What is past can only be the future.

Without going into the detail of my endless search for entertaining, informative or else educational material for my blog I can only comment on what I have found in the last week and hope against all hope that ye will comment. (Did anyone take part in TalkLikeAPirateDay? I tried. Failed horribly.)

Rondez-boo!
A close friend, who insisted I put this in my blog, has found herself to be emotionally exposed through blogging by an ex love (who may or may not be a stalker - jury's still out). His travel blog (which is long winded to say the least) also reveals intimate details of a relationship's end.

This wouldn't have been so much of a problem if he were to keep this blog hidden from the eyes and gossip of their mutual friends - alas - he has not. And my poor friend, must suffer in private silence; for the blogging world is not her domain. This for me brings up a number of moral issues, should this guy have not written anything about the relationship's demise at all? Does she have an obligation, more to herself than the world, to set thing straight online?

I'm of the opinion that; no. She should not have to "bare" the consequences of his winging, and he should not be so thoughtless as to air their personal affairs to people who both know and don't know them. Am I misunderstanding his rights? Am I living in an old fashioned comprehension of what is Web 2.0?

Mix it up. Live it up. Create it again.
The following is a short documentary entitled "RiP: A Remix Manifesto". It touches on what has been a hot topic since... well the sharing of files online, even in Australia. The video speaks one side only, which gets forgotten when the funky dance and music takes over.

My sentiments on the subject tend to lean towards the original concept: let us have file sharing not "maintaining the legal right of". If it is good why not share it and let it be a muse for new things.

Which way will you go?



Do you remember the days when listening to the radio you would record your favourite song on tape? Well friends, that was a crime. Now this crime is easier to track and hence to punish.

I be confused matey... aargh!
I want us all to share ideas, but surely there must be a limit. Can we honestly hurt people or profit from their work and still sleep soundly at night? Is there a new moral high ground? Or do the old rules still apply, don't steal, don't lie, don't manipulate. I can only assume that we will simply learn from our mistakes, for what is past must also be the future.

“Got a smoke?” “No. Sorry, I quit.”

So my housemate brought home a copy of The Guardian today and I read this article (which I could only locate a copy of on the Voice UK)on the tobacco industry, it broke my heart and I wanted to share it. It is amazing how much we take for granted in the western world, from diamonds to cigarettes; our indulgences are the pains of the third world. Justice seems far.
I'm sure you could give me hundred of examples just like this.

A little chat on the net.

I have a friend who is not someone I would call particularly nerdy, in terms of knowing computers and the internet in depths outside those of the average user, but she always knows the “right” website. She never ceases to amaze me with newly found content. I constantly see her posting interesting articles and bits of trivia on her Facebook and I am amazed at her depth of navigation through the Internet. She seems to know not only how to look but also where to look for things that interest her.

I think I’d have to spend ions doing research she can do in three to five minutes. So I’m going to question her about these things. I’m going to get to the secret of productive web surfing, in the hope of one day having someone ask me where he or she should look for things.

Hi E.,

Hi!

So what kind of stuff do you like doing E. you know, in your spare time?

I explore! Everything: Internet, cities, shops, buildings, websites, people's minds, their photos, music - everything. There always seems to be something interesting to find out about or someone to learn about or meet or something or to see or look at.


To plan for doing recreational things do you use the Internet?

All the time. I look at Street press and posters and any other bits of floating ephemera I might find in shops or magazines during my explorations but it's almost always supplemented by, if not preceded by, some sort of information, ad or article I've seen on the net somewhere for an event, exhibition, gig or what not.

What else do you use it for?

I use the internet for 'official ' research, as in focused and dedicated information searches for my work, day-to-day living; house searching, specific shopping, reading the news, looking up environmental and political info that I've heard about, bill payments! or other jobs that I'll take on (writing projects etc.).


In the end, unless it's actual shopping, it's all researching and information gathering I guess but that sort of thing does feel very different to the 'exploring' I described above. A focused search requires a fair amount of willpower to not go off on just any interesting sounding tidbit or lead which contains that enticing possibility of finding some random gem of information! It's much more of a 'narrow' perspective as such; I really have to focus on not getting distracted by anything and everything!


Oh, I use the internet for some social interaction I suppose – Skype, Facebook or emails - but really, aside from exploring and sharing whatever’s cool (to me!), I'm a total luddite. I can't stand the concept of socialising or active interactions via the web. I like to talk too much!!


Oh, I watch old music video clips and some mash-up previews on Youtube too. In fact, Youtube probably constitutes the bulk of the 'dead' time I may spend on the internet ;) But it's fun! And there are some amazing video clips out there.


Would you call yourself proficient when using the Internet? If not what level would you give yourself in the knowledge and navigation through the web?

Um.................no. I can't even download music! I'd love to be able to build websites or design them but other than gleaning information from all the stuff I look at, see or sign up for - I'm no computer person. It's just like a big, glorified, bright, jumpy, exciting and constantly updated encyclopaedia for me. Which contains things that I can occasionally also afford to buy or implore others to!

How often do you stumble on things of interest simply by going on a tangent?

All the time. In fact, this is my general method. Just follow your nose – I say.

Would you say it’s a main source of information for you regarding news, events or your personal interest?

Yes, for me, it's a main source of information on all three. Even if you don't go to the events you find - I sign up for updates on everything, even seminars in New York –you find out about really interesting speakers on anything; environment, design, the arts, science, sometimes even economics!


What advice would you give a high school kid about the dangers of the Internet?

Do whatever you feel you want or need to, just don't have photographic evidence of it!

Seriously though, that's the truth. What you do is your business, no one else's so share whatever you want with friends on sites like Facebook and Myspace etc but just remember that anybody else can see what you're posting, that literally means ANYBODY. Out of the six billion people out there in the world (or however many of them have internet) some are good, and some are really, really bad. You should try to trust that'll you'll meet the good ones in life, that being said you should always be careful in giving details over the net where you may pick up some really, really bad people as well. It’s common-net-sense.

If you had to pick one would you say the Internet is “good,” “bad” or “ugly”?

All three depending on how you use it. I think if it's viewed as a tool which allows you to explore the world and human culture and whatever that produces (science, art, anything), it's awesome!

And finally can you share a couple of sites that you find particularly interesting or entertaining?

Ah, there's so many! Especially depending on your interests. I love design and weird, cool things that I'll probably never know how to use properly – so for that I'd have to say www.swiss-miss.com - it's a design blog by a Swiss designer, www.thecoolhunter.com.au - it's fun and often funny, this is for the Melbournian in the know - www.threethousand.com.au, www.thedesignfiles.net - this is a cool Melbourne designer, who shares some inspirational ideas online.
Also this business ideas site, is strange but I like it - www.springwise.com and just like it bosts "For weekly inspiration" - www.lostateminor.com Both of those definitely rate a mention!

Thanks E. see you on Facebook :)

Assignment one

The myriad of information, which passes through the Internet each day, is constantly being adjusted and manipulated for increased user friendliness and navigation. As one inevitably joins this realm of hyper reality certain rules and guidelines assist in the process. The arts as an industry, an aspect of cultural individuality and identity take a unique role in this. The ability to relate to artists, enthusiast and proficient Internet users, who may not be either of the previous two, is a delicate balance.

The following essay will explore three websites, whose main focus is the contemporary art scene, including, but not exclusive to, reviews of shows, promotions of new shows, artist profiles, community discussions and forums and all art related news. Namely this discussion includes, NY Arts Magazine (NYAM), ArtReview, and ArtBlart these sites reach both a local and international platform, as further analysis is made on individual articles and the sites as a whole these elements will become more obvious. As a general guideline the expectations of any website in 2009 are the ability to accurately convey relevant information in a user friendly and interesting manner. Artist and enthusiasts are often behind in their use of new technology; this is particularly seen in the following analysis, as the sites reveal certain shortcomings.

As a start this essay will look at the NYAM, as a parallel online version to the printed magazine, established in 1995. Predominately used by New York City inhabitants it currently has more that 20 million annual hits according to NY Art New Media site. Its archives and newsletters are updated daily and the site includes 2,000 galleries, 10 800 shows, 40 000 artists, and 35 000 images. Founded by Abraham Lubelski, the site outlines its mission to actively promote the understanding and appreciation of contemporary art worldwide by providing easily accessible art information.

The layout of the site is simple and easy to use; it has a number of constant items framing the content, the menu for the site and a search option sit on top of the screen. On the right hand side is a directory of Sponsor links, these are links to blogs and sites of a similar theme and interest including Art Fair calendars. As a generalisation websites preoccupied with art provide links to other such pages, should these share a common theme, idea or stream of art. This makes it easier to navigate one’s way through the number of websites on offer. Also it links the reader to a niche community of artists and enthusiasts. NYAM also contains links to artist’s sites, working well for the site’s popularity, as an accessible tool to artists, academics and enthusiasts.

The home page offers a number of stories to choose from, the content for this is skimable as one scrolls through a list of titles, thumbnail images and first few words of the story. Most articles are short; they describe works of the artist or present expectations for a show. There are two ways of accessing the text, either through clicking on the title or through a “Read more” link at the end of the short summary. The “News” page is given a more serious look, as the images are omitted, leaving just the headline and the first few words of the articles. This being a website on art this kind of look diminishes from the usability of the site. Most readers would require the strong prompt of an image to take an interest, as art is primarily about aesthetics.

As a student of arts my attention was immediately drawn to the “Reviewed” section. These articles are a bit longer than those on the home page and although they maintain the same layout; headings, picture and text they are more difficult to read. The articles look bulky and feel as though simply a copy of the print version. They have no links to connect themes, artists or even galleries to adequately make use of their online presence. Looking at Thomas Mallone’s review Picture This the reader is offered a minor biographical overview of photography artist Annie Leibovitz, with a description of some of her more memorable photographs of celebrity figures. The images are ones that may be familiar to many, as they made headlines and front covers of popular magazines, such as Vanity Fair. One example is the image of naked and heavily pregnant Demi Moore, however many are obscured in memory, and need to be viewed again for reference. This article contains a single image without any links to the others it mentions in the article. The reason for this is that it is a direct copy from and referenced to the New York Times. This detracts from the credibility of the site, as it seems to be lacking in journalistic integrity of research or even editing. One reason content managers are using other media for reviews may be that as a site with focus on art and artists it unites media into one location, for ease in research. However as a site for artists and art enthusiasts, it requires more images to accompany these reviews, which can easily be done during editing with links to avoid copyright issues.

Art Review is a social networking site also aligned with a print magazine, it however, has a different approach to that of NYAM, it’s focus is building a social networking site for the art world, creating a global forum for discussion, interactivity and debate. The site allows its users to post artwork, contribute to blogs, videos and comment on or rate content, as well as create discussion groups and forums, all of which is monitored by the editorial staff.
As a social network site, the layout is key. It has to not only connect to the online community but as an art network community it must provide current information on exhibitions and artists, as well as remain a reliable source of reviews. This site, like NYAM, has a constant frame around the content, with a selection of Languages, site menu as well as search option by keywords.
Articles can be accessed either through the home page “News” section or through “First Views” section. All articles are presented in simple news style, with a heading and a by-line. There is no kicker although some headlines have intriguing titles, such as Model arrested at the Met. The news stories are simple and punchy, they don’t elaborate into too much detail yet provide a catalyst for discussion amongst the members. All news stories allow members to comment, with the ability to use hyperlink and upload files; this makes communication easier and more enjoyable for online users.
The Magazine aspect of Art Review is lacking however, viewed through Flash Player as if a print magazine, one can flick through the pages or locate the desired article by clicking on the titles in the contents page. This means that articles have not necessarily been adjusted to fit online reading. The content is not skimable, yet the layout of the magazine is relatively easy to read when compared to the content of NYAM, further the articles contain links to external sites.
The article on the Venice Binnale in the Summer Issue is a clear example of this; an interview is presented with short articles on the Binnale’s artists surrounding it in an easy to read layout with full colour. The works of video artists Ragnar Kjartansson as well as Elmgreen and Dragset are also linked to in Youtube, a privilege missed by the readers of the print version. The visual aspect of viewing articles in a print magazine format creates an air of credibility as one associates these with traditional elements of print journalism.

Credibility on the Internet is an important aspect for the continued interests of readers. Traditionally blog writers have been dismissed as a non-reliable source of information due to the idea that anyone can write in a blog and may not have the credentials of a journalist, who write on only what matters to them. Over time however, the relevant and justified opinions of blog writers have contributed rather than hindered journalistic endeavours. A good Australian example is ArtBlart, an Australian blog on art, hosted by wordpress.com. The author, Marcus Bunyan, artist and critic incorporates images, in depth analysis of art and exhibitions. Set out in blog format, one can access archives and artists through a constant side menu of dates and names. One can also search through article titles, or artist’s names. The blog’s titles are not particularly attention grabbing, instead these have a ‘news item’ feel to them, like Opening: ‘Little Treasures’ and ‘Clay Cameras’ at Helen Gory Galerie, Melbourne. One can also browse through the tags, which are an excellent option for those whose knowledge on art is limited but who are looking for a theme or idea.

Being a blog based site, the reader is given more opportunity for discussion and communication with the author. There is also a “Share This” option allowing readers to bookmark or pass on the pages and reviews of interest. The NYAM had a similar choice available whereby the reader can add the article to their social networking and bookmarking sites such as Facebook, Reddit, Delicious or Mixx, through an option at the end of each review and news item. The ability to do this quickly and without hassle is a very useful tool for site promotion. It need only take one good article and the ability to pass it on in order to make a site popular.

ArtBlart contains a number of images for each review of a show, such as the John Brack retrospective at NGV Australia. Furthermore, these images often include installation shots, supporting the premise that a level of research is involved, as these images are only available to insiders and the media. These images also contain a note of copyright, which reiterates the credibility and authority of this author.
This being said however the personal aspect of blog writing is strongly evident and hinders on some of that credibility. As certain institutional relationships become evident, such as those between the author and the NGV, whose shows dominate the content of the blog. However as stated earlier, it is an expectation when reading a blog that the content will be personalised, it is simply a matter of trusting the opinion of the author. The onus remains with the author to establish this credibility through the many tools of the Internet.

Although the three sites have all displayed certain shortcomings, it is safe to say that the contemporary art industry has greatly benefited from the tools of the Internet. It has seen an increase in local and international sharing of images, ideas and discussions. Through a continued effort it is likely that sites will become more familiar with the needs of its readers adjust accordingly.