated, as a direct result of lack of funding. This financial crisis is putting the one out of four Americans living within four miles of a hazardous waste site in danger (Knickerbocker).
Most often, the polluter of an area donates the money necessary for its cleanup. From 1980 until 1995, taxes on oil and chemical industries and an additional income tax on other corporations raised funds for the clearing of sites that were unclaimed. Presently, Superfund is nearly bankrupt, due in part, to the fact that Congress did not renew these fees when they expired in 1995. Senate Democrat Barbara Boxer and a small number of other democrats in the Senate, desire a revival of this tax, mainly affecting oil companies. The reinstatement of this tax is vital in order to provide the funding necessary to clean affected sites (Knickerbocker).
Superfund directly affects many inhabitants of Onondaga County, particularly members of the Onondaga Nation. Onondaga Lake is one of the most polluted lakes in the United States and was added to the Federal Superfund National Priorities List in 1994 (Onondaga Nation, Onondaga Lake 'Clean-Up' Plan). This 4.6 square mile lake has fallen victim to countless years of pollution abuse by sewage and chemical companies, who infect the water and produce “waste beds” (Landers). These “waste beds” reside along the lake’s shore, some of which span sixty-five feet or higher and occupy about one third of the lake (Landers). Onondaga Lake contains many chemicals that are poisonous to humans, such as mercury and many other carcinogenic substances (Landers). Piles of waste now lay where people were previously able to fish and swim. The once thriving ecosystem has been mutilated. Large amounts of phosphorus and ammonia deprive wildlife of oxygen; killing the wide variety of fish that once inhabited the lake (Onondaga Lake 'Clean-Up' Plan).
The Onondaga Nation is strongly affected by the pollution of Onondaga Lake. On June 17, 2005, the Nation sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Environmental Conservation, demanding change and threatening legal action (Statement of the Onondaga Nation Concerning the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site: The Nation’s Sacred, Spiritual, Historic, Archeological and Environmental Interests in Onondaga Lake.). On March 11, 2005, the Nation filed an action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York requesting, “declaratory judgment that certain lands and waters in New York State, including all of the lands and waters constituting the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site, are owned by the Nation” (Statement of the Onondaga Nation Concerning the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site: The Nation’s Sacred, Spiritual, Historic, Archeological and Environmental Interests in Onondaga Lake). The Department of Environmental Conservation responded by ignoring the desires of the Nation and scripting their own plan. They did confer with members of the Onondaga Nation. The Nation was merely presented the inadequate plan, and was not given formal speaking time to object to its conditions and try to appease the situation. Many members of the Nation feel betrayed by the agency, “Their visit to the Longhouse was perfunctory, almost an afterthought. In all likelihood, the plan was already in print” (Hill). Sidney Hill, the chief of the Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs, concluded that the Nation’s sacred connection with the lake was not taken into consideration and because Superfund is so financially unstable, the program seems more interested in a “quick fix” to quiet the public, rather than actually remedying the situation.
The Onondaga Nation believes that the remedies outlined to clean the lake are insufficient. The plan would only clean up a portion of Onondaga Lake and place sand caps over Mercury, rather than removing the deadly chemical from the lake. The Onondaga Council of Chiefs pled for the removal of all harmful toxins that damage and destroy life in and around the lake. The Nation is further upset by the clear disregard of their spiritual and historical ties with Onondaga Lake and how its pollution has affected and continues to affect aspects of The Nation’s lives. Although the four hundred and fifty-one million dollar plan is said to take care of much of the cleanup necessary to revive Onondaga Lake, the plan appears to be only a temporary solution to the lake’s contamination problem. A permanent and more effective solution would cost around 2.16 billion dollars (Onondaga Lake 'Clean-Up' Plan). The proposed plans, which includes dredging up much of the lake’s soil, capping areas of the lake’s floor and treating the water (Statement of the Onondaga Nation Concerning the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site: The Nation’s Sacred, Spiritual, Historic, Archeological and Environmental Interests in Onondaga Lake), unless remedied, not only hinder the public from experiencing the beauty of the lake, but also deprive future generations of The Onondaga Nation of experiencing the sacred importance of Onondaga Lake.
Although the pollution of Onondaga Lake goes widely unnoticed by a majority of the nation, inhabitants of Onondaga County must live in close proximity to the toxic lake, endangering their lives and the lives of their future offspring. In the past, the lake was a place of leisure, providing visitors with an area to swim, fish and simply enjoy the beauty of the natural environment. Presently, the lake is considered by many to be the most polluted lake in the nation, despite poorly designed clean-up efforts. The Onondaga Nation has been the source of much controversy concerning the pollution in Onondaga Lake thus, educating and informing people of the poisons in the lake. They have produced a following of people who concur that the steps being taken to clean the lake are frivolous. Although, the Nation has ruthlessly fought to return the lake to its purest form and has helped spark some change, their efforts have largely been ignored. They will continue to fight until they are content with the cleanliness of their sacred lake. More money must be spent in order to successfully clean the lake. The government should provide a higher budget for Superfund and new fundraising techniques must be discussed. Because, at times, it is difficult to determine which corporation polluted where, all industrial companies must be taxed, in order to prevent the deterioration of the natural world. If a company is proven to be the sole polluter of an area, that company must be given certain financial flexibility due to the taxes collected. Superfund should provide an amount of money based on how large and how contaminated the region is. If the cost exceeds the ability of Superfund, the company must be held fully responsible for the complete clean up of the infected area. If pollution is ignored, members of Onondaga County and other areas on the “National Priorities List” will continue to suffer from the short term and long term affects of living near an area of toxic waste. Our lakes will continue to be polluted, wildlife in and around the lakes will cease to exist and disease will spread to those living near the affected areas.
Works Consulted:
Atlantic States Legal Foundation. "Onondaga Lake Superfund Update." Atlantic States
Legal Foundation, Inc. 6 October 2007.
Hill, Sydney. “Our Debt to Nature”. Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation Working in Solidarity with the Onondaga Nation. 2004. 12 October 2007..
Knickerbocker, Brad. “Superfund Program: A Smaller Cleanup Rag.” Christian Science
Monitors. 2003. 2 October 2007.
Landers, Jay. (2006) New life for Onondaga Lake. Civil engineering, 76(5), 64. Wilson Applied Science Full Text. H.W. Wilson. Syracuse University Library, Syracuse,New York. 3 October 2007.
Onondaga Nation. "Onondaga Lake 'Clean-Up' Plan." Onondaga Nation. 2005. 4
October 2007..
Onondaga Nation. “Statement of the Onondaga Nation
Concerning the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site: The Nation’s Sacred, Spiritual, Historic, Archeological and Environmental
Interests in Onondaga Lake.” Onondaga Nation. 2005. 6 October 2007
October 14, 2007
Superfund and Onondaga Lake
The Superfund program began in 1980, in order to clean up some of America’s most polluted areas. Although eight hundred and eighty-six sites have been cleaned since Superfund’s introduction, this year only forty high-priority waste sites have been cleared, leaving 1,203 dangerous areas on the “National Priorities List”. Fewer harmful regions are being decontaminated, as a direct result of lack of funding. This financial crisis is putting the one out of four Americans living within four miles of a hazardous waste site in danger (Knickerbocker).
Most often, the polluter of an area donates the money necessary for its cleanup. From 1980 until 1995, taxes on oil and chemical industries and an additional income tax on other corporations raised funds for the clearing of sites that were unclaimed. Presently, Superfund is nearly bankrupt, due in part, to the fact that Congress did not renew these fees when they expired in 1995. Senate Democrat Barbara Boxer and a small number of other democrats in the Senate, desire a revival of this tax, mainly affecting oil companies. The reinstatement of this tax is vital in order to provide the funding necessary to clean affected sites (Knickerbocker).
Superfund directly affects many inhabitants of Onondaga County, particularly members of the Onondaga Nation. Onondaga Lake is one of the most polluted lakes in the United States and was added to the Federal Superfund National Priorities List in 1994 (Onondaga Nation, Onondaga Lake 'Clean-Up' Plan). This 4.6 square mile lake has fallen victim to countless years of pollution abuse by sewage and chemical companies, who infect the water and produce “waste beds” (Landers). These “waste beds” reside along the lake’s shore, some of which span sixty-five feet or higher and occupy about one third of the lake (Landers). Onondaga Lake contains many chemicals that are poisonous to humans, such as mercury and many other carcinogenic substances (Landers). Piles of waste now lay where people were previously able to fish and swim. The once thriving ecosystem has been mutilated. Large amounts of phosphorus and ammonia deprive wildlife of oxygen; killing the wide variety of fish that once inhabited the lake (Onondaga Lake 'Clean-Up' Plan).
The Onondaga Nation is strongly affected by the pollution of Onondaga Lake. On June 17, 2005, the Nation sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Environmental Conservation, demanding change and threatening legal action (Statement of the Onondaga Nation Concerning the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site: The Nation’s Sacred, Spiritual, Historic, Archeological and Environmental Interests in Onondaga Lake.). On March 11, 2005, the Nation filed an action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York requesting, “declaratory judgment that certain lands and waters in New York State, including all of the lands and waters constituting the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site, are owned by the Nation” (Statement of the Onondaga Nation Concerning the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site: The Nation’s Sacred, Spiritual, Historic, Archeological and Environmental Interests in Onondaga Lake). The Department of Environmental Conservation responded by ignoring the desires of the Nation and scripting their own plan. They did confer with members of the Onondaga Nation. The Nation was merely presented the inadequate plan, and was not given formal speaking time to object to its conditions and try to appease the situation. Many members of the Nation feel betrayed by the agency, “Their visit to the Longhouse was perfunctory, almost an afterthought. In all likelihood, the plan was already in print” (Hill). Sidney Hill, the chief of the Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs, concluded that the Nation’s sacred connection with the lake was not taken into consideration and because Superfund is so financially unstable, the program seems more interested in a “quick fix” to quiet the public, rather than actually remedying the situation.
The Onondaga Nation believes that the remedies outlined to clean the lake are insufficient. The plan would only clean up a portion of Onondaga Lake and place sand caps over Mercury, rather than removing the deadly chemical from the lake. The Onondaga Council of Chiefs pled for the removal of all harmful toxins that damage and destroy life in and around the lake. The Nation is further upset by the clear disregard of their spiritual and historical ties with Onondaga Lake and how its pollution has affected and continues to affect aspects of The Nation’s lives. Although the four hundred and fifty-one million dollar plan is said to take care of much of the cleanup necessary to revive Onondaga Lake, the plan appears to be only a temporary solution to the lake’s contamination problem. A permanent and more effective solution would cost around 2.16 billion dollars (Onondaga Lake 'Clean-Up' Plan). The proposed plans, which includes dredging up much of the lake’s soil, capping areas of the lake’s floor and treating the water (Statement of the Onondaga Nation Concerning the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site: The Nation’s Sacred, Spiritual, Historic, Archeological and Environmental Interests in Onondaga Lake), unless remedied, not only hinder the public from experiencing the beauty of the lake, but also deprive future generations of The Onondaga Nation of experiencing the sacred importance of Onondaga Lake.
Although the pollution of Onondaga Lake goes widely unnoticed by a majority of the nation, inhabitants of Onondaga County must live in close proximity to the toxic lake, endangering their lives and the lives of their future offspring. In the past, the lake was a place of leisure, providing visitors with an area to swim, fish and simply enjoy the beauty of the natural environment. Presently, the lake is considered by many to be the most polluted lake in the nation, despite poorly designed clean-up efforts. The Onondaga Nation has been the source of much controversy concerning the pollution in Onondaga Lake thus, educating and informing people of the poisons in the lake. They have produced a following of people who concur that the steps being taken to clean the lake are frivolous. Although, the Nation has ruthlessly fought to return the lake to its purest form and has helped spark some change, their efforts have largely been ignored. They will continue to fight until they are content with the cleanliness of their sacred lake. More money must be spent in order to successfully clean the lake. The government should provide a higher budget for Superfund and new fundraising techniques must be discussed. Because, at times, it is difficult to determine which corporation polluted where, all industrial companies must be taxed, in order to prevent the deterioration of the natural world. If a company is proven to be the sole polluter of an area, that company must be given certain financial flexibility due to the taxes collected. Superfund should provide an amount of money based on how large and how contaminated the region is. If the cost exceeds the ability of Superfund, the company must be held fully responsible for the complete clean up of the infected area. If pollution is ignored, members of Onondaga County and other areas on the “National Priorities List” will continue to suffer from the short term and long term affects of living near an area of toxic waste. Our lakes will continue to be polluted, wildlife in and around the lakes will cease to exist and disease will spread to those living near the affected areas.
Works Consulted:
Atlantic States Legal Foundation. "Onondaga Lake Superfund Update." Atlantic States
Legal Foundation, Inc. 6 October 2007
Hill, Sydney. “Our Debt to Nature”. Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation Working in Solidarity with the Onondaga Nation. 2004. 12 October 2007.
Knickerbocker, Brad. “Superfund Program: A Smaller Cleanup Rag.” Christian Science
Monitors. 2003. 2 October 2007
Landers, Jay. (2006) New life for Onondaga Lake. Civil engineering, 76(5), 64. Wilson Applied Science Full Text. H.W. Wilson. Syracuse University Library, Syracuse,New York. 3 October 2007
Onondaga Nation. "Onondaga Lake 'Clean-Up' Plan." Onondaga Nation. 2005. 4
October 2007.
Onondaga Nation. “Statement of the Onondaga Nation
Concerning the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site: The Nation’s Sacred, Spiritual, Historic, Archeological and Environmental
Interests in Onondaga Lake.” Onondaga Nation. 2005. 6 October 2007
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