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Click image for the downloadable pdf of the zine put out by the Artists of the 99%.  Along with contributions from Christian L. Frock, Julia Bryon Wilson, Elizabeth Sims, W.A.G.E, Art Workers Coalition, and the Beehive Collective (among others), Joseph del Pesco‘s State of the Arts posters are highlighted.

You took it down, but we put it back up. You locked it up, but we broke it out. You are the gatekeepers, we are the gatecrashers. Expect us. -@0DayArt

We were recently sent word that 0-Day Art had downloaded and torrented all the videos in our first Art Micro Patronage exhibition “Material Motion” curated by Sarah Klein. Here is their statement from the .NFO:

0-Day Art supports artists being paid for their work. However, we do not
believe in approaches to the monetization of art that result in the works
being taken offline or access to them being restricted. We have archived
these videos so that they will be available to the widest possible audience
in perpetuity, freely distributable to all.
	
                  SUPPORT THE ARTISTS THAT PRODUCE QUALITY ART!
         IF YOU ENJOYED THESE VIDEOS, PLEDGE!  NET ARTISTS DESERVE SUPPORT!

This is wonderful and a testament to the beauty of the internet…. And it only took 1 day!

I’d like to use this as an opportunity to think through a few of the questions we’re dealing with in this project. First off, I hate to disappoint, but AMP is not really locking up these work from the internet. A quick google search shows that all but 1 of the videos are freely available on video sites or the artists personal websites. It is not a requirement that works in AMP shows be “exclusive” content (whatever that even means on the internet).

For us it’s a question of respect. We feel it’s important that artists have control over their work. As artists, we have a hard time accepting an ideology that takes that control away from creators. We all know that you can infinitely reproduce a digital work of art but the question is should we? I can imagine an artist trying to encourage donations by presenting an exclusive work on AMP. And if the exclusivity was successful, wouldn’t torrenting it hinder that artist’s ability to support herself via her work? Is it enough to simply command a downloader to “PLEDGE”?

I worry that the desire to make all online artworks forever available to everyone is just another manifestation of the idea that “exposure” or attention is all artists (or any of us producing online content) should really want. This is an idea promoted by people who are already making a living off that “sharing”, the Facebooks, Googles and even PirateBays of the world. Are we all unpaid workers for these entities?

Whether or not you agree that restricting access to works online is a good practice or not, I think we can all agree that there is a real scarcity for artists working online. It’s a scarcity of money and time to continue creating. The truly precious resource for artists is their potential for future work, thought, and experimentation. AMP is a system designed to address that very real limitation by putting dollaz in pocketz.

What started as a few vague ideas about the possibilities of micro-donations mixed in with questions about “collecting” digital artwork is now a full-blown, beautifully designed, web application for supporting online artists.

Art Micro Patronage is an experimental online exhibition space enabling you to view and support artwork that is ideally experienced on the internet. Built on the generosity of people like you, AMP is a vehicle for a new generation of art patrons, who are willing to associate their appreciation of great work with

actual dollar amounts, no matter how small.

We’re extremely proud, and also curious if anyone will use it.  So please, check it out. Each month we’ll present a new online exhibition.  And while you’re there, become a micro-patron of the arts by giving a small donation to the artists who pieces you like.