I wrote up instructions on how I made the Advertisement Murals using clear, plastic large scale stencils. There’s plenty of details and images to guide you through it. Anyone is welcome to use the technique, modify it, build on it, steal parts… go nuts!
AddArt appeared in El PaÃs, a newspaper based in Spain on Thursday 7/5/07. They mention another plugin developed in the OpenLab, Michael Mandiberg‘s The Real Costs.
The Quick and Dirty Low-Tech Ad Buffer is an improvised tool I made to reach high places with a foam brush. The total cost is less than $6 and it can be made without special tools or skills. It’s handy for writing block letters on high places, like billboards.
There is a how-to guide on Instructables.
Eyebeam’s “Summer School” has invited me to host a workshop. Sign up!
Artists as Agents of Social Change:
Sign up for this series to learn how artists are working in a participatory way, using low-tech street-level actions, environmental solutions, and NYC institutions to promote social change. Participants will take part in actions led by artists representing the 10 years of Eyebeam’s history, and work with those artists during evening clinics to develop actions of their own to bring to the streets at the end of July.
This workshop series requires a 3 day commitment.
Part 1: Learn about the practice of 4 different artists and art collectives, and take part in group actions around NYC.
Adam Bobbette, Steve Lambert, neuroTransmitter (Angel Nevarez and Valerie Tevere) and Robert Ransick will all discuss their work in and with the public – all in an effort to promote social awareness and change.
– Saturday, July 14, 1:00 – 5:00 PM
– Discussion: 1-2 PM
– Actions: 2-4 PM
– Debrief and drinks: 4 PM
Part 2: Choose one evening in this section to develop your own action, with the guidance and support of the artist leading the clinic.
– Tuesday, July 17
– 7:00 – 10:00 PM
– Clinic 1: Low-tech street-level interventions concerning commercial advertising and consumerism with current Eyebeam R&D OpenLab Fellow Steve Lambert.
Part 3: Bring your action to the streets
Saturday, July 28
1:00 – 6:00 PM
The conclusion of Summer School and Eyebeam’s Digital Day Camp program. Participants in both programs will present their ideas for participatory projects, and work with members of the public to bring their actions to the streets.
To sign up for workshops, please email bookstore@eyebeam.org
When I do stuff I arguably “shouldn’t” be doing, I prefer to do it in the light of day. If I get caught, I don’t want to have to run or hide. I want to say “Hi! Oh this? Yeah, I did this.” For example, if you wanted to paint over a financially predatory billboard it’s just a whole lot easier when you do it at noon with a ladder and write “Will You Marry Me?” In fact, everyone loves it. Neighbors come by and get excited. They cheer you on. People honk their horns as they drive by. The police just don’t show up – it’s not an issue! That’s how I like to work.
A billboard done in conjunction with Invisible Venue and a product of recent collaborations with Julia Schwadron. The billboard was on 7th and Henry St in West Oakland, CA. It is visible from the West Oakland BART Station and all trains heading towards San Francisco out of West Oakland.
I posted a how-to on Instructables.
More drawings made in collaboration with Julia Schwadron. All the signs are made 1 day prior to placing them in public spaces. Julia and I then walk around the city looking for places that might match the signs we have.
<a href=’http://www.visitsteve.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/june-walk/P1010416.jpg’ title=’Don\’t Worry As Much’ rel=’lightbox[junewalk]’ > 
Co-op Bar NYC
Eyebeam
Opening: Thursday May 31st 6-8pm
I’ve opened another Co-op Bar in NYC for Eyebeam’s Source Code Exhibition. The surplus money generated from this Co-op Bar will be used to give stipends for AddArt and Mouna Andraos‘ upcoming Thing-A-Day.
The Eyebeam show includes a handy Co-op Bar Franchise Manual for creating your own Co-op Bar. Download your own as a pdf. Other Co-op Bar resources are available here http://www.visitsteve.com/co-op-bar/
Read more about the Co-op Bar SF.
About Source Code:
“Since 1998, artists, programmers, hackers, activists, technologists, kids and adults have come to Eyebeam to share ideas, find collaborators, experiment with new tools and create new work. The projects in Source Code — the first of three exhibitions presenting the very best of creative exploration at Eyebeam — frame technologies, generate new processes and offer the audience a platform to contemplate the impact of technology on everyday life.”
Artists include: Cory Arcangel, Jonah Brucker-Cohen, Carrie Dashow, eteam, Alex Galloway, Nina Katchedourian, Golan Levin, Jen and Kevin McCoy, MediaShed, MTAA, Mark Napier, and neuroTransmitter.
Developed at Eyebeam:
Richard Blakely made a quick video about Simmer Down Sprinter at Eyebeam’s recent 10th Anniversary Party. The video is available on Kotaku.com, a gawker site on gaming, along with Cory Arcangel’s I Shot Andy Warhol game, which was also set up at the party. Watch the video and see me attempt to give my most eloquent, on the spot description of the piece.
A couple pieces on AddArt have showed up in the Canadian Press. The CBC Consumer Life section has a piece on Banner Ads and AddArt, but more interesting to me is Radio Canada’s French-Canadian internet reporting (scroll to the last post on the page). Growing up in California my spanish is better than my french, so I don’t know what they’re saying, but it’s strangely satisfying to hear someone behind a news desk talking about the project in another language.
AddArt, a browser plugin I’m developing at Eyebeam was written about in the New York Times today. It’s in the business section because my art work is serious business.
AddArt is an extension for the Firefox browser which removes advertising and replaces it with art. The project is being developed and I’m looking for funding to pay coders as well as provide stipends to artists and curators. If you’d like to make a tax deductible donation, let me know.
