Art In The News- March 2016

Video Of Dmitry Morozov's Vtol Project
(Courtesy: vtol.cc)

For my art in the news presentation I chose Dmitry Morozov's Vtol project. Morozov is a Russian media-artist, musician and engineer of strange-sounding mechanisms. His Silk installation, in particular, was the focus of my presentation as it was related to music, technology, and art. This piece is unique in that it autonomously makes music using realtime fluctuations in litecoins and bitcoins connected to an Arduino platform, sound systems, servo motors, guitar rails and a tuning mechanism. The sounds vary depending on the unfalsifiability, immateriality, decentralization and transparency of values.

"This piece explores how new technologies and progress in such areas of knowledge as cryptography, mathematics, computer science influence the financial system, inevitably changing the social structure of the society", says Morozov. 

The Silk installation was inspired by the decentralization of existing currencies and the formation of a new unit of exchange independent from political and geographical limitations. Currently the piece is in Moscow and with each passing day change from the previous as does the data it is responding to. Personally, I have not seen anything like this before and was interested in sharing it because of how many discussions I have had involving bitcoin over the past 4 years. It would be interesting to see how the piece would react if the data were to reach the furthest extremes, worth nothing and highly valued.

Below are pictures of the installation courtesy of Morozov's website:

Walter Benjamin's The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction

Walter Benjamin, author, philosopher and cultural critic shown above
(Courtesy: http://image.slidesharecdn.com)

Walter Benjamin's essay, The work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction brings attention to technological innovation and its impact on art. He uses art forms such as photographic negatives, lithography, and copperplate etching to describe how imitation has become more prevalent over the years. Stemming from mass production, curiosity, greed and self-interest, replication have always existed.

Benjamin argues that in principle, all works of art are able to be replicated. With many objects, structures, paintings or drawings, this is perhaps true, however, there are exceptions to this principle. Many pictures are considered works of art, featuring a specific time or event that transpired. In the example of a volcanic eruption, an event that occurs very rarely, it would be difficult for someone to reproduce a picture that someone took on a specific day, time, angle, lighting, etc.  Even if the imitator managed to meet all the same criteria, there is such a minute statistical chance that someone would be able to get an identical picture. In the sense that someone could digitally scan the picture or use a negative and "replicate" it, is a possibility but is still a challenge to physically recreate.

There are many forms of art, some easier to imitate than others and some not. In my opinion, performance art is not replicable. It can be imitated but not 100% replicated. Stage performers can practice and rehearse their routine as frequently as possible yet will not be able to perform the same time with consistency. Each interaction with other performers, the physical condition of the performer at the time, mood, and attention to detail are all contributing factors that make replication almost impossible. Overall, my take on the matter leaves me to believe that Walter Benjamin is wrong in stating all works of are replicable. There are certain forms of art that are unique in that they are not replicable by the nature of their appearance, circumstances, or properties.

Benjamin, Walter. "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." Modern Art and Modernism. Auckland, N.Z.: PhotoForum, 2007. 218-20. Print.