Wednesday, December 2, 2020
A Futuristic Experience Of The Mid-90s: An Exhibition Review of "The Theresa Duncan CD-ROMs"
Rhizome.org is an online platform focusing on the digital and internet presence of the contemporary art, especially of those that are born-digital. The conservation exhibition co-presented with the New Museum, The Theresa Duncan CD-ROMs is among the numerous exhibitions that are currently on-view. The exhibition presents three CD-ROM games that were created by Theresa Duncan, a photographer and illustrator, under the employment of Magnet Interactive during the mid-90s CD-ROM boom. The three CD-ROMs were narrative-based audio books with playful visuals and intriguing music aimed to give children a glimpse into the complex lives of urban adulthood. The games offer an uniquely romantic and sensational experience that may seem antique for contemporary viewers who are accustomed to the technological advancement over the past decades; it is nevertheless very easy to appreciate the sheer creativity of early digital artists that pushed the boundary of the technological medium. Quite exceptionally, the exhibition is said to be one of the first to utilize the cloud servers to emulate the historic operation systems that these CD-ROMs were created for. Relying on fast internet connection, viewers today can finally enjoy these early computer software on their own modern devices, enabling a never-before achievable experience that would inspire the coming generations interested in arts in digital medium. Many galleries are having difficult time this year adjusting to the online medium, and this exhibition might as well be an excellent example of how artists and curators can navigate through this time while connecting the past and the future.
Chop Suey (Magnet Interactive, 1995, co-created with Monica Gesue). Lily and June Bugg embark on a strange, hallucinatory adventure through the small town of Cortland, Ohio.
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ReplyDeleteThis review does a great job of summarizing the concepts that inform The Theresa Duncan CD-ROMs and describing the visual aspects of the work. I appreciate how you note the significance of the work when considering the audience that is viewing it. I am unclear if the exhibit is in response to the pandemic in any respect or if it is something that existed prior. Including this information could be helpful to the reader. I am also unsure if the words “might as well be” in the last sentence are necessary. It may be more helpful to decide and communicate whether the exhibit is or is not an excellent example for artists and curators in how to navigate presenting work during this time.
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