[spectre] Distant, a new Net Art work by Marc Garrett.

[marc garrett]

Distant, a new Net Art work by Marc Garrett.

Distant:
http://www.furtherfield.org/mgarrett/distant/

Statement about why I am Making Net Art Once More:

I have been going through some changes regarding what type of personal, 
individual artwork that I wish to explore these days. Even though I am 
involved in various high-tech projects which are mainly collaborations, 
that are related to larger projects. I wish to return to making Net Art, 
reconnect to what has always been my favourite form of creativity and 
expression.

The reasons that I have decided to do this is, because I feel that it is 
time for me to re-explore what Net Art can really be now, as part of my 
varied practice. Times have changed, Net Art is dead as far as many 
others have been concerned, who originally made useful careers in 
writing about it and becoming 'heroic' artists from it. I intend to 
rebuild my own practice on an Art that was killed by its own culture. 
Those who loved it also decided to kill it even though other Net Artists 
around at that time were still making it, less considered in regard to 
the repercussions of what it meant to them and culture as a whole. For 
me, history is really not enough to define a creative culture as 
magnificent and dynamic as Net Art. It may be fine for those who were 
represented at that time, but surely there are even moments of doubt, a 
lingering spectre that says that it all went wrong. I feel that those 
few who were selected to be part of the (ironic) 'Heroic Period', have 
limited their own expansion. I know that many who have made Net Art in 
the past do not wish to be left behind, lost in the history books, as 
ghosts and may find this interesting themselves, as well as a budding 
contemporary generation of new Net Artists.

Rather than be part of a past mythology, I wish to be part of current 
reality. I am of course very aware of the contemporary technologies that 
control the Internet via corporate means, and how the rabid thirst of 
those who wish to be technologically determined, by this mannerist 
behaviour, are more interested in being led by others who are not 
interested in Art, and rather are more interested in being in positions 
of power over Media Art culture, via creative industry imposed 
protocols. To me, on the whole it says more about spectacle and how 
money is dictating people's intentions and causing diversions from 
seeing what is of value culturally. As far as I am concerned, it is more 
important to make Art.

Perhaps Net Art was destined to die, may be it had to die so that others 
could explore their own perceptions, reasons and creative voices without 
the pressure of having to conform to dictates that proposed ideas which 
in reality meant nothing to many Net Artists out there, other than to 
those who instigated such power-related gestures in the first place.

So, even though I am not expecting any great come back of a new Net Art 
consciousness from my own future ventures in reclaiming a practice that 
I believe was killed before its time, mistakenly. I am asking those who 
had decided to moved away from making Net Art (some of course moved on 
naturally) to respect my decision in embarking in something that was and 
is still an expression that I feel offers the world, contemporary 
experiences and ideas, that are still unique which can be given a second 
chance by actively and consciously engaging in the now.  

For me, because there is no longer the hype about a new Internet and 
because it is a time of trouble in respect of economy depressions around 
the world, as well as many people only exploring technology for the sake 
of it, and because we need to be more ecological in our practices. We 
also need to come to terms in re-evaluating why we are doing what we do 
now, and how can we reclaim our creative histories and voices in a way 
that has more meaning, rather than through processes of mechanistic and 
personality driven motives alone. I want to build something that does 
not just reflect me being a slave to technology, corporate control and 
traditional Art world agendas. The Art will have its own voice on its 
own terms

The latest work 'Distant' is not trying to be clever via the technology, 
it is Art. An object, a contemporary piece that is well aware that it is 
no longer in fashion. Therefore, it is authentic.

marc garrett


Other Related News:
On the 29th of this month, Ruth Catlow and myself are going on an 
artists residency at Banff, Canada. Through the whole of the month 
during March, we will both be collaborating to make new Net Art 
together. It will include open source and it will involve much coding. 
As we explore the possibilities of using contemporary resources that can 
be used for our Net Art practice, we will set up a portal or blog that 
displays our research as it happens. As well as the Art that we both 
create.

We are, of course interested to hear from those who are also re-engaging 
in the making of Net Art, using free software, free media, open source 
materials as well as their own ideas about it. It is an exciting time 
for us, what is there to lose but gaining the pleasure of doing what we 
really want to do:-)