Critical Links: January 2nd, 2015
'We ran along the railway,
arriving in some place called ‘the City’
where we trade in our youth, and our muscle.
Finally we have nothing to trade, only a cough
and a skeleton nobody cares about.
‘Sleepless
Midnight. Everyone is sleeping soundly,
We keep our pair of young wounds open.
These black eyes, can you really lead us to the light?
‘Night Shift’'
The Haunting Poetry of a Chinese Factory Worker Who Committed Suicide
'For young artists, social media presents a paradox: Instagram and Facebook are crucial for building a brand and a fan base, but they often force artists to tamper with the provocations that define their work. The six creatives we interviewed for this piece all had different takes on social media censorship, but they agreed on a few key points. All six praised the ease of use and wide reach of these platforms, and saw their careers (and in some cases, their art) inextricably bound up within them, but they also found that as their popularity increased, so did the frequency of censorship. None of them had a clear understanding of Instagram's censorship methods or saw a consistent pattern in their enforcement, and all of them were able to identify other kinds of content on Instagram that they find more offensive and destructive than nudity: violence, pro-anorexia accounts, hate speech, racism.'
How Social Media Censorship Impacts Self-Expression
'For Floridi, you are your information, which comprises everything from data about the relations between particles in your body, to your life story, to your memories, beliefs, and genetic code.'
"Eleni Alexaki, 56, has worked as a hotel maid for more than 20 years. She was cleaning 20 rooms a day at the beginning of the crisis and now cleans 35, while her pay has gone from 1,600 euros a month to 985. She receives no holiday pay and fewer days off.
“And they terrorize us,” she said. “They say, ‘There, the door is there.’”
Greek Patience With Austerity Nears Its Limit
"While subtitles remain the same as they did in the original video, everything else is fair game. The update is a euphoric cacophony of voices and visual interpretations ranging from video game and emoji animations to Photoshop tutorials."
The Top 10 Digital Artworks of 2014
"No rules, no protocol, no precedents restrict [police's] initial actions."
Policing as a Well-Protected Craft
"Cuban performance artist Tania Bruguera was detained by authorities in Havana before a controversial planned performance, according to the artist's sister. The piece was to consist of installing a podium and an open microphone in Havana's Revolution Square, allowing any interested individuals the opportunity to speak their minds for exactly one minute."
Artist Tania Bruguera Detained in Cuba Before Performance, Family Says