In this broadcast, I seek out young adults to give their viewpoints on social media, in particular Facebook. What better platform to host it other than Facebook Live itself! However, in Singapore, it seems Fb Live still remains a platform which people know about, but do not use as often as other social media platforms (me included).
I thought that these particular incidents were interesting, where fb users actually took advantage of fb live to broadcast less than desired footage, (and henceforth ignoring the viewers as they remain set on ultimately achieving their goal: the incident of the girl who documented her suicide on fb, and sadly, of two journalists shot dead. It was interesting to note that my two interviewees did not know of these incidents.
This week’s video seemed like a continuation of last week’s – but more in the context of a live television show. I continue to maintain: it is difficult to multitask, to look out for feedback from Fb about my online viewers, and to concentrate in the real space with my kind interviewees. It is obvious in the video where I accidentally placed the people out of shot, and changing the orientation of the film. Granted, I could have asked a helper to help me hold the camera, but then, it wouldnt be my very own television show anymore.
Lastly, I would like to thank both interviewees for so kindly being willing to be interviewed.
This photograph is of Hong Kong’s goldfish market, where small packets of fishes are arranged neatly in rows on a wall for sale. Trapped within individual pockets of water, the fishes swim circularly, unable to avoid their unknown fate. As the glitch process intensifies, the helpless creatures swirl and descends; their individual fates gradually sinks into a chaotic mess. This riotous disorder channels mix up the infinite possibilities of the fishes’ destiny, yet speaks of the choice-less fate they have to accept despite being in the world with limitless outcomes.
Overview
In Life Sharing(2000), Eva and Franco Mattes, an New York-based artist duo, critiques the landscape of privacy and ownership on the internet. By exposing their personal computer to the world wide network, they reveal their digital identities intentionally, turning it into an artwork. Ironically, they opt to hide their true identities, by providing contradictory information about themselves, accentuated by their obscure domain of http://0100101110101101.org.
Screenshots and Social Experiment
Screenshots and Social Experiment
Screenshots and Social Experiment
Private emails published in real-time
Home page
Screenshots and Social Experiment
In his text Webcams: The subversion of Surveillance, Steve Dixon claims that the digital recording devices are separated into two paradigms: one, surveillance, voyeurism, but also two, openness, sharing and freedom of expression.
“While CCTV surveillance is commonly covert and broadly concerned with policing, the webcam is characterised by a generally opposite impulse towards openness, sharing, and freedom of expression.” – Dixon. S, in Webcams: The subversion of Surveillance (2007)
The Mattes duo forcibly combined both models in Life Sharing, creating their own version of the open, inviting Big Brother.
Data traffic on Life Sharing
Data traffic of viewers (File types) on Life Sharing
Data traffic of viewers (Directories) on Life Sharing
The term ‘abstract pornography’ nicely summarises the essence of this artwork: a calculated spectacle, it reveals enticingly, yet wantonly. More distinctively, it gives off a pleasurable vibe and allures; why do we watch it? Pleasure gained from its novelty, of voyeuristic exhibition, or of knowing that the viewer have knowledge over the artists? However, it is noteworthy that viewership remains passive, as viewers are unable to edit the files. Ownership by the Mattes duo is somewhat retained, ironically solidifying the notion that the original artist still operates from an authoritative standpoint, despite its resemblance to the Open Souce Community.
A Privatised Exposure File Sharing remains an unorthodox experiment in the artistic landscape, where other artists toil to preserve their Intellectual Property. Instead, the Mattes duo purposefully revealed their art studio, discrediting this policy; privacy is non-existent, and instead a shared trust between viewer and artist is established. On the contrary, as they selectively revealed solely their digital identities – hiding their bodied physical self – they inadvertently impeached a more intimate level of exposure. Private thoughts, and the personal(ised) usage of the computer usually hidden to others are now flaunted in the digital arena.
Summary Life Sharing is undeniably an iconic figure in contending the open source community and its related concerns of privacy and ownership. It reveals what we already know – privacy is no longer a solid, fool-proof concept. Interestingly, like bees to flowers, people are drawn towards connecting with others in real time, perhaps in part of their human nature of desiring friendships, or of transposing real life connection into the digitised world. The gradual loss of connections in the public arena of the digital world has resulted in a more desperate attempt for users to connect with another, be it through friendly or perceived ‘unfriendly’ ways.
“The desire to connect to others in real time may be driven by a response to the ‘loss’ of the public realm” – Dixon. S, in Webcams: The subversion of Surveillance (2007)
Despite their works being rooted mainly in digital technologies, it was fascinating that teamLab continues to integrate traditional Japanese/East Asian aesthetics into its works – modernising how we view traditional art. Takasu-san highlighted that the Future World exhibit was how teamLab envisioned the future – through a digitised playground grounded in traditional play structure. Inevitably, he hints that the future is in technology, and the ubiquity of it transcends our everyday living – starting from the next generation. He also sparked this question in me: was teamLab trying to change the art scene? Traditionalists might argue that their works seem too avant-garde, however, by extruding and integrating the human quality of play, teamLab keep their works accessible – to both traditional and digital art.
With the privilege of having Takasu-san to explain the artworks, it was good to finally realise how the artworks were carried out – using MaxMsp to produce the sounds, lazer sensing technology to accurate trace position and motion. Technology wise, my skills pale in comparison greatly to teamLab’s, but it was an eye-opener to see how far technology with the team of the best expertise could further art. Similarly, for our following FYP, we might want to embark on a larger scale project but lack the expertise. Though on a smaller scale, we could take on what teamLab has epitomised – drawing on the expertise of many and creating a collaborative project.
Another idea that Takasu-san brought up was the instance of people of the Silicon valley not purchasing art as they ‘looked forward’ at not behind (hence hinting that art was of a behind state). However, he later stated that art with digitised medium is not lagging behind, but in contrast was fronting the battle, with teamLab’s Light Sculpture of Flames being purchased for permanent collection later. Perhaps, teamLab tries to pry open the lid of the present, jogging towards the future of art.
cat-squid: an unusual creature lurking in the depths of the artificial ocean
Four screens – it was harder to film it, as the video was moving too quickly; had I known, I would have slowed down my walking pace during filming last week. That being said, it effectually shattered the perspective of the space. Through fragmentation of the seen and known of the just seen and the now seeing, one effectually gets information overload of the space and corrupts their spatial distortion.
This time round it was a more interactive experience, and in contrast with the previous reportage there were many more others in my vicinity. Hence, there was another set of challenge in how to film and angle the cameras – I was conscious that others might not like having the camera pointed at their face hence at some parts of the video, the angles were off.
Having filmed this with a friend by my side, she was able to better point me to areas of interest as I was pretty occupied with looking at what was being filmed; my attention was everywhere. The few people I interviewed were well-mannered and did not mind sharing their views, but they didn’t realise that they were being filmed live. After all, what I did was not something people usually would film.
The interaction was multiplied in this broadcast – with my friend physically beside me, online, and the strangers I interacted with. Despite there not having anyone online watching it while filming this, I knew that later after the broadcast, others will still be able to rewatch it and experience the market at the time I filmed it.
It was however a fresh new experience in getting to introduce the Bedok interchange market to the Facebook population, and as my friend (who stays in the East area) said, ‘Bedok is famous for its food’.
Overview Riot (1999), by Mark Napier, is an alternative Web browser that constructs its pages by merging text, images and working links from recent pages that the Riot user has surfed. The composite then appears on a single page, with overlapping text and imagery in a haphazard arrangement. The browser can accommodate up to a total of three different sites compositions, with a unique composition per browser refresh.
A screenshot of Riot, compositing the web pages Zalora, Laneige and Newnation
Definitely, Riot fits the definition of glitch, as interpreted by Rosa Menkman as,
…a (actual and/or simulated) break from an expected or conventional flow of information or meaning within (digital) communication systems that results in a perceived accident or error. – Rosa Menkman in The Glitch Moment(um), (2011)
On two different spectrums, Riot deconstructs:
1. visual imagery and text arrangement on the webpage; and
2. the idea of a singular web surfing experience
Shattering Boundaries: Physical and Digital In allowing multiple sites to flow together, Riot forcefully expands the virtual environment – sites are no longer constrained within their physical boundaries of the digital medium. Traditional ideas of ownership, territory and authority, already transgressed by the new form of the web (where a percentage of online content has a shared viewership and authority), is further probed: through Riot, it becomes a public space.
The dismantling of browser arrangement in Riot can be perceived as an error to the everyday user; conversely, this ‘error’ also exposes the lack of control users have on the net. Despite the conviction that users are gradually having greater autonomy on the net, they are ultimately still subject to the set web environment. Only after experiencing the have-not, then do they realise what they are privileged with – ultimately a human condition of not being able to appreciate what they already have. As such, glitches can be used to,
…bring any medium into a critical state of hypertrophy, to (subsequently) criticize its inherent politics – Rosa Menkman in The Glitch Moment(um), (2011)
Screenshot of Riot: Text
Screenshot of Riot: Repetitive advertisements
Screenshot of Riot: Repetitive polps
Screenshot of Riot: Working web links
References [i] Menkman, R. (2011) “Glitch Moment(um),” Institute of Network Cultures
Sole presence of single bulb leads us to have a wider visual field. The space looks expanded. Space within a space.
2. 10 Lightbulbs Arrangement
10 lightbulbs arrangement
Inspired Image (10 lightbulbs)
Spatial, distended formation. Some variation of interlocking space.
3. 100 Lightbulbs Arrangement
100 lightbulbs arrangement
Inspired image (100 lightbulbs)
Spatial tension between lightbulbs of varying distance. Tension at different points differ. Clustered form at the corner. Radial forms – starting from the corner. Hierarchy from the side. Some sort of rhythm.
4. 1,000 Lightbulbs Arrangement
1000 lightbulb arrangement
Inspired image (1000 lightbulbs)
Linear form (a series of forms arranged sequentially in a row). Grid form (a set of modular forms related and regulated by a three-D grid) Liner form has been manipulated to form repetitive, enclosed a portion of space. Equality gives repetition. Visual field is mostly occupied by the bulbs. Layering of diff planes, multiples of overhead plane. Symmetrical.
Analysis of space in artworks
Analyse an artwork (to do with space) and discuss its architecture. 3 different works.
1. Cooking the World, Subodh Gupta
Subodh Gupta, Cooking the World (2016) Found aluminium utensils, monofilament line, steel 600 cm (diameter) Collection of the Artist
Artwork is displayed at the Singapore Art Museum as part of the Singapore Biennale 2017.
Consisting of aluminium and steel utensils, there is a certain rhythm to the artwork, creating a particular space within the larger space. Repetitive objects (despite not being of similar shapes) create a symmetrical plane of the sphere-shape. White space is preserved for roundabout circulation of walking.
2. Half of the Air in the Given Space, Martin Creed
Martin Creed Work No. 262, Half the Air in the Given Space, 2001 Installation Green Latex Balloons Dimension variable Collection of FRAC LANGUEDOC ROSSILLON
Artwork is displayed at the Singapore Art Museum as part of the What is not visible is not invisible exhibit, in collaboration with the Singapore Biennale.
Close-up; the balloons are piled high enough to tower over a toddler
Close-up; large balloons
Close-up; half of the air in the given space (literally)
This artwork presents an interesting debate; architecture mainly brings about notions of solid items. However in this case, what is solid is made out of something not solid, and vice-versa. The balloons provide a constant repetition, and the artworks are constantly changing in spatial arena – but standardising blanketing the lower plane of the enclosed box-space.
3. Home Within Home, Do Ho Suh
Do Ho Suh ‘Home Within Home’ (installation view) Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea November 12, 2013 – May 11, 2014 courtesy MMCA, korea
Artwork is displayed at the MMCA, Korea.
Close up of inner house (from Seoul)
Close up of house (from the outside, of American house)
An artwork the most similar out of the three stated here that looks much like the typical architecture. The ‘walls’ are instead not made out of plaster, but rather, silk. It is an outright representation of space within space, the Seoul home enclosed and floating in the middle of the outer home. The four planes (right, left, opposite right and left) are parallel planes to the opposing home. There is a hierarchy – the outer home having a stronger ‘power’ than the inner home due to the spatial placement. There are no interlocking between the two homes, showing distinctiveness and separateness.
Initially, the video was named ‘Cat in the hole’, but later renamed to better reflect the video contents. Similarly, in spite of what I thought would happen in the filming as the situation and filming environment was fixed, the footage turned out slightly different from expected and hence the renaming of it.
When broadcasting, there was nary anyone around me, save for the one odd figure who was passing by the area. Despite that, I felt extremely conscious as I dislike posting on social media being a more private person, and that my video had the outreach to the entire Facebook user population. It felt that I had the power and wield to however, make my own voice heard amongst the sea of media.
As it was my second attempt, the first being a video directly filmed before this, the previous video gleaned comments instead of the second one, as it had the first viewer advantage. The few comments mainly commented on the content, basically aww-ing at the cuteness of the cat-objects. However, I opted to post the second video instead as it felt to be more of a reportage.
Screenshot of previous video shot + comments
I disliked the video footage quality as it was pretty grainy thanks to the bad quality camera and weak 4G data connection, but at the same time, it added to the beauty of live recording – the rawness and spontaneity of it.
