This notion of creating another reality is undeniable
in "Ruins for the Future" as artists are unknowingly
attributed to creating artworks that Mertens himself
produced with the help of Photoshop and distributed
for viewing on the World Wide Web. Mertens replied in
an email-based interview that art has always been an
altered reproduction of reality, whether the work is
a painting, a movie, a photograph, or even a documentary.
The Internet creates this same opportunity to develop
a virtual world without the physical limitations whereby
the creator can assume the identity of someone else
and present him/herself as such on the web. This was
the starting point for the project, as Mertens took
on the role of artist, curator, promoter, audience,
and sponsor and to use the Internet as a new public
space.
As a net-art project, I communicated appropriately
with Mertens via email in depth about "Ruins for
the Future" and its relation to the advancement
of Internet technology and net art as a growing art
form. There are certain barriers present between a user's
understanding of net art and the technology required
to create such a project and Mertens commented, "Technology
has made net art possible, but [software applications
such as] Flash and Dreamweaver have heavily influenced
net art." But this technological barrier does not
affect Mertens in his work; he admittedly does not know
a lot about Internet technology but overcomes this barrier
by seeking help from professionals in the creation of
the actual site. He does not find this an influencing
or uncomfortable situation because his concepts are
not compromised or affected at this stage.
In terms of seeking some sort of clear definition or
boundary for net art as an art form, Mertens sees three
options: (1) the use of the Internet to present and
promote the artist as Mertens did on his website but
this itself is not art, merely a promotional tool; (2)
the use of the Internet as a canvas for computer art
through interactive Flash and Dreamweaver; and (3) the
Internet context as an environment to create new art
thus it becomes the context to reflect on art as well
as one the Internet itself. The latter is where Mertens
likes to situate himself and considered it the most
interesting way to create messages and art. Mertens
views net art as building on a long history of art;
as painting influenced photography and vice versa, net
art is influenced by the histories of past art practices.
He states that the "big challenge is how to use
this new and exciting environment." To Mertens,
net art is an integral part of art history, forming
its own art movement but building on the past, especially
conceptual art. He refers to his own work in this area
as "contextual art." Unlike prior artists,
Mertens could embrace the roles of artist, curator,
promoter, and audience thus challenging these roles
as well as representing a new step in technological
art advancement and representation.
"Ruins for the Future" is a net art project
that address the past and future of a geographical region
in Peru as well as issues surrounding technology, the
emergence of a non-physical space, and the presentation
of altered realities. As an artist who constantly strives
to bridge the gap between art and society, Mertens is
able to know each situation where he feels motivation
to develop the project. From this personal involvement,
he creates and presents images in the area that he has
explored. He uses materials, objects, and symbols that
have relevance in this context, referring to his work
as 'contextual art." In this, he has ensured his
art takes root in society and contributes to the public
space.
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