Re: [-empyre-] race, net-art, strategy

[<keith@blacknetart.com>]

Ian,

All art is political. Work which unconsciously or
carelessly engages with the political structures
around it is often bad and therefore boring. Perhaps
it is a mistake for you to look for work(especially
about race) that makes you feel positively or work
which less than difficult. I certainly hope that
anyone who considers themselves to be invested in
racism finds my work about race disturbing.

Keith


 >> >From: "Ian Stevenson" <audile@bigpond.com>
 >> >To: "soft_skinned_space"
<empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au>
 >> >Subject: Re: [-empyre-] race, net-art, strategy
 >> >Date: Mon,  16:00
 >> >
 >>
 >> > Thanks Danny for making an opening for saying
what I had wanted 
to say.
 > Many
 >> > race political works are alienating for a white
racist such as 
myself.
 > It's
 >> > the process of identification, which is what
creates much of the
 > positive
 >> > aesthetic effect in the work which I respond
positively to, that 
makes
 > me
 >> > turn away from these works. It is often the
characteristics of 
others,
 > in
 >> > which we see ourselves mirrored, that we dislike
most. I find 
much
 > political
 >> > art boring - I find race political art
disturbing and difficult. 
We are
 > all
 >> > situated within power structures. I look forward
to the race 
political
 > art
 >> > that finds the subtlety to engage the confused
and only partly
 > self-aware
 >> > racists such as myself. The net has the
potential to be a medium 
for
 > this
 >> > kind of multivalent expression.
 >> >
 >> > Ian S
 >> >