The Aesthetic of a Protocol

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“Perhaps it’s because with a protocol, there’s an aesthetic of anonymity. Protocols are essentially nobody. They organize without revealing themselves, acting as hosts for things other than themselves. They simultaneously create freedom while governing. Also, most of the time — in art, at least — we don’t talk about protocols because they are behind things. They are the worlds behind the world that silently organize our lives, life itself. Protocols are somewhat akin to anonymous power; it’s seductive and could be scary. So I’d say we engage in protocol art because we have an affinity for the aesthetic of protocols, and there is an aesthetic because there is a poetry of protocols.”

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