The University of New South Wales Assembling Networked Art A Study of the US, UK and Australia Cassandra Meers 2010 This thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of New South Wales THESIS DISSERTATION Surname: Meers First Name: Cassandra Other Name/s: Jane Abbreviation for Degree: PhD School: English, Media and Performing Arts Faculty Arts and Social Sciences Title Assembling Networked Art: A Study of the US, UK and Australia Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation: I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). CASSANDRA MEERS Name (please print) Signature Date Witness (please print) Signature Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to two years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award i ABSTRACT Networked art is not just a niche cultural form. This dynamic sphere of creative practice has significant implications for the histories and futures of cultural production. Networked art has been the subject of evolving aesthetic debate and contemplation for over two decades. Yet the institutional, economic and political dynamics that are intimately involved in shaping these debates have been largely overlooked in discursive analyses of this particular stream of techno-culture. The importance of networked art is not limited to the aesthetic or formal peculiarities of its form/s. Networked art has induced a range of ‘deterritorializing’ forces (in the Deleuzo-Guattarian sense) that are permeating the deeply entrenched organizational logics of Art worlds and unhinging the traditional tenets of cultural production as never before. This thesis conducts an empirical analysis of the aesthetic, economic, political and institutional milieu through which networked art has been assembled within the contemporary cultural landscapes of the US, UK and Australia. As the socio-cultural impacts of emergent information and communication technologies continue to unfold, the defining qualities of networked art are proving ever more difficult to locate. I do not intend to look for these qualities in the confines of the Internet nor within any specific medium or system of technologies. Networked art is the product of what I call a digital ethos – a fluctuating nexus of ideas and practices that are shaping and shaped by network culture. This thesis finds emergent techno- cultural practice in a pervasive digital ethos; on the margins of increasingly antiquated institutional, political and economic infrastructures; and, perhaps most importantly, at the heart of discursive and institutional transformation. ii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge, it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institutional, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project’s design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. ......................................................................... Date: 5 July 2010 iii COPYRIGHT STATEMENT I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation. ......................................................................... Date: 5 July 2010 iv AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format. ......................................................................... Date: 5 July 2010 v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis has come to fruition largely thanks to the support and friendship of my supervisor Gay Hawkins. Gay engaged particularly close readings of every draft of every chapter. Without her patience and insight this thesis would have been a very different project. My co-supervisor Andrew Murphie has also been a great source of support and guidance. The careful critique he provided on the final draft of my thesis was invaluable and his encouragement especially inspiring. I have also been fortunate enough to cultivate close friendships with two remarkable women who have been integral to my research. The Australian Network for Art and Technology’s former Executive Director Melinda Rackham and Turbulence’s co- founder Helen Thorington. Both Melinda and Helen have made themselves openly available to me to discuss their experiences regarding the complex administration of networked art. More than this, though, they have both been incredibly supportive of my research in general and, over the years, have become highly valuable and regular sounding boards. My international case studies – Turbulence, The Whitney Museum of American Art and Tate Galleries – were made possible by the generosity of four very busy women. Tate’s ‘Intermedia Art’ curator Kelli Dipple was integral to my work on the role of the traditional Art institution in the contemporary cultural climate. While the Whitney’s Christiane Paul – an authoritative voice in networked art communities – helped me understand the magnitude of political forces in the administration of networked art. And, of course, Helen Thorington and Jo-Anne Green of Turbulence provided me with, among other things, critical insight into the fragmentation of networked art communities. My research into the state of networked art in Australia could not have yielded such important results without the consultation and expertise of ANAT’s Executive Director Gavin Artz; all the staff at ANAT during my brief visit in March 2008; d/Lux/MediaArts’ Director David Cranswick; Experimenta’s then Executive Director vi Liz Hughes; the Australian Centre for the Moving Image’s Games Curator Helen Stuckey; Artist and former Australian Film Commission Program Manager Gary Warner; Artspace’s Director Blair French; the Performance Space’s Associate Director Bec Dean; Multimedia Art Asia Pacific’s founder Kim Machan; former ANAT Program Manager now the Australia Council’s Digital Programs Officer Fee Plumley; and, last but not least, the founder of the Biennale of Electronic Arts Perth Paul Thomas. I have also had the distinct privilege of engaging in some inspiring conversations with a number of internationally acclaimed networked artists. In particular, Mark Amerika, Mez Breeze and Martin Wattenberg, all of whom painted a very clear picture of the unique position in which networked artists find themselves in emerging cultural landscapes. I would also like to thank the School of English, Media and Performing Arts at the University of New South Wales for providing such a solid base of support for its PhD candidates, with a special nod to Julie Miller and Susan Price who have always given their time generously to assist me with the tasks of administrating my candidature. I could not have committed to this research project, of course, without the endless support of my friends and family. However, I reserve the most sincere gratitude for my loving partner who read every draft of every chapter and committed to nightly discussions about Bourdieu, Deleuze and Guattari, networked art, the function of Art worlds in general and never once rolled his eyes. I could not have done it without you, my love. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Thesis Dissertation.............................................................................................