> Has the idealism gone from arts practice?
that's very much a personal question, these days. I think this is not a
very productive question, specially not within the Australian context, as
I see it... What again was the title of this artwork, exhibited in the
Perspecta show... "I am afraid my work is not political enough." Well, let
it be! Please. Enjoy your non politicalness. Endulge into the l'art pour
l'art. But please do it with a passion. Ein Herz fuer die Kunst. Idealism
is one such passion. Not an ideology or a dogma. It's a sign of life!
Hopsa, wir leben! No more PC anymore. No more ups and downs. Don't believe
the trend.
btw. In early 1999 de balie in Amsterdam organized an idealism sample
show, together with the post graduate design school Sandberg.
it produced a catalogue with text, also in english, about idealism
in graphic (media) design since world war 2. It is a radical pragmatic
dutch book, with little or no nostalgia towards the roaring sixties.
> Has the public declaration become the Mission Statement, the Corporate
> Vision, the Business Plan?
No. Of course not. There is just a proliferation of the manifesto as a
medium going on. We are with 6 billion and we have got lots to say!
Not everything turns into an appropriated, commodified, corrupted sausage
overnight. Don't worry too much. Indeed, the loops are getting shorter,
tighter. But if you are a bit cleaver, and awake, there is still enough
room for subversion and fun.
best from helsinki,
geert
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hothouse: media arts discussion and action at the threshold of
technology and the 21st Century
MANIFESTO 2nd - 12th November 1999 Experimenta Media Arts
www.experimenta.org
