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Contemporary Artist and New Media. Outlook from Russia -
Presentation and Discussion
Moderator - Konstantin Bokhorov
The subject of this discourse shall be relationship between a contemporary
artist and new media of the 90s, in Russia. However, this relationship
must be observed not in technological formal aspect but in a substantial
and critical way.
The relationship between artist and media has always been grounded on a
contradictory bent.
Contemporary media is of a dual nature. On the one hand, media facilitates
data access and makes it more democratic, thus showing itself as an ideal
device for articulation and distribution of artistic ideas. On the other
hand, media is a system for data manipulation, for spreading stereotypes
and commonplaces in public consciousness.
Contemporary art is considered an elite mode of activity modeling
innovative approach to social problem decision. It critically observes
rituals of mass consumption of culture.
A contemporary artist has often to solve the following problem: which
position is to be taken in regards to media. To take media as it is today?
To use media as means of representation? To ignore its presence? To
criticize? Or try to interfere and change the grounds and principals of
media functioning?
New media and bourgeois system of data distribution have always been an
attractive field for actual art forces application (Andy Warhol, Barbara
Kruger, Hans Haake). Examples of simulation practice, media imitation,
parody, direct conflict with media in order to gain representation and
distribution of various artistic ideas can easily be found in a reader.
For Russian artists of the 90s, various modes of relationship and work
with media became an important device of actual art. Media potential gave
way to energetically expose and declare criticism towards ugly reality of
the transfer period in Russia. Many actions by Russian artists, especially
representatives of the radical direction, of the 90s, must be observed and
valued within the media context for the sake of which those actions were
planned and realized.
Contemporary art activity with traditional media has also another vital
aspect. Principals and methods of work with new media actualized by wide
application of Internet technologies were worked out in radical art
practice as if in a laboratory. And the present discussion should try to
analyze various aspects of this problem.
The following artists that used to work within the media context are
invited to take part in the discussion: Oleg Kulik, Anatoly Osmolovsky,
Vladimir Salnikov, Oleg Mavromati and others.
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