Presentation: D I G I T A L - L O C A L – The Prehistory of Viral Media

Continuing his investigation into the dynamics of online culture and information systems, artist and researcher Jak Ritger presents a pre-history of viral media. From the séance fad to Surrealist fashion, from Outsider Art to Hollywood mythmaking, from Fluxus to forgotten modem clubs, Ritger traces the lineage of confrontational aesthetics as a reaction to communication technologies. This is the first of a two-part lecture series on ‘digital locals’, unpacking the aesthetics that underpin art, culture and politics after the Internet. The talks also connect to Jak Ritger and Abbey Pusz’s artist residency in the Unsound Discord.