No subject

hin various FPS and online communities, ultimately culminating in "dead-in-=
iraq", 2006-2011, http://www.delappe.net/project/dead-in-iraq/.

I mention all this past history as it was truly through my work in computer=
 games that I became politicized as an artist.  I should likely save more d=
etails here for future posts this week but would like to note that I agree =
with Soraya in that I am not particularly interested in whether computer ga=
mes are accepted as an art form.  I am as well much more interested in how =
computer games function as culture and how as an artist I might bring to th=
e surface aspects of these ludic arenas that might shed light or question a=
spects of our larger cultural constructs.  I would also posit that I make a=
rt to change the world. Games are arguably changing our world - for better =
or worse - I hope my actions and use of games as locations and iconography =
might in some small way contribute to positive change.

What I would like to address as the week goes on are a number of aspects of=
 how to perhaps think about and critically engage computer games from an ar=
tistic/activist/interventionist's perspective.  I am as well interested in =
discussing some of my efforts towards engaging in new curriculum surroundin=
g "serious games" and just where to go from here (I am presently evolving m=
y "Digital Media" program into a new area of emphasis "Art, Technology and =
Social Practice" where I imagine fitting computer gaming into the mix).  I =
am very interested to hear others perspectives on such issues as well.

In answer to Claudia's questions regarding the "Returning Fire" documentary=
 - yes, I look to focus attention on the world of gaming and the larger geo=
political consequences of games - in this instance the America's Army recru=
iting game.  When the army recruiter came to my house in 1981, he may have =
very easily convinced me as an 18 year old to sign up for the military.  He=
 discouraged me to do so.  My actions within the America's Army game were i=
ntended as a similar gesture, albeit to unknown fellow gamers.  I hoped tha=
t through naming actual military casualties in a shooter game designed to e=
ntice young people to join the military I might have a similar effect in pr=
oviding a type of conscientious objection - a moment of reality to perhaps =
temporarily pierce the "magic circle" of simulated warfare.  There are many=
 other reasons for my actions but this is the basis of my intent.

I was fortunate to work with Steve Lambert, the Yes Men and dozens of other=
 activists/artists/writers on the Fake NYtimes Project in 2008-2009, http:/=
/www.delappe.net/projects/fake-new-york-times/.  I met Steve at Eyebeam in =
2008 where he was a Fellow and I was a Commissioned Resident.  I do see muc=
h of my work very tied to conceptual art in that ultimately it is the idea =
of intervening in computer gaming spaces that is central to much of the wor=
k.  In 2003 the New York Times reported on my piece "Quake/Friends", http:/=
/www.delappe.net/game-art/quakefriends/ a performance by an ensemble group =
of performers within a Quake server of an entire episode of the TV show "Fr=
iends".   I was quite honestly as thrilled by the very notion that potentia=
lly millions of NYtimes readers simply knew of the idea of the work as I wa=
s by actually performing the piece to the handful of intrepid souls who act=
ually showed up for the performance at the Sheppard Gallery at the Universi=
ty of Nevada, Reno.  The story resulted in threatened legal action by Warne=
r Brothers for what they perceived to be copyright violations, but that per=
haps is for another time.  I could go further here connecting the work to c=
onceptual art practice but I think I have rambled on enough for today!

Anyway, I will stop now and write some further thoughts tomorrow.

Looking forward to the discussion!

Joseph DeLappe
http://www.delappe.net