Identity in technology changes: Simultaneous environments – social connection and new media

Kazys Varnelis is the director of the Network Architecture Lab, at Columbia University in New York. Within this experimental department of the university's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, Varnelis investigates the impact of computation and communications on architecture and urbanism. Together with Robert Sumrell, he runs the non-profit architectural collective AUDC; their first book, "Blue Monday", was published in 2007. In 2005/06 Varnelis was a visiting scholar with the "Networked Publics" program at the University of Southern California's Annenberg Center for Communication. This fall, MIT Press will publish the results of this program as "Networked Publics", edited by Varnelis. His essay for receiver looks at how mediated communication has changed our notion of place, created non-places and now has us darting between simultaneous environments.
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Network culture is as new to us today as modernity was to the people who lived a century ago. To prognosticate more than I already have, is highly dangerous. But it is also necessary. If we can, as yet, do little to project the vast changes in society that will take place in the coming years, we need to watch warily, acting as techno-skeptics one day, techno-enthusiasts the other, so as to ensure a world of greater meaning, democracy, and real social meaning and individuality.

More about this you can read here.

Exploring identity on social network: Flickr

Flickr is the biggest Web 2.0 social service that enables you to share photography and interact with others. One of the interesting groups on Flickr is 365 days project where one explore self in everyday context (365 days) during a year by publishing a photo (of self) per day. This is great way not only to share and interact the aspects of yourself with others, but also denotes intimate dialogues with (your)self. Outcome is fun, amazing pro photographers you meet, ride per se, and maybe a book.

Identity artwork

Here are some examples of my artwork where I dealt with the issues of identity:


Human after all (v. 2.00), 2007
"Human After All", an ambience set-up from 2005, was recreated in the form of a printed screen for the Telenor foundation's art collection.

http://aleksandarmacasev.blogspot.com/2007/12/human-after-all-v-200.html
http://aleksandarmacasev.blogspot.com/2008/05/telenor-collection-exhibition.html

Human after all, 2005
An ambient consisting of wallpaper with human outline patterns and social-realism style furniture. Visitors are invited to draw the features onto the human outlines on the wallpaper. In filling in the blank outlines, people project their own vision of idols, politicians, stars or just themselves. They create a complex society map and childish fun turns out to be serious business. Be careful what you wish for and whom you choose as an idol. Sloba (Slobodan Milošević) didn't fall from Mars. He was created by the Serbian people.
Postcards with the same pattern are offered so you can distribute your idol around.
http://www.the-mighty.com/art/human-after-all/aleksandar-macasev-human.html


Personal Cards, 2004-2008

Series of personal cards designed for friends. Just a few features added to a generic ginger-bread man figure.
http://aleksandarmacasev.blogspot.com/2008/09/personal-cards-update.html


Danse Macabre, 2002
This work was presented at the VIDEOMEDEJA video festival in Novi Sad , Yugoslavia under the female alias Aleksandra Zivanovic (later Aleksandra Macasev). VIDEOMEDEJA is basicaly female oriented festival that promotes "female art discourse". The author constructs new (female) identity and simulates the "female art discourse" without anyone knowing about the hoax. Organizers accepted the entry and it was exhibited in CD category. Gender identity as a complete social construct that can be manipulated at will.
http://www.the-mighty.com/webart/fishnetart.htm

Fe/Male, 2001
This work deals with the relativity of gender. My portrait transforms in two minutes in my female portrait and vice versa. It repeats ad infinitum. It uses some elements of web iconography (real time clock, loading bar,e tc.). It' s a study of a human face and tiny differences in gender distinction. It was shown as an ambiental work in Belgrade gallery of the Student Cultural Center in December 2001.
http://www.kontrola.co.yu/portrait/portret1.swf

Folie A Deux, 2001
Folie à Deux is a web art work that simulates a test of cognitive reality! It is a simulated test of perception. The authors of this work (A.M. and Andrej Dolinka) are the test subjects that react to basic categories of reality. The reaction is in for of an art expression. The whole work points out the complete disparate perception of reality as well as the noise in Internet communication .
http://www.kontrola.co.yu/follie/1.htm