No Words Needed

First off, let me tell you that I'm not a religious follower of this show nor am I an expert at dance or anything dance related for that matter.

What I do know is that there's something about this piece that makes me, the ordinary dude, understand a bit more the perspective of someone caught in an insatiable addiction (which was the inspiration for this). The struggle, the feeling of enslavement and that sense of letting yourself be thrown around and controlled by it. And ultimately that feeling of helplessness.

No Words Needed

Support Art. It can help us understand the things around us and inside of us that we deem as not "artsy."

Wu-Tang Updated

For all Wu-Tang Fans (still) out there. Here's a lil something for you.  Here's Part 1, and Part 2

Musical Score!

Once in awhile, you discover an artist that makes you want to blog. This is that while. Check this out... Zee Avi.

cubing the future

Like I mentioned in my previous cube blog, the hypercubists have turned this competition upside down... and have made this into a real network of creative people. For me it's become almost an art gallery of personalities. People from all walks of life, with different perspectives, experiences, hopes, dreams and passions (among other things) have openly shared themselves to be put on display. As well, we've all become gallery patrons, taking all this in.

As a community builder, I know a vibrant community life can only happen with everyone's willingness to give and share for a common purpose. So with the hypercube challenge more than halfway done, I'm starting to think what will happen to the hypercube community after it's initial purpose of giving away cool cars is accomplished. Will people still have the same enthusiasm and drive to show themselves once the voting comes to a close on May 15th?

The hypercube twittered a few questions about what will happen to the hypercube community? So if it's not too late I'd like to take a stab at the possibilities of what's next. (in point form... let's keep it quick and fast paced!)

Creative Network

• it already is, but being able to connect with creative people for whatever creative needs you may be seeking. Need a singer for your band? how about a graphic artist to finish your t-shirt? the hypercube will hook you up!
• like minded individuals can definitely get together for some great entrepreneurial fun. or the very least, a community of businesses with similar visions, helping each other succeed.

Community Fun

• hopefully Nissan can sacrifice a cube (or more a year) to give away. I think it'll keep the hypercube community focused and challenged to keep up the creativity. A cube would be great! or even small giveaways would help as well.
• the creative challenges could be themed (maybe not particularly cube related) and those themes could be suggested by the community or by a special celebrity guest who would judge it.
• totally random, but even a cube photo scavenger hunt. teams of 5 hypercube community members go around their closest big city for some random photos with the cube for a chance to win.... something cool.
• for those who purchase a cube (and for the hypercube winners) they receive exclusive content or something... it's sort of elitist, but come on... they own the car that started off this whole thing!

Community Tweaks

• i agree with the other twitter friends, that @thehypercube should be the same person
• if this evolves to a creative network, maybe a more in depth bio with their canvas. so they can state their areas of expertise.
• the canvas is a medium of expression. so people can really just use their canvases to communicate ideas, share their ideas etc. Almost like a blog entry without being confined to just words.

Other Things

• for the media launch event in June when the winners are being announced and the car is making its official appearance, I really hope that Nissan utilizes the talents of the hypercube community. How you ask? Well...
  • Hopefully the musicians can be asked to play at the event
  • That some of our great talented graphic artists can help provide and design something for the event: posters, hand outs, flyers, brochures, t-shirts.... whatever!
  • Performances by the dancers, steppers, breakers. and so on...
  • Videos created by our animators, film makers and acting talent to be shown during the days festivities
  • if possible, even set up booths where people can show off some of their stuff.... their apparel, their trinkets, wood cuts, paintings... etc.
  • have hot dogs.... really good ones. I'm sure one of the hypercubists can make great hot dogs.

These are just a few ideas, that have come over the past few days. I'm sure with more time to think we can all come up with even greater ideas and possibilities. That's what's great about community life. It continues to change and transform as the people in it become more empowered, informed and more involved. It's only been 16 Days officially, and the people have already transformed this hypercube. Just imagine what can happen over a span of a few years.

And with that I would like to address Nissan directly:

ahem, Mr (or Mrs.) Nissan,

You've gone this far in engaging the "creative class", and by creating this community through your social media experiment. This may not have turned out like you expected, but here we are. And we are gosh darnit glad to be here.

I know you're a multinational business with a katrillion dollars or so in your wallet. So now that you've got the hypercubists attention (and the attention of thousands of others), I ask you one thing... and that is to keep investing. Keep investing into these people and those who will join us from now on. Invest in these people so that they can keep expressing themselves through art, through word, through photography, through video, through their families, through their experiences. There's a lot to say about everything in this world... so please let these people speak.

Please don't leave us hanging once you've accomplished your big business scheme. We are people, and people is what will make your business more than just a consumer brand. You have the chance to be bigger than yourself.

So it's on you. We're here because you called. So let's start thinking on where WE can go from here.

Love,
Efren (1 of 500 hypercubists)

the power of cube

You would think a competition giving away free cars would be ruthless and gory. But thankfully the people (participating) have risen to the occasion.

It's been officially DAY 6 of the Nissan hypercube challenge, and I'm happy to report that the people taking part in this challenge have already turned this into a giant network of creative and friendly people. Most of the canvas' have really shown a "comfortable-in-my-own-skin" type of vibe to them which is great! as a person who works with and for a community of people, I know first-hand that those who may not give that vibe of self-assurance can add a different dynamic to everyone's interactions. People get territorial, they try to dominate and all sorts of fun stuff, which cause even more types of not so friendly reactions. And then you add the online attitude of anonymity="i can say whatever the heck i want", then it gets really ugly. Of course, the moderators running this site will keep it clean, but the hypercubists thankfully have kept it more than classy.

I mentioned to my LinkedIn Hypercube group that this competition is being almost "tweaked" by the hypercubists into a place where we can celebrate our creativity and personalities. Greater still, is that fellow hypercubists have been supporting each other by voting for each other! Who knew that this funky little car (and an innovative approach by Nissan) would turn a competition into an online community.

I'm a big believer in the goodness of people, and the hypercubists are a prime example why. We've turned something already great into something awesome. We've been able to give some depth and dimension to a regular square competition. Now that's what it means to be a hypercubist.

cheers!