The Furtherfield community is a common space for individuals from all over the world to to collaborate, critique and share works. Connections in art is very important. When art is shared with and collaborated with others, the outcome and extent of the art can be further pushed.
‘As an artist-led group, Furtherfield has become progressively more interested in the cultural value of collaboratively developed visions as opposed to the supremacy of the vision of the individual artistic genius.’ Furtherfield acknowledges that the individual has the capacity to create amazing works and produce great ideas, but with collaboration works can be even more culturally intriguing. During the adobe connect session with Marc Garrett, he mentioned that individualism is important. Being special is something we need to have. However, we also need to work together to create art. The main outcome from these collaborated works is the rich presentation of culture, especially when you collaborate with many people and people from different areas. DIWO culture breaks individualism and speciality into something positive, and makes art more material.
One such artwork Marc Garrett discussed about a collaborative project using Blockchain, where the public sends in different instructions and characteristics for how a plant is going to look like. The artist then has no choice but to make the plant according to the set of instructions given. I find this work very intriguing as no one plant is the same, and the plant is basically a shared work by many.
The artist has no control over the end product, although he is the one constructing it.
For the past 5 micro-projects we were all doing art with others. I find it fun and interesting at the same time because our other modules are just individual projects and it gets bit boring, because you’re only stuck with your own ideas. But with others, you can share your efforts (and laughter!).
In micro-project 2, we were supposed to take a tele-stroll with a partner. The concept of DIWO comes in as you are making a strolling documentary with another person, you’re both at different locations. It was amazing to see how my other classmates actually had a story line and great concepts. I especially liked Felicia and Bala’s, where they made a video of ‘real life tinder’.
They weren’t only doing the tele-stroll by themselves, but also roping in the public. Similar to the Plantoid project, both Felicia and Bala’s work has the element of surprise, as both of them cannot fully take control of what the public will say or do.
The adobe connect session was beneficial and really emphasised the pros of working with others. I will now end this essay with a phrase that really provide thought:
“The genius is in others, not yourself— A collective genius”
-Marc Garrett during Adobe Connect, 2018
I like how u made a relation between Marc Garrett’s example of Blockchain with the micro-project we did! From there we can truly understand the beauty of DIWO, of how collaborative efforts can convert into something very unique.
I really liked how you noted the element of surprise in Felicia’s and mine’s Tele-Stroll – there are almost different types of DIWO here. One that Felicia and I could predict (we had planned out our “types” beforehand) and the ‘unpredictable’ type of DIWO, as you have pointed out. Thank you for noticing that aspect; I wouldn’t have particularly made that distinction otherwise! 🙂
Wonderful essay and nicely written. I thought you captured the quality and spirit of Furtherfield very effectively. My main comment is to find a way to end your essay more conclusively. For example, you mention very briefly that the Adobe Connect session was beneficial because it allowed you to interact with others. How? This would have been a perfect opportunity to talk about how we incorporated the DIWO concept in our online interactions to form various collaborative moments, colors, signs, etc. through the telematic embrace. Just as you effectively described the Plantoid project, a stronger ending would have been to discuss how our own micro-projects employed similar ideas and techniques.