[-empyre-] to Zach, Dan and Dave: direct and not so direct

[Renate Ferro]

Dear empyre subscribers,  We have two threads running one in response to
Tim's post over the weekend.  Nice to hear from Fredrick and I know that
Tim will want to chime in on this but he is about to leave TaiPei and may
not be online.  So more on that a little later I'm sure.

In the meantime I'd like to ask Zach, Dan and David about their posts
earlier today in hopes that we can get a conversation going between the
three of them and our subscribers. So here goes.

Zach, Dan and David,
The introductory posts you've made describe your work using viral networks
for social change.  Zach your work enables a network from within by
activating the flow of that network through the dissemination and use of
objects and software distributed by your collective/company.  Critically
you engage capitalism, technology, and queer politics under the guise of
invention, play, and subversion.  You wrote:

“Queer Technologies produces flows of
resistance within larger spheres of capitalist structurations,
“identifying” and “disidentiying” with these spheres. All pieces are
designed as product,
artwork, and political tool, materialized through an industrial
manufacturing process so that they may be disseminated widely.”

Dan and Dave critically engage capitalism, global political structures,
and war technology.  Your “institute” invites social change by inviting
guest speakers or engaging participation via the  “internet” through
blogging and the wiki collectively. You write:

“participants in the project will collaboratively produce a web and print
publication that explores the possibilities of cultural production in
contestation, or outside the realm of current economic and political
conditions.  The content and distribution system of this publication will
be collectively decided and enacted.

The two methods have vast differences in that one seems more direct the
other not so much.  Can you each talk about your choices in designing the
structure of your projects and the effects of those choices on your
missions so far?
Thanks.  Renate


Renate Ferro
Visiting Assistant Professor
Department of Art
Cornell University, Tjaden Hall
Ithaca, NY  14853

Email:   <rtf9 at cornell.edu>
Website:  http://www.renateferro.net


Co-moderator of _empyre soft skinned space
http://www.subtle.net/empyre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empyre

Art Editor, diacritics
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/dia/