People's blogs I've commented on!

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If WEEK ONE, TWO and THREE posts are not visible, they may have been pushed back to the second page ---> "older posts"

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Week 1 - 5 (Katie Jun)  http://katie-jun.blogspot.com/

Week 6 (Anthony Kim) http://cadi2011anthony.blogspot.com/

Week 1 - 4 (Eijun Kosho) http://eijun-asian.blogspot.com/

Week 5 - 6 (Debby Wei) http://xiaoweilol.blogspot.com/

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WEEK SIX: ANISH KAPOOR'S SCULPTURES .

"Yellow" 1999

1.Research Kapoor's work in order to discuss whether it is conceptual art or not. Explain your answer, using a definition of conceptual art.

I remember seeing Kapoor's Chicago installation, 'Cloud Gate' (2004) in images on the internet as well as in the movie "Source Code".  

"Conceptual Art" is a contemporary form of artistic representation, in which a specific concept or idea, often personal, complex and inclusive, takes shape in an abstract, nonconforming manner, based upon a negation of aesthetic principles." (Conceptual Art, 2005)

Basically with conceptual art, the idea behind the final product is the most key thing. Whether it is aesthetically pleasing or not is of the least importance.

After a bit of research on Karpoor's works and his statements, I realized that he sometimes seems to be on the fence between wanting his final work to look good,  and confounding the viewer with the thousand meanings behind his more abstract pieces.

For him, removing all the seams from Cloud Gate was necessary in order to make the sculpture seem as though it was "perfect" and ready-made.

I think he considers the visual aspect of his sculptures much more than that of the concept sometimes. But many of his works are abstract, hence leans more to the conceptual side.

2. Research 3 quite different works by Kapoor from countries outside New Zealand to discuss the ideas behind the work. Include images of each work on your blog.

Cloud Gate (2004)

The 110-ton elliptical sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect Chicago’s famous skyline and the clouds above. A 12-foot-high arch provides a "gate" to the concave chamber beneath the sculpture, inviting visitors to touch its mirror-like surface and see their image reflected back from a variety of perspectives.
Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture is among the largest of its kind in the world, measuring 66-feet long by 33-feet high. (Explore Chicago, 2011)

The smooth shiny surface of the sculpture warps the environment reflected upon it, resulting in a very surreal and dreamlike cityscape within the reflection. It looks as though if you leaned against it, you would sink in, entering the alternate world inside the bean shaped drop of mercury.

The sculpture has a mirror house effect, where you can go underneath and watch your own reflection warp into funny shapes. The  Cloud Gate is massive in size yet is designed to appear light and almost weightless.

My Red Homeland (2003)

Although the title of the exhibition “My Red Homeland” could potentially refer to his Indian birthplace, it actually refers to a much different field, namely: “my inner homeland”. As he explained on the day of opening, “I have always thought of the color red as a color of the center, like a path to emotional exploration”. Red is the color of blood, of passion and emotion; red is the color of meat, here turned into wax and Vaseline – organic but imperishable. (My Red Homeland, 2011)
There is a lot of spiritual questioning on identity and emotions between viewer and sculpture.
Kapoor used mainly organic and natural materials in order to produce this exhibition. He explained that 'red is the color of passion and emotion; red if the color of meat...'. Such colors and textures for me, are connotations of violence and movement, yet the the metal blade which slowly circulates makes the entire installation seem so peaceful. 

Shooting into the Corner (2008)

This is a very repetitive piece, an attendant fires a cannon at regular 20-minute intervals. Red wax shells shoot off into a corner of the room, creating a bloody splattered mess. Each shell weighs nearly ten kilograms and travels at about 80 kilometers an hour. As Anish Kapoor states, this work had its roots in his student days:

"I came at this in a very strange way, in the sense that I made a work when I was an art student, which had a gun in it - or a cannon in it. But it wasn’t really about shooting at all. What I wanted to do was occupy the space between the center of the room and the edge of the room and I wondered if I might do that by shooting at it. So we manufactured these pellets and I set up this very melodramatic process that shot from the center of the room into the corner." (Anish Kapoor. Shooting into the Corner, 2011)

There is a constant cycle of creation and destruction like in many of his wax works. 'Shooting in the Corner' gives viewers the satisfaction of watching new marks of wax appear each time. There is quite a bit of violence in this installation, (further supported by the color which most people associate with blood) yet the destructive nature of it is somewhat alluring and urges us to keep watching to see what happens. It's almost like when a serious car accident happens and you shouldn't look  but you can't help but look and find out the end - does the driver live?

3. Discuss the large scale site specific work that has been installed on a private site in New Zealand.

It seems like it would be better if it looked out of place, but it doesn't. The installation looks perfectly at home, placed on the green hills. The scale does not take over the natural landscape, but harmonizes instead.

4. Where is the Kapoor's work in New Zealand? What are its form and materials? What are the ideas behind the work?

"The Farm" is located in Kaipara Bay. It is made from red PVC, coated polyester fabric and steel to structure the frame. A main idea which he had behind it was to get the viewer to think about space and time, to create a relationship between themselves and those ideas. To me, "The Farm" looks like a blood vessel of a type of worm hole, it makes me want to venture in and touch the smooth interior.

"The Farm"

5. Comment on which work by Kapoor is your favourite, and explain why. Are you personally attracted more by the ideas or the aesthetics of the work? 

Truthfully, I'm more attracted to the aesthetics of Kapoor's works rather than by the concepts behind them. I really love the "Cloud Gate" sculpture. Its dramatic size does not overbear the location but still is big enough to make a statement. I think I could sit all day under it, mesmerized by its reflective surface, imagining my self emerging from the other side into the other world, through the looking glass.




>The Cloud Gate
www.billslater.com/cloudgate  

>Conceptual Art
www.caroun.com/Art/ConceptualArt/ConceptualArt.html 

>Kapoor Sculpture, Kaipara Harbour, NZ (2009)http://www.compusoftengineering.com/projects/kapoor-sculpture-kaipara-harbour-nz 
>L. Jessica  (2008.11.30) Modern art is rubbish
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/artblog/2008/jun/13/modernartisrubbish 

>Anish Kapoor at the Royal Academy (2009)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=umVSGErfg8E


>Anish Kapoorhttp://bickersteth.blogspot.com/2009/11/anish-kapoor.html
 

>Anish Kapoor sculpture blends fabric and steel in New Zealandhttp://fabricarchitecturemag.com/articles/0110_sk_sculpture.html
 

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WEEK FIVE: Pluralism and the Treaty of Waitangi

1. Define the term 'pluralism' using APA.

Pluralism in art refers to the nature of artforms and artists as diverse. The cultural context of art is all encompassing in its respect for the art of the world's cultures. Inclusion of individuals of differing ethnicities, genders, ideologies, abilities, ages, religions, economic status and educational levels is valued. Pluralism honors differences within and between equitable groups while seeing their commonalities.

Cultural Context: Pluralism in Art Definition (Retrieved 10 July, 2009)

http://www.design.iastate.edu/NAB/about/thinkingskills/cultural_context/pluralism.html

2. How would you describe New Zealand's current dominant culture?

 New Zealand has a range of races mixed into one,  at the moment, there doesn't really seem to be a dominant one. But if we're talking about the main culture of New Zealand rather than the ratio of different ethnicities, then definitely Western. I think there was a lot of influence from the British, but nowadays thanks to the media, there are some American cultures being adapted as well. There is not much acknowledgment towards the Maori culture, sometimes I think that it is only just barely surviving because of the Tourism industry. We need to learn to appreciate and keep alive pieces of the original New Zealand.

3. Before 1840, what was New Zealand's dominant culture?

Before the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, Maoris were the dominant culture of New Zealand. The mini animations on  http://www.treatyofwaitangi.govt.nz  show the decrease in Maori population in the 'Trades' clip and also the 'Muskets'. The Maori traded land, food and natural resources for new technology and knowledge. The muskets ended up bringing nothing but bloodshed throughout both islands, resulting in a devastating loss of the Maori population.

4. How does the Treaty of Waitangi relate to us all as artists and designers working in New Zealand?

Traditional aspects of the Maori culture are actually quite widely used internationally, it's just that the Maori are not acknowledged in the process. To be able to create work which represents our society and culture, we need to be able to comprehend every little factor and history of it, not just simply use the outer shell without analyzing and appreciating what is inside. The Treaty is one of the main articles which enables artists and designers to add more depth and association to their works during the process.

5. How can globalization be seen as having a negative effect on regional diversity in New Zealand in particular?

Globalization is basically  the same as having everyone conforming, and to conform to something is to let yourself be ruled over and oppressed. Globalization attempts to bring everyone together as one, sure it would be good to get rid of discrimination, but what it does is it also ignores our differences when our differences are what actually brings us together as a whole. 

Hence, Globalization in New Zealand would have to go one way or another, make the Maori culture more stronger or completely wipe it out. The diverse cultures in New Zealand would become more limited than ever. With art and design, if the markets are globalized and materials and resources replaced, then what is left available to keep New Zealand art unique?

6. Shane Cotton's paintings are said to examine the cultural landscape. Research Cotton's work 'Welcome'(2004) and 'Forked Tongue' (2011) to analyze what he is saying about colonialization and the Treaty of Waitangi. 

Both of Cotton's works showcase a combination of modern techniques and also a deep understanding and appreciation of Maori culture and also acknowledgement of its relationship with the European society.  

"Welcome" (2004)

'Welcome' portrays an image of Jesus Christ, two fantail birds on either side and a native Maori mask underneath. The black and white contrast is much stronger with the Maori mask  and the fantail on the left, the same with Jesus's face and the fantail on the right, they both correspond to each other. I think that  the contrast was made more vivid with the mask and left bird, to imply how Maoris were the first to inhabit New Zealand. Jesus and the bird on the right are more faded, suggesting later arrival of the Europeans. The fact that Jesus is positioned at the top rather than next to the mask conveys the kind of inferiority complex there was when the Europeans and their missionaries first arrived in New Zealand, the Maori, who did not know a lot about the outside world were considered inferior to the Pakeha. The title itself is quite ironic as in the beginning, the European settlers were not that warmly welcomed.

"In paintings such as “Forked Tongue”, which features a cliff face, a fantail, some Maori designs and a tracery of red lines these symbols or metaphors become starting points for an elaboration on the links between the physical, historical and spiritual landscapes."

(- John Daly. National Business Review: Shane Cotton Paintings examine the natural landscapes. 2010)

"Forked Tongue" (2011)

'Forked Tongue', in contrast to 'Welcome' has a much stronger and darker color palette, covering the entire canvas with  blacks and reds. The red lines represent a route/map of where the Europeans traveled and settled. The combination of natural looking cliff textures and the vivid red lines depict the intertwining of Maori and Pakeha, I think the red also represents the musket wars which took place after the trade of technology for natural resources.

 7. Tony Albert's installation 'Sorry' (2008) reflect the effects of colonisation on the aboriginal people of Australia. Research the work and comment on what Albert is communicating through his work, and what he is referring to. Describe the materials that Albert uses on this installation and say what he hopes his work can achieve. Define the term 'kitsch'.  

"Sorry"  Tony Albert (2008)

Albert is communicating through the installation the apology of former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd made to the Indigenous Australians on 13 February 2008.  

 "Sorry commemorates the apology on 13 February 2008 by the former Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, to Indigenous Australians who have suffered as a result of ‘past mistreatment’ by the Government of Australia."   (21st Century Blog 2011)

'Sorry' recognizes the pain and suffering which the Aboriginal people have had to go through because of the Australian Government. Albert does not sympathize nor express racism in his installation, instead it is more like he is taking a silent stand for them, unable to do anything but still wanting to show that he believes that a better future is still possible.

"Yet, Tony Albert is neither championing hopeless blind optimism nor pessimism through his work. Aboriginal people have been offered many broken promises. Here, Albert and his army of kitsch faces, has taken this word on face value until real change is observed." (21st Century Blog 2011)

Kitsch is a form of art that is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value.

The concept is associated with the deliberate use of elements that may be thought of as cultural icons while making cheap mass produced objects that are unoriginal. Kitsch also refers to the types of art that are aesthetically deficient (whether or not being sentimental, glamorous, theatrical, or creative) and that make creative gestures which merely imitate the superficial appearances of art through repeated conventions and formulae. Excessive sentimentality  often is associated with the term.

 The contemporary definition of kitsch considered derogatory, denoting works executed to pander to popular demand alone and purely for commercial purposes rather than works created as self-expression by an artist.The term is generally reserved for unsubstantial and gaudy works that are calculated to have popular appeal and are considered pretentious and shallow rather than genuine artistic efforts.

The concept of kitsch is applied to artwork that was a response to the 19th century art with aesthetics that convey exaggerated sentimentality and melodrama hence, kitsch art is closely associated with sentimental art. (Kitsch, 2011)

8. Explain how the work of both artists relates to pluralism.
Both artists works relate to pluralism in the sense that they both portray stories and history within their art - socially and culturally. Their works also illustrate a combination of the past and present, using modern resources to produce their works and showing how many pieces of history today continue to influence the society around us.

>New Zealandwww.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/New-Zealand.html


>Shane Cotton Survey 1993-2003www.aucklandartgallery.com/whats-on/events/2004/may/shane-cotton-survey-1993-2003


>http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/shane-cotton-paintings-examine-cultural-landscape-126412


>(“Globalization”). 2011 Oxford Dictionaries.London.

>Kitschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsch
 

>Tony Alberthttp://qag.qld.gov.au/collection/indigenous_australian_art/tony_albert
 


> Flight Paths (July 14, 2007) The Listener, issue 3505. 
 http://www.listener.co.nz/culture/art/flight-paths/

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WEEK FOUR: Kehinde Wiley & INtertextuality .

Kehinde Wiley

1. Find a clear definition of Intertextuality and quote it accurately on your blog using the APA referencing system. Use your own words to explain the definition more thoroughly.

"The concept of intertextuality reminds us that each text exists in relation to others. In fact, texts owe more to other texts than to their own makers."

- Daniel Chandler

Chandler, D (2003) Semiotics for Beginners: Intertextuality. (Retrieved 9 Oct, 2003)

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem09.html

Intertextuality comes up around art quite a bit. It describes how nobody's art is truly original, no matter how skilled the artist. We experience it when viewing a work, knowing the inspiration and recognizing the references and influences behind it.

2. Research Wiley's work and write a paragraph that analyzes how we might make sense of his work. Identify intertextuality in Wiley's work.

Wiley is known for his amazing highly realistic and colorful paintings of African-American men clad in urban and hip hop-ish clothing. A lot of their poses are connotative of power and also class, but contrast strongly with the delicate flocked walls, rococo patterning and attention to detail. 

The people depicted in each work are mainly people he sees out in the streets. Wiley raises them to a new level, surrounding them with luxurious furs, placing them on top of magnificent horses or clothing them in what we could call, rad gangster clothing. And even if not all his works include them doing all those things, their placement in the bold Renaissance style works gives them status/power enough.

There is certainly a lot of intertextuality visible in his works, "Wiley creates a fusion of period styles, ranging from French Rococo, Islamic architecture and West African textile design to urban hip hop." 

3. Wiley's work relates to next week’s postmodern theme "PLURALISM". Read page 46 and discuss how the work relates to this theme.

I think Wiley's works relate to pluralism through mainly the replacement of Europeans by African Americans in the paintings, strongly supporting the idea of pluralism (through a postmodern perspective) and confronts the viewer with the age old social issues of discrimination against non- Caucasians, the belief from hundreds of years ago that any other culture could never make it to a higher class. With his paintings, there is a strong sense of want for racial equality. There seems to be a mixture of identities with the synthesis of different cultures, we see Renaissance and Baroque, styles from Europe yet the occupants of each work are different to what viewers may be usually used to seeing - this is basically the main core of what connects Wiley's works to pluralism.

4. Comment on how Wiley's work raises questions around social/cultural hierarchies , colonisation, globalisation, stereotypes and the politics which govern a western worldview. 

One of the main questions his works raised for me was, how come there is such a huge contrast between races? If race was never an issue, then the African-American men in these paintings wouldn't appear so out of place to viewers. What if before the Renaissance, there was no such thing as discrimination against skin color and black people were allowed to have their portraits painted too? I think what he is implying is that, the only type of contrast there should be is between time and style rather than ethnicity. 

Wiley's paintings question the role of the African-American in what has usually been a politics of aesthetics.

His paintings are basically a beautiful way of exposing the truth. The way that viewers think about race and masculinity are changed through them, the paintings which suggest that another world is possible.

5. Add some reflective comments of your own, which may add more information that you have read during your research.

Wiley's paintings are truly amazing. I really like them!

There is something very hearty about his works, they have a much warmer feel than that of the Renaissance paintings which appear a bit less vibrant,bleak. (perhaps the use of colors or due to the paint fading? I'm not sure.)

I also like how Wiley does not really choose his models, they simply come into view,

"He enjoyed watching people walk on 125th Street and felt that this main Harlem thoroughfare had a runway quality to it, with people displaying their beauty and style as they went about their daily activities."  - D.I.A. (Detroit Institute of Arts)

 

He is a really talented and intelligent artist. 

Wow, just wow.

> Artist: Kehinde Wileyhttp://artcreationstation.wordpress.com/2010/06/20/artist-kehinde-wiley/



>Kehinde Wiley Artist Profile

http://www.cretique.com/archives/4012

>What is Pluralism?http://pluralism.org/pages/pluralism/what_is_pluralism
 


>Kehinde Wileywww.artnet.com/awc/kehinde-wiley.html
 

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WEEK THREE: HussEIN Chalayan .

Hussein Chalayan

1. Chalayan’s works in clothing, like Afterwords (2000) and Burka (1996) are often challenging to both the viewer and the wearer. What are your personal responses to these works? Are Afterwords and Burka fashion, or are they art? What is the difference?

Not all clothing is fashion, so what makes fashion fashion?

According to the dictionary, fashion is described as style in clothes, cosmetics, behaviour, etc, especially the latest or most admired style. 

Hussein Chalayan's 'Burka' show in 1996 challenged a lot of ideas such as identity, modesty and femininity. All the models faces are concealed with mask and are dressed in different length Burkas with nothing underneath. Some wear nothing at all except for a pair of sandals and the mask.

This 'fashion show' is much more conceptual and thought provoking rather than fashion orientated. 

"Burka" 1996

 In my opinion, ''Burka'' is a piece which does not strongly associate with fashion, it is more art and conceptually based (while it still crosses a very thin line between fashion and art). Fashion is design and design is art, but the purpose of fashion is more so for aesthetic values and for acceptance inside society whereas art is set apart from its unique approaches and vivid statements made visually within. 

Are young girls in Islamic and Muslim cultures ever given a choice to wear or not wear the Burka? Or do they choose to wear it because of the society around them which have established it as normal and patriotic?

All the models wear basically the same thing, suggesting conformity and cultural oppression. 

"Afterwords" 2000

 I quite liked Chalayan's, 'Afterwords'. The combination of dense and soft materials result in an interesting ensemble, contrasting and harmonizing at the same time. He explains that he was inspired by the war period where residents yearned to take their homes with them when they evacuated yet could not. I think 'Afterwards' is more conceptual and experimental than fashionable. His works strongly associate with Post-Modernity - especially ''Burka'' where if asked why he did it, he would probably respond, 'Because I can.'

Overall, I think that fashion and art are more different than similar.
My logic -  If you can't wear it outside, it's not fashion.

 2. Chalayan has strong links to industry. Pieces like The Level Tunnel (2006) and Repose (2006) are made in collaboration with, and paid for by, commercial business; in these cases, a vodka company and a crystal manufacturer. How does this impact on the nature of Chalayan’s work? Does the meaning of art change when it is used to sell products? Is it still art?

When collaborated, art is still obviously art but becomes much more focused on the aesthetics than on the meaning. I think that when commissioned, there is less heart put into the final product because the artist will want to or be required by the company to create something that everyone will like, he/she cannot simply add their own quirky style to it (unless it is visually pleasing to all viewers alike) - the limits set in hinder the artist from giving the work more life.

"Level Tunnel" (2006)

Chalayan created "The Level Tunnel" for Level Vodka, manipulating certain areas of the 15x5m tunnel to excrete different scents, comprise of different  textures and sounds, all accessible to the blindfolded visitors. 

In collaboration with Swarovski, Chalayan was told to create a new form of chandelier which circulated around the main focus on light. 'Repose' is installed on wall and consists of a large wing lined in the middle with a band of blue LEDs which slowly moves up and down like that of a bird and a digital display clock which is fitted flat against the wall, indicating the speed of the movement of the flap. 

"Repose" (2006)

Although the collaborations were purely commercial (no matter how artsy the companies tried to sound), Chalayan did not lose his personal style in both commissions, both resulted in aesthetically pleasing works of art. It's just that compared to his other works, they were much easier to interpret.

3. Chalayan’s film Absent Presence screened at the 2005 Venice Biennale. It features the process of caring for worn clothes, and retrieving and analysing the traces of the wearer, in the form of DNA. This work has been influenced by many different art movements; can you think of some, and in what ways they might have inspired Chalayan’s approach? 

I think it has a strong connection to a very Post Modern perspective of the changing world - socially and scientifically. The film makes us question our identities and of our abilities to adapt into new environments, the world is constantly changing yet many of us are not. There may also be a bit of the enlightenment effect, through the more theological and scientific aspects in the film (DNA extraction and analysis to grow knowledge about an individual etc.)

4. Many of Chalayan’s pieces are physically designed and constructed by someone else; for example, sculptor Lone Sigurdsson made some works from Chalayan’s Echoform (1999) and Before Minus Now (2000) fashion ranges. In fashion design this is standard practice, but in art it remains unexpected. Work by artists such as Jackson Pollock hold their value in the fact that he personally made the painting. Contrastingly, Andy Warhol’s pop art was largely produced in a New York collective called The Factory, and many of his silk-screened works were produced by assistants. Contemporarily, Damien Hirst doesn’t personally build his vitrines or preserve the sharks himself. So when and why is it important that the artist personally made the piece?            why is this question so longgggg!?

One of the reasons I hate dislike Damien Hirst is because his "art" is sold for millions when 90% of them haven't been produced by himself.

With Chalayan's works, I think the most important thing is that his design is the result of the final product. I think nowadays a main reason as to why it is important that the artist personally creates a piece is name value.

Whether we like it or not, we have all been influenced at least once by high market items.              I remember asking five of my friends to select one of the two;

There are two perfume bottles in front of you, both have exactly the same ingredients, smell, texture, volume etc. The two of them are practically clones of each other, but one is from Chanel and the other from the Warehouse. The Warehouse is $150 cheaper than the Chanel. Which one do you pick? 

...and they all picked the luxury. Why?

>Would you wear a Burka?http://www.dontpaniconline.com/magazine/style/would-you-wear-a-burka
 

>Hussein Chalayan - Burka (1996)
http://ilikecatsmorethanpeople.blogspot.com/2010/11/hussein-chalayan-burka-1996.html
 

>Hussein Chalayan - Afterwords (2000)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE07_aFF4no
 

>Hussein Chalayan - Aftewords
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=1964


 
>Maculinity and Femininity: Society's Different Divedend
http://web2.iadfw.net/ktrig246/out_of_cave/mf.html


 
>The LEVEL tunnel
http://www.behance.net/gallery/The-LEVEL-Tunnel-%28Absolut-Vodka-Hussein-Chalayan%29/701114

 
>Level tunnel installation by Hussein Chalayanhttp://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/10/view/2858/level-tunnel-installation-by-hussein-chalayan.html


 
>Swarovski Elements: Hussein Chalayan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgHe8nEmGdw


 
>Design Boom: Hussein Chalayan
http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/chalayan.html

 

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