Net(works): Art and Pre-Existing Web Platforms 10

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Art 2.0: Beta testing collaborative art in a virtual world. Anthony Fontana, Bowling Green State University.

I have been creating artworks in Second Life since 2005. Each body of work has relied more and more on 'in-world' aesthetics, capabilities, and audience. In a virtual world,where each resident has the ability to "build and own their world", where does art fit in? There are three perceived art experiences in Second Life. The first is recreation of the real; mimicry to the point that a work of art may be purchased, taken home, and hung above a virtual couch. The second is that of a performance or happening in which the audience and experience become part of the artwork. The third is that which is built by both the artist and the audience. Web 2.0-type collaborations and common space peer production are arguably the most important phenomenon happening in Second Life or on the internet. One good example would be Machinima, or machine-cinema, in which director and actors must work together to create a narrative. In my own recent work, I seek to engage residents interactively, allowing them to add to the work I have started. How this affects meaning, who "owns" the work, and how the collaboration between artist and audience is valued remain vital questions. Embed this video
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