WAR AS A MASS CULTURE – ENGINE OF THE AVANT GARDE

Didn't communication technologies came from war? Werent the beginnings of the Internet involved in the logic of the military before California had euphorically proclaimed new freedoms under the label "Digital Culture"? Remarkable is in any case, that important issues of the avant-garde emerged as a result of war events. After all, Italian Futurism had its aftermath to punk, techno and noise music. The method of Bricolage practiced by the DADISTS is still found today in project-oriented art.

How much Europe is affected by the current armed conflicts is also a source of horror, stagnation and perhaps perplexity in the field of art. Many topics may look like they are played since 9/11, since the two Gulf wars in Iraq. Nevertheless, it is clear that these real conflicts strengthen new national ideologies and related identity constructions.

Therefore, this seminar presents questions about the connection between war and (digital) art. After the presentation of important historical concepts (such as Futurism or Dadaism), current art projects will be discussed and art will be reflected in the context of social developments.

Own topics and questions are welcome. In the first meeting, however, projects and questions are proposed for further discussion after a content exposition and its discussion. In the same way, materials are made available and already realized art projects are presented.

Own contributions are required. It consists in the presentation and discussion of a topic from the visual arts as well as the formulation of own questions in the context of digital art.

Participation in the seminar does not require any special prerequisites. The aim is to examine a virulent topic from different perspectives and possibly develop their own artistic strategies that are connected with it. Overall, the topic is an example of the interrelationship between digital art and questions relevant to society policy.