PUBLIC ACCESS

PUBLIC ACCESS
The first ‘Speed Show’ in London. For one night only.

Venue: Living Space Internet Café, 1 Coral Street, London, SE1 7BE.  

Tuesday,12 June 2012, 4.30 – 9pm.
www.public-access.org.uk

RSVP http://www.facebook.com/events/215323368586139/

Artists:
Natalie Bookchin,
Double Happiness,
Parker Ito,
Geraldine Juarez,
Caleb Larsen,
Kristin Lucas,
Eduardo Navas,
Jon Rafman,
Gustavo Romano,
River of the Net,
Brad Troemel
Jonathan Vingiano.

Public Access is an exhibition of Internet-based works by a group of artists originating from the Americas. The exhibition is presented as a ‘Speed Show’, which has become popular exhibition format in the US, but is the first of its kind in the UK. Conceived by artist Aram Bartholl in 2010, a speed show entails creating a gallery private view for browser based Internet art in a public cyber-café for one night. The exhibition format is free and can be applied by anyone, anywhere, any time.
Public Access presents a selection of works by Internet artists who address the nature of public participation and relational platforms. Since the advent of social networking, Internet art has occupied a critical position between mass media and social movements, exposing their impact on human behaviour in the public sphere. In an age of increasing dependence on both human and corporate online presence, nearly every online activity is exploited by Web 2.0 software. The spontaneous nature and dynamic context of the Speed Show situates Internet art at its most vibrant in the act of dialogue, connection and exchange.

In keeping with the networked modes of distribution, Public Access takes over Living Space; a pioneering social enterprise Internet café in Waterloo that has been offering low-cost Internet access to the local community since 2003. This pop-up exhibition is located in the natural habitat of Internet art as opposed to enclosing it in the traditional gallery environment. Simultaneously the location highlights the fact that the Internet café, once hailed as a utopian blueprint for social hubs, may soon become an obsolete model due to more widespread availability to Wi-Fi via mobile technologies.

An exhibition catalogue will be available to download from the Public Access website from 12 June 2012, with written contributions from Marc Garrett, Kenneth Goldsmith and Marialaura Ghidini.

Curated by Rachel Falconer, Ruth Hogan, Augustina Matuseviciute and Youna Shin, a group of MA students from the Curating Contemporary Art programme at the Royal College of Art.
This project was realised with the kind support of the Monique Beudert fund.
Drinks sponsorship has been kindly provided by Brooklyn Brewery.