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Alrighty, here we go. Trying to branch out with something different here.
Big thanks to Dr_Leonard, DrBleep, Leveritas, 9Volt, and trennerdios for looking at this.
Is this commentary on something? Meta-commentary? You decide.
For one, this is an awesome skip, and I'm glad to see an AWCY? skip that really performs well. This feels like a more "tight" than the usual AWCY? article, and an excellent example of nailing tone to the wall.
For two:
SCP-3435 depicts two entities: a blue theropod dinosaur with cybernetic attachments and various laser weapons reminiscent of those in science fiction; and a red European-style wyvern dressed in a pointed hat and colorful robe, holding a staff and what appears to be a spellbook.
This is the greatest thing I've ever read in my life. A kick-ass example of non-clinical things being described in a clinical way. +1
This SCP is my spirit animal. It reminds me of how much I hated trying to find meaning in Chaucer back in college. I mean, I was probably an idiot back then, but that doesn't take away anything from how much I like this.
It's not the sole reason for my vote, but
I see art as an escape. A way to look at better worlds, at brighter days. With paint, clay, words, instruments? The sky's the limit! You can make new things, impossible things, other worlds! Art lets you make things you wouldn't see otherwise!
Unbearably cheesy, it sounds like it came out of a children's show. I hope nobody ever says something like this to my face.
Personally? I love that. We need more of that in the world and less grimdark BS.
I have a fraught relationship with art and its creation. This hit me where my feels ought to be. The interview with the non-anart anomalous artist really sold it for me. He knows what he wants his art to be, and that's what he does. AWCY? can go perne in a gyre.
Initially, I loved this, and was this close to upvoting. Then I go to the interview log, and that completely killed it for me. Not only did it turn the already-extant implications of the article into clunky exposition, it was cheesy and didn't seem very realistic. Any new information it provided seemed entirely unnecessary.
If it hadn't been for the interview, I would have upvoted this like a shot. As it is, I have to downvote it.
I have to disagree with you on this.
That was some of the most natural dialogue in an interview I've seen, if you strip out the pleasantries and shorthands from actual conversation.
It felt like two people actually talking.
I did upvote, but I see what you mean. It was pretty obvious what the purpose of the painting was, so having it spelled out in the interview seemed unnecessary.
I'm no art expert. But after some thought, I realized what my beef with this was.
Gutierrez says that AWCY? is silly for constantly forcing messages with its art, and that they take themselves too seriously— that we should revel in art's ability to be sandboxes for ideas and creativity, as an escape from real world ideas.
Meanwhile, the anomaly is blatantly pushing a message itself: that art doesn't need to have any deeper value besides a surface-level emotion, like "cool". It punishes the viewer for trying to derive insight from it, even when that's where the pleasure lies in observing art. All because Gutierrez wants to tell anyone seeing it, "you're too much of an adult, I just made this because dinos." That in itself is art with a message.
Isn't this a contradiction?
Gutierrez is just a guy; no reason he can't be a little hypocritical.
Isn't this a contradiction?
Yes.
For all of Gutierrez's optimism and freshness, he's just as fallible and hypocritical as he accuses AWCY of being. Note that he doesn't say his way is the only way, just that it should be a perfectly valid option.
But he's not saying that art shouldn't have deeper meaning at all, he's saying that it should be just as acceptable if it doesn't, and it's specifically negative, pessimistic messages in art that he rails against. The last D-class didn't interpret 3435 quite the same way as Gutierrez intended, but he was still free of the side effects and got the clearest dreams of anyone tested.
Also, there's something really funny about you over-analyzing a work of art about over-analyzing works of art :P
Now that I know that was your intent, I'll cancel my downvote. Now I'm laughing at myself for only reaching that conclusion about this article by doing what Gutierrez made fun of. Maybe if this was hinted at a bit more in the article, it might lead on some others.
Also, there's something really funny about you over-analyzing a work of art about over-analyzing works of art
I totally recognized I was doing this but I couldn't stop myself :')
You gotta dream a better dream. Upvote because the interview is so good.
What can I say? This doesn't quite hit in my usual aversion to dream skips, possibly because the dream effects aren't central to the whole thing. There's other stuff going on here, is what I mean. The direct attempt to prevent reading meaning into it, coupled with the interview, actually brings this back to the soul of AWCY, I think. I mean, I can definitely see them getting mad about something like this.
My only real qualm is the final note, which is kind of dramatic and almost lolFoundationy, and just doesn't add anything. I mean, if you want to explain why the Doctor would be allowed to be so chummy with this guy, there could be a note at the end of the interview about him being reprimanded for unprofessional behavior or something. That's about the only purpose I see it serving, though.
The title of the painting is a reference to something else entirely :P Most of the dreams are references and mixes of dreams I've actually had.
I took a page from Djoric, when he said in a discussion page that in-universe, AWCY was a decaying shell of its former self, and if an anartist was any good, they probably weren't part of it.
The thing I was trying to get across was that Palanez was more interested in the opportunity to catch up with his old friend, under the guise of assisting the investigation somehow. Originally I had Gutierrez escape during the interview through anomalous means by way of Palanez letting his guard down, but couldn't figure out how to make that work.
The note's supposed to reflect that the Director's not falling for it, as well as a sort of take-that to articles with the "Staff may request to use SCP-XXX for…" and "Obsessive researcher keeps studying something even when there's nothing to be learned" tropes.
It's really unfortunate, because once upon a time, AWCY wasn't the butt of every joke. :/ I have to wonder how they look to someone who's reading through the wiki for the first time.
It's really unfortunate, because once upon a time, AWCY wasn't the butt of every joke.
You say that like its a bad thing. X3
The most important things first: Curse you for making me upvote an AWCY? scip.
As for the scip itself, I really like it. I think the interview overdid it a bit on the exposition front but it was really enjoyable to read nevertheless. The interviews with the D-Class felt a bit clunky in comparison but ultimately I have to upvote because, seriously, fuck the over-interpretation of art. Sometimes the cigar is really just a fucking cigar.
SCP-3435 depicts two entities: a blue theropod dinosaur with cybernetic attachments and various laser weapons reminiscent of those in science fiction; and a red European-style wyvern dressed in a pointed hat and colorful robe, holding a staff and what appears to be a spellbook.
I know some look at the over-interpretation of art, but a cool-looking imagery is good enough and saves me the trouble of thinking too much about things.
(account deleted)
