Synopsis- Steampunk is a subculture that romanticizes the steam-powered machines of the industrial revolution and combines it with a fictionalized, high-tech future. It includes specialized music, design, and fashion. Jake Von Slatt is a leading artist in the Steampunk community, using brass to modify everyday objects and achieve a steampunk aesthetic.
My take- Steampunk is certainly one of the least offensive subcultures I've come across. Unlike goth and emo cultures, it seems to be positive and encourage creativity and community. It's a shame that today's mainstream industrial design doesn't inspire as much interest among young people. Steampunk seems to come at an appropriate time in American history, when most products are disposable and factory-produced. This appreciation for one-of-a-kind, hand-made objects as a reaction to today's production methods is also reflected in the DYI movement, and to some extent the local agriculture movement, which is a reaction to the de-humanized food industry.
Class link #2- Playing for Change: http://www.playingforchange.com/
Synopsis- Playing for Change synthesizes music performances from all over the world in a unified package. A separate foundation raises money for music education globally.
My take- A terrific idea, well executed. Similar projects like "We Are The World" for Haiti and compilation CDs raise money for good causes but rely on famous names to sell records. I'm glad that Playing for Change's help aid not only goes to the people who benefit from the fundraising, but the undiscovered artists who appear in the video. For them, it's great exposure.
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