As the result of an open viral call for viral work for proposals to infect the London 2012 Olympics, KURATOR and LX 2.0 commissioned Heath Bunting and carlos katastrofsky to make new work. 

carlos katastrofsky

vir.us.exe 

vir.us.exe is a windows program, communicated and spread by e-mail announcements, mailing lists and other networked (viral) press activities.

katastrofsky explains that a virus lives upon the reproduction of itself with the aim to survive as long as possible. However, the most dangerous parts of such an infection are not always the harmful cells a virus is based upon; it is the psychological concept of fear acting invisibly in the background. The project thus strips down the mechanisms of a viral infection and transfers its core principles into the digital realm. By avoiding everything a virus should do, only the virus itself will be left. This way it will become a meta-virus spreading not because it is an actual virus but because it is perceived as such.” (Luis Silva)

http://katastrofsky.cont3xt.net/home/?p=225

Biography

carlos katastrofsky (AT) is a Vienna-based artist working primarily in the field of new media art. His work examines the politics of Internet-based art production, distribution and consumption, and considers how dominant practices of the artistic modus vivendi – curating, dealing, showing, and reviewing – function in the virtual realm, where the immaterial has replaced the object. His works explore characteristic features of the Internet such as software, interfaces, language, and discussion forums- to question the current development of the Web. He is co-founder of CONT3XT.NET <http://cont3xt.net>  (2006) – a collaborative platform for the discussion and presentation of issues related to Media Art.

Essay by Luis Silva, vir.us.exe  

Heath Bunting

a member of Team GB map of Influence

A system map - flow chart positions the individual Olympic Athlete in the wider  social and economic system. The work is a continuation of Heath's 'Status Project' through which the artist intends to make visible our collective regulatory systems for the purpose of broader and more precise understanding of their shape and function, plus our place and scale within them.

Our identity can be thought of as a portfolio of contracts both declared and invisible with others.  Our activities in private define what is called our natural person - the first contract is probably to respond to our given name.  Our relations in the public define what is known as our artificial person(s) - a person's first contract is generally our birth registration. Our most common public contract is the possession of promisory notes (cash). Identity is the summation of our individual self, natural person and artificial person(s). Hence, 'The system' consists of the commonality of all our collective contracts.  The status project is mapping these contracts on a personal and national level producing maps for both comprehension and mobility.

The work is part of 'The Status Project' series by Heath Bunting http://status.irational.org/

 

Biography

Heath Bunting (UK) is a co-founder of net.art and sport-art  movements and is banned for life from entering  the USA for his anti GM work. His self taught and authentically independent work is direct and  uncomplicated and has never been awarded a prize.  He is both Britain's most important practising  artist and The World's most famous computer artist.  He aspires to be a skillful member of the public  and is producing an expert system for identity mutation. 

 

Essay by Stevphen Shukaitis, On the Borders of Everyday Life; Or, How to. Join? Team GB

 

INFECTED Seminar

28 May 2009, 4.30-6.30pm

Roland Levinsky Building, University of Plymouth (UK)

CREATING INSECURITY pre-launch,

Artists Heath Bunting and carlos katastrofsky discussed the new projects they were developing for Anti-Bodies as part of a short residency with Art & Social Technologies Research, University of Plymouth. 

glorious ninth (Kate Southworth and Patrick Simons) also talked about their project Cultural Capital.

A response to the projects and discussion was initiated by curators from KURATOR, LX 2.0, and Relational.

 

After the discussion, there was a pre-launch of CREATING INSECURITY, the fourth volume in the DATA browser book series published by Autonomedia (that includes contributions from some of the presenters).

 

Snacks were served, produced by artist Lau Thiam Kok, made during KURATOR's custodianship of sourdough starter, as part of glorious ninth's Cultural Capital project.

 

Residency and seminar organised by Art & Social Technologies Research, KURATOR and LX 2.0 // Lisboa 20 Arte Contemporanea. The seminar was further supported by University of Plymouth.

 

INFECTED seminar outline