Author: Natty Metekie

I found the author’s exploration of these common struggles among artists to be enlightening. He identifies two primary fears: the fear of not being a genuine artist and the fear of pursuing perfection. These fears often stem from unrealistic expectations and comparisons, which can hinder artistic creativity and productivity.

One fear that resonates with most artists is the fear of not being a real artist. Even I’ve often questioned the authenticity of my own work and compared it to the works of others and found myself in self-doubt. The author suggests a practical solution to combat this fear by producing a large volume of work and learning from the mistakes made along the way. This approach allows artists to focus on their growth rather than being fixated on the notion of being “talented.” I agree with him that excessive worry about talent only drains our mental energy and prevents us from creating genuine art.

The pursuit of perfection is another fear that many artists face. The author argues that striving for flawlessness denies our humanity, as it overlooks the value of making mistakes and learning from them. Instead, he advocates for a mindset that values quantity over fixating on creating a single masterpiece. By consistently producing art, artists can make tangible progress and improvement in their work. This idea struck a chord with me because I often find myself getting stuck in the quest for perfection, which leads to self-doubt and procrastination. Embracing imperfections and seeing them as opportunities for growth is a valuable lesson I will take away from this chapter.

While I agree with most of the author’s insights, I did have some reservations about solely basing expectations on previous work. While it is essential to learn from our past creations, I believe that seeking new influences and perspectives can foster creativity and lateral thinking. Relying solely on past work may limit our potential for innovation and hinder the exploration of new artistic directions.

Very unique

I really liked the piece where used satellites to mimic constellations. Although, unlike stars where the brightness (magnitude) can be useful for different purposes, the brightness of satellites doesn’t have any significant use, I really liked the lateral thinking they used to make such a link and create a piece that depict galaxies as constellations.

I liked how they base their art on new scientific findings and datasets.

Mother Ethiopia by Afewerk Tekle

Afewerk Tekle (22 October 1932 – 10 April 2012) was an Ethiopian artist known for his paintings on African and Ethiopian themes. One of his most remarkable works of art, “Mother Ethiopia” (1963) captivates the viewer with its profound symbolism. The artist makes use of some lateral thinking to creatively depict the mother figure in the shape of Ethiopia. Upon closer examination, the symbolism within the painting becomes evident. The mother’s flowing attire, made of hand-woven cotton known as shemma, mirrors the contours of Ethiopia’s valleys, mountains, and the untapped wealth that lies within its borders. The intricate folds and drapes symbolize the diverse topography of the land, a testament to its beauty and potential. A dominant element in the artwork is the color blue, which serves a dual purpose. On one level, it represents the aspirations of a nation longing for stability and prosperity. The tranquil blue hue is elegantly reflected in the mother’s garment, emphasizing her role as a guardian of peace and provider to her people. The child symbolizes the future, embodying the hopes and dreams of millions of Ethiopian citizens. It can be seen that the mother’s gaze extends beyond the baby. She looks towards the future, casting her eyes on the possibilities that lie ahead for her nation.

The traditional attire showcased in the painting, known as “habesha kemis,” holds great significance for Ethiopians. This long, white chiffon dress, often paired with a “netela” shawl, is worn at formal events, symbolizing pride, identity, and cultural heritage. It embodies the elegance and timeless traditions of Ethiopia, connecting individuals to their past and fostering a sense of unity. The intricate patterns and colors adorning the garments symbolize the richness and diversity of our cultural heritage. As I gaze upon this artwork, I feel an overwhelming sense of patriotism and pride, reminding me of the countless contributions Ethiopia has made to the world’s tapestry of traditions.

Beyond its patriotic significance, the painting carries a profound nostalgic weight, transporting me back to the cherished days of my youth. The mere sight of this artwork evokes a flood of memories from those joyful times when my heart would bounce in anticipation of gathering with family and friends for holidays. National and religious holidays held a special place in my heart, as they offered an opportunity for us to come together as a community, celebrating our shared values and deep-rooted customs. The painting serves as a vivid portal, granting me access to those treasured moments spent in the company of loved ones. Whether it was the aroma of traditional dishes, the echo of vibrant melodies, or the warmth of heartfelt conversations, those occasions filled me with a profound sense of belonging and connection.

“Mother Ethiopia” depicts the artist’s profound message of love, hope, and resilience. It serves as a visual testament to the enduring spirit of Ethiopia and her people. Through this masterpiece, Afewerk Tekle captures the essence of a nation, its aspirations, and its strong will to create a better future for the next generations.

One of the things I really like doing is building websites.  That’s why I created a simple “game” using react. The website fetches a random meme template from a meme API and lets the user add their own caption to it. The game can be played in groups where whoever comes up with the funniest captions for the randomly generated meme wins. https://replit.com/@nathanaelmeteki/Making-Assingment-Meme-generator?v=1

Innovative

Super cool designs

Impactful work

Inspirational

I really enjoyed their process of converting abstract things such as convolutional neural networks and many different algorithms into art pieces.

I found this chapter very interesting and insightful, as it challenged me to think differently about how I generate and evaluate ideas. I agree with the author that forward-thinking is a process that involves moving forward by building new ideas while backward thinking involves the analysis of pre-existing ideas. I also like the concept of suspended judgment, which means delaying judgment while coming up with new ideas through lateral thinking. I think this is a useful skill to have, especially in situations where there is no clear or obvious solution. However, I wonder how easy it is to practice suspended judgment in real life, as we are often influenced by our biases, assumptions, and emotions. How can we overcome these barriers and become more open-minded and flexible thinkers? I also wonder how we can balance forward and backward thinking, as both are important for innovation. How can we know when to switch from one mode to another? These are some questions that I would have liked the author to explore further.

The chapter explores the challenges and rewards of making art. The author argues that artmaking is a skill that can be learned and improved through practice and reflection, rather than a matter of luck or talent. He also claims that artmaking is a way of discovering oneself and expressing one’s unique vision, rather than pleasing an audience or conforming to external standards. I agree with the author’s main points, as I think that artmaking is a personal and creative process that requires courage and perseverance. However, I wonder if the author is too dismissive of the role of the audience in artmaking. While I agree that artists should not compromise their vision or seek validation from others, I think that artmaking can also be a form of communication and dialogue with the audience. I think that art can have different meanings and effects depending on how it is received and interpreted by different viewers. Therefore, I think that artists should also consider the audience’s perspective and feedback when making art.

Very dedicated and interested in his own work

Mysterious 

Open minded and willing to change his mind at any moment

An optimistic person who created something amazing out of chaos

Neither pressure nor underestimate your audience.

Very cool and captivating projections

One of the things that occurred to me during my last make assignment was using futuristic augmented reality glasses to navigate around the city. Hence, I used photoshop to create the following picture in which AR glasses are used for navigation.

Yesterday, I got lost while traveling through the city although I was following google maps for directions. Therefore, I started with the question “why do we need maps ?” and continued with my why questions.

• Why do we use maps?
  For navigations purposes
• Why do we need to navigate?
  To get to a place we want.
• Why don’t we just follow our instincts and go?
  Because instinct isn’t a reliable source of information.
• Why don’t we follow it despite this problem?
  Because we we’ll get lost if we do.
• Why don’t we want to get lost?
  Because getting lost can be dangerous, stressful, or time-consuming.
• Why is getting lost dangerous, stressful, or time-consuming?
  Because we might encounter hazards, such as wild animals, bad weather, or hostile people. We might also miss deadlines, such as appointments, flights, or meetings. We might also waste resources, such as gas, money, or even energy.
• Why can’t we go to place without using any of these resources?
  Because we can’t just get to places. We need to make use of different means of transportations. And this requires money and energy.
• Why can’t we just use clouds for transportation?