RE: [-empyre-] > 1. Re: the Times and SL (G.H.Hovagimyan)

["Ricardo Peach" <r.peach@ozco.gov.au>]

Ana - I think we have to be careful not to 'flatten' the world so that everything is reduced to just survival and trauma. I think we have to use what we have in an interesting and pro-active way, and not stop change and growth from occurring simply because others don't yet (or may never) have access to the type of technology we have. 

I think these synthetic worlds have the potential to generate an enormous amount of pleasure, connection and community. As a Queer man, I can see the potential for younger Queer folk (who have access to technology) connecting with each other in a way that I could never have when I grew up. This I think is a huge gift to young people in a world where they may feel isolated, alone or singled out, especially if they are from regional area (in fact any Queer person - not just young)

And I don't think we should underestimate the political power of pleasure. As Richard Dyer suggests in his book 'Now you see it', pleasure recharges us, gives us a reason to go on, and makes all the struggle bearable! Pleasure for pleasures sake should not be underestimated.

Ricardo

-----Original Message-----
From: empyre-bounces@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
[mailto:empyre-bounces@lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au]On Behalf Of Ana Valdés
Sent: Wednesday, 22 August 2007 18:22 PM
To: soft_skinned_space
Subject: Re: [-empyre-] > 1. Re: the Times and SL (G.H.Hovagimyan)


I agree with GH in many of his posts regarding the danger of seeing SL
as a "full fledged" universe where Art, Activism and Politics engage
to enlight a broader audience.
I participated these days in a International Conference of Women in
Black, www.womeninblack.org, in Valencia, Spain.
We were 400 women from different parts of the world and listened to
each other testimonies and tales. We discussed with women from Irak
and Afghanistan how to empower them and to strenghten their links, we
discussed the possibility of using virtual tools to help them. "If"
they had computers at home (the most women there had not a computer at
home", "if" they had not electricity shortcuts every day, "maybe" it
could have been interesting to test SL ability to work as a virtual
square where we, women from countries not in war (yes, we are in war
because we are the providers of the weapons, but it's another story)
could "meet", at least virtually, women from countries invaded by
armies or in distress (it were Palestinian women at well and Saharaui
women living in refugee camps in the vast inmensity of the Sahara
desert since generations).

SL is a vast illusion in itself but I care more about real blood,
sweat and tears than about simulated ones. The Art market sell
commodities, SL provide commodities to sell as well.
But the real Art, the Art which can change worlds, which can provide
people with tools to understand the world and beyond, where is it?

Where is SL's Guernica? Or SL's Mona Hatoum? Or SL's Alfredo Jaar? Or
SL's Susan Meiselas? Or SL's Sebastiao Salgado? Or SL's William
Kentridge? Or Carlos Capelán? Wilfredo Lam? Yes, we can have museums
where we can show what they do, but are we not discussing the role of
the museums and galleries in the "real life"? Why are we not
discussing their roles in the virtual worlds as well?

Ana, posting about the Women in Black event in http://caravia.stumbleupon.com

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will always long to return.
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