concrete

Pinhole Gallery By: Daryl Kirkham
New imagery through pinhole photography.

Ideas, forms and materials existing in the sphere of practice.

Glazed Over By: Christina King
Selected writings on the art vs. craft debate.

4

Art as In

[7

by Sean Rorison

I think it will only be a matter of time
before every artist is lured into hooking up to the
internet by potentially large numbers of viewers
and cheap and easy advertisement for their work.
Indeed the internet has become a dream come
true for motivated entrepreneurs - and for the
motivated artist as well - as possibilities seem
endless for promotion and marketing. Still, using
the internet as a central medium in artmaking
remains more vanguard than simply using it as
another form of advertisement. Does the internet
allow for as many possibilities as an artistic
medium as it allows as a form of self-promotion
for the artist? Let’s see.

Perhaps the single most effective
element of using the internet as an art medium is
the fact that internet art can be immediately
delivered directly to the person who wishes to
experience it. There is no need to walk down into
the rough part of town and view it at the gallery;
it makes the art convenient to experience. As
well, it makes the art far more intrusive than ever
before; instead of the art being confined to the
sterile operating room of the gallery, the art
shows up in your own home as a part of one of
your most expensive appliances (your computer).
Even though the art can be just as easily
terminated (either leave the gallery or close the
web browser), the internet as medium has the
potential to make the artwork an invasion of your
own privacy.

I_ will state here that so-called
interactive art on the internet is based upon the
groundwork done in early computer games - you
are given a starting point, and then have limited
decisions from that starting point; it’s a kind of
choose-your-own-adventure-
setup. This sort of

x0

construction of the “interactive” experience has
existed since the early eighties, when the so-
called “adventure game” genre was pioneered.
Back then the mouse had not been invented yet,
but the method of interaction was the same: you
typed in a key word and what you wanted to do
with it, and then pictures were loaded and text
was displayed. Now the words have become icons
on which you simply click to load images and
display text. Since the technology to create a
basic “interactive” style of art has become more
accessible and easy to use, much of the art on the
internet is using this basic flow-chart style of
interactivity; it gives the interactee a limited
number of choices to arrive at a limited number
of conclusions. It may also be possible that the
artist creating the “art” may be fearful of allowing

- users too much control over what is happening,

as the results may be unexpected: Undoubtedly
giving any stranger carte blache with the
groundwork you have set up may be an
intimidating thought to some artists, but I believe
that this is based in the

thought that the art the artist

creates on the

internet is still simply a tool of his or her own self-
promotion and not something simply contributed
to the internet without expecting any sort of
reimbursement.

By putting a piece on the internet, it is
also susceptible to all of the unsavoury things
which occur to all other software - piracy,
hacking, deletion, seeing all of the images you
worked so hard to produce showing up as the
motif for someone’s personal homepage - but this
is the nature of the beast. It does not matter how
many copyrights exist on the piece, once it is on
the internet and can be read by anyone, a good
internet piece can eventually disseminate itself
through second hand. sources. This is something
that should not be feared, but embraced; the
internet is the all-knowing equalizer. The
Catholic Church is put on the same level as the
Cult of Satanic Skinheads who believe that they
are from Mars, and the only thing that separates
one from the other on the internet is who has
hired the flashiest web page designer. This is
either or both a good and bad thing. As well,
anything put on the internet is immediately
consumable and easily copied. “Selling” your

internet. art becomes the same as selling
admission to any other private
internet site. But since the
admission which would usually

be charged for someone to
experience your internet. art
would be so small for
experiencing it

once,
the

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infrastructure required for collecting the money
may be more trouble than it is worth - as well as
the fact that it would be more widely viewed if it
was free.

By using the internet as medium, the
artist is creating a time-based piece, or rather,
several interconnecting time-based pieces. But it
is not necessarily required that there be a
beginning or an end; the web-based “interactive”
art piece exists with time, but is not bound by it
like a film or sound recording.

A good place to start sampling a few
well fleshed out internet art pieces is the web
page Incomplete Dislocations: Web and
Interactive Digital Art Exhibition
(http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Culture/ID/). This is
the web page for an exhibition funded by the
Canada Council, and it has an initial listing of
artists’ pieces. Unfortunately only a few of these
are actually on the web. The rest’ were only
installed on the computers in the gallery, thus
removing the possibility of their butchering
through internet dissemination.

One of the pieces which exists on the
internet and is linked from this site is The
Simulator by Gernet Hertz. “Interactive” is one
of those overused terms in the world of
computers that doesn’t mean much of anything
anymore - in the context of the piece, the layout
is a flow-chart styled interactive “get ready for
work” scenario; the person interacting is given
options such as “wake up and have a shower” or
“hit the snooze button”; with driving to work one
is given the option of driving slow, medium or
fast. Applicable pictures and animations are
loaded. There are a few surprises in the imagery,
such as discovering that the workplace is
McDonald’s. The repetitive nature of hamburger
building is represented by having to click on the
“make hamburger” button over and over, as well
as pressing the buttons for adding the pickles,
cheese, and lettuce; but you can’t change the
order in which you would put these on the
hamburger, as there is only one option given at
this point. At the end of the day you can drive
back home and eat dinner (picking how much
meat, potatoes and carrots you want on your
plate), then watch TV, write in your diary (which
is actually text you can send to the artist - sort of
a built-in exhibition book, if you will) and go to
bed.

The limited interactivity offered by this
piece was exactly the artist’s intention. In his
statement, Hertz states that by “reverting
physicalness into digital space, one is alerted to
discrepancies between physical and digital
existence. Physical concepts of linear time and
space - when re-created in digital format - seem
odd or humorous. Writing, working, and
physically relaxing do not translate literally into a
digital realm.”

Gernet Hertz’s opinion of the
“interactivity” of the internet is also poignant:
“Utilized to market everything from phone-in
radio programs to corporate websites,
‘interactivity’ has become so overused that the
concept is prima facie meaningless. Playing off
the meaningless of ‘interactivity’, The Simulator
offers a completely ‘interactive’ world - in which
hundreds of choices can be made, but none offer

-any choices of significant consequence.”

continued on p.18

ber 1998 e@ influx 26053
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Art as Internet as Art

concrete

Pinhole Gallery by: ary kirkham
‘New imagery through pinhole photography.

Glazed Over sy: christina king
Selected writings on the art vs. craft debate,

Ideas, forms and materials exist

ig in the sphere of practice.

14
17

by Sean Rorison

Thin i il only be a mater of tne
before every arti is ured nto hookingup tothe
Jmernet by potentially large numbers of viewers
tnd cheap and easy advertiement for thee work,
Indeed the internet has become a dream come
true for motivated entreprencure ~ and for the
motivated artistas well - as possiblities sem
tndles for promotion and marketing. Stil, sing
the internet as central mediom in artmaking
remains more vanguard than simply using it a8
nother form of advertisement, Docs the internet
allow for as many possiblities as an artistic
medium asi allows a a form of sel promotion
forthe arti? Let's se,

Pethaps the single most effective
clement of using the internet as an art medium is
the fact that intemet art can be immediately
dalvered directly to the person ho wishes £0
‘experience it Theres no need vo walk down into
the rough part of town and view iat the galery,
ie makes the art convenient to experience, As
swell it makes the art far more intrusive than ever
befor; instead ofthe art being confined tothe
sterile operating room of the gallery, the art
shows up in your own home a8 a part of one of
your most expensive appliances (your computer.
Ben though the art can be just as easly
terminated (cither lave the gallery or close the
‘web browser, the internet as mectum has the
‘Potential to make the artwork an invasion of your

Twill state here that so-called
fgerntve art on the internet is bared upon the
‘groundwork done in ealy computer games - you
fare given a starting point and then have limited.
Aeesions from that raring points a kind of
‘hoose-jour-own-adventure-

Setup. This sort of|

construction of the “interactive” experience has
existed since the easly eighties, when the #0
called “adventure game” genre was pioneered
Back then the mouse had ot been invented yet,
‘but the method of interaction was the stm: you
typed in'a key word and what you wanted to do
with i and then pictures were loaded and text
tras displayed. Now the words have become cons
fn which you simply click t load images and
deplay tex. Since the technology to create a
basic “interactive” syle of art has become more
accesible and eaxyt use, much ofthe at onthe
ieret is using this basic Now-chart sje of
interactivity it gives the interactee 2 limited
umber of choles to arrive ata limited number
of conclusions. Ie may also be posible thatthe
frst creating the “ar” may be fearful of allowing
‘ser foo much contol over what is happening,
a the eeslts may be unexpected. Undoubtedly
Biving any stranger carte blache with the
Broundwork you have set up may be an
Insimidating thought ro some ats, but Ibleve
that this i Based in the

hough that dhe art he artist
creates on the

{ernest simply tol ofhis or her own sf
‘promotion and not something simply contributed
fo the internet without expecting any sort of
‘reimbursement.

By putting apiece om the interne, itis
also susceptible to all of the unsavoury things
Which occur to all other software ~ piracy,
hacking, deletion, seving all of the images you
worked 50 hard to produce showing up as the
‘moti for someone's personal homepage = Bt his
fs the nature of the beast, Ie does not matter how
‘many copyrights exist on the piece, once iis on
the intemet and can be read by anyone, «good
imernet piece can eventually disseminate self
through second hand sources, This something
that should not be feared, but embraced; the
internet is the alknowing. equalizer, The
Catholic Church is put on the same level 3b the
CG of Satanic Skinheads who believe that they
are from Mars, and the only thing tha separates
‘one from the other om the internet who has
hired the Mlashist web page designer "This is
‘either of both a good and bad thing. As wel,
‘anything. put onthe internet is immediately
‘consumable and easly copied. “Selling” your

Imtcrnet art becomes the same ar selling
‘admission to. anyother private

fnternet site, But since the
sdmission which would usualy

bbe charged for someone to
experience your internet art
‘would be 30 small. for
the

I
i
?

December 1998 © influx 26053

infrastructure required for collecting the money
may be more trouble than i is worth ~ aswell 8
the fact that it would Be more widely viewed it
seas fe,

By using the internet as medium, the
artist is creating a umebased piece, or rther,
Several interconnecting time-based picces. But it
is mot necessarily required that there be
beginning or an end the web-based “interactive”
ar plece exists wih ime, but isnot bound by it
Iike'a film or sound recording

‘A good place to start sampling few
wll fleshed our internet art pices i the web
page Incomplete Dislocations: Web and
Interacive Digital Art Exhibition
(hp chebuctoss.caCultre 1D). This is
the web page for an exhibition funded by the
‘Canada Council, and it has an inal sting of
ars’ pieces Unfortunately ony afew ofthese
fare actually on the web. The rest were only
installed on the computers in the gallery, thus
removing the possiblity of their butchering
{hough internet dissemination

‘One of the picces which exists on the
internet and is linked fom this site is The
Simulator by Gernet Hert “Interactive” i one
of those overused terms in the world of
Computers that does't mean much of anything
fnymore = in the context ofthe piece, the layout
isa Now-chart sed interactive "get ready for
‘work scenario; the person interacting it given
‘options such a “wake up and havea shower” or
“hit the snooze burton”; with diving vo work one
is given the option of diving slow, medium of
fast. Applicable pictures and) animations are
loaded. There ate afew surprises in the imagers,
such as discovering that the workplace is
‘MeDonald’s: The repetitive nature of hamburger
bul i represented by having to click on the
“make hamburger" button over snd over, ae well
as pressing the buttons for adding the pickles,
cheese, and lettuce; but you can't change the
‘order in which you would put these on the
hamburger, as there is only one option given at
this point. At the end ofthe day you can deve
back home and eat dinner (picking how much
meat, potatoes and carrots you want on your
Plate), then watch TV, write in your diary (which
S actualy text you ean send tothe artist sor of
8 builtin exhibition book, i you wil) and go to
bed

“The limite interactivity ofeed by this
Piece was exactly the artis intention. In is
Statement, Hertz states that by “reverting
‘hysialnes into digital space, one alerted to
Siscrepancies between physical and. digital
‘existence. Physical conceps of linear time and
space ~ when re-created in digital format - seem
‘odd or humorous, Writing, working, and
Physically relaxing donot translate Iiteraly nto
gal alm”

Gemet_Heru’s opinion of the
interactivity" of the internet ako poignant
“Uli to market everything fom phone-in
radio programs to corporate webster,
“imeractvty has Become so overused that the
concept is prima facie meaningless. Playing off
the meaningless of ‘interactii’, The Simulator
oles completely ‘interactive’ world -in which
hundreds of choices can be made, but none offer
any choices of signiiant consequence”

continued om 8

v z 8902 4 ;

concrete

13