Page 38 - Studio International - June 1971

The information fail-out The Jewish Museum, New York 1970
'A.I.R.', Les Levine
Les Levine

Most of the works that are concerned with is now dealing with environmental energy. pretty ridiculous; we only assume we make a
information are using media as a form of Television commercials are the real choice. However, most of the choices that we
`evidence creating'. The photographs or programming of television. The programmes make are merely selections taken out of a
documents act pretty much in the way they are are basically commercials for the network. A pre-coded number of choices that society has
used in the courtroom. They are presented to commercial that is short works better than one already made for us. The society is clearly
make it absolutely clear that such and such a that is long. A commercial that is long is an pre-choiced. Relative to this idea, these
thing has occurred. They are not to be apology. So the information is somewhat selections have nothing to do with a moral or
considered for their particular aesthetic quality. dissipated. One advertisement basically says, religious position. Previous to moral-ethical
They're merely brought into the courtroom as a `We have a product and we want to sell it.' The beliefs man believed that choices were
form of circumstantial evidence to prove that in second advertisement says, 'We have a product quantitative. A farmer's crop was a good crop
fact a specific thing has occurred, and this is the and we haven't sold it.' The third says, 'We because it was a large crop, and a bad crop
way it looked when it did occur. The medium, have a product and we still haven't sold it.' because it was small. Then with the advent of
in most of these works, is information. The fourth says, 'We're going to keep at this 'religious teaching' it was made clear that it
The best informational works are those that until we sell it.' And the fifth and sixth and so would be possible to consider something that
abdicate completely any aesthetic authority, on, continually remind you of the previous was small as being good and something that
make no judgment about the kind of information, advertisement rather than the product. People was large as being bad: morality as it relates to
but merely present it as a logic vacuum. In a who advertise every day are telling you, 'We choice. Now, continuing on this the idea of
systematic society, when a situation has no advertise more' : the idea, of course, being that aesthetics as it relates to religion and morality,
logic (a logic vacuum), immediately logic if we advertise more, we have the money, we aesthetic activity, such as art making, then
rushes in to fill it. If something is not called by have the power. The everyday advertisers are became a 'moral activity'. The idea of making
a particular name, immediately the information not selling the product, they are selling good art became, in the religious sense, moral,
sources will put a name on it. Because we are a themselves. A company that advertises once or and making bad art, in the religious sense,
systemic society, we cannot live under twice is saying to the public that they need them immoral. However, we now have passed to a
circumstances that do not have a system. as a customer, and a company that advertises a state where choices are no longer relative to
Therefore, we apply a system whether it be the lot is saying, 'We don't need you as a customer morality. The media and technology have made
wrong one or not. The importance of the artist because we're very powerful'. clear that everybody in a democratic society
maintaining the position which abdicates The reason long television commercials has a right to say for himself, 'This is good or
aesthetic position, or aesthetic authority, is don't work as well as short ones has to do with bad for me, and this is what I want, and this is
that aesthetic authority is not 'positive' to a the nature of television. The viewer is watching what I don't want. What I want and what I
socially supportive environment, because it the programme and if he is not getting don't want are decided by society anyway'.
generally tends to say simply, 'You don't know information at a one-to-one ratio, he tends to Therefore it's no longer a moral issue. If you
what I'm doing. You don't understand this. If go to sleep. In other words, as soon as he's got decide that it is a moral issue, then there are
you could understand, you would be on the the information, and it is not immediately certain groups of people who are doing the
same intelligence level. I'm telling you this is changed to another piece of information, it right thing and there are certain people who are
something you should aspire to.' If the artist becomes softer and softer all the time until it doing the wrong thing, relative to aesthetics.
abdicates aesthetic authority, he allows the work gradually dulls in his mind. Whereas if the We have a society in which it is possible for
to be whatever the viewer wants it to be, to be a information is changed quickly, it acts more or everybody to make art. That fact is more
success or a failure on his level. And it doesn't less like a strobe light, which is constantly interesting than any particular moral or
matter whether it is a success or a failure, shaking him up all the time. aesthetic code that you might apply to art.
because the activity of the viewer dealing with The idea that we have any choice whatsoever, We have created a media society. Things
it offers him enough support anyway. The artist in a completely technological environment, is are done for the effect that they will have in