Putting the You in Tube

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For his solo show at London's Seventeen Gallery, Berlin-based Austrian artist Oliver Laric is showing three video projects that put a recursive spin on his previous work. The artist's 50 50 project, in which he seamlessly strung together fifty YouTube clips of strangers singing three songs by hip hop artist 50 Cent, has received praise around the internet and the art world for its remix of both 50's music and vernacular video culture. But now he's showing a recomprised version of the piece (50 50 2008, a remix of his own remix) by using all new clips. The mass availability of videos of people singing these three songs speaks both to the popular appeal of the music and of the act of performing for the home movie camera--thus deepening the initial resonance of Laric's project. For Touch My Body (Green Screen Version), the artist took the nerd-loving video for Mariah Carey's hit single and made a template for chroma-keyed remixes by YouTube users by digitally replacing the background images surrounding the starlet's body with a flat green backdrop. At Seventeen, Laric is showing not only his template video, but also the remixes that internet users (other net artists and general surfers alike) uploaded to the web. This decision emphasizes the project's dependence on the notion of fandom, which is both participatory and collaborative by nature. Laric's inviting template also susses out the often creative and productive nature of fan culture, particularly with regard to the internet, where appropriation and distribution tend to be fast and easy. Finally, his multi-channel work,

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Comments

, Bill

Unfortunately the 50 50 project link is not opening for me. Do I need a special plugin to view it?

, Tegan Baker-Hall

I seem to be getting the same problem as Bill.

Tegan
(Tigi Bed Head nut)

, Lynda St

I too am having trouble getting the link to work for me just like you two. I think it is just down or something. You generally don't need a plugin.

Lynda

, Mikee

50 50 link is working fine with me. Maybe you should try using other browser then…

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, Phil

The 50/50 video opened just fine for me, too. I think it's a quicktime video so maybe you need the quicktime plugin to view it.