In late fall of 1999 Professor Lester Johnson of the Center for Creative Studies College of Art and Design (CCS) - Detroit, Michigan, and I met to discuss the possibility of collaborating on an interactive project involving his classes at CCS. I had mentioned to Lester that I had been trying to initiate a contemporary version of the Surrealists "Exquisite Corpse" series that transpired earlier in the Century . I had known of other attempts, web and otherwise, of interpreting the Corpse and wanted to involve the internet as the delivery mechanism in which to present a new manifestation of the Corpse.
As former CCS alumni, my partner, Karen Larson (GC '84) and myself, Robert Mirek (FA '79) have been hosting an online exhibition space known as GALLERY SITE since mid-1997. We felt this was an opportunity to expand our collaborative area of GALLERY SITE and involve new CCS participation.
Lester's project seemed a natural extension of that collaboration.
THE MARS ASPECT
The course of the 20th century has seen many technological change. The surrealists involved themselves in the latest of technological advancements. Man Ray's Rayograms and the new and innovative productions in cinema were important vehicles of the surrealist spirit.
In consideration of this technology the notion of exploration became a consideration in the execution of the Exquisite Corpse 2000. Participants were asked to consider the recent exploration of the Martian terrain as revealed to us through the recent Mars probe - Surveyor. Participating artists were asked to describe the physical landscape of Mars and visualize the possibility of a chance encounter with an alien.
Exquisite Corpse 2000 combines the journey of creativity with the joy of collaboration.
Lester Johnson, Karen Larson, Robert Mirek - March 2000
Also
visit these Exquisite Corpse web sites:
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