Changes to the career curriculum?

Normally, when the curriculum is discussed among the student body (or between the student body and the faculty), the contradiction that one as a student is not sufficiently prepared to propose things to the career is usually raised. This is something that happens generally in all careers, not only in arts. However, I believe that there are some specific aspects that the arts degree has in this aspect.

I will refer first - in a very general way - to the teaching methods. It is well known that many teachers do not have pedagogical training, being selected to be part of the staff because of their curriculum and contacts. For this reason, it seems that they seek to swell the first rather than to achieve a disposition, profitable ways and seriousness at the moment of teaching. This affects the formation of the students. So, I believe that the fundamental thing is to demand a pedagogical career, with an evaluation of their performance in this aspect.

Now, the facilities of the faculty is another substantial aspect. The faculty of arts of the University of Chile has had problems in this aspect for years (perhaps the worst is the existence of asbestos in the engraving workshop). This has been the subject of discussion in various mobilizations, but has never been resolved for various reasons. The point is that, well, something as dangerous as this would make it unfeasible to hold classes.

It seems to me that these two aspects are the priority ones to change, since to my understanding, the others depend on this. However, it is something that implies a reform that goes beyond the academic group of the university, unfortunately it ends up competing to the state itself (with all that entails).

Time travel? That's a terrible idea

 The very idea of time travel scares me. Watching the development of new generations, even outside the nuclear family, observing the performance of society and its institutions, and with it, our dreams and hopes, is quite complex. I believe that if we knew how well or badly we will do in what we do or what we fight for, many of our objectives would lose meaning.

I think if I were to do that, I would start right here, where I live now. I would like to see how the territory has evolved and with it, this city. Society and nature. If we pay attention to the development of our institutionalism, we may be able to foresee something. Although it is somewhat difficult. For example, the same process of the new constitution establishes that it should be designed not only for the present, but also to last in time and require a minimum of modifications, which is commonly related to ungovernability. This is quite interesting.

On the other hand, and more globally, we cannot ignore climate change. Will societies agree to reverse this unprecedented crisis? To tell the truth, I am somewhat pessimistic about this and the above.

I would not like to stay in the future because it would be meaningless for me to exist in another era. I think the most beneficial thing would be to return to this same era to provide as much information as possible to improve things.

Pictured: The movie Blade Runner. I believe that dystopian futures (like the present one in this film) are closer to reality, due to the deep criticisms they usually contain. 

An informal work, necessary but improvable

I admit that answering this task makes me very anxious. Let's see, to begin with, I currently work informally selling reproductions in stickers and posters of works I do: paintings, drawings, illustrations, etcetera. I take advantage of cultural activities where I can get tables or I am allowed to put "cloth" for free or cheap. So, if I continue with this, how do I see it in the future? I think that by having a table or exhibition artifacts that facilitate the display and review of the work that I bring. 

Cultural activities usually take place either outdoors or indoors. In each case there are advantages and disadvantages. They tend to take place all over Santiago, so I am used to travel constantly around this city. And since I am from the outskirts of San Bernardo, it seems that everything is far away. If I have the opportunity to travel to another region or even country, I will do it if I can afford it. About the salary, what can I say? As in any job of this kind, it is unstable. Sometimes I sell a lot and sometimes almost nothing. It seems to me that the ideal is to get a part-time job to have a regular income, which being little allows me to continue dedicating myself to this. I am currently finishing my degree in Visual Arts. I would also like to start managing my work in order to prepare exhibitions.

I have to attend an activity tomorrow! I take the opportunity to spam:

Film: just fiction or some reality?

For me it is not easy to choose a single favorite film, I have several for different reasons. In this case I choose Blade Runner (1982) by Ridley Scott. It seems to me that it is a sort of intermediate between mainstream films, I mean, "digestible", but with a number of features that give it complexity. Based on the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" (1968) by Philip K. Dick, Ridley Scoot's version presents us with a dystopian future where there is an artificial production of human beings - called "replicants" - who are employed as slaves for colonies in the outside world, because they possess greater physical conditions and less emotional response. However, a riot in one of the colonies indicates that the latter is relative, and a special police force, the "blade runners", will be in charge of "retiring" the fugitives who reach land. On the basis of the above the film will raise a number of ethical questions.

The most recent film I saw is Dersu Uzala (1975), a Soviet-Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa. I highly recommend it. Based on the 1923 memoir Dersu Uzala by Russian explorer Vladimir Arsenyev, it shows the adventures of a Soviet expedition in the Russian Far East that receives the help of a native on more than one occasion, and with it, a beautiful story of friendship and disagreements between civilization and nature. 

I don't have a favorite category of films. I commonly rely on reviews and/or recommendations. 

Both this and Blade Runner, I highly recommend them. They are very easy to watch for free.

Original movie poster from 1982 for Blade Runner 

Alcohol, violence and australian metal

In 2009 I attended a Mortal Sin concert that took place at Club Babylon (La Florida). Formed in 1985, with classics like "Mayhemic destruction" (1987) or "Face of despair" (1989), this band is a true legend of Australian Thrash Metal and this was their first time in Chile.

The event was surrounded by several problems. For example, there was a two-hour delay. And since the venue is surrounded by bars, it didn't take long for people to start drinking in the streets. Also, few people wanted to see the three opening bands, so it wasn't long before altercations broke out. In any case, the wait was worth it. The venue was not set up for mosh (or pit), but we did it anyway. The band knew what we were going for. We wanted to hear their classics... And we enjoyed songs such as "I am immortal", "Lebanon" and the inevitable "Mayhemic destruction". Of course, I must admit that for obvious reasons, their sound, their aesthetics and atmosphere, was not the same as in the 80s. But well, there was not much else to do. After the end of the activity, tempers were hot, as mentioned at the beginning, so there were several fights. Unfortunately I got involved in one of them. What a time those were.

Cold, ancient and avant-garde

In my case, I would like to see Russia, although in truth, I would prefer to tour Eastern Europe and part of Asia. I think they are territories of long history and complex cultures that in many aspects could be more interesting than Western European countries that are often exposed as the most important beacons of Western civilization. I would visit some museums to see collections of ancient, classical and modern art, taking the opportunity to know in detail the art linked to the Russian revolution (in its own territory and closer context). To observe live works by Repin, Vrubel and Malevich, among many others. I think that for that it will be necessary to visit the Hermitage Museum (located in St. Petersburg), as it is one of the oldest art galleries in the world. Besides, as I was born in the south of Chile, I have always been more fond of wooded landscapes and cold and rainy climates, although of course, here, depending on the time of the year, there would be a lot of snow. Here I think I would like to explore the Virgin Komi Forests, ubicated on the Ural Mountains (north de rusia), it would be a real challenge.

Barge Haulers on the Volga (1870–1873), Ilya Repin

Suprematist works by Malevich, 1915

The Virgin Komi Forests