It’s really quite difficult for me to express just how cool I think this video is, and I really would be much more excited about it if I wasn’t so let down by the fact that Ms. Oram isn’t as well-known as she should be. The short video, which, consequently, was only unearthed due to a seemingly chance encounter by an Associated Press journalist, shows Daphne Oram composing some of the coolest electronic music—all from her 1960s home in Kent, England. I perhaps found the contrasts of the video most fascinating—the “music of the future” in a historic Victorian-style home, the scratchy, vintage video sounds against the cool breezes of nature, and, daresay, the image of a traditional mid-century lady behind a treasure trove of expensive technological equipment. Images of women from this time tend to be quite restricting, with it often being difficult seeing them in roles outside of a domestic setting. I like how Oram subverts this image while not completely destroying it, showing how one can simultaneously enjoy the home and tradition while still working in science and the technologies of the future. This reminded me a lot about our readings of Ada Lovelace, whose contributions to science were shrouded in history for quite some time due to her gender. I can only hope that more videos and documents like these will not only surface of women working in STEM from past generations, but that these women will also receive the recognition they deserve in their respective fields.
It’s really quite difficult for me to express just how cool I think this video is, and I really would be much more excited about it if I wasn’t so let down by the fact that Ms. Oram isn’t as well-known as she should be. The short video, which, consequently, was only unearthed due to a seemingly chance encounter by an Associated Press journalist, shows Daphne Oram composing some of the coolest electronic music—all from her 1960s home in Kent, England. I perhaps found the contrasts of the video most fascinating—the “music of the future” in a historic Victorian-style home, the scratchy, vintage video sounds against the cool breezes of nature, and, daresay, the image of a traditional mid-century lady behind a treasure trove of expensive technological equipment. Images of women from this time tend to be quite restricting, with it often being difficult seeing them in roles outside of a domestic setting. I like how Oram subverts this image while not completely destroying it, showing how one can simultaneously enjoy the home and tradition while still working in science and the technologies of the future. This reminded me a lot about our readings of Ada Lovelace, whose contributions to science were shrouded in history for quite some time due to her gender. I can only hope that more videos and documents like these will not only surface of women working in STEM from past generations, but that these women will also receive the recognition they deserve in their respective fields.
ReplyDelete--Nicolas Ochart