Richard Barbeau on Sat, 18 Sep 1999 05:22:16 +0200 (CEST) |
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Re: <nettime> Linux wins Prix Ars due to MICROSOFT INTERVENTION |
Hi, For this first contribution to this list, I would like to share my reflexions on the last Prix Ars Electronica (PAE) that partly comes from a article published in September issue of Archée online magazine: "Les Prix Ars Electronica 1999: le choix des œuvres et la méthode" http://archee.qc.ca/ar.php3?btn=sommaire But first, please forgive my aproximate english... THE CRITERIA In this text, I first underlined the fact that most of the selections of the .net category of the PAE are always quite far from what we considered as art or aesthetic concerns. Therefore, it's important to note that Linux opereting system is just an example amongst numerous other sites honored by PAE, this years and other years before. And before talking about the "border line issue", I tryed to figure out what were the criteria that determines the selection of the sites. On that subject we can find on AE site (Presse materials) this adaptable description of the criteria : In recent years the Internet has become a site of creativity and artistic work. The Prix Ars Electronica has recognized this trend since 1995 and distinguishes the most interesting works in the area of .net-culture. The most important criteria in the .net category include not only the use of the latest technology, but also seek to identify new forms of expression. Moreover, the jury version (Andreas Broeckman) of criteria can be found on NY Times art@large Column: The Prix Ars is not so much about art as it is about the creative conjunction of technology and an creativity» (Matthew Mirapaul «Linux Takes Prize - In an Art Competition», june, 1999 ). including Derrick de Kerckhove statement concerning the award accorded to Linux, after it was said that "the '.net' category is not a prize for the most beautiful or most interesting home page on the World Wide Web..." He said [de Kerckhove] the decision was intended to send a message, especially to electronic artists, that "the real material of the Web is the code." He said the selection also emphasized the Internet's essential ability to establish online communities "with endless creative possibilities. Art left to its own devices can be a crashing bore." and jury member (Joichi Ito) of last and this year contest asserts here that : «Even though it's called Ars Electronica, it's not really an art competition. We have this discussion every year because all the artists come to the symposium and criticize us for not awarding art. The purpose of Ars Electronica is to look at innovations in technology. We talk about art, but it [the award winner] doesn't have to be art.» (Matthew Mirapaul «Judging the Net: The Insiders' Perspective» NY Times, september 1998) I than noticed that there was a lot of confusion on what the Prix Ars is all about : Per instance, category .net of PAE is not realy about art (badly considered by the jury as purely decoratives pages) where sites like Res Rocket ( http://www.resrocket.com ) and KEO ( http://www.keo.org ) were honered. Linux obtained the golden Nica though it has at first sight no much to do with art nor as web site... On the other and, an open source program is "suggested" as being art : "It is also intended, de Kerckhove said, to spark a discussion about whether a source code itself can be an artwork". >From which one may ask : if PAE is not about art, why should Linux be a work of art? BRODER LINE ISSUE But let's play the game (even if the contexte as dramaticaly changed since this explosive press release (see below) from the jury, a statement that shouldn'nt, by the way, blur or sidestep the debate): Nervertheless : If {Linux is a work of art}; Than {Unix, Mac OS and Windows98... are art as well}; Where {Gutenberg, Tim BernersLee and Marc Andreesen are ($artist) ($creators) ($writer)}; While {Raphaël, Bach and Proust are good programmers}; End if Thanks to AE (or any coporate interests) for raising this interesting, complex issue. But let's put it in a simple way first : Linux IS JUST a computer program and art IS ALSO JUST a tradition! That's said, declaring that a technical objet is art work, may denoted a kind of "culturocentrism" where a pretending superior value is allowed to some people's pratice who doesn't realy care! On the other and (the not so simple aspect), if Linus Torvalds is an artist, than Beaudelaire is a programmer. Without irony, I do sincerely believed that this can be assert. It's just a matter of level of complexity. Isn't the human's brain programed by writing, like Derrick de Kerckhove (also a important media "theorist" ) is demonstrating in his theorical works about alphabet? A "open source" langage that is in fact codified in a bynary mode that correspond to vowels and consons? The code becomes effectively the real thing, if Japenees, Arabians and Occidentals childrends are actualy and differently programed. Also, metaphore (corresponding to variables in computer's programs?) and critical aspects (collaborative and free works/products vs commercial interest) can be present, in a certain level, in Linux open source program. Consequently, the issue should remain open, while the meetting of aesthetic and science is concern. But... I personally think that the rendez-vous will not succeded, though programers, companies, distributors and Microsoft probably just don't care about art tradition, values and critical aspects (where the opposite is apparently untrue). Go To : THE SELECTION PROCESS If... the jury is progressive in their statements, they weren't in their conception of art. In my article, I am saying that PAE is arbitrarily playing with criteria and rules in order to promoted their vision from which most of the "arty" sites submited to AE didn't deserved any considerations. Linux, Map of the market ( http://www.smartmoney.com/marketmap ) or Ginga ( http://www.plannet-arch.com/ginga.htm ), etc., were considered "creative", when hundred of artist proposals WEREN'T! As it append, at least in 1998' contest, member of jury bypassed the works submitted, and selected sites of there own considering the fact that they : « were very disappointed in that the pieces aren't getting better as fast as we had hoped» (de Kerckhove in Matthew Mirapaul «Judging the Net: The Insiders' Perspective», NY Times, september 1998) I than was wondering why the jury didn't "landed" any other art sites that can be easily find on the web instead of choosing those sites that art reveling an instrumental, techonological and spectacular conception of "Webness" or cyberculture, evacuating any "art left to its own devices [that] can be a crashing bore." What ever the jury says in their recent press release concerning the very Linux case, the are still responsible for all their work of selection. The problem is that things could have hapened differently if the hole process of selection would have been other wise oriented. Many selective process on the web are now integrating the web community like ISEA98 where public could proposed there favorite web site and where the vote were submited to them in a on-line-community-net-spirit, instead of this AE institutional and central process. This formula can be adapted or more directed. That is to say that creativity can also start here. "Webness" could than by apply to interactive and collaborative mode instead of authoritarian one. >From which we may ask : why a jury? To conclude, we are all awared of the integrating dimension of cyberculture. Arts are fusionning and technoscience is part of the soup! But cyberculture should all become a melting pot? Should convergence means confusion, dilutions or blending of the chunks? Should art activity by reduced to pure technoculture (my culturocentrism). It would be just to bad that PAE becomes the field of entropy. Because we run the risk here of breeding disinterest by forcing artificials links. Cordialement Richard Barbeau Archée Montreal # distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission # <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: majordomo@bbs.thing.net and "info nettime-l" in the msg body # archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: nettime@bbs.thing.net