Re: [-empyre-] Why US DAT is Virtual

[Mathieu O'Neil <oneil@homemail.com.au>]

OK, but if art can also have a real impact in the world, why deny that 
possibility from happening? If one defers the possibility of effecting 
practical change to others, in the future, one runs the risk of seeing 
that change forever postponed... The proponents of the counterculture 
of the 1960s thought that they could change history by changing human 
consciousness. I don't think anyone would argue that the results were 
particularly inspiring or effective.

A beautifully crafted concept / work of art can in fact be communicated 
in a yes, performative manner - ie doing something at the same time as 
saying something. To take an obvious example, the free software 
movement may not be perfect (IBM would love to have its code hacked for 
free) but it provides an interesting direction for culture-makers to 
explore. It is important, I think, to not lose sight that what you say 
is just as relevant as how you say it, what avenues are used, what 
institutions are supported by speaking in a particular context.

Best,
mathieu

On 13/10/2004, at 12:23 PM, Randall Packer wrote:

> The notion of whether or not art should or can affect real change in 
> the world has been a motivating idea behind the US DAT project. I 
> believe that artists can bring about change but it may not necessarily 
> be through direct action. I believe that artists can mediate change, 
> be a medium for change, by introducing new models, new ways of seeing 
> the world. The artist awakens us to new possibilities, proposes new 
> ideas, turns us around to what "could be," rather than simply "what 
> is." This change may not be immediate, but it might permeate our 
> collective consciousness and gradually emerge as a transformative 
> force over time. That is what art can do, that is what makes art 
> unique. If US DAT were to be a real entity, an object or a thing or a 
> place, it would cease to be an artwork and it would immediately lose 
> its effectiveness, in my opinion. US DAT is virtual and must remain 
> that way. The definition of virtual according to the media theorist 
> Pierre Lévy, is that which has the potential of coming into being. The 
> potentiality of an idea is, for me, more powerful than an action that 
> causes an immediate result. An idea can percolate over time, it can 
> gain momentum and depth and perhaps eventually really change the way 
> we view the world, perhaps even end wars. As Williams Burroughs said, 
> "Weapons that change consciousness can call the war game in question."
>
> > Randall
> > Beyond  the traditional interventionist strategy of EPDC -- what is 
> > its
> > politics -- does it seek to empower its audience or does it merely
> > inform -- does it organize or merely leave people as they were before
> > having been informed
> >
> > As you might suspect from these questions my  I view  politics as
> > constituting the performative rather than the informational  -- Its 
> > all
> > fine and well to believe one is engaged -- yet that engagement must
> > extend beyond the relative freedom of the cultural sphere
> > Saul
> >
> >
> >
> > >  >
> > >  > I wish you could have seen our recent installation, the 
> > > Experimental
> > >  > Party DisInformation Center, installed at LUXE gallery right in 
> > > the
> > >  > heart of the 57th St. gallery district in NYC during the 
> > > Republican
> > >  > Convention. Also the heart of the NYC Gucci neighborhood. Not a
> > >  > typical place for political art.
> > >  >
> > >  > In any case, we had everyone from students to activists to red 
> > > meat
> > >  > Republicans, etc. going through the gallery. Around 5,000 people 
> > > in
> > >  > two weeks. There was one group of students from a New School
> > >  > sociology class that had been given the assignment to view the 
> > > show
> > >  > and interview me. The Professor said the show had "opened the 
> > > eyes"
> > >  > of her students to the current political climate and the use of
> > >  > propaganda by the Republicans. These were kids not at all 
> > > experienced
> > >  > with contemporary new media art, so this struck me as particularly
> > >  > compelling.
> > >  >
> > >  > To get to the point, US DAT is a form of "performance art" that
> > >  > dissolves the border between the virtual and physical realms of
> > >  > galleries, Web sites, press releases, live performance, etc. It is
> > >  > intended to reach people viscerally in its use of fantasy and 
> > > satire,
> > >  > which I believe, has been effective in drawing a large audience 
> > > into
> > >  > thinking about complex issues that might otherwise be 
> > > inaccessible.
> > >  >
> > >  > I believe that if art has a political message, it needs to touch
> > >  > people, it needs to connect with people and the world they live 
> > > in.
> > >  > Otherwise, you are right, it comes off being not only humorless, 
> > > but
> > >  > colorless and ineffectual.
> > >  >
> > >  > Randall
> > >  >
> > >  >
> > _______________________________________________
> > empyre forum
> > empyre@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
> > http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>
> _______________________________________________
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--
Dr Mathieu O'Neil
Visiting Fellow
Centre for New Media Arts (CNMA)
Peter Karmel Building
Childers St
The Australian National University
Canberra ACT 0200 Australia

T: +61 02 6260 6124
F: +61 02 6247 0229
E: oneil@homemail.com.au
ANU new media group weblog:
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