This discussion, unlike the former one does not really involve critical consideration of the work, but rather an interesting annexing of the work itself, using the same devices the work employs: social media being the prime technical device. This discussion involves the artist, Nato Thompson, Chief Curator of Creative Time, who produced this work, and members of the public (who are, in this context- nominally at least) called ‘friends’.
the artist describes the work at this site:
“For the month of November, Marc Horowitz will put his daily decisions in the hands of strangers as he surrenders his life choices online for the public to vote on at www.theadviceofstrangers.com.
Each day, Horowitz will post the dilemmas he’s facing—from the seemingly mundane to the profound—for the public to vote on. The project, presented by Creative Time , tracks the results and follow the action and repercussions through edited video coverage. The Advice of Strangers constitutes a collaboration between artist and audience, comprised of anyone who visits the website and casts a vote, thus influencing the course of the project and Marc’s life at the same time.”
Facebook Discussion:
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Stanya Kahn the play the play!
19 hours ago
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Marc Horowitz I know. I’d love to do that, but I shouldn’t sway the vote.
18 hours ago
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Nato Thompson Sway the vote!!! Can’t you lobby?
18 hours ago
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Stanya Kahn can he? that’s the big gray area question with this experiment right? what’s the illusion of “no power”? what’s the real lack of control? who’s got how much agency? i think he should make a play about the project with at least 7 strangers all playing Marc Horowitz and writing their own parts. diversify the protagonist and see if there’s a democratic moment or model to be revealed…
18 hours ago
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Stanya Kahn if you want to sway the vote sway the vote. i mean, if the project is about being “real”. then isn’t that part of it?
18 hours ago
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Stanya Kahn i like the project because it raises so many questions.
17 hours ago
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Nato Thompson I agree. I mean that is the fun right? Yes, Marc allows people to vote, but then he has to lobby for them to vote on what he likes. And right, yes, there are many Marc’s in the project. Man, I want the play!
17 hours ago · 1 personLoading…
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Marc Horowitz YES!!!!
17 hours ago
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Stanya Kahn
just watched the crit footage. i agree with hainely’s line of questioning: who cares about majority rule. we know the voting system in this country is a sham, we know that “majority” opinion is constructed by mass communication systems (TV,… radio, the churchm hence the reference to fascism). so what kinds of wrenches could you throw into your project to address the issues of agency and power that are inherent in voting and majority rule situations? these were my questions from the outset, but now that you’re doing it, i wonder if there’s a way to address it? although very few commenters on the site seemed concerned with much more than entertainment. maybe you should take the reigns in some way?
See More
16 hours ago · 1 personLoading…
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Karen Adelman i’m glad you reposted the link to this: i musta been getting off a plane when this discussion started. i am in full, vigorous agreement; i also was interested in this issue from the beginning….. like how people engaging with this project could begin to change their understanding of the way decisions are actually being made and what the consequences of those decisions might be..
11 hours ago”
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Stanya Kahn the play the play!19 hours ago#Marc Horowitz I know. I’d love to do that, but I shouldn’t sway the vote.18 hours ago#Nato Thompson Sway the vote!!! Can’t you lobby?18 hours ago#Stanya Kahn can he? that’s the big gray area question with this experiment right? what’s the illusion of “no power”? what’s the real lack of control? who’s got how much agency? i think he should make a play about the project with at least 7 strangers all playing Marc Horowitz and writing their own parts. diversify the protagonist and see if there’s a democratic moment or model to be revealed…18 hours ago#Stanya Kahn if you want to sway the vote sway the vote. i mean, if the project is about being “real”. then isn’t that part of it?18 hours ago#Stanya Kahn i like the project because it raises so many questions.17 hours ago#Nato Thompson I agree. I mean that is the fun right? Yes, Marc allows people to vote, but then he has to lobby for them to vote on what he likes. And right, yes, there are many Marc’s in the project. Man, I want the play!17 hours ago · 1 personLoading…#Marc Horowitz YES!!!!17 hours ago#Stanya Kahnjust watched the crit footage. i agree with hainely’s line of questioning: who cares about majority rule. we know the voting system in this country is a sham, we know that “majority” opinion is constructed by mass communication systems (TV,… radio, the churchm hence the reference to fascism). so what kinds of wrenches could you throw into your project to address the issues of agency and power that are inherent in voting and majority rule situations? these were my questions from the outset, but now that you’re doing it, i wonder if there’s a way to address it? although very few commenters on the site seemed concerned with much more than entertainment. maybe you should take the reigns in some way?
See More
16 hours ago · 1 personLoading…
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Karen Adelman i’m glad you reposted the link to this: i musta been getting off a plane when this discussion started. i am in full, vigorous agreement; i also was interested in this issue from the beginning….. like how people engaging with this project could begin to change their understanding of the way decisions are actually being made and what the consequences of those decisions might be..11 hours ago”
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