Hello All!
Since this is our last week on the blog I wanted to ask you how your perspective on the translation of art has changed since being in this class. I know that this class has broadened my perspective on the translation of art, and I am interested in seeing how this class has affected your perspective! I know this is a pretty open ended question so have fun sharing your thoughts!
Looking forward to reading your posts!
-Priscilla
11 comments:
I basically thought that translating art went from book to movie, maybe poem to song, but that was about it. I did not really think that someone could get a story from a painting or that translations could have a lot of creative rights. I was one of those people that sort of got offended whenever the movie changed the book, whether the change was small or drastic, and now I’d rather see a change because I don’t necessarily want to see the same thing over and over again. I want to see how inspired people become once they are subject to the original piece of work. I like thinking that a piece of art is capable of opening new thoughts and ideas to others that would have otherwise done something that might have been less productive.
Before taking this class, I only saw adaptations to be from movie to book or book to movie. I has been really interesting to explore the different types of translations that are really out there. I was especially intrigued by the painting to poem portion of class. I would have never considered looking at a portrait then deciding to write a poem about it. It's really neat to look at other people's perspective on original works and what they change in the adaptation. I think reading Wicked and seeing the musical was also a really great learning experience. It helped me learn how to better critique adaptations since there were so many differences to explore as well as to learn how to understand the adapter's reasoning for the change. That is something that many people have a hard time with in adaptations. We always hear, "they didn't follow the book enough" or "they didn't include this part!" I have a greatly changed perspective on adaptations in that I can understand and critique the reasons as to why there were similarities and changes. One really good thing was making our own adaptation. Now, I am much more open to change because I know how it feels to be the adapter.
I've really come to appreciate the challenges translators face when they want to change a piece of art into another medium. I'm taking an English class right now called Documentary Non-Fiction, and one thing we talk about it how different media can change the message being presented (e.g. how do audiences experience things differently through film, writing, photos, etc.). It's been interesting looking at not only how the medium effects the experience (I'm thinking "Wicked" in book vs. musical form) but also how it necessarily effects the message or story, because every medium is limited in ways.
I thought about this most with "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"; the changes made were big ones, but I also really appreciated the difficulty of working with a memoir.
Claudia: I agree. I never considered art-inspired poetry or music; I think it's because we most often encounter books translated into movies, at least in pop culture.
I wanted to talk a bit about my final project. I'm writing a short story inspired by a photograph. At first I wasn't sure how easy or difficult it would be, because it's hard to think a single image could inspire a 15-20 page story. I've really enjoyed seeing where my imagination goes, and how my story evolves, based simply on the thoughts and feelings an image can evoke. I'm also fascinated at how a story can evolve, and how characters and places can grow out of one photograph. It's also cool to think that if I'd never seen that photo, the story I've written wouldn't exist.
That's something I think I'll definitely take away from this class: knowing that, with all of the challenges (artistic, legal, moral or otherwise) they present, translations are a great way to cultivate artistic expression. A theatre professor has said that "all theatre-makers are thieves", and I think this applies to all artists; we scavengar around, picking and choosing things from different artists in order to create something new.
Well when I signed up for this class I knew I would learn a lot because I've never been prominent in art or music...as a biology major I pretty much stick to the sciences. Needless to say I was nervous if I would be able to keep up with everyone's creativity and understanding. I've come away with a lot knowledge as well as first time experiences. In high school I had been in a couple plays but was never serious about performing and because of this class I got to watch my first Broadway play and see how amazing stage musicals are. This class also taught me about spoken poetry as an art form which I had never considered, I loved watching the Poetry Slam video. I had always thought of translating art in the context of taking a book and turning it into a play or film, yet we explored art translated into paintings, poems translated into Blue's songs, musicals translated into film, the same song being translated simply by changing the context of a music video, and so much more.
For my final project I thought it would be cool to tackle a translation we have yet to see, translating a book into a series of photographs that take you on a journey. So far, I'm really pleased with how it's turned out and it is because of what I have learned in this class that has given me the skills to put it together. I've also learned to appreciate different art forms as they draw on different senses. I know also see the importance in the freedom to be able to express yourself as is fit without harming the integrity of the author (as seen with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). All in all I feel I broadened my knowledge of what translating art really is.
I think that this class has really made me think about translations in terms beyond books and movies. It has forced me to look at translation outside the box.
This class has helped me have a better understanding for the idea of translating in general.
As a dancer I draw inspiration from the world around me and I see how that is done in everyday life with things beyond just art.
I learned a lot of really interesting things that I wouldn't have ever even taken into account when reading or watching a translation. I learned how to enjoy translations from a different perspective. Instead of criticizing the translations, now I think about it and question the creator. Why did he/she change this certain thing or how does this change the original work's main purpose. This class has been a great experience. I also got to watch Gerard, not in one, but TWO movies!! :)
I got to experience and analyze music that I would have probably never listened to on my own. It broadened my horizons quiet a bit, and like a couple of you have already mentioned I was surprised that poetry could be inspired by art. It really amazes me how just about every art form can be translated.
It made me appreciate translation more. Now I notice more translated pieces, like I just met an author who translates Shakespeare stories into modern ones. I am able to discuss the process better since I have delved into it.
I personally have really enjoyed getting a broader perspective on how things are translated and what people think about these translations. This is going to sound entirely egocentric, but I always subconsciously assumed that everyone felt the same way about works being translated, but after being in this class it's clear that people have incredibly different opinions and approaches to both translating, and the translations they have been exposed to. I really enjoyed being exposed to the different view points as well as the different translations of pieces that we studied. Particularly with Wicked, as that was the comparison that surprised me the most.
Thank you all for your comments! I know that I have learned a lot from this class too. Like Cladia, Candace, Sarah, and others I didn't even realize the many different mediums that could be involved in a translation. I know that I have seen or heard of translations outside of the "traditional" book to movie genre, but I had failed to notice them prior to this class. Now I see translations popping up all over the place and I feel like I am able to have a more objective opinion of them. I take more time to think on the individual qualities of the works and acknowledge the difficulties associated with each medium rather than just comparing the differences between the original and the adapted piece.
I would definitely say that my perspective on translations has changed because of this class. This mainly has to deal with my final project and translating my own work.
I used to think, "Oh, how lazy. They just took that person's idea and changed x, y and z." Now I think, "Wow, it's A LOT of work just to change x, y and z." I had never really put much thought into translations.
Now that I have been on the other side, I commend those who attempt to translate the work of others.
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