[ISEA2009] Paper: Matthias Fritsch – Techno Viking: artist strategies for Web 2.0

Abstract

The Context
The Techno Viking project is an example of the reordering, re-editing and remaking of an ‘original’ video on the internet. The original video is in analogy with genes called a meme. As such, the original and its first clones, start to circulate within social networks, where the original mutates, competes with other originals and inherits. Becoming multiplied in this way, the original video becomes successful by reproducing itself, through various recycling techniques.

In this way the Techno Viking project questions the creation’s origin of such an Internet hype. The popular result is not the beginning, but the original + n, after being altered and filtered several times through a chain of actions and reactions.

The potential of public attention that such clips raise, brings attention also to the role of such major companies as Google. Google, as the owner of YouTube, provides the basic technological structure not only to enable and control, but also to profit from such creations. If the creation is based on ‘free’ social information networks, the product is commercialized through a monopoly company. In this way the Techno Viking is a perfect example to illustrate such new ways of production and distribution within user generated networks.

  • Matthias Fritsch Student, Germany

Full text (PDF)  p. 792-799