Page 17 - Studio International - February 1968

displays. Cybernetics is consistent with leading to his new behaviour, as witnessed automatic environments together consti­
Behaviourist Art; it can assist in its evolu­ in his reaction to the work. The art process tute an understanding of the human being
tion just as, in turn, a behavioural synthesis then, as comprehensible in the new cyber­ which calls for and will in time produce new
can embody a Cybernetic Vision. It is impor­ nate syndrome, is complete, as a perpetual human values and a new morality.'
tant to remember that the Cybernetic and infinite process of events, in cross­ Roy Ascott's words once again. Concern
Vision in Art, which will unify art with a connected permutations of interaction, for morality implies a concern for the total
cybernated society, is a matter of "stance", towards further and enlarged communica­ behaviour and inter-relationship of humanity
a fundamental attitude to events and human tion; always answerable to new possibilities at large. Through a cybernate approach on
relationships, before it is in any sense a invested in a constant of change. this level alone the artist can today achieve
technical or procedural matter.' When put into the antiquated communica­ integration into a whole social structure.
Such then is the basic vision of the ideas tion form of words the function of the Ascott has been well aware of this need for
expressed in words. Now how do they relate cybernate aesthetic may not be too easily some considerable time.
to and find expression in Roy Ascott's work? understood. But we should remember that His recognition of human interdependa­
When confronted with one of Ascott's all new systems of communication vehicles, bility and the artist's responsibility here as
recent painted-wood reliefs we are faced, even the phonetic alphabet, involved initial a useful activator to human experiences,
in the first instance, by a recording of his stress; and that the most noted character­ led him to formulate his Cybernetic Art
behaviour. The colour of the reliefs is istic typical of man, is his persistent quest Matrix; not devoted exclusively to the train­
always singularly overall and bland. The for conceptual understanding of even the ing of art expertise, but rather a fundamen­
undulated jig-saw perimeter, punctuated most random phenomena and activity. From tal plan of advancement of creativity in our
with more concisely cut frontiers, forming now on the artist has only two alternatives, forming cybernated society.
the total of the parameter, is a sum of either to be carried along in the stream of It is not my purpose to outline this pro­
specific decisions and casual visual facts events, mindless, dictated to by the environ­ gramme in any depth here. My concern is
that he has accepted and decided to pre­ ment shaped by the new technologies, and more strictly limited to the singular stature
sent to us in the precise state that the work as a result hostile and maladjusted to it; or of what Roy Ascott stands for in the world of
is in. The work is not finished, so much as a he can make terms, help shape it and fine arttoday. However I did start by pointing
frozen ideogram of pure visual information. develop it. But only by understanding its out that Roy Ascott the artist is impossible
The blandness of the total field of the work, underlying cybernetic characteristics. Un­ to separate from Roy Ascott the educator. In
together with the random and interim con­ derstanding and awareness here are from an earlier paragraph I discussed the actual
trolled character of the perimeter configura­ now on the conditions for optimism in art. art works that he makes in terms of the new
tion assures a coolness in the work and also 'Fundamentally Cybernetics concerns the cybernetic aesthetic. The art hardware, the
a consequential inquisitiveness in the idea of the perfectability of systems; it is objects that he makes, can and should also
spectator. It starts the interaction of respon­ concerned in practice with the procurement be understood in terms of his educational
ses from the spectator to the work, creating of effective action by means of self-organiz­ programme. If the artist figure is thought of
the necessary feedback for the work to i ng systems. It recognizes the idea of the as a visual communication planner, as a
remain qualified as an open-ended process perfectability of Man, of the possibility of designer of visual information banks capable
of making, pure visual information carrier, further evolution in the biological and social of holding information with a view to
as well as spectator activator. The work then sphere. In this it shares its optimism with catalyzing infinite situations of communica­
is not an end product, but rather an inter­ Mollecular Biology. Bio-cybernetics, the tion dialogues, then the art work can be
product reflecting the artist's behaviour; a simulation of living processes, genetic seen as a model towards the multilateral
trigger of free information for the spectator, manipulation, the behavioural sciences, expansion of such a process. The validity
of any art object today relies on to what
degree it can reflect this stance and help
instigate the wider participation and more
total integration of a creativity game played
by everyone. Roy Ascott's C.A.M. sets out
how this could become a practical fact.
Mcluhan argues that sensation and sensi­
bility today are best understood as audio­
tactile. 'Twiggy is tactile because she's just
an abstract outline.' This is not in the way of
dismissing the idea and importance of
visual responses in the cultural ambience.
It is however his way of dismissing the
determination of perceptual mechanics in
· any attempt to understand the significance
of media. The hardware which is media
can really, only sensibly, be understood
today as an extension of the individu­
al's particular syndrome of experiences
and responses; as information carriers, if
you like, of psychic and physical persons,
triggered towards more telling communica­
tion. The logic implied here is that creative
facilities can and will be totally integrated
with every conceivable facet of manipu­
latory paraphernalia. To this degree then
Roy Ascott's reliefs, like Twiggy, are best
understood as audio-tactile. □
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