Re: Networked Art

Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
23 Apr 1998 13:28:49 +0200


Yak Wax <yakwax@yahoo.com> writes:

> A few years ago I had an idea for my very own work of art which I have
> yet to act on. Commonly the value of art is directly associated with
> its rarity. So I propose (assuming I'm not too late) a kind of
> "Network Art" which increases in value when it increases in ubiquity
> (like all good networks). I propose this as a sort of play on the
> popular definition of what makes art "valuable" and a homage to the
> network age.

A fascinating idea. What about running it as a distributed
evolutionary system where each node allows users to breed new
artworks, which then diffuse to appear at other nodes or become part
of the art produced there? The more people who used the system the
more diversity and computer power there would be. One could even have
slightly different nodes, some where one creates 3D objects a la
Latham and some that produce 2D art (which can be used as textures for
the 3D stuff) and so on.

> The problem comes with putting this idea into practise. It would be
> easy to network over the Internet and/or running it on a computer, but
> I would rather it retain some ties with "traditional" works of art.

Yes, that would be delightful. One possibility is that some of the
"nodes" are installations with (say) cameras so that people standing
in front of them become part of the input to the evolution of 2D
pictures elsewhere.

I like your idea, it would be a wonderful way of expressing our values
and ideas!

-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Anders Sandberg                                      Towards Ascension!
asa@nada.kth.se                            http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/
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