Monday, May 3, 2010
CultureJam.com
As you can see my blog focuses majority on culture jamming websites or movements I find on the internet. The internet is a great space for culture jammers to express themselves because there are less gatekeepers which means there is an easy way of getting your messages out. I personally feel the internet is the best media tool a culture jammer can use to express themselves and get their messages out there. It is a great place for up and coming culture jammers. During my research I came across culturejam.com Culturejam.com is a new website that is launching this year. Their goal is to make a difference. The site states "Culture Jam is a collection of groundbreaking concepts centered around creating a new value proposition for digital content creators and their fans. If you create culture for your fans, or if you are a fan of culture, Culture Jam will soon be your online destination of choice. Launching in 2010, Culture Jam will change the way content is distributed and consumed online. Stay tuned…the paradigm will shift." I think that message that the "paradigm will shift" gives hope to all culture jammers or people who do not agree with the mainstream. If gives people the opportunity to have a different channel of getting your voice out. They will express someone culture in a divergent way. Culturejam.com seems like they are a promotion company that is not for promoting through mainstream media sources which is really admirable. They do seem to have some kind of affiliation with twitter though (which obviously is a mainstream site). They have a blog in which people send in different mediums in which culture jamming is represented. I think they are hoping that others will join the non-mainstream movement. Do you think they are divergent or even culture jammers? Since they are still new and it is hard to decifer...What do you think their goal is? If you would like to check the website out go here To check out the blog go here
The Fall Of Autumn
I disovered Fall Of Autumn on a blog created for my class I mentioned earlier: Convergent Media Divergent Voices. As you may realize, I have very interested in culture jamming as a divergent voice. Therefore, when I saw the link to this website I had to visit it. Fall Of Autumn is an online zine. They seem to target all forms of culture jamming (politics, pop-culture, humor). The site seems like they are not afraid to go outside the boundaries. Something hilarious that I saw posted on there is a video mocking the Now That's What I Call Music cds (being that there is literally 5million of them). I do not know how they manage to keep producing these cds, but anyways, there is a mock commercial called Now That's What I Call EMO. You can check it out here. I think it is awesome that this zine explores different types of culture jamming that I have not really seen. The site has videos, podcasts, writings, their zine, forum ( a great place for a people to come together and express themselves or discuss the jamming they have seen), blogs, and they even have hangman. This is a very unique jamming approach. I believe this is a culture jamming site because it does not express a mainstream message, it is a combination of anti-mainstream activist methods.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Sniggle.net
If you are at all interested in learning culture jamming like I am, you should check out sniggle.net also known as the "culture jammers encyclopedia." This website has a lot of culture jamming history that is very interesting. The website is run by donations which I feel is great. This website mentions many of the culture jamming movements I have discussed in this blog. It is a very reliable source. Every day it has a new culture jamming movement that occured in history on that specific day in the past. If you are interested in a briefing of the history of culture jamming, please visit: Sniggle.net I would like to know what your views are regarding the "culture jammers encyclopedia."
Wooster Collective
Wooster Collective is a culture jamming blog created in 2001. This blog has pictures, writings, and videos portraying culture jamming. The blog is bottom up run. The people who run it are a group of people/activists from New York City who see culture jamming movements in person or find online and post it to the blog. They mainly focus on street art.
"Wait- what exactly is street art?
Street art is art created in public places, often without permission. Street art is made in a number of mediums, including stencils, stickers, posters, paint, and sculpture. In mathematical, political, criminal, and philosophical terms, streetart is a subset of graffiti" - Streetsy (which is also Wooster Collective's affiliate).
Wooster collective seems like a popular alternative community for people to come together and express what they see. It seems like a culture jamming community which is a really cool concept. It reminds me of the blog we have for my Convergent Media and Divergent Voices class. A place where everyone can come together and inform eachother. Alot of the things I see on Wooster are not as crude or as racy compared to Ron English or Adbuster's. It seems more like art to me and very subtle messages. I appreciate what I have seen. I think what they have to offer is definitely alternative and a form of jamming but unlike others I have seen.
Check it out and let me know what you think: Wooster Collective
"Wait- what exactly is street art?
Street art is art created in public places, often without permission. Street art is made in a number of mediums, including stencils, stickers, posters, paint, and sculpture. In mathematical, political, criminal, and philosophical terms, streetart is a subset of graffiti" - Streetsy (which is also Wooster Collective's affiliate).
Wooster collective seems like a popular alternative community for people to come together and express what they see. It seems like a culture jamming community which is a really cool concept. It reminds me of the blog we have for my Convergent Media and Divergent Voices class. A place where everyone can come together and inform eachother. Alot of the things I see on Wooster are not as crude or as racy compared to Ron English or Adbuster's. It seems more like art to me and very subtle messages. I appreciate what I have seen. I think what they have to offer is definitely alternative and a form of jamming but unlike others I have seen.
Check it out and let me know what you think: Wooster Collective
Culture Jamming in Music?
I have recently discovered that there are many bands who have songs that are technically forms of culture jamming. In fact, in 1984, a band called Negativland coined the term culture jamming in a song on its album release of JamCon '84. Their idea for the word culture jamming came from the term radio jamming which means public frequencies on the rated that are pirated or subverted for independent communication.
Anyways, you may not notice but culture jamming is in plenty of songs out there.
Negativland is a perfect example of culture jamming in a song. Negativland and several other bands released something called a napster bomb. A napster bomb is a bad song that contaminates the napster community. With these napster bombs, several bands recorded the same song changing the title slightly to the point that the eye cannot blatantly notice it. The original song title was "rocked by rape" They released these songs on a record label/band called Evolution Controlled Creations/Committee (ECC). Along with the series of "rocked by rape," they released other napster bombs by other artist under different title other than "rocked by rape" one being: CBS is Dumb by Chumbawumba. They have also created many other songs with culture jamming. People would download these songs, see them listen to them, and see them linked by ECC and realize they have been hacked. The ECC goes against the mainstream ways of buying cds and non-copyright infringement.
The Evolution Control Committee is a band that began in 1986 and is known for copyright infringement of music. On their website it says: "Welcome to The Evolution Control Committee. We've been creating illegal music since 1986, when copyright infringement was done the hard way." - Evolution-control.com
ps. when searching for these songs on youtube, which are all listed on Evolution-Control.com, they were no where to be found.
I personally think culture jamming in music is awesome. When I think of culture jamming I do not think of music as a location for the movement. I never thought that songs I listen to everyday being possibly art of the culture jamming movement. Now that that I think about it there are probably lots of hidden messages or lots of revolts against the mainstream in many songs. Now I need to keep an eye open for it. Putting culture jamming subverted in songs is a brilliant way to spread your message.
The series of "rocked by rape" napster bombs are only a small amount of culture jamming in songs. See what songs you listen to have culture jamming or could have culture jamming in it and post it here!
Anyways, you may not notice but culture jamming is in plenty of songs out there.
Negativland is a perfect example of culture jamming in a song. Negativland and several other bands released something called a napster bomb. A napster bomb is a bad song that contaminates the napster community. With these napster bombs, several bands recorded the same song changing the title slightly to the point that the eye cannot blatantly notice it. The original song title was "rocked by rape" They released these songs on a record label/band called Evolution Controlled Creations/Committee (ECC). Along with the series of "rocked by rape," they released other napster bombs by other artist under different title other than "rocked by rape" one being: CBS is Dumb by Chumbawumba. They have also created many other songs with culture jamming. People would download these songs, see them listen to them, and see them linked by ECC and realize they have been hacked. The ECC goes against the mainstream ways of buying cds and non-copyright infringement.
The Evolution Control Committee is a band that began in 1986 and is known for copyright infringement of music. On their website it says: "Welcome to The Evolution Control Committee. We've been creating illegal music since 1986, when copyright infringement was done the hard way." - Evolution-control.com
ps. when searching for these songs on youtube, which are all listed on Evolution-Control.com, they were no where to be found.
I personally think culture jamming in music is awesome. When I think of culture jamming I do not think of music as a location for the movement. I never thought that songs I listen to everyday being possibly art of the culture jamming movement. Now that that I think about it there are probably lots of hidden messages or lots of revolts against the mainstream in many songs. Now I need to keep an eye open for it. Putting culture jamming subverted in songs is a brilliant way to spread your message.
The series of "rocked by rape" napster bombs are only a small amount of culture jamming in songs. See what songs you listen to have culture jamming or could have culture jamming in it and post it here!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Banksy
Banksy is a culture jamming graffiti artist well known for his street art. He is also well known for not being know. Banksy has rarely been seen by anyone. He secretly shows up to wherever the location is that he is jamming and he leaves. Banksy is an alternative voice because as popular as his recreations are he remains unknown. He is popular by the power of his message and his art. People see his art and critically interpret what it means. "Banksy turns familiar signs into question marks, inviting us to rethink, on the one hand, our understanding of the cultural status of graffiti and, on the other hand, our understanding of the museum and gallery: public spaces which are defined by exclusion." (172) Coyer, Kate, Tony Dowmunt, and Alan Fountain. "Culture Jamming." The Alternative Media Handbook. London: Routledge, 2007. 163-85. Print. Banksy uses his powerful artwork to convey meanings that are not expressed in our culture. Banksy's culture jams allow others to form opinions and their own meanings of what they feel the underlying messages are.
The image that sparks my brain the most is the first jam that is shown is a breaking of a popular representation in society. When I look at it I think of the famous telephone booths seen in movies when they take place in England. I am not sure what his message is but, I am going to interpret that it is a mocking of tourists and an iconic landmark in England. Maybe he is saying there is more to life than what you know, and there is more beyond this telephone pole? I think this is what makes it a divergent message because there are probably so many interpretations as to what this is.
Banksy is an inspirational artists and culture jammer. His unknown identity and powerful messages in his artwork make him who he is: a divergent, culture jammer.
Culture Jamming a Commodity?
If you have been reading this I hope you can get a feel of what culture jammings purpose is. The reason for culture jamming is to state things that society normally does not see due to the way the media has shaped our opinions. It is a revolt against the norm in society.
With culture jamming on the Internet being a recent increasing movement, there have been many culture jamming sites that have received a lot of recognition for their non-mainstream opinions. Therefore, a lot of culture jamming websites have been using their recognition to make money. There are even culture jamming merchandise websites that specifically are there to sell culture jamming goods. Does this mean these jammers are going against their original feelings and becoming commodities? Are they becoming what they are fighting?
For example: Adbuster's claim they are divergent and with their Buy Nothing Day they clearly are not for consumerism, yet they have merchandise to buy on their website with their brand on it called Blackspot. Yes, it is not a mainstream brand but it still is a brand. Why would they want to become a commodity, when that is what they are against? Personally, I do not know the answer.
Jon Stewart, is claimed to be a culture jammer. Yet, he makes money of off DVD's and clothing from his show (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart). Does that go against the main idea of being a culture jammer? Or is it okay because he is specifically a political culture jammer? Do culture jammers who mock different forms of mainstream media have different views or duties to follow and to live by?
On Redbubble.com, a website that sells merchandise, sells culture jamming clothing. Is it okay to pay to make a statment? Does that make culture jamming a brand by wearing shirts that other people make? Is the point of culture jamming in order to be a divergent voice it has to be free?
I believe it is still a divergent voice but I do not think the purpose of culture jamming is to make money off of it or to make statements. If anything, if you want to have merchandise with a divergent voice and culture jam you should make your own like stealthissweater.com
Stealthissweater.com was created in 2007 by a women named Lisa Anne Auerbach. Lisa Anne knits clothing (scarfs, sweaters, hats, gloves..etc) that make political statements. She wears them and walks around in them and sees peoples reactions. She also shows people how they can make what she made (which is a perfect example of spreading the alternative message). This is by far a divergent form of culture jamming because most people wear popular brands (including myself), therefore breaking away from that is a big deal in itself. I feel clothing is a great way to make a statement, why not make a political jam in the process?
To get back to my question: Is culture jamming a commodity? The answer is I do not know. I guess it can be. I do not necessarily think that is the main goal of a culture jammer but if it happens in the process when why not? I think it is okay unless, the jammer states in their jams that they are against corporations, big media conglomerates, and the mainstream. But again I really do not know? What do you think?
With culture jamming on the Internet being a recent increasing movement, there have been many culture jamming sites that have received a lot of recognition for their non-mainstream opinions. Therefore, a lot of culture jamming websites have been using their recognition to make money. There are even culture jamming merchandise websites that specifically are there to sell culture jamming goods. Does this mean these jammers are going against their original feelings and becoming commodities? Are they becoming what they are fighting?
For example: Adbuster's claim they are divergent and with their Buy Nothing Day they clearly are not for consumerism, yet they have merchandise to buy on their website with their brand on it called Blackspot. Yes, it is not a mainstream brand but it still is a brand. Why would they want to become a commodity, when that is what they are against? Personally, I do not know the answer.
Jon Stewart, is claimed to be a culture jammer. Yet, he makes money of off DVD's and clothing from his show (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart). Does that go against the main idea of being a culture jammer? Or is it okay because he is specifically a political culture jammer? Do culture jammers who mock different forms of mainstream media have different views or duties to follow and to live by?
On Redbubble.com, a website that sells merchandise, sells culture jamming clothing. Is it okay to pay to make a statment? Does that make culture jamming a brand by wearing shirts that other people make? Is the point of culture jamming in order to be a divergent voice it has to be free?
I believe it is still a divergent voice but I do not think the purpose of culture jamming is to make money off of it or to make statements. If anything, if you want to have merchandise with a divergent voice and culture jam you should make your own like stealthissweater.com
Stealthissweater.com was created in 2007 by a women named Lisa Anne Auerbach. Lisa Anne knits clothing (scarfs, sweaters, hats, gloves..etc) that make political statements. She wears them and walks around in them and sees peoples reactions. She also shows people how they can make what she made (which is a perfect example of spreading the alternative message). This is by far a divergent form of culture jamming because most people wear popular brands (including myself), therefore breaking away from that is a big deal in itself. I feel clothing is a great way to make a statement, why not make a political jam in the process?
To get back to my question: Is culture jamming a commodity? The answer is I do not know. I guess it can be. I do not necessarily think that is the main goal of a culture jammer but if it happens in the process when why not? I think it is okay unless, the jammer states in their jams that they are against corporations, big media conglomerates, and the mainstream. But again I really do not know? What do you think?
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