[-empyre-] ambiguous artistic strategies & critical engineering

[marc garrett]

Hi Gabriel,

This section of your post below rings true to me personally.

 > I wonder what role this issue plays in the life of artists going
 > through PhDs. I have the impression that sometimes practitioners are
 > backed up by years of rigorous exploration of one subject, but remain
 > nevertheless restricted in the application of this research because
 > they are not properly accredited. How much of a practice-based PhD
 > consists in an effort to translate (formalize or write down) literacy
 > already acquired, in order to make it legitimate? What other problems
 > might arise from this (rather dry) approach?

I have spent about 30 years (over half) of my life in media art at 
various levels. Last year I began a 100% theory based PhD module at 
Birkbeck (in my mid-40s), and I am loving every second of it. Starting 
something like a PhD later than is typical, has its advantages. Firstly, 
one knows from actual experience the subject/research chosen, which 
includes the accumulation through years of contacts and resources. And, 
I can honestly say that there is nothing more closer to 'knowing' than 
grounded experience. But, now I am between both worlds - making my own 
artwork, working (and collaborating) with Furtherfield, with all its 
everyday complexities and studying for my PhD. Right on the 'hub' of it 
all...

Many students and artists submitting work on Furtherfield have mentioned 
whether they could get some form of academic credit in doing so. And, 
we've said no, you just have to believe that you are supporting 
something 'real' and this is either as important and possibly more. 
Thankfully, we've had enough people working with us who are not merely 
only dedicated in reflecting institutional remits, which unfortunately 
do (perhaps unknowingly) work in lessening 'outside' independence. It is 
essential that these grass root groups and independent organisations 
exist beyond academic no go zones - these areas are the source of life 
and grounded exchange, for reasons other than what can be assessed 
'officially'.

A beef regarding much media art research out there in the past, is how 
certain academics; when trying and justify media art as a thriving 
culture in their arguments - by habit and conservative self-censorship 
choose only the most recognised institutions to show international 
recognition of what is going on out there - when in reality, it is very 
different and a far wider scope of things is really going on, they shoot 
media art culture in the foot in doing so. It's blind.

And getting back to knowing about computers...

In in the late 80s early 90s in Bristol (UK), I learned the basics of 
computing and hacking, social hacking, hacking through analogue systems, 
which included interventionist broadcasts into car radios, as well as in 
street environments, analogue phone networks, and pirate & television 
broadcasts. All these activities were explored with hacktivist and 
artist Heath Bunting. I had not met anyone else who knew about hacking, 
let alone practising it before, and my own knowledge was very basic a 
that time. Hacking as a term was not widely known or talked about then. 
Hugh Cornwall mentions in ‘Hacker’s Handbook 111‘ (Hugo Cornwall's New 
Hacker's Handbook. Editor Steve Gold (1989)), that he had not met anyone 
until 1982 who was also hacking as he was. He says “Up till then, 
Hackers were American computer buffs who messed around with mainframes 
or had built their own computers in garages.” Heath Bunting was a 
British computer buff and he had built his first computer at home in 
Stevenage, at the age of fourteen. Our collaborative ventures in using 
technology as part of our art practice, came from an interest in 
changing everyday situations and contemporary culture. The technology 
allowed fresh perceptions and processes of engagement with the world, a 
different way of seeing and thinking. If we can hack computers, why not 
situations in life also?

Wishing you well.

marc

 >> Another related question: If I knew everything (I mean *everything*,
 >> from theory to practice) about how to make a computer for instance,
 >> starting with raw materials (sand, water, etc), how long it would take
 >> for me to actually build one? [Alvaro Cassineli]
 >
 > Alvaro’s question points towards the insufficiency of sheer literacy
 > in fostering autonomous action. A number of factors could be evoked
 > here, such as the lack of resources or authorization. Even when one
 > “knows everything” and has all the necessary means (infinite time!),
 > s/he may be constrained by institutional barriers.
 >
 > At least in Brazil, engineering (just like architecture, medicine and
 > law) is an activity that cannot be properly (legally, publicly)
 > exercised if one is not accredited as a professional. This
 > accreditation involves not only going through years of training and
 > passing tests, but also affiliating oneself to a certain national
 > union or council that regulates the activity.
 >
 > I wonder what role this issue plays in the life of artists going
 > through PhDs. I have the impression that sometimes practitioners are
 > backed up by years of rigorous exploration of one subject, but remain
 > nevertheless restricted in the application of this research because
 > they are not properly accredited. How much of a practice-based PhD
 > consists in an effort to translate (formalize or write down) literacy
 > already acquired, in order to make it legitimate? What other problems
 > might arise from this (rather dry) approach?
 >
 > Best!
 > Menotti
 > _______________________________________________
 > empyre forum
 > empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
 > http://www.subtle.net/empyre
 >


-- 
Other Info:

Furtherfield - A living, breathing, thriving network
http://www.furtherfield.org - for art, technology and social change 
since 1997

Also - Furtherfield Gallery & Social Space:
http://www.furtherfield.org/gallery

About Furtherfield:
http://www.furtherfield.org/content/about

Netbehaviour - Networked Artists List Community.
http://www.netbehaviour.org

http://identi.ca/furtherfield
http://twitter.com/furtherfield

>> Another related question: If I knew everything (I mean *everything*,
>> from theory to practice) about how to make a computer for instance,
>> starting with raw materials (sand, water, etc), how long it would take
>> for me to actually build one? [Alvaro Cassineli]
> Alvaro’s question points towards the insufficiency of sheer literacy
> in fostering autonomous action. A number of factors could be evoked
> here, such as the lack of resources or authorization. Even when one
> “knows everything” and has all the necessary means (infinite time!),
> s/he may be constrained by institutional barriers.
>
> At least in Brazil, engineering (just like architecture, medicine and
> law) is an activity that cannot be properly (legally, publicly)
> exercised if one is not accredited as a professional. This
> accreditation involves not only going through years of training and
> passing tests, but also affiliating oneself to a certain national
> union or council that regulates the activity.
>
> I wonder what role this issue plays in the life of artists going
> through PhDs. I have the impression that sometimes practitioners are
> backed up by years of rigorous exploration of one subject, but remain
> nevertheless restricted in the application of this research because
> they are not properly accredited. How much of a practice-based PhD
> consists in an effort to translate (formalize or write down) literacy
> already acquired, in order to make it legitimate? What other problems
> might arise from this (rather dry) approach?
>
> Best!
> Menotti
> _______________________________________________
> empyre forum
> empyre at lists.cofa.unsw.edu.au
> http://www.subtle.net/empyre
>


-- 
Other Info:

Furtherfield - A living, breathing, thriving network
http://www.furtherfield.org - for art, technology and social change since 1997

Also - Furtherfield Gallery&  Social Space:
http://www.furtherfield.org/gallery

About Furtherfield:
http://www.furtherfield.org/content/about

Netbehaviour - Networked Artists List Community.
http://www.netbehaviour.org

http://identi.ca/furtherfield
http://twitter.com/furtherfield