social art – Dorothy R. Santos

In certain types of engineering practices, there’s this idea that the computer and mathematics itself are sort of a-cultural. That they only exist in their own technical and formal world. Every computer system is built within a social and historical context of its time.

~Professor Fox Harrell

Last year, I delved into work and research of Professor Fox Harrell. He runs the Imagination, Computation, and Expression Laboratory (ICE) Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Click here for an introduction to the ICE lab.

The lab’s most recent work is the AIR Project, which stands for Advanced Identity Representation. This particular project looks at the ways in which end users can actively create a richer, dynamic identity within the virtual world. I’m oversimplifying here but I highly encourage you to visit the project site to read immerse yourself in the details. Although his work is based on computation and artificial intelligence (AI), the focus is on the human condition and our (virtual) interactions. This type of new media art helps shed light on the way we behave, perceive, and inevitably mesh and mold into identities we have created for ourselves. More to follow…

Currently reading: Toward a Theory of Critical Computing: The Case of Social Identity Representation in Digital Media Applications by Dr. Fox Harrell

I figured I would post a link to the wiki entry for Performance Art.

Not that you, dear reader, have some kind of writing assignment. I’m, certainly, not voluntelling (a word invented at my office) you. You don’t have to read anything but I thought you might like to take a peek at what has been defined as performance art to gain a better understanding of my forthcoming piece involving Guillermo Gómez–Peña‘s performance troupe, La Posta Nostra.

Also, please consider, the documentation (i.e., photography, recordings, etc.) of performance art becomes a part of the artwork itself. The photographs I took (over 280+ of the performance) play a part in showcasing the art. Although you may not have been present, your interest and distance from the experience can still prompt a dialogue. I have yet to go through all the photographs and wanting to select those that best capture the essence of the performances but it’s rather difficult to choose.

In any case, I’m hoping I can do the show justice in my piece. I will try to describe it as best as I can. In the interim, I wanted to give you a visual preview. These are a couple shots I took during the show. Pretty intense stuff. More to follow…

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