Below is an array of theoretical and artistic influences that frame the context of this project and my current creative practice (listed alphabetically by last name, primary influences are in blue):
Angelopolous, Theo: Greek filmmaker that is famed for making politically thematic films that lament directly and indirectly the Greek military dictatorship, Regime of Colonels. Angelopolous has been aesthetically influential to my ‘slowing down’ of my moving images. Please link here for more information (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/theo-angelopoulos/ )
Anderson, Benedict: Post-colonial theorist and author of seminal text ‘Imagined Communities’ (1983) connects the formation of nationhood to the spread of language and literacy. Anderson’s theories of nation as a construct have been a foundation for my own deconstruction of the Philippine diaspora’s national loyalties. Please link here for more information (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/the-origin-of-the-nation-imagined-communities/ )
ASEUM 2009: Digital art symposiums such as ASEUM 2009 represent a new gathering of art communities that are centered around themes of global interconnectedness and digital media. ASEUM was initiated by the SABAW Media Art Kitchen (Philippines) and Multimedia Center KIBLA (Slovenia) and defines itself as ‘a catalyst for a cultural, educational, and technological exchange on emerging new media art practices in South East Asia with Europe’ (2009). This recent gathering of artists from the Philippines, Slovenia, Japan, the Netherlands, Australia, the United States, Canada and Germany represent an active community committed to transnational exchange of creative ideas within a digital culture context.
Bhabha, Homi K.: Post-colonial theorist who has theortically defined a common location of displacement of diaspora communities where time and narrative are less relevant to the present moment and the space these communities occupy. Bhabha’s re-interpretation of Fredric Jameson’s Third Space speaks to the Philippine community of London whose members are often physically living in the UK but mentally and emotionally living in the Philippines. Bhabha also defines hybridity as a means of identifying the complex flow of identity and narrative that occurs communities and individuals migrate.
Brakhage, Stan: American avant gardist famed for his ‘non-narrative’ approach to filmmaking. It is this ‘non-narrative’ that I hope to further in my project as it also speaks to the disconnected stories of people of migration. Please link here (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/stan-brakhage-and-the-non-narrative/ )
Brett, Guy: Curator and academic has written extensively on artist David Medalla and the controversial exhibition Les magiciens de la terre (1989). His particular writing into these two topics have given me insight into the changing climates of acceptacance within the art establishment from the 70s to the 90s in regards to the representation of globality.
Fusco, Coco: Cuban-American performance artist and academic who gained acclaim in the 1990s for addressing issues of identity in the post-colonial context. Is relevant to my creative practice as her research and artistic practice have laid down a foundation for me as an academic artist who is also tackling issues of complex identity.
Eisenstein, Sergei: A master of innovation in film who has broken down the mechanics of building a narrative for me. I am particularly impressed by his writings and films regarding the montage as it is an aesthetic that I am developing as a link to my still digital collages. Please link here (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/tutorial-feedback-and-fresh-new-directions/ )
Richter, Hans: Avant-garde filmmaker who created revolutionary films around moving graphics and surreal images in the 1920s that did use a traditional narrative. Please link here for more information (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/hans-richter/ and https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/more-richter/)
Hockney, David: Photo artist who is known for his joiners made from the 70s to mid 80s. Hockney’s photo montages have been a starting point and influence to the development of a unique visual aesthetic in my creative practice. Please link here for more information (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/project-descriptionsummary-and-focus-points-for-peer-led-mid-point-review/ )
Kirby, Alan: Kirby’s theories of Digimodernism define a new social movement that proceeds post-modernism. Kirby locates a shift in text and authorship via the emergence of digital culture and locates key social aspects of Web 2.0. Kirby is relevant to my creative practice as I have used his broad social theories around digital culture as architecture to bridge digital connections to transnationalism and diasporas.
Kubric, Stanley: Please link here (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/wan-kar-wai-and-stanley-kubric/ )
Fredric, Jameson: Jameson’s theories of Third Space define a post-modern, physical and conceptual location where national identities are no longer distinguishable due to migration, exile, etc. It is this conceptual geography that I am trying to define through my creative practice within the context of the Philippine diaspora.
Maeda, John: Eminent designer, computer scientist and academic introduced me to the creative possibilities of programming and technology. His inspirational book “Creative Code” (2004), which is a tome of recent creative projects that are pushing the boundaries of technology, is greatly responsible for some of the ‘eureka’ moments that I have had in this project.
Mandan Sarap: Please link here (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2009/10/page/2/ )
Manovich, Lev: Theoretician, artist and author of seminal text, “The Language of New Media” (2001). Manovich’s theories thoroughly map the conventions of communication in digital art. Important to this project are Manovich’s theories that link the semiotics and aesthetics of film to digital art. Furthermore Manovich’s theories of space, as defined by the development of the graphical user interface has conceptually influenced my creative practice.
Medalla, David: Prominent artist, director and founder of the London Biennale Medalla is known for his kinetic sculptures in the 70’s and for co-founding the international networking Signals Gallery. Medalla has been an inspirational champion of transnationalism in the art establishment and is a cornerstone in my mapping of connections between art and the global diaspora.
Ocampo, Manual: Filipino-American painter who has used transgression as a means to illustrate post-colonial unrest. Ocampo represents a particular Philippine narrative that has been accepted within a gallery context and in many ways frames the geography of future artists of Philippine descent.
Edward Said: Author of seminal text “Orientalism” (1979) is credited with initiating post-modern debate around the marginalization of the foreign ‘other’. His work identifies and critiques historically binary attitudes of the West that have distanced the foreign ‘Orient’. Said is relevant to my creative practice and to this project and in as much as themes of displacement are intrinsically connected to diaspora. Said is also a pivotal influence to several other post-colonial theorists in this list.
Rybczynski, Zbigniew: Acclaimed filmmaker how has experimented with numerous cinematic techniques. Lev Manocich has referenced Rybcznski’s work as a link to digital art in regards to the Rybczinski’s to blur the lines between time and space. Specifically Rybcznski’s use of a cinematic montage in films like Tango (1980) are examples of this and have been influential to the early stages of this project. Please link here for more information (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/project-descriptionsummary-and-focus-points-for-peer-led-mid-point-review/ )
Vergara (Jr.), Benito: Social anthropologist that has been instrumental in building a contextual framework of the Philppine diaspora within a socio-political context. His texts ‘Pinoy Capital’ (2008) and “Displaying Filipinos: Photography and Colonialism in Early Twentieth Century Philippines” (1995) have grounded my creative practice with knowledge of sociological discourse around the subject of Philippine global migration.
Wai, Wan Car: Please link here (https://roddioso.wordpress.com/2010/03/04/wan-kar-wai-and-stanley-kubric/ )
Yong, Shi: Artist Shi Yong uses digital collage techniques in Made in China (1997) to addresses the complex issue of cultural appropriation and hybridization of Asia by the West. I appreciate his complex aesthetic that combines cultural iconography and stereotypes to comment on identity and perceptions of identity.
Rod Dioso | Postgraduate Research Blog 
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