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Marco Mazzoni

Allison Sommers @ 1xrun.com

One of the most amazing about the internet, is the ability to connect with people from all over the world. After just a few short years, I was blown away to learn the Creep Machine is visited by people from over 130 countries around the world. Quite an amazing feat by someone who at one time knew nothing about websites, and how to gain a wider audience. The power of the internet was that someone, like myself, was able to start a website and share what inspired me, in this case art. I try to keep politics away from this site, as they are often depressing to no end, and I like the idea that the Creep can be a place to enjoy art and share the creations of others. Every year some politician creates a bill that threatens the freedom of the internet, the most recent one is something I feel I needed to share.

This week the SOPA or Stop Online Piracy Act is making its way around and could very well be passed. The intention of this bill is to curb the amount of online piracy that is going on. I personally believe this specific issue would entail coming up with new ideas of how to share digital information, and even consider that many forms of entertainment are simply too expensive, and the the temptation is too high to resist sometimes. It’s only recently that may labels have begun to reduce the price of cd’s, even though the price of the technology has gone down considerably. With SOPA, any site that features copy-written material could be shut down. Now I am all for the idea of protecting the copyright of art, music, and film, however this includes sites like Youtube in which a group of youngsters uses a famous song to dance to, or an up and coming artist covers a famous song. Even closer to home, what if a big name artist or gallery decides they don’t like an art blog sharing images from a recent exhibition. There is no conclusive proof that things could go this way, but the threat is real enough that companies like Google, Microsoft, and even Wikipedia are fighting it. Wikipedia is even considering a blackout that would shut the site down for a day or so (source), and considering the site gets more than 2.7 billion views per month it’s a big message.

When recordable tapes came along the music industry cried the sky was falling down, it didn’t. It also didn’t come crashing down when recordable cd’s or the mp3 player and mp3′s as whole came around. Piracy will always be there, but it can be curbed. The more important question is if this is the right way to do it. If you think this is the wrong way to go about it, and that the way we see and view the internet is being threatened, make your voice known. Boing-Boing recently posted some more information on the bill with some ways you can help, and there is even a dedicated forum over at Reddit.com that will give you more information and steps to take (here). Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian even posted a video talking about how Reddit, a site that gets more than 30 million unique visitors per month, could never have been created with SOPA in place (here).

New ideas and solutions will bring us forward. As Albert Einstein once said “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Photo illustration by Aurich Lawson

The site rarely takes on sponsors, but the sponsorship allows for me to hold contests and giveaway art. I appreciate all of my readers and hope the next few years will become even more exciting here on the Creep Machine. If you haven’t done so, head on over to the Facebook Group (scroll down) to enter a current contest we have going, a print by Chris Peters is up for grabs.

Bjorn Bauer Homepage

One such artist is Stephan Doitschinoff (aka Calma) whose work is rife with symbols and text that explore the depths of the human condition in a multitude of ways.   Stephan’s art concepts originate from his explorations of religion and faith, and address sociopolitical issues that are not only prevalent in his home base of Brazil, but in the world-wide.  He indeed paints much of his work on city walls, however his installations in existing or specially-created religious structures transcend the American definition of simple Urban or Street Art by addressing society from its spiritual nodes.

If you will be in New York this month, his newest works will be on view at Jonathan Levine Gallery starting tonight, December 10th, 2011, in an exhibit entitled Novo Asceticismo (New Asceticsm). To quote the gallery’s press release:

In Novo Asceticismo (New Asceticsm), [Stephan Doitschinoff] reflects on the sacrifice and deprivation necessary for modern man to live purely, without feeling alienated or falling into vices, mental traps and social conditioning of contemporary society. He explores concepts constituting new forms of practicing austerity in regards to self-discipline in manners of sexuality and the body as well as contemporary Shamanism. The work is permeated by themes of Asceticsm, redefined to reflect political issues of our times.

While Calma’s art works well in any environment, I’m a little skeptical that its impact will be the same in a commercial white box as on the streets of Brazil.  That’s not to say that I won’t be moved by this exhibition.  Don’t miss it!

The image below can be purchased through Occuprint.org where many other Occupy artworks are available:

David recently began offering a limited edition book set that showcases three seperate bodies of his recent photo collage work: Creatures of the Sea and Sky, Kaiden Shu, and Large Format Polaroids.  In addition to images of his artworks, these precious 5″x7″ books each contain one limited edition, 5″ x 7″ silkscreen mystery print on watercolor paper, all contained within a numbered, handmade, custom-printed sleeve.

These sets are available only through the artist directly.  You can find more information about David’s artwork and the box set on his website.  To inquire about purchasing, you can email him directly.