Selfies in the world became all the rage in 2013, when it was introduced as a new word in the Oxford English Dictionary. Since then, selfie sticks were made, Justin Timberlake took selfies with other celebs at the Oscars, and millions of people take them on vacations and at other picture-worthy destinations.
2013 was also the year a well-known artist named David Hockney began to draw portraits of his friends and family members at his Los Angeles studio in an action against the selfie phenomenon, painting portraits and showing the essence of human beings other than just through selfies. He took 84 portraits and 1 still-life beginning in 2013 and ending in 2016, and MJ and I went to look at the exhibit today at LACMA. Really awesome! I appreciate when art museums take measures to allow non-artsy people to understand art through easily understandable exhibitions. Although a selfie can take less a second to snap whereas a portrait takes much longer (Hockney took an average of 3 days for each self portrait), a portrait shows the strength of the human spirit, a victory for the imagination and expression of the human race rather than just a machine-based action that spits out only what is in front of it. A selfie captures that moment in time; a portrait captures the artistic value of that person a that time forever. A true timeless collection that's worthy of being shown in an art museum. Portraits are not just for Rembrandt and other European painters who didn't have access to cameras! Portraits are just as important as ever in today's modern society, I hope to have my own portrait or MJ's portrait done somebody too!
On a different note, I attended a blood donation today and drew some blood again! This time it was in a Red Cross truck, so conditions were a little cramped and claustrophobic, it felt like I was in someone's trailer. Not recommended for first-time blood donors who want to get a good feel for the experience. I realized while doing the questionnaire before giving blood how lucky I am to be healthy. There were so many medical conditions and requirements listed before giving blood that one needed to meet! Do I have STDs, do I have cancer, do I have Crohn's disease, do I have this and this disease, so many different names, all kind of scary-sounding but somebody in the world must have these problems, right? And these are just the ones that have to do with blood. In that sense, a blood donation isn't just to give blood hoping that it'll actually benefit people (I've never actually seen my blood be used for anything, although the Red Cross sends me messages about what the blood was used for and what kind of patient received the donation), but if anything it allows me to reflect on others who are less fortunate than I am. I sometimes feel a sense of pride and arrogance almost that I'm giving blood and I'm doing some good in the world (I try not to be stuck-up about it like I'm some kind of big-shot) but more importantly I'm aware of how fortunate I am. In doing so, I did make sure to take a Red Cross water with me and give it to a homeless person on the street as I walked back to my office.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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