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Art290/IVW/Fall05/Hoefle/Tourtillotte
The following is an excerpt from the New Media Caucus’ panel discussion description, written by Marcia S. Olson (artist/editor/curator at large—rhizome.org and UC Berkeley’s Rhetoric and Film Studies department), to be held at the annual College Art Association Conference in February of 2006 (Boston): Two predominant theories have emerged in the discourse surrounding new media: autonomy and relationality. On the outset, these notions seem to contradict each other. The theory of autonomy focuses attention on the discrete elements involved: individual pieces of information, individual artists or viewers, and separate components/artworks. Relationality puts the emphasis on interconnectedness: data, artwork, artists, and viewers are inextricably intertwined, without a single predominant object or viewpoint and no fixed, absolute form. While these theories may seem to be contradictory, contemporary media art relies on a notion of autonomy and, yet, suggests that no information is autonomous—while discrete variables exist, nothing can be separate and complete in itself. The same is true of the relationships between viewers, artists, and their work constructed in the context of media art. Objective and Theme: For this final project, we will be exploring aspects of relationality and autonomy through site (virtual with possible extension to physical), and the body (alter ego or collective identity). SITE—Generally, you will be utilizing virtual space as a site for an installation. According to the Encarta World English Dictionary, in·stal·la·tion n Using the conventions of virtual space navigation, you will be creating a visual and virtual system that is usable to the virtual viewer-participant. This system needs to exist towards some ultimate purpose—political, social, emotional, psychological, narrative, esoteric, to name a few. Thus far you have been working with video and audio components that exist on one timeline. Your virtual system has the potential to create improvisational, multiple (infinitely varying?)timelines dependant upon an individual’s interaction with and navigation through your virtual site. Related to this, your system could extend beyond the virtual into physical space, based upon the construction of elements within your site-system (downloadable and printable flyers, for example). Ultimately, how can your system and your virtual site be a means towards creating a community, or interconnectedness, across space and time?
Where is THE BODY--Thematically we have been dealing with the body in relation to time, space, and object throughout the semester— This project’s site component—virtual reality—presents us with some interesting issues with respect to the body (in terms of identity)…or lack thereof. For this project, you will create an “alter-ego” of sorts--an identity that exists solely on the web and functions in response to, or generates, or is, the system that you create on your virtual site. This “alter-ego” can be but is not limited to: an individual; a collective; an individual posing as a collective; a collective posing as an individual. The “alter-ego” or “collective alter ego” need not possess a specific name, or face, or character—it may or may not be a fixed, autonomous being. By contrast, the “alter ego” or “collective alter ego” could perform events in real space in real time-- a fixed, autonomous being—with documentation of performance events as a part of the virtual site’s system. Technical experience: Use of Flash and Dreamweaver in construction of interactive virtual-site; continued exploration with video, audio, and other previously utilized programs and tools. Collaboration: You may work as one person, in a pair, in a large group, or even as a class on your virtual-site project (micro systems and identities within a macro system and identity). Sites: You will be constructing your virtual site within your WWW folder on your H-drive. Artist Resources:
People who aren’t who they say they are, or don’t name themselves, individual or group:
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