Artistic Interaction and Computer Interactivity: Cooperative art on the Internet

Juan Felipe Rincón, Cornell University, Arts and Sciences '98

THREE COOPERATIVE PARADIGMS

The projects above present two different methods of cooperation. One is what I will call the discretionary approach: within it, cooperation involves the union of disparate entities to compose a whole; the final product shows the boundaries between each artist's contribution on its own. Manipulation is in the form of addition to the project, as an artist cannot change or delete another's' contribution. The second method of cooperation I will call the amalgamating approach. Within it, cooperation involves multiple-artist manipulation of a collective project. The final product shows traits of each artist's contribution yet artists' contributions cannot be separated from each other simply by observing, as each works upon both the initial project and the subsequent manipulations. Each artist becomes free to change the whole creation, and can, through his or her own additions, change and delete another artist's contribution.

These projects also present two different realms for cooperation: the multiple artist Image and the multiple artist Space. The Image is an entity; it can be ported, translated and reproduced in different ways without loss of its form. The Image is subject to duplication and inclusion in larger projects, and can be independent of technology. The Space cannot be reproduced in another medium; it relies on its technological nature. The Space cannot be translated without risk of losing parts of its essence, as it depends on vehicle-specific features. Using a common computing metaphor, the Image would be the file; the Space would be the Operating System. The file can be altered at will using different applications; it can be included and embedded; it can be ported and used in different platforms; it can be translated into analog media. The Operating System is mostly machine-specific. Porting the Operating System to a different form of machine results in the loss of certain capabilities (for example, the Macintosh Application Environment for UNIX workstations, or SoftWindows for Macintosh Computers). The Operating System lives only within the machine that uses it-it cannot be made analog. In the same fashion, the Space cannot be ported to other media without losing part of its character. The Image can be printed, enlarged and distributed widely through traditional systems; the Space is bound to its original form.

Four different forms of cooperative art on the Internet can be identified: Discretionary Image manipulation, Amalgamating Image manipulation, Discretionary Space manipulation and Amalgamating Space manipulation. SYNERGY's Corpse and Grid projects and Syracuse University's Digital Journeys projects fall into the first area. Artists contribute to a whole creation by presenting parts to add to it; the parts might blend into each other, but each belongs to the artist and cannot be changed by future contributors.

Amalgamating Image manipulation can be seen in the multiple Chain art projects sponsored by Syracuse University's Computer Graphics program, as well as in SITO's Revolt, Panic and Crosswire projects. Users are free to manipulate the presented creation (they are asked not to eliminate all traces of the previous image, but they are not restrained from doing so) and alter the previous contributors' addition.

Discrete Space manipulation includes Mongocosm, The Collective Memory Palace and Hygrid, as well as MOOS and MUDS. Users add their own images, text and sound to the project and integrate it seamlessly. The eventual space that is created is navigable through the World Wide Web. Artists can add to the project and integrate their own creation, but cannot edit previous contributions.

There are currently no widely-known projects of Amalgamated Space manipulation, or at least not easily-found in popular indices like Yahoo and Alta Vista. This is most likely due to the possible tampering that could ensue. It would involve free reign over a space by contributing artists, allowing them to not only include their artwork and contribution but also manipulate the space in which others' creations are located. One Project that approaches the idea of Amalgamated Space manipulation is WaxWeb, a hypertextual movie establieshed as an extension of a MOO. All locatable links to WaxWeb, however, lead to an inactive server.

[Introduction]|[History and Projects]

This page created by Juan Felipe Rincón. Copyright 1996 by Juan Felipe Rincón.
This page last edited May 1, 1996.