marc garrett
Since the beginning
Works in London United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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BIO
Marc Garrett is co-director and co-founder, with artist Ruth Catlow of the Internet arts collectives and communities – Furtherfield.org, Furthernoise.org, Netbehaviour.org, also co-founder and co-curator/director of the gallery space formerly known as 'HTTP Gallery' now called the Furtherfield Gallery in London (Finsbury Park), UK. Co-curating various contemporary Media Arts exhibitions, projects nationally and internationally. Co-editor of 'Artists Re:Thinking Games' with Ruth Catlow and Corrado Morgana 2010. Hosted Furtherfield's critically acclaimed weekly broadcast on UK's Resonance FM Radio, a series of hour long live interviews with people working at the edge of contemporary practices in art, technology & social change. Currently doing an Art history Phd at the University of London, Birkbeck College.

Net artist, media artist, curator, writer, street artist, activist, educationalist and musician. Emerging in the late 80′s from the streets exploring creativity via agit-art tactics. Using unofficial, experimental platforms such as the streets, pirate radio such as the locally popular ‘Savage Yet Tender’ alternative broadcasting 1980′s group, net broadcasts, BBS systems, performance, intervention, events, pamphlets, warehouses and gallery spaces. In the early nineties, was co-sysop (systems operator) with Heath Bunting on Cybercafe BBS with Irational.org.

Our mission is to co-create extraordinary art that connects with contemporary audiences providing innovative, engaging and inclusive digital and physical spaces for appreciating and participating in practices in art, technology and social change. As well as finding alternative ways around already dominating hegemonies, thus claiming for ourselves and our peer networks a culturally aware and critical dialogue beyond traditional hierarchical behaviours. Influenced by situationist theory, fluxus, free and open source culture, and processes of self-education and peer learning, in an art, activist and community context.
Discussions (1712) Opportunities (15) Events (175) Jobs (2)
DISCUSSION

Re: An open letter to artist-run centers


What is personal vision?

Do only artists possess it, is it an artist right?

....and, are 'non-artists' aloud to have equal rights regarding the use
of personal vision?

marc

> who needs artist-run centers for the emergence of personal vision?
> dv
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *Van:* owner-list@rhizome.org [mailto:owner-list@rhizome.org]
> *Namens *miklos@sympatico.ca
> *Verzonden:* dinsdag 30 mei 2006 20:17
> *Aan:* events@instantcoffee.org
> *CC:* list@rhizome.org; info@flackattack.org
> *Onderwerp:* RHIZOME_RAW: An open letter to artist-run centers
>
> *An open letter to artist-run centers*
> *
> *
> I received another thematic submission request for the coming season
> from a Candian artist-run center and this one rang alarm bells,
> so I would like to ask your patience in considering the following
> issue;
>
> As more artist-run centers determine a theme and subject
> for their yearly programming, it is creating a trend
> whereby artists illustrate predetermined curatorial concepts.
>
> The growing creative restrictions imposed
> may limit diversity and the emergence of personal vision.
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>--
>
>
>
> Miklos Legrady
> 310 Bathurst st.
> Toronto ON.
> M5T 2S3
> 416-203-1846
> 647-292-1846
> http://www.mikidot.com
>

DISCUSSION

Re: notes for a hypothetical essay on relocating the aura


Hi Michael & Curt,

I suspect the 'aura', has changed into something else now, and perhaps,
if we are open to it - we can find it not only in art but also in the
everyday, rather than through objects alone, posing as unique. For
'unique' is not necessarily a signifier of what is beautiful, or the
'aura'. If one was genuinely interested in 'feeling' what could be
'authentic', then one is at least closer to the essence of something
special or of value, but to contain it as art or as anything else for
that matter, more reflects a desire to contain the sublime and control
what is untouchable...

marc

>HI Curt
>I *love* Benjamin, but I do think he is best read as a
>species of poet rather than as a exponent of logical
>argument, which stuff is frankly fairly thin on the
>ground in his oeuvre.
>A lot of the time he was just plain *wrong* factually,
> but *right* poetically & I think this was the case re
>the question of "aura".
>The sense of rightness, of the sublime &c, put it how
>you will, actually seems to me to be independent of
>epoch or medium. So, for me,
>Kentridge, Tarkovsky, Nauman <multiples>, just scream
>"AURA, AURA, AURA!" whereas Vettriano, Hirst <
>physical, one of a kind> kind of whisper "DUD,
>COMMERCE, DUMBING DOWN, FLATTERY, DUD."
>best
>michael
>
>--- Curt Cloninger <curt@lab404.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>>Walter Benjamin says that people used to attach an
>>"aura" (roughly,
>>sense of awe) to the scarce, original unique,
>>physical art object.
>>Benjamin observes that since everything is now
>>infinitely
>>reproducible, we've lost this aura.
>>
>>As an artist not making one-of-a-kind objects, where
>>can I relocate
>>the aura? To answer ,"In the network" is like
>>answering "in the
>>air," or "in time," or "in existence." I need a
>>more specific,
>>behavioral/tactical description of this new locus of
>>awe and aura.
>>
>>Designer Clement Mok says designers should describe
>>their practice
>>not in terms of media deliverables ("I make
>>websites"), but as
>>doctors and lawyers do, in terms of services
>>performed and results
>>achieved. A doctor doesn't say, "I make incisions."
>> A lawyer
>>doesn't say, "I generate paperwork." This seems
>>like a better way
>>for a "new media artist" to describe her art.
>>(Note: Even the term
>>"new media artist" describes her in terms of media
>>deliverables.)
>>She shouldn't say, "I make net art." Better to say,
>>"I cause x to
>>happen. I orchestrate x. I'm investigating x."
>>Thus in describing
>>"where" I relocate the aura, I should avoid saying,
>>"It's in the
>>podcast, weblog, RSS feed, wearable mobile computing
>>device, etc."
>>
>>As an artist, my self-imposed mandate is to increase
>>a more lively
>>dialogue with the Sundry Essences of Wonder. If
>>wonder is akin to
>>awe is akin to aura, I'd better figure out where to
>>relocate the aura.
>>
>>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>
>>There are four places I can house the aura that seem
>>interesting:
>>
>>1.
>>In the destabilized/variable event/object.
>>Generative software makes
>>this possible. My bubblegum cards are a personal
>>example (
>>
>>
>>
>http://computerfinearts.com/collection/cloninger/bubblegum/
>
>
>>) Cage
>>and Kaprow are precedences. The aura is embedded in
>>the chance and
>>variability that the artist invites into the
>>destabilized/variable
>>performance.
>>
>>2.
>>In the perpetually enacted and iterated
>>act/stance/position. My
>>ongoing [remix] series of posts to rhizome RAW are a
>>personal
>>example. Ray Johnson's life/death and mail art,
>>Joseph Beuys
>>pedagogy, and D.J. Spooky's perpetual remix as
>>talisman are
>>precedences. Even Howard Finster, Daniel Johnston,
>>and Henry Darger
>>qualify, albeit in a less consciously tactical
>>capacity --
>>prodigiously outputting without thought of object
>>uniqueness/scarcity/worth/market value. The act of
>>perpetual
>>creation is the art, and the output is (to greater
>>or lesser degrees)
>>incidental ephemera. William Blake almost
>>qualifies. The stream is
>>perpetual; it becomes the new "event object;" and in
>>this stream the
>>aura is embedded. Note: This approach takes lots of
>>energy.
>>
>>3.
>>In the boundaries of context. Our Deep/Young
>>Ethereal Archive (
>>http://deepyoung.org ) is a personal example.
>>Precedences and
>>co-examples are:
>>http://www.mjt.org/ ,
>>
>>
>>
>http://www.grographics.com/theysaysmall/small/RotherhitheUniversity/
>
>
>>,
>>http://www.museum-ordure.org.uk/ .
>>
>>
>>
>http://www.thatwordwhichmeanssmugglingacrossbordersincorporated.com/
>
>
>>, http://www.dearauntnettie.com/gallery/ .
>>This approach necessarily involves disorientation
>>and re-orientation.
>>The contextual frame is soft, and the aura is
>>embedded into this soft
>>frame. Keeping this frame soft is a delicate
>>matter. It requires a
>>heightened, sometimes schizophrenic sense of
>>performative awareness
>>(cf: Ray Johnson, David Wilson). It may require the
>>artist to
>>alienate "real" art institutions wishing to fit the
>>art into their
>>frame. As the artist of such work, I can't overtly
>>foreground the
>>soft contextual frame as my intended locus of aura.
>>If I do, the
>>soft frame I'm working so hard to construct and keep
>>soft immediately
>>solidifies and is in turn meta-framed by a much more
>>solid, didactic,
>>"artist statement" frame; and the aura flies away.
>>Note: Warhol well
>>understood that an object's scarcity was a silly
>>contemporary place
>>for the aura to go. Instead, he ingeniously
>>embedded the aura in the
>>foregrounded concept of the object's scarcity. His
>>deep awareness of
>>this ironic relationship may explain why his art
>>objects now sell for
>>so much. (cf: http://www.dream-dollars.com/ ).
>>
>>4.
>>In human relationships. Personal examples might be
>>http://www.lab404.com/data/ and
>>http://www.playdamage.org/quilt/ .
>>Co-examples might be
>>http://learningtoloveyoumore.com ,
>>http://www.foundmagazine.com/ , and some of Jillian
>>McDonald's
>>performance pieces (
>>http://www.jillianmcdonald.net/performance.html
>>). You could describe this as "network" art, but
>>compare it to Alex
>>Galloway's Carnivore, which is also network art, and
>>you realize
>>"network" is too broad a term. This human
>>relationship art is not
>>about the network as an abstract monolithic cultural
>>entity. It is
>>about humans who happen to be interacting with each
>>other via
>>networks. The aura is embedded not in the network,
>>but in the human
>>relationships that the art invites. As with locus
>>#1 (In the
>>destabilized/variable event/object), this locus
>>necessarily involves
>>chance, because human relationships necessarily
>>involve chance.
>>
>>These four places for housing the aura are not
>>mutually exclusive.
>>Conceivably, a single artwork could house the aura
>>in all four
>>places. This warrants further artistic
>>investigation.
>>
>>curt
>>+
>>-> post: list@rhizome.org
>>-> questions: info@rhizome.org
>>-> subscribe/unsubscribe:
>>http://rhizome.org/preferences/subscribe.rhiz
>>-> give: http://rhizome.org/support
>>+
>>Subscribers to Rhizome are subject to the terms set
>>out in the
>>Membership Agreement available online at
>>http://rhizome.org/info/29.php
>>
>>
>>
>
>+
>-> post: list@rhizome.org
>-> questions: info@rhizome.org
>-> subscribe/unsubscribe: http://rhizome.org/preferences/subscribe.rhiz
>-> give: http://rhizome.org/support
>+
>Subscribers to Rhizome are subject to the terms set out in the
>Membership Agreement available online at http://rhizome.org/info/29.php
>
>
>
>

DISCUSSION

The Progressive Net Therapist mp3 - the Sam Diaries (Sleazy Art Meetings)


voice9

Extract from the Sam Diaries (Sleazy Art Meetings)

The Progressive Net Therapist

Identities are disguised so that they cannot be traced due to the
sensitive nature of the material. The voices that you hear are not their
real voices. Just click the link below for verbal & txt diary...

http://www.furtherfield.org/mgarrett/the_sam_diaries/sleazy9_ley.mp3

DISCUSSION

Urban Eyes at HTTP Gallery.


HTTP [House of Technologically Termed Praxis] presents
Urban Eyes
by Marcus Kirsch and Jussi Angesleva

Private View: 1st June 2006 7-9pm
Exhibition: 1st June - 9th July 2006
Friday- Sunday: 12noon-5pm

HTTP Gallery is pleased to present Urban Eyes, an intermedia project by
Marcus Kirsch and Jussi Angesleva. Urban Eyes uses wireless technology,
birdseeds and city pigeons to reconnect urban dwellers with their
surroundings.

The Urban Eyes feeding-platform stands in one of London's public spaces.
By landing on the platform, pigeons tagged with RFID chips send aerial
photographs of their locality to surrounding Bluetooth-enabled devices.
In this work pigeons become maverick messengers in the information
super-highway, fusing feral and digital networks. HTTP Gallery provides
an interface to the project, mixing live and documentary footage and
offering visitors an opportunity to experiment with Bluetooth.

Being one of the last remaining signs of nature in a metropolis such as
London, the urban pigeon population represents a network of
ever-changing patterns more complex than anything ever produced by a
machine. However pigeons' movements are based on a one-mile radius
around their nest. Any pigeon you see everyday shares the same turf as
you. Urban Eyes crosses and expands human mobility patterns offering to
reconnect you with your neighbourhood.

In the 1960s, situationists Debord and Jorn composed psycho-geographic
diagrams of Paris, which described navigational systems based on their
drift through the city. For this, they used Blondel la Rougery's Plan de
Paris a vol d'oiseau, a birds-eye map of Paris. Inspired by this
methodology, Urban Eyes enlists our feathered neighbours to establish a
connection between this view of the city as now distributed by Google
Earth and our terrestrial experience.

For more information:
http://www.http.uk.net/docs/exhib10/exhibitions10.htm

HTTP Gallery:
http://www.http.uk.net

Furtherfield:
http://www.Furtherfield.org

This project is supported by Arts Council England (London), V2 lab
(Rotterdam, Netherlands) and Furtherfield.org. Supported by Awards for All.

DISCUSSION

Congress may clamp down on MySpace.


Congress may clamp down on MySpace.

New legislation from Congress would block access to social-networking
sites like MySpace and Facebook in schools and libraries, including
instant-messaging services. The bill known as the "The Deleting Online
Predators Act" introduced by Rep. Michael G. Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., aims at
protecting minors from online child predators.

According to the bill, it "prohibits access to commercial social
networking Web sites or chat rooms through which minors" can access
obscene or indecent material, be subject to unlawful sexual advances or
repeated offensive comments of a sexual nature from adults, or access
harmful information.

The bill terms a social-network Web site as one that allows users to
create Web pages or profiles about themselves as well as offers
communications including a forum, chat room, e-mail or instant
messenger, while a chat room is termed a site that allows multiple users
to communicate in real time via text.

"Sites like MySpace and Facebook have opened the door to a new online
community of social networks between friends, students and colleagues,"
Fitzpatrick said. "However, this new technology has become a feeding
ground for child predators that use these sites as just another way to
do our children harm."

http://www.washtimes.com/upi/20060511-114314-2665r.htm/