In these busy interweb times, when there’s a Social Media Expert around every blog corner, bum-rushing the latest beta, reactively dropping names, and ready at will to auto-follow on Twitter, it’s a relief to find another, creative and alternative view from Rhizome.
In engaging the social web we voluntarily fragment our interests, social ties and demographic information in order to make them “machine readable” and allow us to participate in these communities.
Rhizome explores the notion of web inventories – an index of one’s presence online – and profiles artists that are producing works based on the communities they participate in.
Soft Technology
Aram Bartholl has produced t-shirts with those little badges of courage on them and extended that project into a bluetooth-enabled messaging shirt.
Of course, that’ll mean jokesters will type “I”m with Stupid” repeatedly or “paging Mike Hunt,” on their shirts.
Speech bubbles
Aram’s work continues into performance pieces with illuminated thought bubbles that flash messages, as people stand under them. Sort of like a messaging mistletoe. Another project creates an Avatar stamp and stamp book, with the intention to meet people for real.
Some of these people though, you probably don’t want to meet them in person, like a power-meter forum troll or the helmet haters.
Compressed Portals
Another project from Christian Marc Schmidt, visualizes web analytics into a graphic, and suggests a collective experience online.
That’s what we all look at online and is similar to Aaron Koblin’s work on flight patterns.
On the Bike
Last year we saw innovation in reflective materials and LEDs – also much more mobile devices like iPhone, Netbooks and even bikes with lasers. Where I’m taking this is to social art on the bike. During our Mobile Socials, I could status my shirt or wheels with what we’re doing, where we’re going, and even project our blog as we rode along – Do Epic Shit on the down low glow. In other words, a follow me on the road and back to the pub.
Call to Artists and Creatives
Our Mobile Socials are an intersection of bike culture, blogging, and mobile technology. Into the mix, we’d like to inject art and are calling for artists and creatives to get involved in our SXSW event. Like an Aeolian ride, Rim Art, or something entirely different. Please contact and pitch us.
Last year, we had the Kinetic Chain Sculpture and spotted the pedal-powered rattle snake.
Fostering the creative in cycling, our raffle will include custom, one-off art bags from Crumpler.
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