Rachel Baker discussed the "Art of Work" as part of the irational.org presentation. "Art of Work" is intended to provide work for artists on a temporary basis in business settings, as if the artists were temporary workers, Instead of completing office tasks however, the artists are allowed to do conceptual work. The business model and artists' ideals are an unlikely pairing, and "Art of Work" creates a bridge between them as a recruitment agency.

RB: The project represented here at openX is called "Art Of Work". The first phase of the project was intended as a resource network for temps. The second phase is a proposal for a business start-up. It's an online/offline recruitment agency that will supply business with artists and artists with temporary work. The key concepts behind the project are art and entrepreneurialism, cultural capital and mutant economies.

I am in business to learn about making money out of mutual exploitation of art and business. I believe artists are an under-exploited human resource for the modern workplace and that the workplace is an under-exploited resource for the modern artist. Our attitudes to work are changing. Whilst the workplace offers less stability and security, the worker demands more flexibility and pleasure. Managers are realizing the need to cultivate creativity and conviviality to maximize profits since hard labour and long hours are no longer guarantees of results.

AOW insists that artists are a valuable commodity in the new work paradigm of open office architecture and new management techniques. It is Creative Capital that managers are now looking to invest in which is something that artists can supply with abundance, as well as signify. Similarly, artists, traditionally on the economic margins, are now looking at wider economic structures and markets to apply their creative potential. They have always been resourceful and skilled in re-purposing objects and systems for alternative uses. Furthermore the political and economic environment demands this of them. AOW is introducing the concept of Work Resource Mismanagement into the jargon of new Management theory. It's a radical concept that encourages employees to utilize work resources in creative ways i.e databases, reports, memos, franking machines, tape + video recordings, and so on, redirecting them into other realms beyond the workplace.

Q: How do you position your work within the context of "Life Science"?

RB: I don't really expect that to solve social problems, using genetic manipulation seems bizarre to me. Social problems have political structures that need to be interrogated.

Q: What is your impression of Ars Electronica so far? Have you seen anything that you are particularly interested in?

RB: Actually I was interested in the cloning project by DreamTech.

Q: Is this project representative of your body of work or is it different in some way?

RB: It's different in that I will operate in a gallery as well as online. But I'm happy that the gallery will also be an office space that I don't have to pay rent on.

Q: What are the structures and support systems that allow you to do your work?

RB: The irational.org artserver supplies me with the online tools I need. The Arts Council also supply some support.

Q: As an artist working in a technological or scientific crossover, are you developing alliances and working relationships with commercial or corporate research and development venues?

RB: I intend to develop alliances with commercial enterprises for "Art Of Work". Previous alliances with corporates have operated without them knowing about it.

Q: How do you envision art in the future regarding new technologies, new science and a new millennium? How do you envision your work in this context?

RB: I would like to see art working towards non-productivity. This means very formalistic practice which interrogates structures.

Q: How do you think the social dynamic of the network art community unfolds when we are together here in real time?

RB: Its good to get together over breakfast. We have to make plans together. We should become more strong and powerful.



Switch V5N3 - Interviews from Ars Electronica '99 by Paula Poole