User:Mano Daniel Szollosi/Graduation Project Proposal

GRADUATION PROJECT PROPOSAL

INTRODUCTION

My graduation project will consist of a series of reality-hacking media collaborations exploring the side effects of capitalism. These pieces will have a direct relation to my most recent project 'Leisure Factory' in terms of field of interest and in terms of execution, genre or style.

RELATION TO PREVIOUS WORK

There is a direct relation to my most recent piece 'Leisure Factory' in terms of field of interest and perhaps there will be also similarities in terms of genre or style. But this does not meant to be a promise nor engagement to the form because it would go against my own methodology – described below.

LEISURE FACTORY – project description

danielgrapes.hu/still/leisure-factory

'You deserve a minute off' was the title of the simple task I offered on Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform.

Mechanical Turk is an online marketplace for work. Any US resident can commission a small task for a small fee to digital workers from all around the world. A task can be digitalization, transcribing visual or audio data, translating, writing reviews or comments or solving 'captchas'.

My job offer was as follows: 'Stand up. Do 1 minute of exercise. Make a snapshot of yourself using your webcam. Upload the image to any image sharing service. Paste the URL of your uploaded image below and get paid 0.50$'

The visual result of was a series of webcam portraits taken by Amazon's Mechanical Turk workers of themselves in their own working environment. The current series consists almost a hundred photos.

My observation was – prior the project born – since factories are becoming more and more automatized and robotised less and less human labour is in need in the factories. Literally factories producing unemployment. This phenomena amazed me I decided to dedicate a project for it.

I faced the problem: how will I transform this observation into an artistic project? It is a short, one line statement easily expressible by words. If this observation by itself so simple is it worth to deal with it? My instinct told me yes.

For a long time I was just struggling – I could not come up with a solution.

I reasearched the topic and my research (and tutorial with Phd Aymeric Mansoux) led me to my final tool / platform that could carry all the theories I dealed with previsouly and turn it into a stable realiseable art project.

After got to know about the platform I signed up as worker myself. I experienced the true exploitation and the boring almost robotic, monotone tasks. And I made almost no money at all, at least an amount that has almost zero real value in Western-Europe. But not in some other places.

I could not almost believe that there are hundreds and thousand of people working using this platform.

I was initially interested and curious to find out who are they: to see these working people. So one of the few rules established: 'your face has to appear on the photo'.

To offer a job on Mechanical Turk platform is almost as easy as updating your status or edit a wiki page.

The body of the offer was simple, pure and clearly understandable but the same time specific: use your webcam. This way I could achieve a secondary content: their 'working' environment which is in the case of these workers their own home sometimes even their own bedroom.

The last decision I had to make to define the amount of money I will give away after each completed task – meaning receiving a link of a photo that satisfies the criteria. After a short research on the general amount of payment I decided to pay half a dollar for each photo – an amount that attracts these workers immediately. For them half a dollar is a lot of money for such a task that is easy and quick to complete – and for me this image collection worth a lot more. With some aim of luck this project of mine could be successful.

This is why is also debatable whether my behaviour – as the artist – is generous whether exploiting – I admit this coin has also two sides but in some ways this also raises the importance of this particular project.

MY METHODOLOGY

A project launches by finding a fascination – or the fascination finds me. This fascination engages me makes me passionate about the field, the topic or the phenomena.

Following this the research period comes when I just let all the available inputs in relation to the topic to overwhelm me. During this process I stumble upon smaller, more precise fragments which creates one certain thought – which could be and idea. I collect these ideas without selection: I make a note of them or a visual pen sketch.

The final struggle comes when I take one step back – but the notion is the make the final step by taking a wider look on all the ideas, tools and tiny thoughts that I have collected during my research. I try to come up with a solution for the puzzle game I have established for myself which in the end would give a nicely layered, complex enough meaningful art piece.

Usually the execution part is always less 'painful': perhaps I 'know' my limits so I just by nature do not come up with an idea of a project that goes beyond my skills. Or I do but then I am so passionate about the idea that I dare to ask some help from the right people.

No matter what form my idea takes (could be video, a series of photographs, network crowd sourced project, etc) my initial desire is to create a project that is simple and complex simultaneously.

There are no numbers or values to measure the complexity of a project – it is nothing but a very subjective instinct. Usually it is a marriage of content and different tiny ideas with a unique form or style – a form that has a relation to the content itself.

Another important spice or tool of mine is: creating a 'loopwhole' or 'feedback' between the content and the form. I always try to create a resonance, a vibe, an intercourse between my the topic of the project and its form of realisation – so a added layer of meaning the piece will also tell something about the media or art itself.

Another important and kind tool of mine is humour. In the sense of complexity I also desire to make my audience smile and (if it is a time-based piece) by a later part of the piece give it a twist which takes the meaning to a different level – a level where the smile fades away and something universal reaches the the viewer.

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INFLUENCES, INSPIRATION

• Scanops project by Andrew Norman Wilson

• Workers leaving the Googleplex by Andrew Norman Wilson

{{#ev:vimeo|15852288}}

• Santiago Sierra 'the pure exploiter'

THE PROJECT

I am fascinated by the tendencies in global capitalism: the deeply embedded exploitation in it by default. The subjects that recently I am most fascinated by could be labelled with the tag words like the undesired effects of global capitalism: exploitation of labour, labour- and leisure-time relations.

My graduation project will bring under light – similarly to 'Leisure Factory' – a certain sharp aspect of a undesired side-effect, artefact and contradiction of global capitalism.

At the moment I am not sure about to form will it take.

At the moment I have two more specific slices within this huge topic.

• The spirit of being Fair – Unfair, Égalité, Liberté, Fraternité

• The Internet: a Conspiracy-theory (could a title be more pretentious...?) – Leisure – Labor relations in the context of digital global capitalist world

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The Internet: a Conspiracy-theory

Leisure – Labor relations in the context of digital global capitalist world

My initial proposal was to create a conspiracy-theory which would present the idea that 'internet' as a new media, a new tool is an invention of 'them' – the invisible authorities – and the its purpose to keep the masses minds stimulated, to give them the opportunity, the right for self-expression so they remain pushing forward the capitalist mechanism efficiently.

Part of the hypothesis is that without satisfying the mental needs of the masses their mental balance wound upset resulting in anger, crime, protests, risings, riots and rebellions. All what 'They' do not want: so 'They' give this tool in the hands of the masses.

The reason of their 'generous' act is that they have discovered the previous media did not give the opportunity of self-expression. They discovered that the masses have a deep, ineradicable will to create, to produce, to interact. Every individual has an inner natural will to express themselves, to be creative and everyone has his own gift for something creative – I believe.

If there is no way to express the minds of the masses start to melt and the masses become desperate and depressed robots. According to the previous concept this was the goal. Unfortunately desperate minds work less efficiently – and that was not included in the concept. 'They' want their labor force to be as efficient as they can be!

Internet is a solution: the masses do their obligations in 8 hours a day, five (six?) days a week and once they arrive home, they can satisfy this need: shoot some family pictures, pet photos, upload and share them, write and create their own meme interpretation: create a 'lolcat' or rage-comic, start writing a blog, launch their amateur film critic site, or write a movie review on IMDB.

What common within these activities is the act of creation – a phenomena most of the jobs are lacking of: jobs that are only for the sake of gaining a greater profit.

These inhuman jobs are unbearable without some kind of mental activity that keeps the labour's minds stimulated.

Internet is a great tool to preserve the mental and physiological balance of the masses. By allowing the masses to express themselves, to be creative on the Internet they recreate themselves in their leisure time, they arrive to consistent mental state – so the following day they will continue completing their duties.

I see direct relation between being miserable and the lack of mental creativity in labours life.

Why?

What fascinates me with this conspiracy-theory is that it gives a try to establish a completely new, the opposite aspect of a certain topic which generally believed to be good without saying or questioning. It gives a wider lens into the hand of the viewer and opens up his mind: 'every coin has two sides'.

In this paragraph I will write a short explanation how the idea was born. This example will pull back this idea to the ground. What triggered the idea of was very grounded observation. I have simply read a movie review on IMBD posted by a user. I was fascinated by this user who wrote a pretty academic and very pleasant review of a movie which I believe satisfied the criteria of a 'professional review.' This review was way too good it felt like reading an 'official' article in a film magazine. But it can not be, right, that this user is a professional film critic who goes home and continues his duties in his leisure time just as he does in his labour time? – I was asking myself. So I assume he must an amateur then. But if he is so talented how could he still be an amateur?!

My theory is that his dream was to become a film critic but due to the pressure of capitalism per say he could not afford to follow his path of his dream. His parent could not afford to pay the tuition fees for prestigious high school so following that he was unable to attend university and by the way his family's financial situation urged him to start to work as soon as possible. So he might have become a per say: a baker. – no offence for the bakers: it can be a wonderful profession. The point is the mislead driven by the aim of earning money, of surviving in the capitalist race.

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The spirit of being fair

'Égalité, liberté, fraternité'

FAIRTRADE logo looks down on me from the top-shelves of the most common Dutch store chain Albert Heijn.

I look back on it and I start wonder: Fairtrade.

I do understand both part of the mosaic word but somehow it stinks.

Something is not right.

And later I figured for myself: the word fair does not fit within the system of capitalism and the western society of consumption.

Capitalism does not meant to be fair by default – on the contrary: it is the system of exploitation. Then how dare someone name a product that literally can not be true. It can be more fair, more equal, it can be more generous: but never can be fair in the purest meaning of the term.

We are living in a desacralised society – an era when the popularity of the traditional religions facing a steep decrease.

But the need for spirituality remains for humankind. People need to believe in something.

So consumers of Albert Heijn buy Fairtrade products because they believe this is their duty to make the world better. Instead of stepping in the queue for the Sunday morning mass they are willing to sleep on the streets like homeless people for an overnight just the be the first one who steps into the Apple Store and buys the very first sacred iPhone 5.

They need to satisfy their need for spirituality.

This idea is a brilliant it the founders of such idea Fairtrade discovered that in a consuming society the best way to earn more profit is to satisfy the masses need for spirituality meanwhile they are satisfying an even more important factor: so called consuming.

Similarly to Slavoj Zizek I would like to state and make it clear that I am not against charity or charity embedded into consuming. I appreciate and respect the will and attempt but I do not believe that this is it: problem is solved. I agree with Slavoj Zizek: 'The real aim [should be] is to try and reconstruct society on such a basis where poverty will be impossible'

I do not want to address my graduation project to such enormous ambitious goal like establishing a whole new society concept. But I believe if Zizek himself devotes a whole lecture revealing this subject than it is worthy to address my graduation project for.

Why do we sacralise so much the ideas like 'Égalité, liberté, fraternité' or democracy in politics if we drop them all, all when it comes to economy or our labour system? – Capitalism a love story.

IDEAS

• Activist: stamp provoking slogan on Fairtrade products in retail outlets (Albert Heijn). Make a mobile phone snapshot of them and disseminate the images on social networks – collect and research the comments.

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RESEARCH LOG

Workers leaving the Googleplex https://vimeo.com/15852288 {{#ev:vimeo|15852288}}

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Adam Curtis: All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace

http://vimeo.com/25966415 {{#ev:vimeo|25966415}}

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CAPITALISM QUOTE

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21st Oct

Saturday Night live TV show Complains of american insiders on iPhone 5 and the sarcastic reactions of the Chinese factory workers. Surprisingly there is no mention of the suicides of the factory workers in chine nor the anti-suicide nets around high building roof edges.

{{#ev:youtube|ybDKfGEw4aU}}

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20th Oct

I watched through Michel Moore's Capitalism: a Love Story titled feature length documentary

{{#ev:dailymotion|xemen5_tvxs-gr-yyyyyyyyyyyy-yyy-yyyyyyy-yy_shortfilms}}

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10th Oct

RSAnimate Slavoj Zizek

{{#ev:youtube|hpAMbpQ8J7g}}

9th Oct

Conspiracy-theories by Kirby Ferguson

{{#ev:vimeo|7717945}}

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8th Oct

Funny enough I watched a video of Goldie the father of drum and bass who gave a very personal lecture of himself at TED. The theme is again the creativity that is in everybody but it is just rarely will be found and treated by the environment properly to rise.

{{#ev:youtube|0CKqUwVVe5Y}}

I found a magazine called '360'. Unfortunately I do not yet understand it, but seems like it is connected to my theme. All of their cartoons are tagged with criticizing capitalism. http://www.360magazine.nl/cartoon

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6th Oct

Found this on Facebook page.

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5th Oct

Watched Woody Allen's new movie To Rome with love. The movie was as presumed pretty much under the the capabilities of the classic Woody Allen, unfortunately.

But there was one aspect that it resembled with my idea. Through two examples he showed that in everybody there is something why he could be picked up and become famous. The first character is a 'nobody' with an ordinary, predictable, structured life. Out of the blue the 'tabloids', the boulevard news pick him up and reports his every ordinary movement such as morning shaving.

The second one is another ordinary guy who worked all his life in a crematory. After every shift he takes a loooong shower to get rid of the inconvenient smells. So he sings operas under the shower. And suddenly someone discovers his extraordinary talent for opera singing, by coincidence. The discoverer tries to convince this man, that he must do something with his talent, he must show this to the world. The talented man tries but in front of audience with strangers he fails. But his mentor figures that he must continue how this talented man was singing all his life: under the shower. Just with a huge audience, so they build and place a shower on stage. This is how this man becomes famous.

It resembles with my idea that everybody has this inner, natural born-with-it talent. The question whether it will be discovered and pushed, whether it won't. It also tells that a lot depends on the environment and the circumstances. In my reading living in capitalism and running for the money can be a bad circumstance that unfortunately mislead a lot of people from realizing their dreams meaning they become a crematory rather than an opera singer.

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4th Oct

I was doing groceries when this word FAIRTRADE popped up in front of me and made me wonder...seriously WTF is it...?! NON-SENSE

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HW Aymeric Mansoux, for 2th of October

WORD TAG CLOUD

Conceptual

non-/anti-aesthetic

anti-capitalist

conspiracy-theory

labor / leisure

web2.0

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PROJECT REVIEWS

http://www.artreview.com/forum/topics/santiago-sierra-dedicated-to-the-workers-and-unemployed

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Inspiring works

Orwell, 1984

Zeitgeist series

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­-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tentative Title Remember this can change as your research evolves - also keep in mind that the title of your research does not have to be the eventual title of your exhibited final project.

General Introduction A brief general introduction or abstract laying out the field you wish to research, possible key questions driving what you want to explore and how you will test these questions through practice. Relation to previous practice How does your research connect to previous projects you have done? Remember to briefly explain or describe related projects as the external is not familiar with your work.

Relation to a larger context Meaning practices or ideas that go beyond the scope of your personal work. Write briefly about other projects or theoretical material which share an affinity with your project. For example, if you are researching urban interventions, you might talk about Situationist approaches to psycho geography, urban tactical media and activist strategies of reclaiming the streets. Or, if you want to explore the way data is tracked, you might touch upon the politics of data mining by referencing concerns laid out by the Electronic Frontier or highlight theoretical questions raised by Wendy Chun or others. (Keep in mind that we are *not* expecting well formulated conclusions or persuasive arguments in the proposal phase. At this juncture, it's simply about showing an awareness of a broader context, which you will later build upon as your research progresses.)

Practical steps Describe how you will go about conducting your research through reading, writing and practice. In other words, through a combination of these approaches, you will explore questions or interests you have laid out in your general introduction. In this section you can help us understand how your project will come together on a practical level and talk about possible outcome(s). Of course, the outcome(s) may change as your research evolves, but it's important to have some idea of how your project might come together as a whole. References A list of references (Remember that dictionaries, encyclopedias and wikipedia are not references to be listed. These are starting points which should lead to more substantial texts and practices.) As with your previous essays, the references need to be formatted according to the Harvard method.) See: http://pzwart3.wdka.hro.nl/wiki/A_Guide_to_Essay_Writing#The_Harvard_System_of_referencing Feel free to include any visual material to substantiate, illustrate or elucidate your proposal. For example use images to reference your work or that of others.