Artist Statement

Experimental book installation (2014)

Print Wikipedia is an artwork in which software parses the entirety of the Wikipedia database and programmatically lays out a full set of over nearly 7500 volumes and then uploads these volumes to Lulu.com, a print-on-demand website. The installation displays a set of these printed volumes against a print of a schematic rendering of one bookshelf of volumes. This bookshelf will contain 150 volumes, or 2% of the whole set. The adhesive print is mounted to the wall, and one shelf is mounted on top of the print; this shelf holds the set of books.
Lulu.com

• Michael Mandiberg’s work traces political and symbolic power online, commenting on and interceding in the real flows of information. He sold all of his possessions on Shop Mandiberg, made perfect copies of copies on AfterSherrieLevine. com, and created browser plugins highlighting the environmental costs of a global economy on the TheRealCosts.com. A recipient of fellowships and commissions from Eyebeam, Rhizome.org, and Turbulence.org, his work has been exhibited at the New Museum, Ars Electronica, ZKM, and Transmediale. He directs the New York Arts Practicum and is Associate Professor at the College of Staten Island/CUNY, USA. TheRealCosts.com

Text with images (PDF)  p. 162