Sorted Books | Nina Katchadourian | The Art Assignment

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 27 сер 2014
  • Pre-order our book YOU ARE AN ARTIST (which includes new assignments!) here: bit.ly/2kplj2h
    We meet Brooklyn-based artist Nina Katchadourian in Lawrence, Kansas, at the former home of American writer William S. Burroughs (1914 - 1997). Nina takes us on her journey of sorting Burroughs's book collection and challenges you to sort some books yourself!
    INSTRUCTIONS - Sorted Books
    1. Choose a person you know or would like to know better
    2. Take a look at/through their library
    3. Make 3 stacks of books to develop a portrait of the person
    4. Upload it to your social media platform of choice using #theartassignment
    5. Fame and glory (your work might be featured in a future episode)
    Find out more about The Art Assignment and how to submit your response: theartassignment.com/

КОМЕНТАРІ • 139

  • @BellatrixisaStar
    @BellatrixisaStar 10 років тому +25

    "Everyone's favorite comedian Michel Foucault" I think I laughed a bit too loud when I heard that.

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +7

      Wasn't sure how that was going to go over. Glad you liked it ;)

  • @AmbroseReed
    @AmbroseReed 10 років тому +9

    God, some of these sorted book poems are amazing.
    "How we die
    chicken
    on the brink
    in darkness waiting"
    That is gorgeous!

  • @StudioLindsay
    @StudioLindsay 10 років тому +27

    Oh yes! I want to do this! :D This Art Assignment is perfect for the BookTube Community!

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому +2

      I had no idea there even was a BookTube community!

    • @megmotherwort
      @megmotherwort 10 років тому +1

      I'm looking at you, Nancy's Reads

    • @fancynancyketchup
      @fancynancyketchup 10 років тому +1

      Meg Gilbert hahaha!! I might just!!

    • @megmotherwort
      @megmotherwort 10 років тому

      Nancy's Reads When do you move to Nor Cal? Maybe we can meet up and do this art assignment on each other's book collection!

    • @megmotherwort
      @megmotherwort 10 років тому +1

      (PS - all my books are about psychology or Buddhism or Buddhist psychology... there are some good titles in there!)

  • @busvlogger
    @busvlogger 9 років тому +2

    I've finally done my first assignment! I have three other video projects pending that I should edit first, but I'm too excited about my book clusters! Can't wait for you to see them!

  • @allisonholley2751
    @allisonholley2751 10 років тому +1

    Christian Marclay was mentioned! I recently saw part of The Clock, which is a film he made that runs 24 hours, with each minute lining up to a time in various movies all cut together. It's absolutely fascinating.

  • @AndreaMGC
    @AndreaMGC 10 років тому

    This is probably my favourite Art Assignment video yet. Such a fantastic idea!!!

  • @nadiact-ie5hy
    @nadiact-ie5hy 10 років тому +33

    I really want Sarah and John to do this for each other (Hank and Katherine too).

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому +8

      That reminds me, I don't think we've seen Hank do The Art Assignment!

    • @orangeskarmory
      @orangeskarmory 4 роки тому +1

      Well, it's happening tomorrow on a live stream if you are still interested! Sarah and John at least lol

    • @sherrysung8334
      @sherrysung8334 4 роки тому

      ua-cam.com/video/r7bBNAhYh7w/v-deo.html

  • @jessherselfable
    @jessherselfable 10 років тому

    I'm so excited! I've actually seen her Flemish bathroom portraits before! This is the first time I've recognized an Art Assignment artist's work before! :) I also really dig this assignment.

  • @NathanAndRose
    @NathanAndRose 10 років тому +4

    Rose and I live in Lawrence! The Burroughs house is really cool. I wish we knew this was going on so we could have met Nina while she was in town! I'll have to talk with her more in depth about her experience with Burroughs's collection. I would be fascinated to hear what she has to say about what she learned. He was such an interesting man, especially when he lived here near the end of his life.
    And Rose and I will definitely be doing this assignment with each other's libraries!
    -Nathan

  • @davidshi451
    @davidshi451 10 років тому +6

    So, not only can literature be art, but art can be literature too!

    • @ARTiculations
      @ARTiculations 10 років тому +1

      I guess that answers my question lol

  • @doorrraaaa
    @doorrraaaa 10 років тому +2

    if only this assignement was out one month ago, we had clean my grandparent´s intire book colection from their house once they have died some time ago...
    Trough it was really a way to know they better, lots of weird books i never thought they would be interested. I discovered so many books about hypnotism and OFOs!

    • @doorrraaaa
      @doorrraaaa 10 років тому

      UFOs*

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +3

      That's the first thing I thought of with this assignment as well. I would have loved to have done this with any of my grandparents' book collection.

  • @kathrayres
    @kathrayres 10 років тому +5

    What I might try and do is create a caricature of different sections of my university library by stacking multiple narratives from several different sections as well as a general stack that encompasses the character of the collection. I think it's interesting what libraries collect, since their contents are reflections of the people who curate them over the years.

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому

      That's so true, every library is different...

  • @davidshi451
    @davidshi451 10 років тому +1

    Oh man oh man oh man… the smell of old books. As Faber from Fahrenheit 451 said, they smell almost like spices of nutmeg. Even though the odor is usually just mold or mites :)

  • @Lintukoko
    @Lintukoko 10 років тому +2

    This is an amazing art assignment! What a great idea. You can also create straight up poetry with very cool fonts-you can be sure the things you would say loudly are big or bold etc!

  • @amys3168
    @amys3168 10 років тому +1

    I love her work! Great video, thanks!

  • @waterharp
    @waterharp 10 років тому

    I think its so amazing the art assignment replies to all their comments!

  • @patriciaschulz6253
    @patriciaschulz6253 9 років тому +4

    "Everyone's favorite comedian Michel Foucault" made me laugh out loud.

  • @TylerMayMedia
    @TylerMayMedia 10 років тому +2

    I think this is the most interesting assignment. It will definitely be great to see what people come up with.

  • @theyxaj
    @theyxaj 10 років тому +1

    I'm really excited to do this Art Assignment! Since I'm on a college campus, I hope I can look at the concentrated collections of readers and have fun with their books.

  • @davidshi451
    @davidshi451 10 років тому +1

    There's so much in this episode, that it warrants a second viewing...and a third, and fourth viewing...

  • @EasterWitch
    @EasterWitch 10 років тому +1

    I really liked Nina's definition of art.

  • @gcsilmoldor
    @gcsilmoldor 10 років тому +2

    Oh, this I can do....just have to wait until I get my hands on their books...gives me time to plan. :)

  • @cowgirlcurtis
    @cowgirlcurtis 10 років тому +1

    ah! i love nina katchadourian's work! this one makes me particularly excited. :)

  • @DavidTheriaultTeacher
    @DavidTheriaultTeacher 8 років тому

    Thank you so much for making these. My three English classes just completed the Fake Flyer and loved it. I can't wait to try this one out with them.

  • @plantycassy
    @plantycassy 4 роки тому

    I’ve already completed one. I LOVE this assignment. I’m just having so much fun with it

  • @elmo2488
    @elmo2488 10 років тому +1

    Haven't watched this in a while and glad I checked this video out. Interesting ideas

  • @erinfiles5862
    @erinfiles5862 10 років тому

    This is a fantastic assignment! I can't wait to get started!

  • @Chandlerbeanable
    @Chandlerbeanable 9 років тому

    This is one of my favorite art assignments yet.

  • @sophblueberry
    @sophblueberry 8 років тому

    I love how she articulated what art was to her!

  • @RockTheMatYoga
    @RockTheMatYoga 10 років тому +3

    "Everybody's favourite comedian" - LOL!!!

  • @Grayhome
    @Grayhome 10 років тому +5

    Question for Sarah: How do you choose how to contextualize these assignments? The comparison between the current assignment and art movements/ artists from the past is always so spot on, and probably affects the work of those who submit to TAA.

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +14

      I always talk about it with the artists when I interview them, but then I just mull on it for a while and do some reading. Sometimes I have something in mind from the start, and sometimes I get STUCK. But it's one of my favorite things about making this show--I love drawing from my formal and informal education, and also continuing it by learning about new things however I can. Artists always give me the best ideas, though.

    • @timbrown1446
      @timbrown1446 9 років тому

      The Art Assignment The Art Assignment has added a wonderful source that makes current artist's vision and assignments open a path to other artist's work, some whose work was unknown to me. My adult daughter and I have had wonderful conversations about art, we create art together and are exposing my grandchildren to the making of grandma/daughter/grandchildren art together. Thank you! I look forward to every video.

  • @NeilSonOfNorbert
    @NeilSonOfNorbert 9 років тому +4

    i just recently had a thought, you could theoretically use anything with a title on the spine, like CDs or DVDs or even audiobook(of which I have a tonne).

  • @dillmatt
    @dillmatt 10 років тому +1

    That cat with the deep meow is hilarious

  • @TwinkTwinkle
    @TwinkTwinkle 10 років тому +1

    'What is art? Close observation' (in your pants). It's too good to not point out.

  • @BrianHutzellMusic
    @BrianHutzellMusic 4 роки тому

    3:53 I love the cut-up technique, and have used it in quite a bit of my recent songwriting. David Bowie was also a fan. He wrote the lyrics for both “Heroes” and “Life on Mars” this way.

  • @EkimberleyA
    @EkimberleyA 10 років тому

    I think this may be the first art assignment that I take part in... although I think I'm going to do a self portrait (I just moved so I have to sort my books anyway, because they are still in boxes) and it's a really appealing project to me

  • @scabiniful
    @scabiniful 10 років тому

    aw man! I just helped a friend sort through and donate all her books a week ago. if only I had known about this assignment earlier. ):

  • @marysrinivas913
    @marysrinivas913 10 років тому

    This one is going to be fun!

  • @123blueapple
    @123blueapple 10 років тому

    It would be really interesting to see Sarah and Johns interpretation of the assignments. Maybe get Henry involved too!

  • @AlphaSerif
    @AlphaSerif 10 років тому +21


    Must not say, "in your pants."
    Must not say, "in your pants."
    Must not say, "in your pants."
    ...

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому +1

      Oh, you do us proud, AlphaSerif. Do us proud. :)

    • @lorenabpv
      @lorenabpv 10 років тому +1

      AlphaSerif i know the feeling

  • @puupipo
    @puupipo 10 років тому +3

    One thing that makes this assignment really cool (and wasn't discussed in the video) is that there is a large but finite number of different books in the world and it is probable that some books will appear multiple times within the stacks of books people sort for this assignment. But which ones? That's an interesting question, because it's not all about the popularity of the book. You also have to consider the title, the author (my guess is that John Green might appear more than once - or twice ;)), the size of the book, the design and typography of the book's spine, when it was published, where it was published, the number of copies...

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja 10 років тому

      Joonas Puuppo How visible the title is on the spine definitely plays a role in which titles "stand out" when going through the books.

  • @ragnkja
    @ragnkja 10 років тому +17

    Must it be the library of an individual? You see, I work at a library.
    I also just had an idea: Could this be an interesting way of exhibiting books? (A downside of it is that people might feel that borrowing a book from it may take away from the exhibit.)

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому +10

      You know, libraries themselves all have their own characteristics and personalities, that might be interesting to see…Or even stacking just books that have been recently returned by people! For a book display, showing a photo of the stack alongside it might be helpful.

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja 10 років тому +2

      David Shi The photo idea is a good one!
      Sticking to the carts of recently returned books would be an interesting challenge, but in those cases it'll have to be in Norwegian, since the vast majority of books we lend are in Norwegian. I'll probably also want to make a few stacks entirely from books in English to share online. =)

    • @ragnkja
      @ragnkja 10 років тому +2

      David Shi As a way of exhibiting books, this is sort of related to something we've previously done, which is selecting books entirely based on words in their titles, like "snow", "ice" and "rain". The books that ended up on display then were quite an eclectic collection. =)

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +5

      Completely up to you! If you are excited about an idea, I think you should definitely follow it.

    • @avedic
      @avedic 3 роки тому +1

      I work in a used bookstore, and will often shelve books next to each other to tell a story/make a comment.
      For instance...we had a Trump bio. Shelved under S - T in bios. Well, in the S - T shelves there were also books titled: Fairy Tale Interrupted, Turning White, Confessions of a Sociopath, Little Failure, American Warlord, Against All Hope, Crazy for God. And so I shelved those books to the left and right of Trump's book. Just a tiny way for me to fuck with people and have a little fun. Kinda crazy though how those titles happened to conveniently be in the same section as the Trump book. It was like the universe was begging for me to make the connection. ;P

  • @onlyisai
    @onlyisai 10 років тому +1

    So this question doesn't pertain to exactly this video, but at the end of each video who guys give a brief explanation of the assignment and you play this nice little tune & I LOVE IT! lol. What is it?? :)

  • @duckpondwithoutducks
    @duckpondwithoutducks 10 років тому

    Definitely want to do this one!

  • @paulidin
    @paulidin 10 років тому +1

    Oh, gosh, I would really like to do this one! I'll have to start asking people if I can access their libraries (and interview them)!

  • @janathecookie
    @janathecookie 10 років тому +6

    Oh, I would love to do this with my dad's library (which is 95 percent science fiction so it might be interesting to see how that could relate back to his life)! Why did this assignment have to come up now though? I just moved away and won't be back there for a year... :(

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +8

      There is no due date on these! Please keep this in your back pocket for whenever it is you're back around your dad's books.

  • @sofivear
    @sofivear 10 років тому

    This is so cool !!! :D

  • @stevennewlin8640
    @stevennewlin8640 2 роки тому

    What a fun idea.

  • @yugiohsc
    @yugiohsc 10 років тому

    I used to do this in elementary school! :)

  • @davidshi451
    @davidshi451 10 років тому +1

    Speaking of archives, Mike Rugnetta is right--we really do need a better archive of the Internet, in the hands of scholars, not just companies. Think of the famous diary of Samuel Pepys, whose diary is one of the most important primary sources of his time period: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Pepys

  • @ThePixielights
    @ThePixielights 10 років тому +2

    I Love the art assignment, and the music at the opening and end of the video is just adorable!!! Is there any chance we will be able to download the music at some point?

  • @PsychoticBambi
    @PsychoticBambi 10 років тому +6

    I really like the art assignment, but it would be nice to have a few of the assignments be from other kinds of artists, not just fine art.
    As an illustrator myself, it's disheartening that when people talk about Art, they usually only discuss the type to be found on traditional museums or modern art galleries - art that is used for distinct purposes is so often looked down upon as not being as deep or meaningful as fine art, despite the fact that ot requires just as much skill, patience and devotion.
    I would love to have a product design assignment that asks you to dedign and make a simple object that you have always wanted, an illustration assignment that encompasses your life thus far in a singal image, a textiles assignment that encourages you to design and sew a quilt made up of all of the hobbies which you partake in.
    I dunno, I just love the practical arts and would love to see more videos about them c:

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +4

      An assignment with an illustrator is in the works, and I'll certainly think about approaching designers as well. We're only 13 assignments in, and there are so many possibilities with this project. Thanks for your input, and I'll continue to try to broaden the scope!

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому

      Would you say that there's much of a distinction from art and graphic design? From what I learned in school, graphic design is supposed to convey one message to many people, while art usually directs many messages to different people. What do you think?

    • @yesknopemaybe
      @yesknopemaybe 10 років тому

      I really like those suggestions. The rug assignment was a little like the quilt idea and it was one of my favorite assignments so far.

  • @MercenaryPen
    @MercenaryPen 10 років тому

    Would be very interesting to see John and Sarah take this assignment on themselves...

  • @idatrobs8322
    @idatrobs8322 10 років тому +5

    I'm from Germany so I pobably will only find german books (which makes this really clever title thing a bit less cool for anyone who does not speak german)...should I do this Art Assignment anyway?

  • @sourisdebibliotheque
    @sourisdebibliotheque 10 років тому

    I wish someone would like to do this in my library!

  • @avedic
    @avedic 3 роки тому

    lol...I do this all the time. I work in a used bookstore, and will often shelve books next to each other to tell a story/make a comment.
    For instance...we had a Trump bio. Shelved under S - T in bios. Well, in the S - T shelves there were also books titled: Fairy Tale Interrupted, Turning White, Confessions of a Sociopath, Little Failure, American Warlord, Against All Hope, Crazy for God. And so I shelved those books to the left and right of Trump's book. Just a tiny way for me to fuck with people and have a little fun. Kinda crazy though how those titles happened to conveniently be in the same section as the Trump book. It was like the universe was begging for me to make the connection. ;P

  • @AbhijeetBorkar
    @AbhijeetBorkar 10 років тому +11

    How can someone tell from the first shot that it's not Brooklyn?

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +7

      Haha. I thought that, too! I was imagining the camera zoomed out a bit more, showing the pretty sizable yard surrounding me. There are certainly many residential areas of Brooklyn, so touché!

    • @AbhijeetBorkar
      @AbhijeetBorkar 10 років тому

      The Art Assignment
      My confusion comes from the fact that I've never visited the USofA. :)

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +14

      Oh, hah :) Brooklyn is much more dense than Lawrence, Kansas. Sorry to make assumptions. I am very glad you are watching from wherever you are!

    • @AbhijeetBorkar
      @AbhijeetBorkar 10 років тому +5

      That makes sense now! Thank you for clarification & Greetings from Germany :)

    • @CandleAshes
      @CandleAshes 9 років тому

      The Art Assignment That house looks straight out of Ditmas Park.

  • @ljmastertroll
    @ljmastertroll 10 років тому +2

    This is very cool. I fear I might end up stacking cat books though.

  • @solotraveljournal.
    @solotraveljournal. 10 років тому +1

    I think I am going to do it as my first art assignment! Still thinking......

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому +1

      Go for it! Remember, there are no due dates :)

    • @solotraveljournal.
      @solotraveljournal. 10 років тому +1

      Thanks for letting me know!! Will do it!

  • @livinggreen7630
    @livinggreen7630 4 роки тому

    I would love to buy your book but I don't know how much that costs in naira and for delivering to Nigeria?

  • @maellestbelle
    @maellestbelle 10 років тому

    I was wondering if there is going to be a third one..

  • @trayseekay
    @trayseekay 10 років тому +2

    Those are some pretty realistic Cat noises. Impressive :)

  • @Ariel-ps8je
    @Ariel-ps8je 10 років тому

    I woud love to do this with john and sarah's library

  • @sabineceotto3677
    @sabineceotto3677 10 років тому +6

    "Everyone's favourite comedian, Michel Foucault". Were you making fun of the fact that Michel Foucault's awfully depressing ? Or did I hear it wrong ?

  • @DearestClaudio
    @DearestClaudio 10 років тому

    I didn't have enough books to make three stacks, so i just made one.

  • @SilentPoet666
    @SilentPoet666 10 років тому

    I live in Lawrence!

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому +2

      Lawrence was awesome! We had a really good time there.

  • @laurenberend8797
    @laurenberend8797 9 років тому

    Will there be any highlights from this video?

  • @KatieRose1147
    @KatieRose1147 10 років тому +1

    John, if you're reading this…did you just…meow?

  • @patriciaoppenheim5965
    @patriciaoppenheim5965 10 років тому

    Where do I upload my art assignment if I don't have an instagram account?

    • @theartassignment
      @theartassignment  10 років тому

      If not Instagram, then Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, or UA-cam--just be sure to use #theartassignment or we won't find it.

  • @bes538
    @bes538 10 років тому +1

    There are a lot of these if you browse the #bookspinepoem tag on instagram :)

  • @HollyAnn555
    @HollyAnn555 10 років тому +1

    Just a comment - I found the background music made it difficult to hear what the artist was saying in this video.

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому

      Fair point. Videos are just as much auditory experiences as they are visual.

  • @Xenolilly
    @Xenolilly 10 років тому +4

    Another one that requires interaction with other people. Noooo. Just kidding. I am determined to complete all of them at some point. Someone somewhere, but not too far, will do the meet in the middle with me. Someday, I'll spend long enough time in public to do the stakeout and maybe just maybe this one can get done too.

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому +2

      Take your time, we'll be listening when you're ready. The interaction that is required can be really interesting, and perhaps even healing:
      www.bbc.com/news/health-21900202

  • @TheBenDrake
    @TheBenDrake 10 років тому +6

    you had one job, KATCHADOURIAN.

    • @SarahPiperNZ
      @SarahPiperNZ 10 років тому

      So glad I wasn't the only one thinking this.

    • @TheBenDrake
      @TheBenDrake 10 років тому +1

      i didn't see any other comments on it when i clicked on the video, so i felt obliged to make the comment.

    • @i3vaT0o
      @i3vaT0o 6 років тому

      Yesss I was looking for this

  • @vartebedk
    @vartebedk 10 років тому

    Nina Katchadourian isn't even in charge of the door!

  • @ARTiculations
    @ARTiculations 10 років тому +1

    Hmm I have a person in mind who's library I want to do. But he only reads e-books lol. I guess it would be pretty hard to stack those.

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому +1

      You could imagine what his stack would look like, perhaps?

    • @nadiact-ie5hy
      @nadiact-ie5hy 10 років тому +4

      Maybe draw what you imagine the books to look like or go online and find pictures of them.

    • @ARTiculations
      @ARTiculations 10 років тому +1

      nadiact1000 David Shi good idea!

    • @Readera
      @Readera 10 років тому +1

      Go to a bookstore and stack them up!

  • @levanoa
    @levanoa 10 років тому

    From the people I know only I have an English book collection, I live in Georgia and everyone has Georgian books and it'll be hard to translate the meaning of every title in English so my subscribers/followers can understand.

    • @davidshi451
      @davidshi451 10 років тому

      Sounds like a bit of a challenge… but it should be worth it!

    • @janathecookie
      @janathecookie 10 років тому +2

      Or just do your own library. It says "a person you know or would like to get to know better". That could be you. :)

  • @marcnathanielr.agcaoili6781
    @marcnathanielr.agcaoili6781 7 років тому

    SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING THE DOOR.

  • @livinggreen7630
    @livinggreen7630 4 роки тому

    Or is there an eBook? I actually prefer physical books over eBooks.

  • @nolanthiessen1073
    @nolanthiessen1073 10 років тому +3

    DFTBA

  • @shantideruyter4964
    @shantideruyter4964 9 років тому

    Say hello to Sam and Dean for me.

  • @crashkidd34
    @crashkidd34 9 років тому

    yeah. no.