Fw: mez interview

[anna balint]

[i am a bit confused mez, if you don't share you texts exactly where you have access,
and where readerds could be interested in it & where your idea could provide 
arguments for your discussion with Frederic...
i take this interview from nettime bold. greetings, anna]


][co][De][e][p.rivation on Thu, 18 Jul 2002 01:58:02 +0200 (CEST)


Subject: [Nettime-bold] _Perspektive_ Interview [mez interviewed by sylvia egger]
From: "][co][De][e][p.rivation" <netwurker at hotkey.net.au>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 09:59:36 +1000


A. heinrich heine blames 1843 the railway for annihilating space. the
promised cybermedium seems so reestablish (virtual) space in a cooperative
time schedule. MEZ is operating in a self-de/constructed textual space
called "TTT" (textual time travel) which means a way of thinking, producing
and manifesting in/to a theory dungeon of what is stated to be the frame of
modern consciousness - network, internet, browser crawling. the
manifestation area in which the textual space take place is called
"Cybagenic Lattrix", a "net.wurked" sphere between latrinous space and
matrix scenes. what is this working matrix about? is it a kind of
faradayesque cage where avant garde practice has to capture itself to train
its techniques and discourse or is it more a so called "teleklause"
(billwet) for nintendo specialist and word capturers?
_ i should b.gin with the proviso that my neologismic term][inologie][s [such
as the _Cybagenic Lattrix_ or _Textual Time Travel_] largely x.ist as
definition portals; they act 2 compile meaning only in terms of offering a
con][ceptual][venient _housing_ structure by which n.tities can x.tract &
chain][hyper][link associations via text. i'd much prefer it if ppl
can|could possibly construct|imagine terms that are more appropriate in
terms of their own formulation|x.periential reality of a net.wurked
spac][tim][e..... ...anyway, on2 a more direct answer…..the meaning of a "][net][wurk.ing
matrix" can be conceptualized as a tapestry of potentialities, or n.finite
permutations of defor][com][m][unic][ation activity. i stretch & delve
][in][ this potentiality in terms of collaborative action|absorption &
formation of cod][n][e][t][.wurks. the m][l][at][t][rix m.bodies n.tricate
s][ilicon][ymbiotic tendencies which pulse information via n.finite
variations & states of data fluxing that shift, mold & d.fine the net.wurk
as a cohesive, un.predic][a][t][ed][able n.vironment. +net.wurk. p][ercept][atterning. is. reticular.+
read:: +perpetual information in flux, via an x.tended & repetitious curve
of data-dipping.+ _
B. most of the discourse "shipping" of MEZ in mailing lists is manifestish
or manifesto-like. all avant garde rangers used the technique of
manifestation to promote their information highway. your operating manual
style - a highgrade mixture of theory, e-technical jargon and - junk and
poetry memes [oh - i won't forget to mention the brackets :-)]- is a more
overwhelming variance of manifestism - a kind of para/beta-manifestism -
what to promote is not to sell. what is your connection to manifestism and
the manifesto rangers? and is there nowadays a real difference to
self/promotion?
_ 1stly it's m.portant to acknowledge that i'm always loathe 2 d.fine myself
via regular literary|acceptable benchmark][her & him][s [ie manifesto
_tagging_] as mezangelle|code.wurking hopefully e.cli][ck][pses definitions
in terms of a net.wurk perspective. ......having said this, i do c the similarities evident in my mezangelled
texts [ie code.wurks] that offer statements of creative n.tent & formats
aligning themselves 2wards a manifesto styling. howeva, this isn't a
primary con][scious][cern in terms of information presentation..... i do
agree that this type of activity via mailing list|forum performances [ie
posting my code.wurks] is a type of ][new][ x.pressive promotion as opposed
to advertising|commercial spam/leap-frogging that is seeping thru the
net.wurk. +i. re.route. language. via. net.based. mechanisms. that. allow. 4. n.hanced.
lateral. signification. or. as.sim][ple][ilation.+ +i. am. stained. with. repetition.+
[re.peat]
::the chip.mark of the net.
::][kulture][work::abbreviated strokes::sampling::a][scii][graffiti::code
langues::bass.house::jung][le][mantras
.all .][t][h][r][ive .in .he][a][re..... _
C.  recently MEZ states the positioning problems in the net.art field as
bourdieu summarizes the field process in every art/avant garde field: first
there is the movement and a lot of "new" and subversive discourse, second
the resistance against the canon crumbles and the crawling into
"pref-fabricated authorical comfortzones" (MEZ) begins and the movement
looses the connection to itself and the subversive discourse: maybe to
transfer your own words - from E-Motes to E-fashion. you are - so to say -
famous in net.art field, get awards and make a lot of this representation
stuff. what is your protection to get/be into the net.art canon and to keep
your textual space alive?
_ ...my ][.][ini][file][al n.tention|function in this net.wurked sphere is 2
make sure i don't bl][ind][andly n.ternalize the strictures of a dominant
discourse & b so swamped by it that nuthin else ][is capable of][
shin][ing][es......... ....my f.forts 2 keep the _textual space_ alive forms from the need 2
actualise x.pr][n][e][t][ssion with hybrid conceptual|theory bases that
actually reflect the dynamics of the medium itself..... avenues|portals
such as mailing list forums that allow n.tities 2 dis.play n.herent
curiosity, flexibility & a nuanced multilogued style that allows
contributors 2 n.teract via various communication modes that n.courages
absorption & viable learning templates, & has contributors that want 2
question & absorb n.formation rather than make assumptions, wallow in
gossip, & display reactionary communicative behaviours r all crucial 2 my
code.wurk dispersal...... ....the assumption that ppl on a mailing list:
a) cannot d.cide 4 themselves how to navigate & absorb inform][accumula][tion
b) r an amorphous group of regular dialogical d.votees who r present on
mailing lists in order 2 b x.posed 2 promotional|descriptive information
with no depth perception regarding the info/data politik nor the nuanced
actualities that surround the use of such lists/net.works.......
b) that individuals have the right 2 _own_ & there4 _maintain_ a space on
the net.work [ie in.boxes] that must subjected 2 info that is
dis.curs][e][ive in nature & representative of an isolation-data-presentation
...all contributes 2 the idea that the net.wurk can be trapped in2 a
definable space, 1 that will gel in2 a canonistically frozen m.ulation area
d.void of ability & potentiality. + i. rewite. &. reroute. this. monog][l][azed. view. of. the. net.wurk.+
+ i. seek. 2. channel.+ _
D. for eric kluitenberg cyberspace is the optimal space for avant garde
operation: the task of an avant garde ranger today is to disrupt the
hegemonial code and to smash the cute surface of internet promotion, a kind
of de/recoding all sort of language junk on the internet. mckenzie wark
speaks of "codework" in a similar way about your work: a de/reconstruction
of language. you call your work "mezangelle" language, a streaming
"he.art.ache" for users exposed to a hard stuff experimental terrain. most
of your disrupting techniques are well known in the field of experimental
writing. but the new aspect in your work is the "fresh" air of contemporary
material and coincidence of "meanings" in and around a word-item. what is
your connect to experimental literature? what is the role of the user or
code viewer in MEZ' textual space and is there a chance to survive the word
crash? :-)
_ i'm not actually keen 2 link or analyse my wurks in terms of an
_x.perimental literature_ tag, but can understand that those that do need 2
compartmentalize my wurk in terms of predicated history|precedental
evidence..............its n.teresting, this obsession with labels N
d.finitions that m.brace our work N our s][h][elfs.....coming from the POV
of a nic][lic][he.d "net.artist" i guess i try N span many labels, and have
found myself doing so lately in order 2 survive [grants, competitions,
etc].........but it is, s.sentially, crap. labels do nothing 2 further
x.pressive development, & seem 2 primarily s][w][erve 2 mark artists N wurk
along a definitive, prosperity plane.......we b.come objects N
objecti.f][r][ied in order to slot in the societal/memetic framework...... 
the mezangelled l.ements that pp|theorists c as 
linked 2 an experimental
literature perspective r the use of ico][de][nographs, fragments of
programming language-shards/operating system echos such as ][knit 1][
Pearl][2][.....tree-structures|wildcard refs|booleanisms|unix shell
commands|warped html conventions|javascript code re.workings|ascii][esque][
etc etc....the repeated allusions 2 hyperlinks via bracketing of meanings,
alternative shadowings to absorption & understanding....[almost a mimicking
of the x.pansion of the potentialities of co.d][iscours][e in an
environment x.clusively reliant on it]..... 
...the _main_ ele.ment][al][s that keeps mezangelled creched in the netwurk
is information trawling, the draw][l][ of netwurk language & symbol
con][inter][ventions & the collaboratory n.tent........i always write &
send via email listings, MOO environs etc in the hope that the wurk will
spiral out in2 a collaborative e.vent....even if the scissored textings
don't e.voke a direct response from code viewers, the fact that the method,
formulation & *.exe.][elo][cution r geared 2wards it means mezangelle could
not x.ist without the netwurk as a sub][im][mergence arena.... 
i try ][mammothlishly][ hard 2 make sure that the 
poetic/sensual nature of
my net.wurks balance & offer some sense loadings|purr.spectiff 2 those not
neccessarily in the netwurked|code loop, though i do tend 2 heavily load
the code.wurks with a structure that mimics a code|net.worked reality...... +. 
this. is. how. users. survive. the. 
wur][co][d][ed][ crash.+ _
E. in billwet space exists a dandy called "datadandy" - a postmodern form
of walter benjamins passage dandy - a modern eye monster so to say. :-) the
datadandy uses information and cyberspace the same way as the historical
one not to transmit the gathered information: just to pose with it in the
public. in MEZ' textual space lives a new form of dandy which is called
"dataderwish" or "E-mote".  as his/her historical model s/he gatheres
information and promotes it but his/her main purpose is to communicate not
to boast. sometimes the dataderwish is called a spammer in analogy to the
datadandy which jams the bandwith along the data boulevards. is the
dataderwish the ascetic brother of the datadandy? where is MEZ' data
boulevard and why is spam so lost?
_   the mez-data-avenue is the antithesis of the monogaze][r][. 
the mez-data-boulevard does not adhere 2 a perceptual 
slant that hi-lites
the net.wurk only as a series of interconnected set of difference-loadings,
of x.clusive infopackets that can][should][not be transferred nor
cross-posted in order that multiple x.posure 2 information|data will not
occur 4 various individual enities that n.habit various sets....rather than
n.corporating a more holistic viewpoint of the netwurk & acting along an
n.clusion axis...... ….i c this monogaze as n.dicative of an ego-driven [by ego i mean
self-cogitating, not ego as in inflated] awareness that perceives the
break-points of an netsystem via individual opinions based on an awareness
that may not be replicated via the community population. i also view it as
perpetuating a theory structure that relies on a linear interpretation of
information, 1 that cuts of any repetitive nuancing in order that data is
presented in accordance with a determinist POV. +.
 i][nstead][.c.that.we.should.revel.in.net.wurking.
cross-pollination.activity+ _
F. the dataderwish is only a capsule for many alias: ][terr.or.vision][ or
][c.o.!.a.x.(ing)][ are variable names for her/him in your textual space.
the author is only a mediator, a processor across the apparatus or a
subjective parser as Talan Memmott  states. for gene youngblood is avant
garde today a merging of metadesigner and renaissance amateur. MEZ
generates is own networking, is engineer and amateur in one. which role
plays the metadesign in your working and is cultural programming an alias
for future jamming? :-)
_ +. my. ][l(ectronic)atent][. consciousness. is. operational. in. terms. of.
a. net.wurked arena.+
+. 1. that. values. information. in. terms. of. a. context. in. which.
elements. r. replicated. &. sequenced. in. burgeoning. waves.+
+. a. weave. &. flow. of. accented. [code language|emulation]. patches.
that. r. lapping. @|thru-o][p][ut. m.mersed. personas.+