Jay Mark C.

Yu ARTS 1, Section J Activity 7

Week 7: Issues in the Production of Art

Answers to the questions:

1. The state or fact of no longer being with or part of a group or social entity is defined as
‘estrangement’. According to Walter Benjamin's (1936) essay, a film actor's estrangement can be
compared to the estrangement felt before one's own image in the mirror, which basically means
that the sense of isolation and being a separable entity is highly evident. The film actor is estranged
from the public because his performance is presented through a camera rather than in person in
front of an audience. As a result, a film actor's performance is subjected to a series of visual tests
before being presented to the audience, depriving the actor of the feeling of spontaneous and live
actions and performance in front of the public. Opportunities that stage actors have, such as
adjusting and connecting with the audience during a performance, are oftentimes denied to film
actors. Unlike the stage actor, the film actor is denied personal and interactive contact with the
audience, as well as the reality of live performance such as voices, noises, and so on.
The estrangement of a film actor is similar to the remote learning that we currently have. The
common issue with a film actor and us having remote learning is that we are isolated and deprived
of the traditional face-to-face or live setup. Our learnings are being demonstrated and presented
through cameras, gadgets, and other technological platforms, rather than through direct public
contact. Hence, we experience a sense of emptiness and deprivation from reality. On the bright
side, just as a film actor may be filmed several times before performing a perfect scene, remote
learning allows us to improve our results because we are performing indirectly to the public and,
therefore, we can manage our performance to how we want it to be.

2. In the event of an interview with someone who is currently engaged in the creation of an
artistic/creative work, I would interview a high school friend of mine named Khyress Macalalad.
She is an amateur artist whose artworks, specifically drawings and paintings on canvas, depict
scenarios of people in real life such as children playing in the streets and passengers in the jeepney.
She also makes portraits of people and abstract paintings. The following questions will be asked:
1. How were you able to shape your skills in creating your artwork? Was it a natural talent or
a skill you learned and practiced as you grew older?
2. Why do you create these artworks? What are your intentions? What does it mean for you to
create these arts?
3. What difficulties do you face when creating your artworks? What were the challenges and
obstacles that led you to believe that you should not pursue doing this type of art? How did
you overcome these obstacles?
4. What materials do you use to create your artworks? How do you get these materials? Were
you ever discouraged from creating art because of a lack of or inadequacy of resources?

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Jay Mark C. Yu ARTS 1, Section J Activity 7

5. Do you have any problems or issues after producing or creating your artworks? What exactly
are these issues, and how do they affect your next artistic endeavor?
6. What techniques do you use in the creation of your artworks? Are these your original
techniques, or are you imitating the techniques of other artists?
7. When do you produce or create your artworks? Do you only do it in your spare time out of
boredom, or do you set aside time for it specifically?
8. Were there any opportunities available to you as a result of your artwork? What exactly are
these opportunities that have been presented to you? Were you able to take advantage of all
of these opportunities, and how did it affect your ability to create artwork?
9. How do you ought your artworks to be? What is the inspiration for your artworks? How do
you picture or imagine the context of your artworks before actually making them?

Reference/s:
• Benjamin, W. (1936). The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction. Marxists Internet
Archive. Retrieved from
https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm.

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