Memes against censorship

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“China’s censors are blocking words like “today” and “June 4″ from social media as part of the country’s yearly chore to block any reference to the anniversary to the Tiananmen Square massacre 24 years ago. And though the Chinese are running a sophisticated and tight censorship ship, they’re having a bit harder time blocking memes.”

Read full article here.

Nothing to see here…

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If you happen to be in Milan before July 12th, go and take a look at this little project I’m working on…

“Nothing to see here is an exhibition in two parts and a discussion on art and visual culture in the era of the Internet at the Milan branch of the Istituto Svizzero, from 30 May through to 12 July 2013.

The initiative, curated by Valentina Tanni and Domenico Quaranta, is articulated as a moment of reflection on the status of images in contemporary society. The global diffusion of computers and the Internet, that supplied a vast number of users with the access to tools to produce and distribute images, has triggered a real explosion of creativity at every level. A multiform and undefined visual universe is the result – made of irregular, amateur cultural products, anonymous and collective creations, memes and viral videos – that often seem to evoke and repropose languages and practices that are linked to the avant-gardes, both historical and recent. Nothing to see here wishes to offer an overview of this irregular and vital movement, that takes place outside the institutional circuits and is slowly giving shape to a new culture, that radically questions professionalism in the art practice and forces us to rethink the creative activity and its role in society.”

More info here

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New Lyrics for Old Songs

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Mark McEvoy is a british artist and illustrator. “New Lyrics for Old songs”, his most recent series, is an ongoing investigation on the relationship between images and text. New words are juxtaposed with old photographs, famous works of art and book covers, suggesting new interpretations and multiple meanings. Also, the project seems to suggest that any image, with an appropriate caption, can turn into an internet meme.

http://markmcevoy.tumblr.com
http://www.behance.net/markmcevoy

[posted on ArcoBloggers.com]

Not Sure if Art

Aled Lewis, Post post-modern ironic art for a cynical world. 297 x 420 mm (11.7 x 16.5 in) 5 colour screen print on Sirio 350gsm. Signed, numbered edition of 50. Lovingly hand-made in London, England for the “Memes” group show

Off Book: Visual Culture Online

“For decades now, people have joined together online to communicate and collaborate around interesting imagery. In recent years, the pace and intensity of this activity has reached a fever pitch. With countless communities engaging in a constant exchange, building on each others’ work, and producing a prodigious flow of material, we may be experiencing the early stages of a new type of artistic and cultural collaboration. In this episode of Off Book, we’ll speak with a number of Internet experts and artists who’ll give us an introductory look into this intriguing new world.”

Featuring:

Chris Menning, Viral Trends Researcher, Buzzfeed
MemeFactory, Internet Researchers
Olivia Gulin, Visual Reporter, Know Your Meme
Ryder Ripps, Artist and Co-Creator, Dump.fm
John Kelly, PH.D., Founder and Chief Scientist, Morningside Analytics

The Cup Game

Si chiama “The Cup Game” ed è un gioco arcinoto negli States, perlopiù tra bambini e adolescenti, che lo usano come passatempo durante i campeggi estivi. Cosa serve? Un bicchiere di plastica e un po’ di senso del ritmo. Nel giugno 2009 però, una band tutta al femminile, le Lulu and the Lampshades, ha deciso di utilizzare quel beat per scrivere una canzone, che hanno poi postato su Youtube.

Il pezzo si chiama “Cups” (You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone) ed è di quelli che restano in testa dopo solo un ascolto. Tuttavia, non è diventato molto famoso fino al giugno 2011, quando Anna Burden, diciassettenne dell’Indiana, non ha deciso di realizzarne una cover, sfornando una versione che batte l’originale per ritmica e grazia vocale.

Ma il “cup beat” è diventato una vera mania e Youtube pullula di ragazzi che si cimentano con il gioco, e con la canzone. Eccone alcuni. Non viene voglia di provare? A me si.

e infine… ecco il mio :-)