[-empyre-] affect and goodbye

[Brigid Mc Leer <mcleer.bridge@virgin.net>]

Just a parting note to say goodbye and thanks to Marcus for the 
invitation to be part of this Empyre forum. Apologies too for being 
less active on the list than I had hoped i could be. But i have found 
the discussion remarkable in its depth and in the extraordinary 
knowledge that was being brought to bear on the questions raised. No 
doubt you will all feel that quite an amazing resource has been 
produced not only in terms of ideas but also in terms of related links 
and sources. Really something!

My own interests and background are probably a  lot less informed and 
much more situated in the place between the digital and all the other 
stuff. For that reason, and just as a final comment, I think the issue 
of 'affect' that has been arising in the last few posts falls for me in 
the tricky question (whatever artform you are using) of 
(audience/reader/viewer/user) 'involvement'. For me it is not a 
question of how to convey a texture or an emotion in digital forms 
(although these are interesting questions all the same and ones that 
were key prior to the digital aswell) but more how to make something in 
which there is clarity, intention, aesthetic pleasure, but crucially 
also, room for someone else. I'm not sure that that is necessarily 
immersive - maybe losing oneself is less affective than finding oneself 
and being challenged to respond or to act.
Marcus mentions 'dispersiveness' in his last post and perhaps that is 
one issue that this digital form really does have to take on in the 
context of affectivity. My work using digital media has always been 
highly dispersive and i have been very drawn to the speed with which 
that dispersivenss and transformation can occur. It's been tricky then 
to maintain a focus and a tangible set of events and materials for 
someone else to engage with. For me this has been the lure (with all 
the problematic connotations that carries) of the digital - similar 
actually to the lure of the city, so its interesting that you mention 
that Marcus - and a rapaciousness that i struggle with and enjoy.


Thanks for all the, very much, 'affective' (!) and stimulating 
discussion - one things for sure after all this, there's no easy 
answers to what writing is in digital media!

very bests
Brigid