wjustice /Lips_1.1

Lips 1.1 is study of American speech and rhetoric through a series of short video pieces that attempts to interpret highly iterated examples of found language that may exemplify and impact Western/Globalized society as a whole. In order to provide an experience that aims to facilitate a closer re-examination by the audience, the diction is neutralized and re-contextualized through selection, treatment, and enunciation of the subjects. Using the Macintosh Speech Synthesizer, the texts have been auditorily dehumanized thus neutralizing tone, removing the original context, and regulating enunciation quite robotically. Sometimes there are multiple synthesized voices accompanied by neutral tones while other times there may be only a single speaker between pauses of silence. The piece, “Stupid White Men”, confronts the issue of the war in Iraq through the use of a text from a televised interview exchange between conservative celebrity persona, Bill O’Reilly, and filmmaker-documentarian, Michael Moore. “Round” focuses on actual lyrics from highly iterated American commercial hip-hop songs. “Act 5, Scene 5” restages a familiar Shakespearian meta-theatrical moment while “Personal Testament” focuses on cosmetics advertising rhetoric from media ad campaigns.

Introduction

Text: Written
Will Justice
2007

Stupid White Men

Stupid White Men
Text: Fox Transcript, Bill O'Reilly and Michael Moore
Will Justice
2007

Round

Round
Text: Selected Mainstream Rap Lyrics
Will Justice
Starring: Paloma Henriques
2007

Act 5 Scene 5

Act 5 Scene 5
Text: Macbeth, Shakespeare
Will Justice
2007

Personal Testament

Personal Testament
Text: Selected Cosmetics Advertisements
Will Justice
2007

Dog is Daed

Dog is Daed
Text: Men's Bathroom Graffiti
Will Justice
2007

To You, Rochester

To You, Rochester
Text: Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
Will Justice
2007