Tantalum Memorial- Reconstruction (Harwood, Wright, Yokokoji0
This first piece of work entitled ‘Tantalum Memorial’ examines the damage our increasing lust for technology is having on the world. I was unaware that a fundamental part of a mobile phone is produced from the metal tantalum which now has a higher value than gold. We are all happy to use these phones, but the tragic history associated with the mining of this ore leaves one contemplating what further damage our technological needs will produce.
The artists that created this work have used old automatic telephone switches designed by Almon Strowger and connected them to a modern network. Congolese voices and radio comments are audiable but incomprehensible over the combined movement of the piece.
Coal Fired Computers.(Yoha,Jean Demars)
This piece of work shows computers with information regarding lung disease suffered by miners. The realistic pair of lungs inflate and deflate depending on the information they are fed regarding miners injuries, deaths and compensation claims. There is also various details exhibited on the amount of coal produced energy used and how it’s production has changed location and the consequences to people and the enviroment.
Fun with Software.
A collection of fun experiments with software. The first, ‘Open Circuit’( by Haag, Rumori, Windisch and Zeller,) has copper strips covering the room resembling a giant race track. Movable speakers can be placed where you wish on these tracks, and on making contact produce various sounds.
Wimp’(Shulgin,Laskin)
Windows Interface Manipulation Program as it is otherwise known, looks at old virus programs from 1990.
‘Love letters-1.0. MUC Resurrection’ (Link)
David Link has indeed resurrected a memorial with his work. MUC refers to love letters that appeared on a notice board at Manchester University Computer Department During 1953-54. Using Baudot code you can put in messages algorithmically, through a complicated set of hand switches.The writer can create their own love letter which when completed is reproduced and projected onto another wall showing a large copy of the work for all to see. Messages produced and stored are then shown randomly at the generator’s will.
Status Project. (Heath Bunting)
My personal favourite was Heath Bunting’s Status project. In some cases an amusing and absorbing project looking at how we are or could be presented to the world by our positioning in society, circumstances or simply how we would wish to portray our outer selves. Bunting has produced a large collection of maps of people and their status, giving rise to the question who do you want to be today? The collection covers Status maps, Indexes of status and Synthetic Identity. It was interesting to see some of the new names added to our language that we could now be categorised into.
London.pl (Harwood)
Harwood has rewritten the poem ’London’ by William Blake using the language of computers. Blake’s poem written in 1748, tells of dark and difficult times in London. Programmed in Perl programming language, Harwood reproduces the poetry in a way that the reader and the computer can understand it. Harwood’s rewritten work contains the ability to compute the air displacement expressing the cry of deprived children on the London streets.
Runme.org
A software art storage system running since 2002. Based on art being ‘fun’, it is linked to over 400 projects. It gives an interesting insight into software art. The software becomes the artist’s material and it is fascinating to see how each individual interprets it's use and end outcome.
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