[p2p-research] feral trade outside commercial networks

Sat Sep 25 15:40:46 CEST 2010

Hi Michel,

RE:to what degree is Feral Trade 'only' an art project?

Well that depends on how you view art.

We don't accept the traditional marginalisation of art. The expanded,
connected and networked artforms that we choose to work with cannot be
separated from life so easily. They engage the people who encounter it
with different kinds of aesthetic, ethical and philosophical
experiences- often in places not easily recognisable as art-spaces.

For all kinds of reasons (to do with our education and class
structures), in the UK, the dominant view is that 'great' art is
separate and distant from the rest of life and therefore of marginal
relevance to society and most people. It is seen as: elite/intellectual,
historical/heritage, commodity, the work of charlatans etc. Sometimes
art is regarded perhaps more positively, as a diversion or a hobby. This
is more positive from our point of view because people make art their
own and incorporate it into their own lives on their own terms. 

The recurring question fired at contemporary art in the mainstream media
is (the reverse of your question), "But is it Art?"
This reveals a deep suspicion amongst many people- that they may be
duped into valuing something that is worthless. This question is
addressed most often and most urgently to work that extends beyond the
object or the gallery - as with Kate's Feral Trade project.

So to your question about whether Feral Trade is 'only' an art project.
Well Kate may have a different view, but for me Feral Trade IS art AND a
lived, alternative, co-created system for trading and serving food that
refuses commercial exploitation. 
A way for people to be together, to socialise and savour the
socio-political ingredients of every meal they eat. Finally it is a
wonderful and humorous critique of the contemporary international art
markets and infrastructures-  I would like to see the it occupying
different infrastructures too- perhaps the world of international
banking; ) Kate?

Is that helpful?
It's difficult to explain briefly.
Great question. Thanks Michel.

best to all
Ruth

Co-Founder/ Co-Director
Furtherfield - for Art, Technology and Social Change
http://furtherfield.org

Furtherfield.org believes that through creative and critical engagement
with practices in art and technology people are inspired and enabled to
become active co-creators of their cultures and societies.
Furtherfield.org provides platforms for creating, viewing, discussing
and learning about experimental practices at the intersections of art,
technology and social change.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>
To: ruth.catlow at furtherfield.org
Cc: Peer-To-Peer Research List <p2presearch at listcultures.org>,
kate at feraltrade.org, Sepp Hasslberger <sepp at lastrega.com>
Subject: Re: feral trade outside commercial networks
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:49:45 +0700

hi ruth, to what degree is this 'only' an art project?

On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 9:38 PM, Ruth Catlow
<ruth.catlow at furtherfield.org> wrote:
        Dear Sepp and Michel,

        We were honoured to host the first exhibition of Feral Trade as
        a
        working cafe, here at HTTP Gallery in North London in 2009.

        This page gives links to photos and a short video about the
        show.
        http://www.http.uk.net/exhibitions/FeralTradeCafe/index.shtml
        Watch out for the charismatic suppliers of locally made cake; )

        We especially like Kate's work because it works on the
        imagination of
        all who get involved while defying formulas and massification.

        If you are still hungry for more you can read about the
        exhibition here
        http://www.furtherfield.org/displayreview.php?review_id=346

        cheers
        Ruth

        ps. I recommend the Feral Trade drinking chocolate - yum!

        Co-Founder/ Co-Director
        Furtherfield - for Art, Technology and Social Change
        http://furtherfield.org

        Furtherfield.org believes that through creative and critical
        engagement
        with practices in art and technology people are inspired and
        enabled to
        become active co-creators of their cultures and societies.
        Furtherfield.org provides platforms for creating, viewing,
        discussing
        and learning about experimental practices at the intersections
        of art,
        technology and social change.

        -----Original Message-----
        From: Michel Bauwens <michelsub2004 at gmail.com>
        To: Peer-To-Peer Research List <p2presearch at listcultures.org>
        Cc: kate at feraltrade.org, Sepp Hasslberger <sepp at lastrega.com>,
        ruth.catlow at furtherfield.org
        Subject: feral trade outside commercial networks
        Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 21:04:49 +0700

        Dear Sepp, feral trade sounds like a fascinating concept and
        practice
        that we should support, and I'm hoping you can report on this
        for our
        p2p foundation blog ...

        Kate is the organizer, ruth has done it I believe .. (Kate: see
        below
        for links on our own work)

        http://www.feraltrade.org/cgi-bin/courier/courier.pl

        "
        The Feral Trade Courier is a live shipping database for a
        freight
        network running outside commercial systems. The database offers
        dedicated tracking of feral trade products in circulation,
        archives
        every shipment and generates freight documents on the fly.

        -- Michel

        P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net  -
        http://blog.p2pfoundation.net

        Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss:
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        Think tank:
        http://www.asianforesightinstitute.org/index.php/eng/The-AFI

-- 
P2P Foundation: http://p2pfoundation.net  -
http://blog.p2pfoundation.net 

Connect: http://p2pfoundation.ning.com; Discuss:
http://listcultures.org/mailman/listinfo/p2presearch_listcultures.org

Updates: http://del.icio.us/mbauwens; http://friendfeed.com/mbauwens;
http://twitter.com/mbauwens; http://www.facebook.com/mbauwens

Think tank: http://www.asianforesightinstitute.org/index.php/eng/The-AFI