The Youtube Assembly

Youtube Assembly is an opportunity for artists and scholars to use the visual resource of Youtube to illuminate a specific subject as well as make connections between their work and the culture at large.

The Youtube Assembly

began as a way to direct the growing phenomenon of viral video towards a real-world, person-to-person experience. By encouraging audience members with the help of “moderators”, to share their favorite video clips with each other on the big screen, the series explored the differences inherent in consuming video media as a shared experience as opposed to the isolated and anonymous mode of web-based interaction.

The YouTube Assembly is an attempt to capture the phenomenon of viral video in a live event. The event consists of screening web-based video for a live, participating audience. Like karaoke or a traditional performance open mic, the YouTube Assembly creates a situation in which people take turns entertaining each other, in this case, by sharing their favorite Youtube clips. In the spirit of the popular YouTube interface, audience members will be encouraged to comment on the videos they watch, except out loud and in real time with no anonymity. By putting this content in this context, the YTA attempts to bypass the often isolating aspect of web video and encourage real, face-to-face dialogue around this media.

The YTA consists of screening web-based video for a live and participating audience. Each YTA features 2 hosts that use YouTube to elaborate on a point of interest relevant to their artwork or creative practice. After the “talk” the assembly opens for dialog, giving audience members the opportunity to pull up videos in response or that are relevant to the topic. It’s halfway between an artist talk and film screening; yet goes beyond their conventions by channeling the social possibilities of the medium.

Past Events:

September 8, 2011 - Catie Olson and Meg Duguid presenting a 10 course meal

October 18, 2011 - Fred Sasaki and Buki Bodunrin presenting videos that might be somewhat safe for work (SSFW)

November 15, 2011 - Daniel Tucker and Deborah Stratman presenting on Power