Was just having a look around youtube can came a couple of clips by Nam June Paik, an early video art.
Firstly take a look at Global Groove a video clip with John Godfrey.
“How soonTV-chair will be available in most museums? How soon artists will have their ownTV channels? How soon wall-to-wallTV for video art will be installed in most homes?
Paik envisioned a different television, a “global groove” of artists’ expressions seen as part of an “electronic superhighway” that would be open and free to everyone.The multiple forms of video that Paik developed can be interpreted as an expression of an open medium able to flourish and grow through the imagination and participation of communities and individuals from around the world.” John Hanhardt, An essay on Nam June Paik, [Online].
Most of Paik’s work on the creation of a virtual space for artists occurred in the seventies and eighties. In 2008, what sort of answers would we give to Paik’s suggestion of a ‘global groove’. MTV creates a music video machine, which fetishises the sound and image. However it is not a free space. Aside from issues of finances and programming, censorship controls exist, which inhibit creative freedom. Madonna’s Justify my Love and Erotica were both pulled from rotation, as they were considered inappropriate for the time schedule. Furthermore, videos can be placed on late night programming schedules to ensure they are only viewed by ‘adult audiences’. Prominent examples include Smack My Bitch Up by The Prodigy. Indeed, in the 90s video music shows including rage, Channel V and MTV (the latter being music video channels) were the only access points to a video culture. (Although I maybe mistaken)
Moving on 10 years and we see youtube and the Internet becoming the open and free networks, which artists can use to broadcast their thought and present their work. The common assumption is that lack of commercial forces prevent youtube and the Internet being constrained. However google bought youtube in 2006, and have removed many videos, which are considered offensive or inappropriate.
The New York Times article has some great examples of Censorship.
As a result, we could argue artistry and corporations must remain separate if freedom and integrity of artists is to be maintained. However, this ignores an integral issue I believe. If corporations and governments are the key structures in our society, then we will always be constrained. An individuals ability to participate in these machines is greatly limited by their socio-economic standing and the resources at their disposal. If these around the foundations of our society, I don’t believe Paik’s vision can become a reality, or virtual reality as he foresaw it. We see small ruptures but as Guattari suggests much of this can be seen as continue cycle break down and intervention:
“Human action remains adjacent to their [he is speaking specifically about robots, however I think it is still useful in this context] gestation, waiting for the breakdown, which will require its intervention: this residue of a direct act.” (Guattari, 1995, 36)
Indeed, there seems to be so much potential in these micro machines to overcome the limitations of capitalism. However, ultimately they seem to be quick breakdowns, which give us a moments breath before we continue moving.
I don’t really have a particular solution here, or anything. It’s really just a long ramble. But for coming so far I though i’d leave you with two clips.
One is Unnecessary Censorship:
And Nam June Paik’s Electronic Moon no. 2:
I can imagine that there are a few socialists out there who would argue with you, Steph, about whether corporations, capitalism and governments can ever really be overthrown. However, perhaps just because I am so accustomed to my comfortable life within the capitalist system, I tend to agree with you.
Also, I was at a warehouse party last night that was being run by some guys who were in a VJ collective. There were these really weird, repetitive videos being projected on the walls to accompany this really bad electronic music. I’m not sure why I needed to tell you that — maybe just to let you know that Nam June Paik’s legacy lives on.
But see even the socialists, themselves, can’t avoid the machine. Where would there ideology be without the machine. They need it in order to define themselves against it!
Would this be the warehouse party Zoe organised, which i was meant to go to and am now apparently writing her psychoanalysis essay as an apology??
Yes! I didn’t know you were supposed to be there. I feel sad now. You probably would have made my night considerably better.
Having said that, I do enjoy the casual sadism with which Zoe delegates her obligations on those who have wronged her.