Re: [-empyre-] The origin of the term 'net art'.

[valerie <valerie@mobilegaze.com>]

Title: Re: [-empyre-] The origin of the term 'net art'.

> Helen Sloan and I invented the term 'net
> art' in a chat in a pub
> in November 1994.
>
> Helen-What would art be like online Lachlan?
>
> Lachlan-It would be art, Helen, but <i>not art</i> as we
> know it.
>
> Lisa Haskel was sitting close by listening in (as usual)
> and misheard the conversation. Sean Cubitt was attempting to lip
> read from the bar.
> Lachlan

I don't doubt the verity of this story - but there are so many versions. (See Rachel Greene's essay in Artforum = http://rhizome.org/info/artforum.pdf ) Do we need a genesis? Trying to locate the origin of "net.art" is a lot like the story of the origin of video art = Nam June Paik in the taxi going home after having bought his new Sony portapack filming the Pope as he rode by. A nice legend - but is it necessary?

Valerie

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