Guggenheim Play Judges Announced Amidst Worries of Censorship

by Paddy Johnson on July 26, 2010 · 32 comments

Art knows no boundaries, except of course for geographic ones. As reported by AnimalNY, The Guggenheim will not be accepting submissions from citizens of US Sanctioned countries for their three youtube video “biennial” Play slated to launch this fall. This means residents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Myanmar/Burma, Syria, Zimbabwe, are out of luck. I suspect the Guggenheim didn’t come up with these pesky stipulations themselves though — government funding typically comes with a few of its own guidelines and institutions ignore them at their own peril.

Undoubtedly the more problematic issue comes from YouTube’s vague corporate position on nudity and violence — long story short, they don’t like it. Seeing as how every video submitted has to survive flagging in youtube, art suffers a few more limitations than it has with the postal service. It’s unclear how much youtube’s policies would effect submissions — large view count tends to result in yanked videos, and those numbers aren’t a selection criteria — but still the so-called issue wouldn’t take much to fix. I hope Youtube and the Guggenheim consider setting up a tag for these submissions to loosen restrictions. They should also think about revisiting the regulation that “only one person per video will be considered the video’s creator.” It seems a little absurd that collaborations are not considered a valid form of artistic expression in a museum-run biennial.

All this is to say that while I support the effort made by museums to engage the Internet, this thing gives me the willies. And it’s not just a corporate partnership with all kinds of loose ends. Last week the museum announced their star studded list of celebrity judges, and there’s not one lesser-known or emerging artist on the panel (think Takashi Murakami, Ryan McGinley, Douglas Gordon, Marilyn Minter, etc). If the museum is serious about finding new, untapped talent, maybe they should make an effort to include at least one or two rising stars on their celebrity selection list. As it stands now, this show looks like it’s far more about generating publicity than it is providing a legitimate platform for undiscovered talent.

Related: LA Times on Nudity


We Went To Chelsea, Vol. 1	Erwin Wurm Ubiquitous, Even at VIP	The Azerbaijan Tower is Totally a Claes Oldenburg

Douglas
The part I find confusing is the lack of ART in all of the YouTube Play promotional videos. It appears to be all motion graphics and stop motion animation. Does that mean they are looking for things with commercial appeal or music video potential? The contest, after all, was created by an advertising dept (aka “creative lab”).
Douglas
The part I find confusing is the lack of ART in all of the YouTube Play promotional videos. It appears to be all motion graphics and stop motion animation. Does that mean they are looking for things with commercial appeal or music video potential? The contest, after all, was created by an advertising dept (aka “creative lab”).
Douglas
The part I find confusing is the lack of ART in all of the YouTube Play promotional videos. It appears to be all motion graphics and stop motion animation. Does that mean they are looking for things with commercial appeal or music video potential? The contest, after all, was created by an advertising dept (aka “creative lab”).
Douglas
The part I find confusing is the lack of ART in all of the YouTube Play promotional videos. It appears to be all motion graphics and stop motion animation. Does that mean they are looking for things with commercial appeal or music video potential? The contest, after all, was created by an advertising dept (aka “creative lab”).
Douglas
The part I find confusing is the lack of ART in all of the YouTube Play promotional videos. It appears to be all motion graphics and stop motion animation. Does that mean they are looking for things with commercial appeal or music video potential? The contest, after all, was created by an advertising dept (aka “creative lab”).
http://www.artfagcity.com Art Fag City
Their promo videos were also done in this style so it makes sense that that’s what they’d end up with. It’s not like they showcased Andy Warhol eating a hamburger and then said Go! (Not that this would necessarily give them what they need either, my point is just they never even showcased video art the museum has shown in the past as part of their call for submissions)
http://www.artfagcity.com Art Fag City
Their promo videos were also done in this style so it makes sense that that’s what they’d end up with. It’s not like they showcased Andy Warhol eating a hamburger and then said Go! (Not that this would necessarily give them what they need either, my point is just they never even showcased video art the museum has shown in the past as part of their call for submissions)
http://www.artfagcity.com Art Fag City
Their promo videos were also done in this style so it makes sense that that’s what they’d end up with. It’s not like they showcased Andy Warhol eating a hamburger and then said Go! (Not that this would necessarily give them what they need either, my point is just they never even showcased video art the museum has shown in the past as part of their call for submissions)
http://www.artfagcity.com Art Fag City
Their promo videos were also done in this style so it makes sense that that’s what they’d end up with. It’s not like they showcased Andy Warhol eating a hamburger and then said Go! (Not that this would necessarily give them what they need either, my point is just they never even showcased video art the museum has shown in the past as part of their call for submissions)
http://www.artfagcity.com Art Fag City
Their promo videos were also done in this style so it makes sense that that’s what they’d end up with. It’s not like they showcased Andy Warhol eating a hamburger and then said Go! (Not that this would necessarily give them what they need either, my point is just they never even showcased video art the museum has shown in the past as part of their call for submissions)
http://www.artfagcity.com Art Fag City
Their promo videos were also done in this style so it makes sense that that’s what they’d end up with. It’s not like they showcased Andy Warhol eating a hamburger and then said Go! (Not that this would necessarily give them what they need either, my point is just they never even showcased video art the museum has shown in the past as part of their call for submissions)
http://jessepatrickmartin.blogspot.com/ Jesse P. Martin
What if citizens of Unsanctioned countries were to sponsor (appropriate? resubmit?) videos by citizens of Sanctioned coutries? Like, I could submit the work of a Zimbabwean artist under my name (so I can get past the Gugg’s “only one person per video” stipulation) and then fully credit the actual creator in the credits – or, better yet, as a parenthetical appended to the work’s original title. It would be a reperformance (hat tip @ Maurice Abroomaquiditćh).
http://jessepatrickmartin.blogspot.com/ Jesse P. Martin
What if citizens of Unsanctioned countries were to sponsor (appropriate? resubmit?) videos by citizens of Sanctioned coutries? Like, I could submit the work of a Zimbabwean artist under my name (so I can get past the Gugg’s “only one person per video” stipulation) and then fully credit the actual creator in the credits – or, better yet, as a parenthetical appended to the work’s original title. It would be a reperformance (hat tip @ Maurice Abroomaquiditćh).
http://jessepatrickmartin.blogspot.com/ Jesse P. Martin
What if citizens of Unsanctioned countries were to sponsor (appropriate? resubmit?) videos by citizens of Sanctioned coutries? Like, I could submit the work of a Zimbabwean artist under my name (so I can get past the Gugg’s “only one person per video” stipulation) and then fully credit the actual creator in the credits – or, better yet, as a parenthetical appended to the work’s original title. It would be a reperformance (hat tip @ Maurice Abroomaquiditćh).
http://jessepatrickmartin.blogspot.com/ Jesse P. Martin
What if citizens of Unsanctioned countries were to sponsor (appropriate? resubmit?) videos by citizens of Sanctioned coutries? Like, I could submit the work of a Zimbabwean artist under my name (so I can get past the Gugg’s “only one person per video” stipulation) and then fully credit the actual creator in the credits – or, better yet, as a parenthetical appended to the work’s original title. It would be a reperformance (hat tip @ Maurice Abroomaquiditćh).
http://jessepatrickmartin.blogspot.com/ Jesse P. Martin
What if citizens of Unsanctioned countries were to sponsor (appropriate? resubmit?) videos by citizens of Sanctioned coutries? Like, I could submit the work of a Zimbabwean artist under my name (so I can get past the Gugg’s “only one person per video” stipulation) and then fully credit the actual creator in the credits – or, better yet, as a parenthetical appended to the work’s original title. It would be a reperformance (hat tip @ Maurice Abroomaquiditćh).
http://tommoody.us tom moody
Paddy, you are generous to give AnimalNY scoop credit for this since most of us learned of the sanctioned countries ban in the comments of your blog. An anonymous commenter noted that YouTube followed the government’s sanction list and we are all talking about how this would put a government-by-way-of-corporate restriction on the museum. This was weeks ago! (I realize it’s next to impossible to embarrass an art institution and appreciate that you are keeping the heat on for this poorly-conceived show idea.)
http://tommoody.us tom moody
Paddy, you are generous to give AnimalNY scoop credit for this since most of us learned of the sanctioned countries ban in the comments of your blog. An anonymous commenter noted that YouTube followed the government’s sanction list and we are all talking about how this would put a government-by-way-of-corporate restriction on the museum. This was weeks ago! (I realize it’s next to impossible to embarrass an art institution and appreciate that you are keeping the heat on for this poorly-conceived show idea.)
http://tommoody.us tom moody
Paddy, you are generous to give AnimalNY scoop credit for this since most of us learned of the sanctioned countries ban in the comments of your blog. An anonymous commenter noted that YouTube followed the government’s sanction list and we are all talking about how this would put a government-by-way-of-corporate restriction on the museum. This was weeks ago! (I realize it’s next to impossible to embarrass an art institution and appreciate that you are keeping the heat on for this poorly-conceived show idea.)
http://tommoody.us tom moody
Paddy, you are generous to give AnimalNY scoop credit for this since most of us learned of the sanctioned countries ban in the comments of your blog. An anonymous commenter noted that YouTube followed the government’s sanction list and we are all talking about how this would put a government-by-way-of-corporate restriction on the museum. This was weeks ago! (I realize it’s next to impossible to embarrass an art institution and appreciate that you are keeping the heat on for this poorly-conceived show idea.)
http://tommoody.us tom moody
Paddy, you are generous to give AnimalNY scoop credit for this since most of us learned of the sanctioned countries ban in the comments of your blog. An anonymous commenter noted that YouTube followed the government’s sanction list and we are all talking about how this would put a government-by-way-of-corporate restriction on the museum. This was weeks ago! (I realize it’s next to impossible to embarrass an art institution and appreciate that you are keeping the heat on for this poorly-conceived show idea.)
http://www.artfagcity.com Art Fag City
@Tom Moody I need to check my own blog more often — I forgot about that! In any event, the post author at AnimalNY is last fall’s AFC intern so I suppose this unintended generosity is okay.
http://www.artfagcity.com Art Fag City
@Tom Moody I need to check my own blog more often — I forgot about that! In any event, the post author at AnimalNY is last fall’s AFC intern so I suppose this unintended generosity is okay.
http://tommoody.us tom moody
The Guggenheim certainly needs to check your blog more often. As I recall you made some recommendations for people that might have some YouTube-judging savvy (including me but I’m not sure I’d want to be judging my peers in an institutional setting like this–I’m already popular enough). Anyway, silly you, you were making a conscientious assessment, as opposed to throwing darts at a wall of “old media” celebrities.
And nothing against Marina’s reporting, of course. Good idea to consider the NQ (nudity quotient) of each judge who has agreed to work under this regime.
http://tommoody.us tom moody
The Guggenheim certainly needs to check your blog more often. As I recall you made some recommendations for people that might have some YouTube-judging savvy (including me but I’m not sure I’d want to be judging my peers in an institutional setting like this–I’m already popular enough). Anyway, silly you, you were making a conscientious assessment, as opposed to throwing darts at a wall of “old media” celebrities.
And nothing against Marina’s reporting, of course. Good idea to consider the NQ (nudity quotient) of each judge who has agreed to work under this regime.
http://doubletriple.net Phillip Niemeyer
“The Guggenheim will not be accepting submissions from citizens of US Sanctioned countries for their three youtube video “biennial” Play slated to launch this fall. This means residents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Myanmar/Burma, Syria, Zimbabwe, are out of luck.”
How does this not invalidate the Guggenheim show?
The resources needed to sponsor a curated YouTube show being so scant, it seems like an opportunity to one-up the Gugenhiem by making a truly global call for entries for an exhibition to happen at the same time.
http://doubletriple.net Phillip Niemeyer
“The Guggenheim will not be accepting submissions from citizens of US Sanctioned countries for their three youtube video “biennial” Play slated to launch this fall. This means residents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Myanmar/Burma, Syria, Zimbabwe, are out of luck.”
How does this not invalidate the Guggenheim show?
The resources needed to sponsor a curated YouTube show being so scant, it seems like an opportunity to one-up the Gugenhiem by making a truly global call for entries for an exhibition to happen at the same time.
http://remembermeonthiscomputer.com remember me on this computer
“The Guggenheim will not be accepting submissions from citizens of US Sanctioned countries for their three youtube video “biennial” Play slated to launch this fall. This means residents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Myanmar/Burma, Syria, Zimbabwe, are out of luck.”
How is Shirin Nashat on this jury?
Silencing the subaltern on an institutional level while supposedly criticizing this silencing on a representational one? weirdness.
And Apichatpong Weerasethakul too?
Most of his work cannot be shown in his native country because of state censorship. Very sad and surprising seeing him on this list, the other side of state censorship.
“Undoubtedly the more problematic issue comes from YouTube’s vague corporate position on nudity and violence”
Really?
It would seem that the issue is an institution selling a false identification with a platform famous for its inclusive and global nature.
http://remembermeonthiscomputer.com remember me on this computer
“The Guggenheim will not be accepting submissions from citizens of US Sanctioned countries for their three youtube video “biennial” Play slated to launch this fall. This means residents of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Myanmar/Burma, Syria, Zimbabwe, are out of luck.”
How is Shirin Nashat on this jury?
Silencing the subaltern on an institutional level while supposedly criticizing this silencing on a representational one? weirdness.
And Apichatpong Weerasethakul too?
Most of his work cannot be shown in his native country because of state censorship. Very sad and surprising seeing him on this list, the other side of state censorship.
“Undoubtedly the more problematic issue comes from YouTube’s vague corporate position on nudity and violence”
Really?
It would seem that the issue is an institution selling a false identification with a platform famous for its inclusive and global nature.
http://www.sanctionedarray.specifyothers.com Specify Others
“a truly global call for entries” has been made:
http://www.sanctionedarray.specifyothers.com/about.html
SanctionedArray is an online database of video art conceived in response to the restrictions of artists’ submissions to The Guggenheim Museum’s and YouTube’s video biennial, Play (http://www.youtube.com/play). Artists’ submissions to Play are limited by OFAC sanctions (http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/) — where citizens or residents of Belarus, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Myanmar/Burma, and Zimbabwe are not eligible to submit their work. We maintain that the application of these OFAC sanctions to virtual transmissions of video art perpetuates the causes that led to the imposition of them; and we invite those who wish to protest the continuity of such restrictions — artists of any origin, including those from the sanctioned countries — to submit their work to SanctionedArray.
We hope to showcase the most notable and varied video works from creators anywhere. Submission of virtual entries to SanctionedArray, follow online video formats proposed by YouTube and The Guggenheim, except for Eligibility 1.d. (https://sites.google.com/site/ytplayterms/all). A large number of invited art professionals shall serve as jurors in SanctionedArray by rating the online entries in a process and open source code created and generously provided to us by apexart (http://www.apexart.org/). One hundred videos will be selected from the online entries to be showcased online.
SanctionedArray’s selected video entries shall also be launched at the screening event on October 25th and 26th at WHITE BOX in New York City. This event shall coincide with the Play biennial at The Guggenheim New York, extending representation of video entries considered not eligible by Origin, by YouTube and The Guggenheim, “challenging a status quo,” as proposed by Nancy Spector, Deputy Director and Chief Curator, The Guggenheim.
A roundtable on October 26, starting 7 PM, with esteemed artists, curators, and legal experts will provide an opportunity to discuss terms, conditions, and consequences of both Play and SanctionedArray.
At SanctionedArray, we look forward to having “everybody play.”
To submit your work, please go to http://www.specifyothers/sanctionedarray. Submission deadline is October 20th, EST.
Conceived and organized by Specify Others in collaboration with WHITE BOX
http://www.sanctionedarray.specifyothers.com Specify Others
“a truly global call for entries” has been made:
http://www.sanctionedarray.specifyothers.com/about.html
SanctionedArray is an online database of video art conceived in response to the restrictions of artists’ submissions to The Guggenheim Museum’s and YouTube’s video biennial, Play (http://www.youtube.com/play). Artists’ submissions to Play are limited by OFAC sanctions (http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/programs/) — where citizens or residents of Belarus, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Myanmar/Burma, and Zimbabwe are not eligible to submit their work. We maintain that the application of these OFAC sanctions to virtual transmissions of video art perpetuates the causes that led to the imposition of them; and we invite those who wish to protest the continuity of such restrictions — artists of any origin, including those from the sanctioned countries — to submit their work to SanctionedArray.
We hope to showcase the most notable and varied video works from creators anywhere. Submission of virtual entries to SanctionedArray, follow online video formats proposed by YouTube and The Guggenheim, except for Eligibility 1.d. (https://sites.google.com/site/ytplayterms/all). A large number of invited art professionals shall serve as jurors in SanctionedArray by rating the online entries in a process and open source code created and generously provided to us by apexart (http://www.apexart.org/). One hundred videos will be selected from the online entries to be showcased online.
SanctionedArray’s selected video entries shall also be launched at the screening event on October 25th and 26th at WHITE BOX in New York City. This event shall coincide with the Play biennial at The Guggenheim New York, extending representation of video entries considered not eligible by Origin, by YouTube and The Guggenheim, “challenging a status quo,” as proposed by Nancy Spector, Deputy Director and Chief Curator, The Guggenheim.
A roundtable on October 26, starting 7 PM, with esteemed artists, curators, and legal experts will provide an opportunity to discuss terms, conditions, and consequences of both Play and SanctionedArray.
At SanctionedArray, we look forward to having “everybody play.”
To submit your work, please go to http://www.specifyothers/sanctionedarray. Submission deadline is October 20th, EST.
Conceived and organized by Specify Others in collaboration with WHITE BOX
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