Today we finished our DISEASE & REMEDY Zap* diptych (Department of education @ UMCG Hospital Groningen, NL).

To generate source material for the collages, we held a survey under students of the hospital. In the survey we asked participants which search queries they last used in their study. These results were divided into two categories: DISEASE & REMEDY. 
The terms that were most often selected by the students where used to generate images** with our Zap software. Then the Zap software combined all the individual images into a new context, creating a new tense state of meaning and random relations. Finally the initial words were used as the title for each collage.

The words in the title link to the original images used for the Zap collages.

Remedie: antibioticum, end-to-end anastomose, hartklep vervanging en levenslange antibiotica, tijd, lifestyle 

Kwaal: Darmatresie, peri-apicale ontsteking, reumatische hartziekte, subfertiliteit, cva

*Zap is short for Zapped Artificial Picture. A collage made of Internet images based on words.

More about "Zap"

**Each image is the most important visual representation of that word, at that time, according to the current Internet authority Google.

Blog-Archive (making off UMCG Zaps)

At the Artpie 2010 we finalized our "A requiem for Copyright" Project. In this project we searched for an appropriate place of rest for the recently deceased Copyright.

Earlier in 2009 we realized a monument for Copyright. The monument is a tombstone which marks the end of the Copyright era. The copyright logo is chiseled in black granite and accentuated with silver paint. Before the Artpie we presented this work at Art Track, Stedum and NP3, Groningen.

After realizing it would be inappropriate to sell this work we decided to give it away(or Dutch pfd) to any person or party who could best describe where Copyright should find its definitive place of rest.

We had quite a lot of reactions, signs of support, condolences and people interested in giving a home to the monument. In the end the Scryption Museum, (Tilburg, NL) could best describe why this monument should be placed in front of their museum.

The Scryption is an interactive museum that highlights the historic evolution of the written word. The museum will provide a very esthetic spot in front of the entrance. Also we are very happy with the conceptual relationship the museum has with our work. The monument will be placed at its final place of rest later this year.

We have decided on the final place of rest for Copyright. The chest you see here will be used for transport. Find out which location we have chosen + pay your final respects to Copyright at the ArtPie Mei 15th. 

Flowers will be appreciated!

For more on the A Requiem for Copyright project visit our website.

Yesterday we had quite a road trip preparing for our next exposition at the Kunstvlaai with NP3. Here are two pictures of two secret locations. Can you guess what we are up to?

We have found a mayor component for one of our future projects. Here's a little teaser:

Klick on image for more.

We had a small but powerful class of three angry young men (www.crossingminerva.nl). Ruben, Maarten and Aebele have a fascination for the virtual world of gaming but also for looking at life itself as a game.

"Outside, you will find the most real-life gaming experience on the market."

After two days of pondering and fantasising they decided to promote the real world through a new product called ACCESS. The campaign included a commercial, posters and a website teasing visitors of Simplon to think about the grey line between the virtual- and the real world.

Again, it was a privilege to support these students in the process of making art. We are already looking forward to Crossing Minerva 2011!

Her are some pictures of the installation:

Source of photograph

At the 3rd Bright Night (08-01-10, Amsterdam) we held a funeral service for Copyright. Below is a video of this memorial. We hope to provide english subtitles soon!

Pictures of the memorial can be found on our Facebook page.

I'm afraid our blog posts have become a lot less frequent since we became more active on Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to hook-up with us on there to stay up to date!

Next friday we will officially say farewell to Copyright (08-01-10 - 20:00 - Bright Night - Pakhuis de Zwijger - Amsterdam). Will you join us? All the needed info can be found here.

Michael Stevenson is a lecturer and PhD candidate at the Department of Media Studies, University of Amsterdam. For the Society of the Query evening program he presented a very interesting selection of artistic and activist projects that were engaged with (the re-attribution of) different elements related to Web search.

Query

The IP-Browser (Govcom.org) for instance played with the linearity of querying the Web. Itcreates an alternative browsing experience that foregrounds the Web’s machine habitat and returns the user back to the basics of orderly Web browsing. The IP Browser looks up your IP address, and allows you to browse the Websites in your IP neighborhood, one by one in the order in which they are given in the IP address space.

Shmoogle (Tsila Hassine/De Geuzen) also deals with linearity on the Web, specifically the linearity of the search returns of Google. De Geuzen state that the best search returns that Google offers are not necessarily always the ones at the top. Unfortunately this is where the average Google user gets stuck. Shmoogle offers a way to find the search results in a chaotic way, and in doing so it ensures greater democracy.

The Internet Says No (Constant Dullaart) is a animated, fully functioning Google page (Google is placed in a marquee-frame). this work offers a pessimistic way to surf the internet.

The Misspelling-Generator (Linda Hilfling & Erik Borra). Erik Borra presented the work as a result of the fight against internet censorship. When doing a search in the Chinese version of Google on the Tiananmen Square Massacre, Linda Hilfling discovered a temporary loophole out of the Google self-censorship in China. By deliberately spelling Tiananmen incorrectly, she was taken to web-pages where other people had misspelled Tiananmen, and was thereby able to access pictures of demonstrations as well as the legendary image of the student in front of the tank through the sources of incorrect spellings. The Misspelling generator is a tool that can be used for internet activism. By writing variations like ‘tianamen’ and ‘tiananman’ the isolation politics of the Google’s spelling corrector can be subverted while Google’ selfcensorship can be circumvented.

Images

Z.A.P. (ApFab) is an automatic image generation installation. First you add a word using the ApFab touch-screen, then the ZapMachine will grab an image from the Internet. This image is the most important visual representation of that word, at that time, according to the current Internet authority Google. Finally, the individual images are incorporated into a new context, creating a new tense state of meaning and random relations. With “Zapmachine: Who gave you the right?” AbFab is asking the following questions:

-How much control do we have over the generated collage as artists?
-How much influence do you have on this process.
-How does the collage relate to the initial intention by which the image was uploaded on the Internet by the original author?
-Who is the author of this Zap collage?

Disease Disco (Constant Dullaart) “To every suffering its thumbnail”. Dullaart used the Google image search by color option, to query the word ‘disease’ and changes color ‘rhytmically’. The work is accompanied by the US billboard #1 hit song of the moment that the work was created.

The Global Anxiety Monitor (De Geuzen) uses html-frames to display automated image searches in different languages. Searching in Google for terms such as conflict, terrorism and climate change, this monitor traces the ebb and flow of fear in Arabic, Hebrew, English and Dutch.

Terms & Conditions

Cookie Monster (Andrea Fiore) To capture on-line behavior, thousands of HTTP cookies are sent daily to web browsers to identify users and gather statistical knowledge about tastes and habits. The cookie consensus website hosts a collection of cookies that Andrea Fiore received while surfing through the first 50 entries of the Alexa directory of News sites. In the future it will also host a software that will give the users the capability to create their own cookie collections.

I Love Alaska (Lernert Engelberts & Sander Plug) is a beautifully framed internet movie series that tells the story of a middle aged woman living in Houston, Texas. The viewer follows her AOL search queries over the time span of months. “In the end, when she cheats on her husband with a man she met online, her life seems to crumble around her. She regrets her deceit, admits to her Internet addiction and dreams of a new life in Alaska.”

Source: http://networkcultures.org/wpmu/query/

“After an exhaustive struggle Copyright has passed away. Without her, we will face a difficult time. She helped us to define our identity and gave us a sense of security. Now we will have to look for ways to continue without her. We condole any person who felt protected in the presence of copyright."

A Requiem for Copyright is the latest work by the ApFab art collective. It is a tombstone which marks the end of the Copyright era. The copyright logo is chiselled in black granite and accentuated with silver paint. We have presented the artwork in the following exhibitions:

-Art-Track (Kunstspoor) Stedum, The Netherlands (May 2009). www.kunstspoorstedum.nl
-The art and collections, contemporary art platform NP3 , Groningen, The Netherlands (September 2009). www.np3.nu

Specs

Title: A Requiem for Copyright
Size: 135 x 60 x 4 cm 
Material: Logo chiseled in granite (Zimbabwe Black) accentuated with silver-paint
Price: € 0,- *
Creation: 2009

* € 0,- ?

We have decided that it's more in the honour of the initial concept to give the tombstone away for free. We don't think it is ethical to ask money for  the death of a concept. And of course: Copyright did not belong to us, it belonged to us all.  Copyright deserves a proper resting place in a (semi) public environment; everybody should be given an opportunity to say farewell. We also think the monument needs a ceremony in which it will be unveiled.

We are looking for a party that wants to be the new owner of the monument and provides a location for it.

Interested?

Send us a textual and visual description of the (semi) public location you have in mind for A Requiem for Copyright. Explain why you think this is the right location, considering both easthetical and conceptual reasons for your choice.  In the fall of 2010 ApFab will decide which location suits our monument best. 

Take note of the following:

The future owner will sign a contract with ApFab, which will include the following items:

1: A Requiem for Copyright will not be sold without the consent of ApFab.

2: The work can only be moved with consent of ApFab.

3: The future owner will pay for the following:

- transport, placement and maintenance.

- a proper opening  and travel expenses for ApFab during this opening.

- insurance cost (in case of possible damages).

4: The future owner is authorized to place the monument at the chosen location. 

5: Unveiling and promotional activities will take place in cooperation with ApFab. 

We are happy to answer any questions you might have! info@ApFab.com

Print / download info:

PDF with all this information in english.

PDF with all this information in Dutch.

We are now on Facebook. Be shure to hook up! We would love to hear what you guy's up to. Offcourse wel'll keep you up-to date on our current and future projects!

We are proud to reveal NP3 has included our “A requiem for copyright” in they’re Display selection. This selection will be sent around to contemporary art collectors and magazines.

NP3: “We investigate whether these more experimental, conceptual, ephemeral artworks can find their way into collections without compromising. Secondly we try to find surprising ways to make these works more interesting to buy.”

In our case, the word “buy” does not apply since we have decided to give away our “A requiem for copyright” FOR FREE. More information on this bargain very soon!

Other works for sale are by: Marijke Appelman, Sander Houtkruijer, PIEK! / Selby Gildemacher, Marc Oosting, Suzanne Bodde, Anno Dijkstra, TRIK, Daniël Dennis de Wit, Esther de Graaf, Rob van de Werdt, Berndnaut Smilde, Hartog & Henneman, Walter van Broekhuizen en Michiel Schuurman.

The NP3 selection (click for full screen):

source: www.np3.nu

Yesterday we where invited to give a Pecha Kucha presentation in the Tasman tower. Quite a spectacular location, since the audience was in one tower while we where giving the presentation in the tower opposite! We hope to show you a montage of the presentation soon. In the meantime here are some photos:

More photos here by Marcel Kapman.

Other Pecha Kucha presenters: Wubbo Ockels, Renger Koning, Wicher van der Wal, Lizet Blenke, Jetse Goris, Jeroen Boersma, Marcel Kampman, Sanne Roemen, Hans Minkes, Evert Jan van Scherpenzeel, Mijnske Sival.

Our compliments to Platform Gras for organizing this spectacular event!

Were back form our vacation and fully rejuvenated! Right now we are putting our attention to finding a definite location for our “A requiem for copyright”. Soon we will also be able to close our UMCG project and show you some pictures.

In the meantime we have been asked to give a Pecha Kucha presentation on top of the (yet unfinished) Tasman Tower (14:20 - 20th of Sept).

What is a Pecha Kucha presentation you ask?:

“usually pronounced in three syllables like "pe-chak-cha") is a presentation format in which content can be easily, efficiently and informally shown, usually at a public event designed for that purpose. Under the format, a presenter shows 20 images for 20 seconds apiece, for a total time of 6 minutes, 40 seconds.”

Get your tickets here: Platform Gras

There it is! Go check out our newly designed www.APFAB.com With more content than ever before! Tell us what you think and spread the word.

After a succesfull exposition in Venice we have decided to widen our horizon. From now on our website (under construction), Blog and Tweets will be in english.

Be shure to follow us on Twitter to stay up-to-date on our current projects an semi-random thoughts: www.twitter.com/apfab

Met 'The Art and Collections' biedt NP3 het publiek een kijkje in de vaak voor het grote publiek niet toegankelijke kunstcollecties, doet ze onderzoek naar hedendaagse manieren van collectioneren en maakt ze een start met haar eigen experimentele collectie. In de derde serie tonen we de 'NP3 collectie', een selectie werken van kunstenaars die in het verleden hun sporen al bij NP3 hebben achtergelaten. Enerzijds onderzoeken we hiermee of meer experimentele, conceptuele, vergankelijke kunst haar weg binnen de collecties kan vinden zonder concessies te doen. Anderzijds om interessante en verrassende manieren te vinden waardoor het voor verzamelaars, collecties en publiek interessanter wordt om dit experimentele werk aan te schaffen.

kunstenaars:
Marijke Appelman, Sander Houtkruijer, PIEK! / Selby Gildemacher, Marc Oosting, Suzanne Bodde, Anno Dijkstra, TRIK, Daniël Dennis de Wit, Esther de Graaf, Rob van de Werdt, Berndnaut Smilde, Hartog & Henneman, Walter van Broekhuizen, ApFab en Michiel Schuurman

tentoonstellingsperiode:

3 juli t/m 13 september 2009

openingstijden:
donderdag t/m zondag van 14.00 tot 18.00 uur en 24 uur per dag zichtbaar vanaf de St. Walburgstraat

Kwaal (200 x 150 cm)

Remedie (328 x 160 cm)

De opdracht voor het onderwijscentrum van het UMCG is naar de printer (www.destic.nl).

Voor het UMCG hebben we besloten een tweeluik te maken van “kwaal” en “remedie”.

Voor de input hebben wij een enquête gehouden onder de studenten en personeel van het onderwijscentrum. De enquête bestond uit vragen over welke kwalen en remedies ze recentelijk naar gezocht hadden en welke zoekmachines ze hiervoor gebruikten.

Dit leverde de volgende zoektermen op:

Kwaal:

Darmatresie, peri-apicale ontsteking, reumatische hartziekte, subfertiliteit, cva

Remedie:

Antibioticum, end-to-end anastomose, hartklep vervanging, tijd, lifestyle

Aan de woorden hierboven zijn de bronafbeeldingen gekoppeld.

Gedurende de preview dagen van de Biënnale van Venetië hebben DROPSTUFF en fonds BKVB ons in de gelegenheid gesteld bij de Arsenale ons werk te presenteren. Het was een geweldige tijd, van kunst kijken en kunst laten zien. Daarnaast heb ik (Albert) mijn vriendin via het bewuste scherm ten huwlijk gevraagd! Gezien ze ook nog eens ja zei, kan het niet laten daar ook een foto van bij te sluiten.

Meer over dit project is te vinden op www.ApFab.com