The exhibition “I am the Remix,” is being held at the Western Front from January 10th to February 14th, 2004. The show, curated by Adrienne Lai, addresses the theme of DJ culture. Vancouver-based DJ, Lawrence Sim, Media artist Don Bury, Los Angeles-based art collective Slanguage (Juan Capistran & Mario Ybarra Jr.) are the participants.

Drawing by Slanguage

The exhibit includes a large drawing of architecture-like speakers by Slanguage, a video collage by Bury and DJ performances by local DJs. It presents how everyday life objects and ideas are remixed and transformed into our daily of culture.

Lawrence Sim at Western Front

In addition to the exhibition, there was a “Remix and feedback roundtable” at Emily Carr Institute located on Granville Island, Vancouver. Slanguage, Vancouver-based writer/musician Brady Cranfield, and Paul D. Miller a.k.a. DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid from New York were invited as panel members, and they talked about remix culture in a chilled atmosphere.

(left) DJ Spooky, Mario Ybarra, Juan Capistran, and Brady Cranfield at ECIAD

The members of the panel pointed out the fact that there are methods of sampling or remixing various sources in a DJ’s creative process. This is called, “appropriation, juxtaposition, and recontextalization” and represents the remaking of different forms out of existing sources. For example, DJs change beats and sounds to create their own sounds. This process is also used in everyday way of living in various ways. For instance, how we, living in an information society, utilize all the information and data and develop our knowledge and experience. Existing ideas and materials are transformed by going through the individual’s thinking process. This is different from mimicking because each person has to understand how he or she is influenced and how he or she absorbs the sources. To build our own histories or to have our own culture, everyday rituals are very important and we have to be responsible for everyday steps…

Performance by Slanguage

The panel discussion also covered copyrights issues for music and images. In addition to a wide distribution on the Internet, the understanding of censorship has become unclear and complicated. The audience, mostly art students got very involved and kept raising questions about appropriation in painting and design until the end of the talk.

The two-hour discussion seemed short because of the interesting topic and panel members. The opinions from various fields made us realize that our thinking process must be both flexible and deliberate…

I am the Remix
Curated by Adrienne Lai
Date: January 10th – February 14th, 2004
Place: Western Front
Address: 303 E.8th Avenue Vancouver BC, V5T 1S1
Tel: +1 604 876 9343
http://www.front.bc.ca