Recess
EVERYONE reads:
Artist Builds Backyard Survival Shelter, Homemade Shotgun Robot
Chad Person Builds Backyard Bunker, Makes Himself a Target and Targets Others
Group 1: Survivalism and the Preppers
Who are the “Preppers”—why do they exist, who becomes a prepper, what are the demographics of people who join the movement? What is the history of this movement? Are the “preppers” active now (how do you know)? What concerns fuel the movement? What is the significance of the preppers today, in 2010?
Survivalism Lite (Newsweek)
The Prepper Movement -- a Growing Network Preparing for the World's End
The Colony; Discovery Channel TV Series (Season 1) (You DO NOT have to watch the whole show... just enough to get a sense of what it is about)
Group 2: DIY as Art
How does the DIY function as art? What is the difference (is there a difference?) between a DIY made by an artist and other DIY sites/videos? Why make art in the form of a DIY? Show examples, and explain your conclusions.
Mikey Sklar
James McAdam Safe Bedside Table
Johannes Vogi DIY Mosquito Killing Device
Group 3: Immersive Websites
Compare three examples of art projects that have an extensive web presence: Andrea Zittel’s A-Z, Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company, and Chad Person’s RECESS. How does the website function as a vehicle for disseminating the ideas of the artist/collective? Is the website art? Is the website parody? If it is parody, what is being parodied? How does the website create an immersive experience? How are these websites, and the ideas they present, both similar, and different, from other websites of a similar genre?
Andrea Zitel A-Z Enterprises; Sufficient Self
Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company
Group Discussion: Reactions to Recess
Read the reviews and the articles. What is the public reaction to Recess? What do the survivalists (and Preppers) think? What does the art community think? What do you think?
