Last night I read along with Catherine Halley and Stephanie Plenner at Notes from the Mainframe. The event was hosted by the Guild Complex at FreeGeek Chicago. Here’s some stuff:
I was super-stoked to finally get over to FreeGeek. I love everything they do and I love how they do it– as a community. And they don’t use the word “community” in a fake, balm-like fashion. It’s a real community of real people doing real work; together. Here’s how they describe what you can do there:
Purchase low-cost refurbished desktops ($40+), laptops ($75+), and parts at our thrift store.
Reuse & recycle electronic waste responsibly by making a cash or equipment donation to FreeGeek Chicago.
Join the community: Volunteer your skills, learn about Linux & free software, and participate in decision-making.
Earn-a-Box with Freegeek Rewards after 24 hours of training and service in our OpenBuild program.I really enjoyed getting a tour of FreeGeek from James Slater. Here’s pics I took at the place– this is a stock photographers’ dream:
Here’s what I covered in my bit:
I’ve been interested in the intersection between poetry and technology for some time now. Going back at least to 2004, when I launched the website http://poetryandtechnology.com/.
I covered the idea that I think I am an artist, but i don’t really know what kind. I might be an internet artist. There is often a straight line in art history, but we don’t see it right away. I think our line will run through video art, conceptual art, and the raucous poetry performance movement of the late 20th century.
I read The Death of a Book, because I used to be scared that I would never write one, and I read from BRICKS– the book in which it appeared– in 1992. The Guild Complex is celebrating 25 years.
Then I read Episode from a Revolt. Technology often tends to group us into teeny subsections.
I covered the topic of hypertext enjambment.
Then read Monica Seles Is Not Where Its At
The Internet is all about data and allows you to collect it easily.
I read List of Health Problems
Then I talked about the glory of copy/ paste and re-appropriating art for other purposes (memes, mashups, gifs, etc.). Stealing is a basic building block of the Internet.
Then read a found poem called “A Bit of the German Language” with my wife. My friend Andrew Huff took a video: