2018: An Entangled World

Art & Music

Braving the Distance

Introductory Questions

    • Do you tend to listen to music or appreciate art (from sculptures to Snaps) by yourself, or is there always an impulse to share what you enjoy with others?
    • How do different media express emotions like fondness and love in different ways? Is there a best way to evoke them? What about negative emotions, such as dislike?
    • In what ways can art and music allow people to connect and interact across cultures, or even across time?
    • When exploring each of these selected works, consider the contexts in which they were created. How can art and music reflect the culture and society of the times in which they were created?
    • Is it possible to "own" an doodle, or a melody, or a sketch? To what extent are laws about intellectual property and fair use able to be upheld justly?

Set I | Everyday Entanglement

Set II | Beyond Space and Time

Set III | When Worlds Collide

Set IV | Caught Up in the Knots

Guiding Questions

    • Consider Marc Chagall’s take on Cubism. How can art be used to depict memories, and can different styles of art evoke the past in different ways?
    • Take a look at this modern parody of a classic artwork, and discuss: does such a recreation honor and immortalize the original work, or does it diffuse its cultural impact? If you were in Vermeer’s position, would you be happy with it?
    • Look through this project created by two artists and lovers. Note how, on their about page, they say that “the message inside each artwork becomes stronger as it is reproduced by the audiences”. Is this true? Is art more powerful when it’s not just relatable, but potentially recreatable?
    • Are there any downsides to the padlock metaphor—and is it right for cities to encourage such installations?
    • Over the years, the “Happy Birthday” song has been translated into dozens of languages, permeating into different cultures worldwide. How did this process take place? What is unique about each version, and what (if anything) do they all share?
    • The Amen Break is only the most famous musical sample of all time, having inspired everything from the entire genre of drum ‘n’ bass to the Powerpuff Girls theme song. What is it about this drum fill that inspires people to sample it in so many styles? And is it ethical to do so, considering the original drummer never received any royalties for it?
    • Is your city featured in this video? Watch this man goofily dance in cities across the world (including some of our Global Round locations!) and discuss the implications of the fact that so many people from disparate cultures came together to make this happen. Can we consider dance to be a universal language?
    • Listen to You Will Be Found, and discuss with your team: what does it mean to need to be found? Would something like the Connor Project be realistic in today's world, and how can (and should) we use social (or other forms of) media to help those who might need to be found?