When we wrote the Dark Mountain manifesto, we felt rather ambitious talking about creating a “literary movement”. It soon became clear, though, that this was actually too narrow a phrase. Many of those who responded most strongly to the call of the Dark Mountain have come from beyond the literary world – in particular, from the visual arts.
So when Ruth Catlow and Marc Garrett from HTTP Gallery invited us to collaborate on a project, it seemed like a great opportunity to take the Dark Mountain conversation beyond the safety of words alone, into other territories. The result – DIWO at the Dark Mountain – is an open project which we hope many of you will want to get involved in over the next few weeks.
“DIWO” stands for Do It With Others. In 2007, Ruth and Marc initiated the original DIWO project, inspired by earlier Mail Art experiments and the possibilities for using the internet in a similar way:
The Mail Art projects of the 60s, 70s and 80s demonstrated Fluxus artists’ common disregard for the distinctions of ‘high’ and ‘low’ art and a disdain for what they saw as the elitist gate-keeping of the ‘high’ art world. They often took the form of themed, ‘open calls’, in which all submissions were exhibited and catalogued. Mail Art has always been a useful way to bypass curatorial restrictions for those who wish to create active and imaginative exchange on their own terms; this form of activity usually flourishes outside of the gallery system.
This E-Mail-Art exhibition, intends to follow the spirit of past Mail Art endeavours by asking those submitting their works to open themselves to a shared dialogue as part of the process and medium on the NetBehaviour mail list, as a playful platform for experimentation together at the same time.
DIWO at the Dark Mountain, which starts this week, will follow in that spirit, using the Dark Mountain manifesto as a provocation. This is a chance to create and share work which responds to the challenges set out in the manifesto:
Artists, technologists, writers, activists and all other living beings are invited to correspond with each other across physical and digital mail networks. Transmissions and missives may take the form of texts, images, sound, net movies, objects, software programmes and instructions and will be assembled for an exhibition of all submissions offering new myths and maps for future uncivilisation at HTTP Gallery.
To join in – or just follow the action – sign up to the NetBehaviour email list. Meanwhile, I’ll be acting as a host and guide through the project on the DIWO at the Dark Mountain blog.
I’m really excited about this project. After so much talking and writing from me and Paul, it’s time to open things up and let everyone get involved. In the process, I hope we’ll begin to see the outlines of what Uncivilised art and writing could look like.
