projects 1990-1999
Still Lies Quiet Truth
A performance work whose script was derived from the live avatar-based cyberformances of "The Candid Campaign." Show projections featured glimpses of an online virtual world. It premiered at the New York Digital Salon and was re-presented at the New York International Fringe Festival.
Without 1997
A piece of net art commissioned by Creative Time (NY) for the Day Without Art (Dec. 1, now better known as International AIDS Day). It was a deliberate parody of banner ads, which were then just becoming ubiquitous.
Silent Orpheus 1997
A Plaintext Players cyberperformance based on the Orpheus myth, presented for the International Day Without Art at the 55 Broad St. Video Wall, New York, Dec. 1, 1997.
Orpheus: I Am the Music 1997
A cyberperformance based on the Orpheus myth. Presented at documenta X (Kassel, Germany) through Club Media, July 1997.
The White Whale 1997
A series of cyberperformances about a white whale in the Mediterranean presented at the Venice Biennale, Italy, through Club Media, June 1997.
blast5drama 1996-97
A collective limted-edition publication and net art project that was initiated by the X-Art Foundation under the direction of Jordan Crandall.
The Candide Campaign 1996
A series of cyberperformances presented at Postmasters Gallery, New York, as part of the "Password Ferdydurke" exhibition, Oct.-Nov. 1996.
The Cake of the Desert 1995-96
A graphic novel developed from the Plaintext Players "Christmas" series, published by Haifisch Press. The text of this short novel was also performed as
a radio play on PseudoRadio's "Art Dirt" show, simulcast over the web, August 1996. Also presented as part of "a low place presents" salon series, New York, August 1996.
Gutter City 1995
A series of cyberperformances with a Civil War theme that took place as part of the New York Digital Salon, Nov. 1995.
LittleHamlet 1995
A series of cyberperformances as part of the "Blast 4: Bioinformatica" show at the Xavier Lopez Gallery, London. Sept.-Oct. 1995.
I Object 1995
A collection of about dozen text-art works with peculiar proverbs that were derived from a performance in the "Christmas" series.
Christmas 1994-95
A series of cyberperformances as part of the "Blast 4: Bioinformatica" show at the Sandra Gering Gallery, New York, March-Dec. 1994. A special extra performance in this series was presented at the European Media Arts Festival, Sept. 1995.
The Plaintext Players (founded 1994)
A pioneering group of cyberperformers who have been creating live online improvisations since the inception of the web. As the group's founder and artistic director, I direct many of their unique performances, which generally take the form of textual improvisations based on written scenarios. One of the longest-running groups of cyberperformers, the Players have recently been involved in creating mixed-reality works that merge cyberspace and realspace in various ways.
Dadashop Quartet
1991. Performed in this a capella work I wrote for four voices that melded original material with text from Rabelais, Shakespeare, and a letter from Sol LeWitt to Eva Hesse. Premiere at Schoenberg Hall (Los Angeles).
The Museum of Forgery (founded 1991)
A virtual institute dedicated to promoting an appreciation of the aesthetics of forgery. A number of the ideas promulgated by the Museum — such as conceptual Photoshop filters or dumping grounds for old art — have since been taken up and implemented by other artists. I am the museum's founder and director.
alafarge@uci.edu