A REVIEW OF: "Tao" created by Reiner Strasser & Alan Sondheim (2004)
Critique by: Ryan Wood
The term "Tao" can be most clearly be defined as "the ultimate principle of the universe," according to Princeton's Wordnet database. Reiner Strasser and Alan Sondheim did not fall very short of clearly presenting this highly empowering word through their electronic "interactive cinematographic Flash piece," which puts forth a glorious visual representation of the religiously derived meaning. "Tao" is a virtual poem merely consisting of just under twenty words that reveal themselves as parallel video plays out. The poem is in essence being created as you read and experience the electronic interaction. Strasser and Sondheim incorporated powerful vocabulary to further accentuate the vastness and universal meaning of "Tao." Words such as "star," "earth," and "invisible" are such key terms that bring the poem to life. One may also argue that the poem itself describes the creation of the universe; the first stanza, which reads, "earth blown out to stars," may possibly relate to and depict imagery of the Big Bang Theory , the assumed event that took place when our universe (and eventually earth) was born. Easily enough, this verse could be read in an opposite nature which argues for the death of our planet, as the earth could be shown as exploding and thus ending it's existence. Despite how one may analyze this unique electronic text, the poem does not at all fall short of being deeply rooted in it's universal "Tao" presence.
Though this masterpiece at first glance may seem as if it is underdeveloped, there is a far more powerful meaning to each aspect of the electronic interaction. Firstly, there are two videos that are play while the poem is being displayed; each visual is taken from the viewpoint of a car passenger peering outside the windows. Each video shows some of the main aspects of our mother earth that depict life and creation, including a body of water, mountains, and clouded skies that look as though rain is about to fall. The second of the two videos though, also transitions from the earth into outer space, showing numerous stars and the engulfing blackness. Additionally, the electronic text has been set up so that there are two options for each video; an arrow is located beneath each video so that you can change the direction that the "car" is traveling in the video as the poem plays out. This may possibly represent that, despite the direction of humanity in this life, the outcome will inevitably end up the same. The video also includes a "flag" blowing amongst the wind as the car travels down the road; for most of the poem, the flags move at a steady pace, though in the second line of the poem, the flags abruptly move in a quick and fast pace, swinging rapidly as the word "earth" appears on screen. This line of the poem, which describes "stars blown down to earth by fast cars," is brought to life by the sudden change in direction and movement of flag as "earth" appears, thus serving as another aspect of user interactivity. Lastly, the electronic works also provides an option for the poem to be replayed after it concludes; when this button is clicked, located on the right of the screen, the poem does not simply start over, yet it rewinds like an old VHS tape. This interactivity includes the background music being rewound and played like a record spun backwards, each word of the poem being deleted letter by letter, and the path traveled by both the car and flag to return to their original start point. In essence, the readers do not simply "view" this poem; rather they become part of the poem and "experience" the universal qualities of "Tao."
In regards to my personal opinion upon this piece, I would say that I surely did find it to be a new and engaging experience. Though "Tao" did not quite include as much interactivity as I would have hoped for an electronic piece of literature, the scrolling text of the poem, along with the parallel video, were quite sufficient in their own sense. In particular, I liked the "reverse" or "rewind" aspect of the poem when it concluded and how it took all the media and rewound it in front of the reader's eyes. There was nothing about the poem I truly didn't like, though an additional interactivity feature could surely not have hurt the overall project. For a text to truly be an electronic piece of literature, it must be a transformed piece from print literature. Printed texts are merely words printed onto paper, with hardly any interactivity or accompanying them. They are standard and lack creativity, and have a far lesser potential of being unique as compared to electronic literature. In general, to truly be an electronic text, it must meet certain guidelines; for instance they must be on a computer, they must have some sort of interactivity, and must include either text or imagery created through source code. Strasser and Sondheim did meet all of these requirements in their textual piece, transforming common literature into modern art.
Lastly, I must say that I found the critique of this piece to be unique in itself, and sometimes it proved to be quite difficult as well. I have never before read (or experienced, I now say), let alone review, analyze, and critique an electronic text. Seeing how this is my first draft of a critique, I hope to learn from both my mistakes and mishaps in the next digital "experience."
Critique by: Ryan Wood
The term "Tao" can be most clearly be defined as "the ultimate principle of the universe," according to Princeton's Wordnet database. Reiner Strasser and Alan Sondheim did not fall very short of clearly presenting this highly empowering word through their electronic "interactive cinematographic Flash piece," which puts forth a glorious visual representation of the religiously derived meaning. "Tao" is a virtual poem merely consisting of just under twenty words that reveal themselves as parallel video plays out. The poem is in essence being created as you read and experience the electronic interaction. Strasser and Sondheim incorporated powerful vocabulary to further accentuate the vastness and universal meaning of "Tao." Words such as "star," "earth," and "invisible" are such key terms that bring the poem to life. One may also argue that the poem itself describes the creation of the universe; the first stanza, which reads, "earth blown out to stars," may possibly relate to and depict imagery of the Big Bang Theory , the assumed event that took place when our universe (and eventually earth) was born. Easily enough, this verse could be read in an opposite nature which argues for the death of our planet, as the earth could be shown as exploding and thus ending it's existence. Despite how one may analyze this unique electronic text, the poem does not at all fall short of being deeply rooted in it's universal "Tao" presence.
Though this masterpiece at first glance may seem as if it is underdeveloped, there is a far more powerful meaning to each aspect of the electronic interaction. Firstly, there are two videos that are play while the poem is being displayed; each visual is taken from the viewpoint of a car passenger peering outside the windows. Each video shows some of the main aspects of our mother earth that depict life and creation, including a body of water, mountains, and clouded skies that look as though rain is about to fall. The second of the two videos though, also transitions from the earth into outer space, showing numerous stars and the engulfing blackness. Additionally, the electronic text has been set up so that there are two options for each video; an arrow is located beneath each video so that you can change the direction that the "car" is traveling in the video as the poem plays out. This may possibly represent that, despite the direction of humanity in this life, the outcome will inevitably end up the same. The video also includes a "flag" blowing amongst the wind as the car travels down the road; for most of the poem, the flags move at a steady pace, though in the second line of the poem, the flags abruptly move in a quick and fast pace, swinging rapidly as the word "earth" appears on screen. This line of the poem, which describes "stars blown down to earth by fast cars," is brought to life by the sudden change in direction and movement of flag as "earth" appears, thus serving as another aspect of user interactivity. Lastly, the electronic works also provides an option for the poem to be replayed after it concludes; when this button is clicked, located on the right of the screen, the poem does not simply start over, yet it rewinds like an old VHS tape. This interactivity includes the background music being rewound and played like a record spun backwards, each word of the poem being deleted letter by letter, and the path traveled by both the car and flag to return to their original start point. In essence, the readers do not simply "view" this poem; rather they become part of the poem and "experience" the universal qualities of "Tao."
In regards to my personal opinion upon this piece, I would say that I surely did find it to be a new and engaging experience. Though "Tao" did not quite include as much interactivity as I would have hoped for an electronic piece of literature, the scrolling text of the poem, along with the parallel video, were quite sufficient in their own sense. In particular, I liked the "reverse" or "rewind" aspect of the poem when it concluded and how it took all the media and rewound it in front of the reader's eyes. There was nothing about the poem I truly didn't like, though an additional interactivity feature could surely not have hurt the overall project. For a text to truly be an electronic piece of literature, it must be a transformed piece from print literature. Printed texts are merely words printed onto paper, with hardly any interactivity or accompanying them. They are standard and lack creativity, and have a far lesser potential of being unique as compared to electronic literature. In general, to truly be an electronic text, it must meet certain guidelines; for instance they must be on a computer, they must have some sort of interactivity, and must include either text or imagery created through source code. Strasser and Sondheim did meet all of these requirements in their textual piece, transforming common literature into modern art.
Lastly, I must say that I found the critique of this piece to be unique in itself, and sometimes it proved to be quite difficult as well. I have never before read (or experienced, I now say), let alone review, analyze, and critique an electronic text. Seeing how this is my first draft of a critique, I hope to learn from both my mistakes and mishaps in the next digital "experience."
