:GLOBALISATION_PROJECT [research -contemporary art and globalisation]:

So I wanted to find some work produced by other artists on the subject of globalisation to research.

I stumbled upon the Tate gallery online’s ‘Contemporary Art and Globalisation’ homepage found in the Tate learning section.

I skipped a lot of the information found here as it appeared irrelevant or uninteresting but I may come back and have a closer look a little later in my research.

One part of it that did catch my eye was ‘Session 4: Photography and Social Space and a lecture given by speaker Steve Edwards on the subject. The description is as follows…

“In an era of increasingly global capitalist production, photographers have become more and more preoccupied with documenting social spaces. Steve Edwards’ talk considers the work that has emerged from both the documentary tradition and the legacy of conceptual art. He argues that the kinds of places represented in this work represent a substantial challenge to one of the central myths of globalisation theory - namely, that the world is increasingly becoming the same.”

Speaker: Steve Edwards, Research Lecturer, Department of Art History, The Open University

To view a video of the lecture you must have the latest edition of realplayer and click on this link: Steve Edwards 256k

In Edwards lecture he spoke about a few points that I found interesting. He concentrated on photography of space in relation to globalisation.

Commenting on a particular photographer called Rosella(?) who created a sequence of stills from airport terminals. Showing them to be somewhat homogenous in appearance.

Edwards then spoke about globalisation in loose relation to politics. The right wing, neo-liberal consensus being that globalisation is spreading democracy by spreading the free market and this in turn breaks up totalitarian states and offering 3rd world countries western concepts of freedom.

Whereas the left variant believe that everything is becoming increasingly the same, with globalisation irradiating indigenous traditions and local places including all forms of particular tradition. Edwards offers an analogy of globalisation explaining that it would end up ‘Disney feeding on McDonalds’.

Edwards believes that the left anti-globalisation view is in response to the action of the right.

He related his views back to globalisation saying that the works he was displaying dispelled a view of globalisation but I didn’t really follow. Anyway have yourself a look if your interested.

One thing I might think more into is the difference in the concept of economic freedom between western and other communities.

:GLOBALISATION_PROJECT [research - what is anti-globalisation]:

Below is an article taken from www.bbc.co.uk which just explains anti-globalisation in a slightly different way. Mainly by defining it as an amalgamation of different protest causes. Anyway worth a look I thought…

:GLOBALISATION_PROJECT [research - buy nothing day]:

Buy Nothing Day discussion…

Here is an interview of the Adbusters founder Kalle Lasn talking about Buy Nothing Day on the CNN network. All I can say is if this news reporter represents a view shared by the majority of consumers on this planet then god save us…

KALLE LASN ON CNN

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:GLOBALISATION_PROJECT [initial idea 1]:

So for my first thoughts on visualising a project based upon globalisation is to create some sort of educational piece. I want to follow Adbusters example by warning the public on the consequences of the increasingly unfair global economy.

Before I was given my subject I was thinking that I wanted to use an application called Adobe After Effects for this assignment really just because I have seen what can be done with this but have literally never touched it before.

I think I would like to incorporate film with the graphic effects created by after effects to create a hard-hitting literal opposition to globalisation.

I was thinking at first to make something sad, an emotional depiction of the lost of cultural identity felt by places effected by globalisation.

But the more I research the more I dislike the idea of the ethically challenged corporate capitalism that is controlling the growth of globalisation. So I am edging more towards a fast paced, edgy, angry opposition to it.

I think I’ll split these 2 ideas and take them further to see which might work better.

:GLOBALISATION_PROJECT [research - www.adbusters.org]:

My first stop for anti-globalisation research took me to the Adbusters website. It was created off the back of the magazine of the same name. It consists of a global network of artists, activists, writers, pranksters, students, educators and entrepreneurs creating material to post on the site/print in the mag. Their aim is to “topple existing power structures and forge a major shift in the way we will live in the 21st century.”

The magazine is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is a not-for-profit, reader-supported, 120,000-circulation magazine concerned about the erosion of our physical and cultural environments by commercial forces.

The work produced by Adbusters has been embraced by organisations like Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, has been featured in hundreds of alternative and mainstream newspapers, magazines, and television and radio shows around the world.

It has one of the most diverse readerships of any publication. Read in 60 countries worldwide.

Readers span from professors and students; activists and politicians; environmentalists and media professionals; corporate watchdogs and industry insiders.

With this specific vision and wide and varied readership Adbusters is one of the foremost adversaries of initiatives such as globalisation. The organisation seems very anti-capitalist and portrays serious issues with a lot of political satire.

One of their campaigns that interested me specifically in relation to globalisation is called ‘Buy Nothing Day’ and it occurs November 25th every year.



Basically it was created to try and reduce the effects of global warming by encouraging consumers to not shop on this day. I think this shows that there are people that are thinking of the consequences of global capitalism but they are still certainly in the minority.

Here is the advert made by Adbusters to promote Buy Nothing Day 2005, they couldn’t get advertising airtime from any of the mainstream networks.

:GLOBALISATION_PROJECT [research - Johan Norberg]:

Globalisation Is Good By Johan Norberg



I found this 50-minute production created by Swedish writer Johan Norberg for Channel 4 television. It is a pro-globalisation piece trying to change public opinion on globalisation and it touches on some interesting points.

Norberg begins by talking about the ‘Anti-Globalisation Movement’ explaining that there have been many often-violent protests attended by people from all walks of life including many students under the guise that they are the defenders of democracy. Norberg believes this view is ignorant and dangerously wrong.





Norberg continues to explain that within the last 50 years 3 billion people have been lifted from poverty as a result of global capitalism, which is historically unique.

He believes that as with his countries background many under-developed countries could benefit from trade without restriction.

Norberg begins his exploration in Taiwan. He talks about the formers sweatshops producing popular plastic goods as made famous in the 1960’s now replaced by a higher-grade technical industry. Norberg believes that these sweatshops with substandard pay and working conditions were a “transitionary but crucial stage in Taiwanese evolution, a key part of the rags to riches story. Due to a deregulated economy Taiwan was able to welcome capitalism and industrial competition.

Norberg explains that democracy is a direct product of globalisation due to the economic freedom is gives.

Norberg also briefly touches upon freedom of choice in so much as if people want to eat McDonalds food or drink Starbucks coffee why shouldn’t they and stipulates that we (European middle class) want cultures to stay frozen as exotic museums for our enjoyment alone.

Norbergs next stop is Vietnam where sweatshops are still a reality. Norberg toured the Nike sweatshop in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) and spoke to officials and workers as part of his research.



He believes that people ignore the long-term benefits of sweatshops and that they are a necessary stage in a countries development. Norberg attempts to dispel common misconceptions about sweatshops. For instance explaining that since the outlawing of child labour in Vietnam in 1988, has adopted a strict over 18 policy for its shoe factories.

Norberg explains through a Nike representative that there are many challenges faced by a global brand and that protesters unfairly tarnish the Nike brand, which is their most valuable asset.

Norberg also shows how Nike is helping the community in Vietnam by providing small business loans to local business that couldn’t afford to run without financial help.

Norberg says that Nike protesters have made Nike a lot more careful in the 20 years they have had operations in underdeveloped countries.

The final destination on his journey through globalisation is Kenya, east Africa where 1 in 3 live in absolute poverty. Norberg explains that without a fair marketplace Kenya’s people cannot grow economically. The government controls the property rights to farmland and refuses to let construction or expansion take place. Norberg believes this property right refusal along with export restrictions hamper prosperity of the country.

I do not agree with Norberg for the most part but he does put across some convincing arguments. I believe that economic freedom should be a goal for any underdeveloped country but should not be obtained at any cost. People’s rights should be of utmost importance and sweatshops should not have to be an option. Large corporate control of the multinational market place I believe is hampering the individuality and independent cultures of different countries and needs to be preserved. Not to the extreme Norberg makes out, we do not need to freeze countries development but nurture it whilst protecting its global identity.

Norbergs views seem closed minded and emotionally cold, money isn’t everything, happiness is achievable without the amount Norberg seems to deem acceptable and as I have said economic freedom should be the goal but this doesn’t mean selling your soul!

From watching this it has further convinced me that whatever I might create for this project it will certainly be anti-globalisation based. However this is only the first piece I have looked at so I will strive to be open minded.

:GLOBALISATION_PROJECT [define globalisation]:


The meaning of...

I thought I would kick off my research by trying to define globalisation. Online dictionary www.dictionary.com gives the definition:

globalisation

n : growth to a global or worldwide scale; "the globalization of the communication industry" [syn: globalization]

But what does that mean in real terms? As I understood globalisation it could be described as the expansion of multinational corporations to under developed countries in order to tap into new markets, or to exploit cheap goods or labour.

What I plan to do before I start my ideas generation is to find out what other people think globalisation means to them and what their opinions on it are.

Stay tuned

:GLOBALISATION_PROJECT [brief]:

As part of our visual studies module we have been given a topic that we are to research with the objective being to create an interactive piece of multimedia. My subject is Globalisation and this blog will be recording my research and idea refinment and development.

Below is the brief more or less....

Visual language is the 'look and feel' of an item of design - created by such elements as colour, proportion, letterform, shape, texture... it communicates on a level independant of the descriptitve elements - literal or symbolic - of the imagery. It conveys emotional messages to its audiences and they 'feel' something about the client, service or product. It is just one of a range of non-verbal languages with which we are all familiar. We read these languages easily and make judgements based on the messages we pick up through them.

In this module you are required to explore the notion of visual language through a given topic and experiment with a variety of conceptual and visualising techniques. You will use this research to develop the second part of this brief.

By week twelve each student will be required to submit research, evidencing visual understanding of their topic and demonstrate the ability to generate and refine ideas. This could be in Director, Flash or traditional sketchbook format. please note the research is ongoing throughout the module and does not finish with week twelve.