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Identity 2.0 as a neologism_the next generation of Identity

[updated 05 February 2011] For more information scroll down

Situation by Edwin Stolk at People You May Know | PYMK | 2009 | curated by Hester Scheurwater.

Title: Identity 2.0 as a neologism_the next generation of Identity

General idea behind my work: As a radical phenomenologist, a subjective terrorist, I am investigating structures of consciousness. I believe that life and existence is subjective and existential in its most natural form, so I have my doubts by 21st century objectivism. By the word objectivism I mean making objects out of living or non living 'things' by getting knowledge about those 'things' and separate these things from others by this knowledge. The environments I create are temporary, site specific, ambiguous connections from a subjective order and can be seen as philosophical interventions, a new generation material actionism. Idea behind the work: Identity 2.0 as a neologism: Ideology title: Identity 2.0 as a neologism is a work title; I was inspired to use this title by the exhibition context People You May Know. The question about identity and what could be identity is connected to people you may know. It questions the several levels of knowing a person. Is 'knowing' a person by name enough to be 'Facebook friends'? What does it mean to be or know a person? Facebook tells us on their FrontPage that it is a 'tool' which helps you connect and share with the people in your life. That could be interpretated even wider and what does that mean? Identity 2.0, is also called digital identity and is created to login on more network sites at once, using emerging user-centric technologies, instead of one by one. This digital identity is in my opinion an interesting subjective identity, it also points out a subjective direction to the consumer of my work. Is it me, not me? It could be you.

Neologism is a newly coined word that may be in the process of entering common use, but has not yet been accepted into mainstream language. Neologisms are often directly attributable to a specific person, publication, period, or event. I use this word to show that Identity 2.0 as I use it, and the work I created, can be interpretated, 'entered' in several ways. Ideology work: I prefer to work with materials available at the spot and combine these with materials from earlier works to eliminate the (art) object and to create connections. In the small shed at the PYMK exhibition you find materials which were already there, combined with materials found in the neighbourhood of the exhibition space. See and feel how they interact. In a bricolage way I use a spider web of site-specific impressions and materials, to create a layered surrounding.The video performance Turbulence (2009) becomes one with the surrounding (first shown in installation; War of currents at The UNFAIR project in 'De Servicegarage') interacts with the theme of the exhibition and is now shown as a multi channel video.

Video content: Video performance Turbulence (2009) investigates the borders of the human body. By categorisation and science our body becomes more and more an object of our perception and thinking, I try to investigate here the connection with life. The second video shows our need to connect and interact through network sites, to escape isolation, it shows a Do It Yourself mentality, but also points out the weaknesses of our digital identity. It's important to say that my work isn't dealing with a truth or a certain truth, but always deals with the human weakness of trying to realize understanding and structures of understanding.

Article published in PZC [Dutch] PZC 10 September 2009 article 'Kunst met scherpe kanten' by Nico Out