An Equilateral Triangularity Employer

by | posted in: External Screenshot, The Cultural Devision | 0

When it comes to art based research, it helps to have a conceptual focus to guide your exploration.  For Ape Con Myth, it’s the words Ape Con Myth themselves that encapsulate everything you need to know about Ape Con Myth.

Over at Triangulation Blog, however, the world revolves around our pointy friend, the triangle.  And while you should head on over to their site for the latest in new media art, we recommend stopping by Interactive Triangulation first to really get your head around through the triangle, so to speak…

[Interactive Triangulation]

On Not Taking Every Minute of the Day for Granted

by | posted in: The Time Bandits | 0

24 hours, 70 workers, 1,440 minutes and 1,611 digit changes, all filmed in real time.

The entire 24 hour performance of Standard Time is available for purchase to run as a clock on your computer, iPhone or iPad.

Will they really make every change in time?  There’s only one way to find out.

[Artwork by Mark Formanek realized by Datenstrudel at Skulpturenpark Berlin_Zentrum]

We’re Not Going To Take It and It Would Help If You Didn’t Either

by | posted in: Library, The Cultural Devision, Video | 0

It’s easy to do what everyone else is doing and eventually we might find out that’s been our only problem all along.  If you question how different daily life could be, witness what one artist and a 90 piece marching band were able to do in the city of Denver.

Now imagine what kind of show 7 billion people could be putting on if everyone wasn’t so busy taking it.

[from Lee Walton‘s Playing Apart] [See also: 7 of 27]

“Yyouu hhave ssaidd itt!”

by | posted in: Maps, Smog | 1

What would it look like if you took NASA’s Earth at Night image…


…and subtracted Facebook’s Friendship Map?


Artist Ian Wojtowicz has the answer with his UnFacebook World Map.  Click the image for the enlarged version, which is quite beautiful.

Suddenly the first world is covered in darkness.  Darkness from the shadows of a walled garden?  It kind of looks like The Black Thing from Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time…

“But what is it? Calvin demanded.  “We know that it’s evil, but what is it?”
“Yyouu hhave ssaidd itt!” Mrs. Which’s voice rang out.  “Itt iss Eevill. Itt iss thee Ppowers of Ddarrkknesss!”
“But what’s going to happen?” Meg’s voice trembled.  “Oh, please, Mrs. Which, tell us what’s going to happen!”
“Wee wwill cconnttinnue tto ffightt!”

While that is an overly dramatic and alarmist way to look at it, it will be interesting to see what happens when Facebook goes public and their first concern becomes their new, overly excited shareholder’s expectations that a great deal of money can be made off of all these friendships.  …  No, just kidding.  Facebook isn’t monetizing friendship, just your life.

Don’t forget to Like Ape Con Myth on Facebook!

[Maps via/by Ian Wojtowicz via The Atlantic; UnFacebook World Map poster]

They Say the First is the Most Difficult to Make

by | posted in: External Images, The Cultural Devision | 0

John Baldessari‘s “The First $100,000 I Ever Made”, the first of three installations in the High Line Billboard art series.

Live and in person on 10th Avenue at West 18th St in Manhattan thru December 30th.

That’s Wilson on the bill, by the way.  …  … Woodrow Wilson.

[Photo by Bill Orcutt via Laughing Squid]

A Terabyte of Illegal Downloads

by | posted in: External Images, The Cultural Devision | 0

What is this tiny monolith and why is it worth 5 million dollars?

It’s a terabyte drive filled with illegal downloads.  There’s a bunch of software and games on it, but surprisingly(?) the bulk of the monetary value comes from books. By skipping the circus that likely would have followed if it were filled with Hollywood blockbusters, the piece clears the way for us to consider the question of Intellectual Property in an age where $5 million of it can fit on a $99 drive.

The twist here is that “5 Million Dollars 1 Terabyte” is on display at the online portal, Art404.   And since the artist, Manuel Palou, includes a full list of the files on the drive along with download links for them all, what you don’t see in the exhibit is the conceptually lurid cord hanging out the back.

Should money be the measure of who is granted access to tools, knowledge and culture that could be so easily shared?  No one is going to read 76 gigs of science text books, but what if they were all just online coming up in our search results instead of some blog?  Is there a business model that could avoid excluding so many from so much?

With SOPA in Congress, this is timely work inviting sorely needed questions.

[Wired UK via Hacker News]

No Real Than You Are

by | posted in: External Images, The Cultural Devision | 0

Score one for the world where something mysterious and wonderful can still wash up on the shore.
…  No, not oil.

Something wonderful…

Meet Ego Leonard.  Seen here in Sarasota, FL, this is his third appearance on the beaches of the world.  Check out Apt46 for more images and a theory on why he ended up in Florida this time.  Ape Con Myth just wants to stare at his picture a little longer and try to understand the impulse to vote him into public office.

[Image from Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Bonus: The terracotta chalk army that followed a few days later at the Sarasota Chalk Festival, via Prescription Art]

The Greatest Show Currently on Earth

by | posted in: Commentary, External Images, External Infographic, The Economics Devision | 0

This weekend you can go see a movie or go watch a little bit of history play out right in front of your eyes. Actually, there’s plenty of time to do both. You know where the movie theaters are, so here’s a directory of all the places currently being Occupied.  Somewhere in your town, there’s a good chance some people are out camping in tents to protest… the way of the world.

If you’re still wondering what Occupy Wall Street is all about, here’s an incredible cheat sheet…

(click image to get in close)

We work for the economics of scarcity despite living in a time of plenty.  At this point in history, competing for the necessities is unnecessary and, as such, barbaric.  It’s time for corporations to evolve from cyclops with an eye for money to creatures with the depth perception and humanity implied by their personhood.  We can’t all be the 1%, but there’s no reason their profit motive should dictate or endanger the lives and livelihoods of everyone else.

While you might take issue with any or all of OWS, there’s a 99% chance you’re in the same boat.  Go meet some fellow passengers.

[Chart by Rachel Schragis via Hyperallergic]