emoção art.ficial

by Ana de Fátima Sousa. July 3rd 2004
photos by Rubens Chiri

Saturday morning was the moment to pay tribute to pioneering projects in the history of art-media and discuss the social and political roles of this type of production.

The first roundtable, As Redes e os Novos Espaços de Intervenção (Networks and the New Intervention Spaces), counted on names that are part of the timeline of technological art production. Clemente Padin (Uruguay), Paulo Bruscky (Brazil), Fred Forest (France) and Gilbertto Prado (Brazil) took the public back to the last century, to the 1960’s, when these and other artists were already making use of the mail to create innovative art.

It was in the rebel years that mail art was born. Impregnated of the 60’s and 70’s spirit, the idea that motivated the young creators of that time was the wish to simply communicate, which was a deviation from the norm at the time, especially under dictatorships. Clemente Padin opened the debate and highlighted how this manifestation brought and brings about human inter-relations. “The tools that started to appear enabled an expansion of reach, diminishing borders.” Padin poetically said that the great value of art through networks is that “this art is not bought, communication is what really matters.”

Attitude of transgression – “Mail art was the feasible way for anti-bourgeois, anti-commercial art,” explained Paulo Bruscky, born in Pernambuco. He played an important role in Brazil both for mail art and video-art and xerographic art. According to him, the attitude of going against what was expected in the market ensured that art regained its function of communicating.

Bruscky described how the “mail-artists” suffered censorship in Latin America. In 1975, he was arrested. “At that time, you didn’t know who was arresting you or where they were taking you. But, since the federal government later filed a suit against me, I believe it was the Federal Police.” Fred Forest was also arrested in Brazil. In 1973, while participating in the São Paulo International Biennial, he performed right on the Viaduto do Chá, a downtown viaduct, where people raised blank posters. Dops (Department of Political and Social Order) agents became suspicious of those activities and arrested the Frenchman just for precaution. Forest remained imprisoned for some hours until Walter Zanini, from the Biennial’s organization was able to release him. Clemente Padin was also arrested in his country and had his mail “blocked” for several years.

Paulo Bruscky further described that global and collective works were already being done in the old form of mail: “chains” distributed a work in progress and each member of the list gave his contribution. He said something that marked the discussion throughout the morning of the symposium. “Mail art was the first expression to replace museums for the artists’ personal files.”

During his explanation, Gilbertto Prado united chronology and reverence for the pioneers of the new forms of artistic expression. He emphasized the argumentative traits that united these artists and mentioned Roy Ascott as the father of telematic art and highlighted the importance of the works of Fred Forest, Antoni Muntadas, Bruscky and Padin, and paid tribute to Walter Zanini. “As an articulator and critic, Zanini played an essential and brave role, he opened the doors to these artists.”

The roundtable was finalized with Fred Forest, who thanked the initiative of Emoção Art.ficial in bringing the “ancients” of art-media. He pointed out the role of his generation in creating distance action, the art of collaboration and interactivity. “We created a model that valued our relationship with the world. While traditional art tried to represent and/or understand the world, this new form tried to act on the world and interfere in it.” The artist of this new model seizes the medium and is able to attain power, since he has some autonomy in the art system. He challenged the public: “We have done our part. It’s up to you to find another model.”

Politicization – The second roundtable’s mission was to discuss ways to politicize the debate on art and technology. Catalan Antoni Muntadas was straightforward and spoke few words, he said that, “if in the past, culture was tied to the State, today, it is connected to institutions that represent large corporations and economic interests.” He then presented a slide-show that mixed hegemonic power, fusion of cultures and a clear criticism against banalization.

German Oliver Ressler showed his own way of politicizing. His artistic art always questions themes such as racism, migration, and genetic engineering.

Argentine Jorge La Ferla, who is famous for heated debates, started by saying there is always a loss in political discourse: “This doesn’t change with time.” He thinks too much time is lost talking about what is new, avant-garde, and that has no relevance. “What is said and why it is said is what matters.” La Ferla carried along the lines of what Mutandas said, but softened his colleague’s speech: “It is true that large institutions are connected to powerful companies and groups, but, it is also true that they are the ones that enable debates such as this one.” During his presentation, he showed historical data of the most important institutions that foster art-media, and ZKM, for example, which was a weapons manufacturer.

La Ferla pointed out the evolution of Brazilian production and called artists such as Rejane Cantoni, Daniela Kutschat, Tânia Fraga passionate, who drive the movement forward in an extremely creative way. The theoretical production of Lúcia Santaella and Arlindo Machado was also mentioned as of great relevance.

Cuban Coco Fusco started by showing concern about the title of the roundtable, Arte e Tecnologia: Como Politizar o Debate? (Art and Technology: How to Politicize the Debate?): “It makes me think: is there already a debate? Is it just a debate? Isn’t this debate politicized?” And she continued, “if the sheer access to technology includes or excludes individuals, all the use of technology is political.” Coco presented excerpts of her most recent video, in which the production was focused on technological feminism.

Italian Davide Grassi, who lives in Slovenia, broke the serious atmosphere of the roundtable by presenting his “company”, Problemarket.com – Problem Stock Exchange, which allows the exchange of any kind of problem for unlimited time. His presentation, which seemed like entertainment was closed with the award of a problem exchange certificate with president Lula, who allegedly had sent an exchange request to get rid of the GMO issue. Since the president was not present, he was represented by the moderator of the roundtable, Lucas Bambozzi.

Tags: Argentina, mail art, Brazil, Slovenia, France, mail art, Uruguay
Posted in Simposyum 2004 | No Comments »