Artifacts and The Great Wave

Much of what Steyerl imposed with the Tumblr showcasing of virtual memes is very different. Tumblr is a medium for sharing and liking subjects that bring personal relation in terms of how art evokes emotion and thought. Steyerl switches the medium to bring about a combination of such subjects into a bigger, broader conversation. Tumblr became a massive, collective conversation about personal matters that is otherwise unseen in one’s perspective. Steyerl brought conversation into Tumblr, where conversation was surface level or very exclusive. Certain subjects cannot be spoken of in detail, or avoided entirely, due to one’s inability or lack of interest in the matter. Here, however, there is a direct question of “what do you think” in mixing common subject matter with those that are not always sought after.
The transfer of data, in this case art, the conversation with Daniel Rourke is within the realm of liberation. Many traditional artists speak for authenticity in how the environments around us affects a piece. Current society speaks for equal experience of such works of art. Preservation is a common necessity in any medium of art. Paintings, film, and etc, all are modified to portray the initial message upon its completion. Rourke speaks for just that. Continuing to advocate anti-digital hurts art and how ‘old art’ speaks to the people and society. There is art to how our environments alter art, but there is a vast difference in meaning and portrayal in such circumstances, which I wholeheartedly speak for.