Page 40 - Studio International - June 1971

2 and 3 'Information'
Museum of Modern Art, New York 1970

position is valuable because it is a supportive past. In presenting the 'Information' show, the sexual: we have a sort of crotch complex. We
position. It supports the socio-economics of the Museum made it virtually impossible for any realize that everything about us, our minds and
art community. So it is decided that, rather than artist of integrity to continue making pieces our bodies, is hooked into the environment
make breakthroughs with artists who hit home about information. Many people will say that and the only things left unhooked are our sex
runs, you give the overall scene a vehicle to the effect of this show was to de-mythologize organs. It's unusual for people to engage in
work with, an open communication system. If art. I don't think they de-mythologize art. They sexual activity that has never occurred in their
you see a show with eighty or more people in it, put art in line with the social conditions. software. People's sexual habits are not much
all of the people dissipate into one person, the There are two kinds of software; one, the different from their conversational habits. They
curator, and the people who are not in it stand very technical term which is something a sexualize in the same way they converse.
out more than the people who are in it. computer programmer needs to know, and the The desire to remain an individual in a
A careful selection was made so that none of other is social software, which refers to the society which is obviously not fostering
the works would be outstanding. So none of the kinds of information in the environment which individualism is sexual and biological; we say,
works could in fact actually exist as themselves, make us behave the way we do. The media 'The society may influence my mind; it may
as personal elements belonging to a particular environment is telling your brain how to govern my work patterns; it may govern what
artist. The ideas were all interchangeable with operate; it is telling your body how to operate; I wear; but it does not own my body'. The body
any of the other ideas in the show. It is clear it is telling you how to behave, what to look is the last stand for the individual in this
now that ideas are not the property of anybody. like, what to desire, what to look at, what to technological society. The environment has
If you present the media with a show which care about, what not to care about, what to be laws pertaining to biology. It is not possible for
apparently has no particular artist, they will politically in favour of, what morally would be biology to behave absolutely biologically. In
make one of the people involved 'the artist'. wrong, what would taste good, what doesn't most cases, this is against the law. The
And seeing that none of the artists stand out any taste good. In an environment that is constantly biological package must behave relative to
more than others, the person who becomes 'the telling its inhabitants all these things, there is the social conditions. Otherwise the social
artist' is the curator. The curator has made an no such thing as individualism or personal conditions will clamp down on the biological
artistic breakthrough. The curator has not only property. If things become important to the package.
gathered the information, he has also made general environment, the general environment We are not consciously controlling our lives;
information: an artistic system which is will own them, and the individual will not. So the technological environment, the structural
supportive to the members of that system the idea that the collector owns the artist's work environment, and the information environment
equally, rather than a system which supports is merely a hangover from a period in history are controlling us. When we act as individuals
particular figures in it and downgrades others. where everyone viewed everything as property. in this society, we act as negatives to the
'Information' came at a time when the Art The artist's work, whether it is owned by a conditions of others. When we act as non-
Workers' Coalition had its many fights with the collector or a museum, is always his work; it individuals, we act as supportives to others.
Museum of Modern Art. You can't take energy always will be owned by him no matter who has It is reasonable to say that the media have
away from a powerful system without giving it in their possession. To assume we are a divisive nature. While they have brought
that system a considerable amount of energy. individuals is very much beside the point. Of everybody in the world together, they have
The Art Workers' Coalition was constantly course, one could say, 'I want that automobile given everybody in the world an electronic
attacking the Museum of Modern Art. The there in red, with white-walled tyres, and an air neighbour. They have also separated people
Museum of Modern Art then puts on this giant conditioner, etc'. But you have to take into into factions, one group attacking another all
`Information' show, which includes all of its consideration that the company who makes the time. If you had a television that was
enemies. It becomes more powerful than it ever that automobile has done market research to hooked up to a computer in your own home,
was before. It gets rid of the idea that there are find out that someone who looks pretty much and you could tell the television what your
going to be any further personal breakthroughs like you, who earns about the amount of money problems were or what kind of thing you want
in art. Because the idea of a personal break- that you do, who wears the same clothes, who to do, the television would go to the computer
through means that there is a particular set of lives in the same kind of house, who has the software and pick up all the various information
facts or group of information or sensitivity to number of children that you have, who is that the computer knows about the problems
a situation which is particular to a specific related to the number of people that you are, and then come back saying, 'Yes, this is what I
person or group of people. However, it is who vacations in the place that you vacation, think you should do and I think you are capable
impossible for any one person to have more facts who goes to see the movies that you go to, etc., of doing it. If you need any help along the line,
than any other person now. will come in and say, 'I want that car in this just let me know'. Then the technology becomes
Shows of this type are presented as : This is colour with white walls'. Our culture gives a support system, rather than a device used to
the art of now. However, they are not the people an illusion of choice. read-out. It becomes a system of information
beginning of anything; they are the end. They This tendency to be constantly involved in which is based on a biological model. This could
show very clearly what art has been like in the the idea of individual choices stems from the be very supportive. You can't interact with a
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