Net Art: A Problematic Introduction

A beginner’s guide to net art specta(c)torship.
In English and Romanian.
34 lessons, 6 hours of video content

By Mihai Băcăran in collaboration with contemporary artist and musician Darie Nemeș Bota.

Open access online course on Net Art. An experiment in independent online teaching. For full access to course material sign up for free at: https://spectactor.thinkific.com/courses/net-art

Net Art: A Problematic Introduction offers a beginner’s guide for specta(c)torship in net art. It aims to provide intellectually challenging content that encourages students to problematize received narratives regarding art and its relation with larger social, political, environmental and cultural issues. For newcomers to the fields of art history and art theory the course provides, in the context of net art, a basic overview of foundational questions such as: What is art? Is art political? Is the materiality of the art work significant? etc. For those already familiar with these basic theoretical debates, the course further complicates them by addressing the particularities of net art practices and processes of specta(c)torship, and by providing a large number of relevant examples for consideration. By engaging with relevant art works, Net Art: A Problematic Introduction aims at addressing social, political, environmental and cultural questions pertinent to the contemporary condition, as they emerge through the lens of net art.

Mihai included my poem Apparatus_is {Other-s}, as an example of electronic literature in chapter 3 on the diversity of net art practices.

With works by Alexei Shulgin / Martine Neddam / Olia Lialina / JODI / Shu Lea Cheang / Natalie Bookchin / Ubermorgen / MTAA / Kit Galloway and Sherrie Rabinowitz / Eduardo Kac / Mendi and Keith Obadike / Zahra Malkani / Nkhensani Mkhari / Sheida Soleimani / Annie Abrahams and Emmanuel Guez / Young-Hae Chang / Eric Thiele / Kim Asendorf / I/O/D / Mark Napier / Jonas Lund / Rafael Rozendaal / Interspecifics Collective / Amalia Ulman / Electronic Disturbance Theatre / etoy / The Yes Men / Olivia Jack / Alex McLean and Felix Roos / Cory Arcangel / Open AI / YoHa / DFAP / Ryan Maguire / Heath Bunting

Filed under: Net art, poetry, research, Video, free course, Mihai Băcăran, ReadingClub

Utterings The Practice

vocalic – prosody – pitch – volume – intonation – rhythm – non phonemic – paralinguistic – asemic – silence – feeling and listening – silence

You are welcome to join every first Monday of the month at 18h CET in a meeting between people who don’t use words to connect. A kind of conversation without words.

The sessions will start with a short introduction by one of the Utterings members. The “rules” for each session will be set by all who participate.
There will be no audience only participants.

A link to the practice venue will be available one hour before from the practice page.

This is not about music or performance but about connecting beyond language.

First session May 2nd.

Filed under: Event, research, conversation without words, monthly, paralinguistics, practice, utterings

Reariting a conversation between Rhea Myers & Mckenzie Wark

fascist encryption, conspiracies, why own?, provenance, deskilling, collecting, glitch, commons, civil liberties, ownership…

Friday March 4 2022. A reariting* based on a conversation between Rhea Myers & Mckenzie Wark published on OUTLAND.
With Brian Droitcour, Ruth Catlow, Gretta Louw, Daniel Temkin and Annie Abrahams.

Some image snippets:

Because I, Annie, felt Myers & Wark‘s conversation contained a lot of interesting points that I didn’t really understand, I organized a reariting* of its publication on OUTLAND. I was/am struggling to comprehend issues around NFT’s, chains and DAO’s, and hoped reariting the conversation would clear up my mind.
It worked, I learned a lot.
A big thanks to my very generous co-reariters.
Here is the .pdf to check us out:

Reariting of myers-wark-conversationDownload

*Reariting is the act of simultaneous reading and writing together on the Internet. Reariting is a feminist technique to think through a text together. While reading a text, all participants use the same framapad to write their reactions and asides related to the text, thus exploring their understandings and misunderstandings of it. Reariting is about thinking and learning, finding links, soft and blind spots, returning and kneading. It always starts somewhere in the middle, and somehow never ends.

Filed under: Collective writing, research, Brian Droitcour, Daniel Temkin, Gretta Louw, McKenzie Wark, nft, outland, reariting, rhea myers, Ruth Catlow

Performing Alchorithms – IUR

Recently I posted a short article Performing Alchorithms? on the website of the Institute of Unnecessary Research* founded by Anna Dumitriu in 2004.

In the article I explain the background of the invitation to participate in a private Alcho performing session. Alcho = Performing Alchorithms = Sharing processes through evolving protocols.

In Alcho** Annie Abrahams asks: Is it possible to create an algorithm that includes human behaviour, that evolves over time and in the process integrates aspects of the personalities of all the participating individuals? Because there are humans involved Annie thinks the project will probably turn out to be an erratic, iterative, evolving, experiential happening.

While at the start I was interested in the evolving of a performance when treated as an algorithm executed by humans, this interest later moved to the written traces; to the written instruction sets, as markers of the evolving Alcho processed through humans by writing and performing.

Choreography/algorithm by Naoto Hieda*** after Alcho performance during the Alchorisma**** platform presentation 01/07/21

Do you also want to experience Alcho? Contact me privately and I will also perform for you.

——–

* The Institute of Unnecessary Research, or IUR as it is often known, presents a new paradigm in the way artists are engaging with the world through trans-disciplinary arts practices. Part arts collective, part think tank, the IUR is a global hub for researchers and artists working experimentally, and deeply engaged with curiosity-driven research.

** Alcho has originally been developped with RYBN during Alchorisma: a work-session organised by Z33 and Constant in December 2018.

*** Naoto Hieda lately wrote about Best Practices in Contemporary Dance a queer form of conversation between technology and bodies.

**** Alchorisma alludes to the relationships between algorithms, charisma, rhythm, alchemy and karma. It looks at integrating cosmogenetic views with the charisma surrounding technology, at ways to infect existing algorithmic models with ideologies that acknowledge the importance of co-existence with non-human entities.

Filed under: Articles / Texts, Performance, research, Alcho, alchorisma, Institute of Unnecessary Research, invitation, IUR, Naoto Hieda

A conversation with Naoto.

I love the way the experimental conversation (interactive, generative) for which Naoto Hieda invited me evolves. He uses keywords and hashtags in what looks like a simple hypertext structure, but actually is based on code and javascript.

We started with #anders, #contrainte and #error.
The conversation is ongoing. memoires.glitch.me

This is an image Naoto made after I had send him a photo and a short story.The photo made him think of something romantic, maybe a Monet image. He wrote: “Then I thought about generating an image using an algorithmic model but I stopped because I hate AI generated images. They lack imagination. Instead I made a small program to generate another reality of the photo, which doesn’t look like Monet but it is some thing.” And he also send a link to the code he used: https://editor.p5js.org/micuat/sketches/alaRE_uCJ

#youth #glitch #nature #language #performance #danger #other #different #diagram #posthuman

Filed under: e-literature, Interview, Net art, Performance, research, anders, code, contrainte, conversation, glitch, language, Naoto Hieda, nature, other, youth

utterings workshop and performances

https://utterings.hotglue.me/

April 4 Weaving Triggers
April 11 ! {Tricks & Habits}
April 18 Patatuning
5.00 – 6.30 pm UTC, workshop
6.30 – 7.00 pm UTC, performance
The guided workshop will culminate in a 30 min performance, open to all.

Are you interested to join us in the workshop?
Please book asap on the We’re All Batts website here.
Places for the workshop are limited to 6.
Participation is free.
Any questions? Don’t hesitate to contact me.

Filed under: networked performance, Performance, research, sound piece

Video essay – Why is the use of videoconferencing so exhausting? – in JER

Why is the use of videoconferencing so exhausting? An analysis on the demands.
Video essay by ANNIE ABRAHAMS and DANIEL PINHEIRO.

Abrahams, A., Pinheiro, D., Carrasco, M., Zea, D., La Porta, T., de Manuel, A., … Varin, M. (2020). Embodiment and Social Distancing: Projects. Journal of Embodied Research, 3(2), 4 (27:52). DOI: http://doi.org/10.16995/jer.67

Video footage from Distant Feeling(s)

Traduction en français :
Pourquoi l’utilisation de la visioconférence est-elle si épuisante? Une analyse.
l’intimité est gênante
l’intimité est gênante
AUCUN APERÇU AUCUN APERÇU AUCUN
APERÇU AUCUN APERÇU AUCUN APERÇU
AUCUN APERÇU AUCUN APERÇU
PAS DE VUE D’ENSEMBLE
vous devez scanner l’écran en continu
interruption(s)
impossible de détecter des détails subtils
pas de détail
l’imagination remplace les signes secondaires de la communication et ceux-ci doivent être traités sur leur utilité
nous sommes enclins à vérifier notre propre image tout le temps comme si nous avions besoin d’une assurance continue que la connexion existe toujours
tout le son est mélangé dans un environnement sonore mono,
cela conduit à une compression de l’espace partagé,
nous devons deviner d’où vient le son
distraction(s)
toi, je et moi
une situation triangulaire dans laquelle nous nous sentons et nous regardons nous-mêmes et les autres …
c’est psychologiquement exigeant: notre cerveau doit traiter le soi comme corps et comme image
interruption(s)
vous ne voyez les visages de près que lorsque vous êtes bébé dans un berceau ou avec un amoureux au lit
vous ne voyez les visages de près que lorsque vous êtes bébé dans un berceau ou avec un amoureux au lit
il y a du délai
nous ne sommes jamais exactement dans le même temps / espace
Tout cela contribue à un épuisement.
Nous essayons de dépasser les limites des environnements artificiels sans prendre en compte ses spécificités.
Que se passe-t-il si nous supprimons les sens que nous utilisons le plus pour communiquer?
Et si nous fermons les yeux et ne parlons pas.
Qu’est-ce qui reste?

Svp si vous utilisez ce texte citez l’original :
Abrahams, A., Pinheiro, D., Carrasco, M., Zea, D., La Porta, T., de Manuel, A., … Varin, M. (2020). Embodiment and Social Distancing: Projects. Journal of Embodied Research, 3(2), 4 (27:52). DOI: http://doi.org/10.16995/jer.67

Filed under: Articles / Texts, Performance, research, Video, Daniel Pinheiro, Distant Feelings, JER, Journal of Embodied Research, video essay, zoom fatigue

Distant Movements at NODE

Do you want to join us to examine what it means to «dance together» in an environment where bodies are entangled with machines?

Join us Oct 8 16h CEST for a 20 min long Distant Movements session in the frame of the Choreographic Coding Lab Online meetup organised by Naoto Hiéda for NODE20.

8/10 16h – 16h20 Paris time

Distant Movements @NODE projected in Naxos Greenhouse

Online. Open to all.

You will be guided into movement by Daniel Pinheiro, Muriel Piqué and Annie Abrahams.
We will priviledge:
an inner gaze / body awareness
slowness, in order to favor the perception of the experience
awareness of the presence of others, even if you don’t see them – the session will be recorded – an eye (the webcam) looks at you all and unites you in the interface.

You can’t do anything wrong

screencapture of the session

We will start with an activation of the body through “balancing” with the eyes open – we will close our eyes …

During the last 10 minutes only qualitative incentives:
don’t forget to breathe
your toes move too
remember flexibility

More information on the Distant Movements research project here.

Filed under: Event, networked performance, Of interest, research, Choreographic Code Lab Online, dancing together online, distant movements, Naoto Hieda, Node20

(Un)Distance ELOrlando

An ELOrlando 2020: Virtual Edition Panel.
Friday July 17, 1pm EDT, 19h Paris time.

A videorecording of the event here.
Log file of the zoom chat here.

You can download the framapad as a .pdf – saved on July 17 21H Paris time.

undistance-framapad-annuelDownload

What does it mean to be together apart? How can we create and share ideas from an (un)distance?
In this experimental panel we will explore the topic “(un)distance” as a way to b(e/r)ing us together and to share ideas over various (di)stances and (di)scourses. We will center around  long-distance writing practices, and will self-reflexively discuss how effective on-line community discussion works.

You could have participated watching the video conference while at the same time joining in a collaborative reariting on a framapad.
If you click on the clock icon topright in the framapad you can see a cinamatographic image of the reawriting – a historique dynamique.

The framapad is a site for your thoughts and longer discussions, for questioning/commenting/digressing/feeding and disturbing the (un)distance elo panel before, during and after its effectuation.

two snapshots of the reariting in framapad

The panel will be moderated by Annie Abrahams and Anna Nacher on zoom, Deena Larsen and Johannah Rodgers in the framapad.
The panel participants are Eugenio Tisselli, Kirill Azernyy, Renee Carmichael, and Roderick Coover.

Filed under: Conference / lecture, e-literature, research, Anna Nacher, Deena Larsen, ELOrlando, Eugenio Tisselli, Johannah Rodgers, Kirill Azernyy, panel, Renee Carmichael, Roderick Coover, undistancing

Open Publishing Fest – licriture

20 mai 21h CEST Constallationss / Licriture.
Une séance de licriture (reariting)* avec le groupe constallationss sur un texte en rapport avec le livre Pensée en Acte d’Erin Manning et Brian Massumi.
Durée 90 min.
Dans le cadre de Open Publishing Fest.** (regardez le programme – il y a plein d’éventements intéressants entre le 18 et le 29 mai)

Venez licrire avec nous le 21 mai
Il y aura de la place pour 12 personnes
Réservation obligatoire. Message à Annie bram.org@gmail.com ou Alix alixdesaubliaux@gmail.com

La session licriture commencera avec une explication et un accordage de 10 minutes. Ensuite, les participant.e.s se rendront sur un framapad où ells trouveront un lien vers le texte, qu’ells commencent à lire individuellement. Sur le pad ells rédigeront leurs notes, réflexions et digressions les unes pêle-mêle parmi les autres et ells réagiront à celles des autres participant.e.s. Après une heure de licriture, nous nous reconnecterons pour discuter du processus.
Il ne s’agit pas de produire un texte ensemble, mais d’utiliser la licriture comme une technique pour mettre la pensée en commun.

*Reariting (licriture) manifests itself as a facilitator for a diffractive, distributed intelligence on-the-fly, creating text and relational patterns that do not depend on canons. It generates creative and unexpected “outcomes”. These are, in my opinion, not so much the texts produced, as the “diffractive moments” experienced by the reariters.
( https://aabrahams.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/diffractive-1.pdf )

** Open Publishing Fest is a decentralized public event that brings together communities supporting open source software, open content, and open publishing models. Held over two weeks in May, Open Publishing Fest will feature discussions, demos, and performances that showcase our paths toward a more open world.

Filed under: Collective writing, Event, research, constallationss, licriture, open publishing fest, Pensée en Acte, reariting