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" a few things I know about neen"

by miltos manetas, 2000

Neen, stands for neenstars: a still undefined generation of visual artists. Some of them belong to the contemporary art world; others are software creators, web designers and videogame directors or animators.

Our official theories about reality -Quantum physics etc.- proved that the taste of our life is the taste of a simulation. Machines help us feel comfortable with this condition: they simulate the simulation that we call Nature. You may open the door of your room, or you may click on a folder at the desktop of your computer: both actions will send you to similar destinations: two versions of reality, apparently impeccable and dense, but which will dissolve after you start to analyze them.

Computing is to Neen what fantasy was to Surrealism and Freedom to Communism. It creates the context but it can also be postponed. Neenstars may glorify machines but they get easily bored with them and prefer to watch some assistants operate them.

They want to have a formal control though: they will buy the newest products and they will watch as (the products) will create momentum.

What Neenstars mostly do, is teaching stuff to machines. They will install programs to an empty hard drive. They will animate a character and send him sit on a corner.

Neenstars prefer multiple operating systems: they want to try the same thing again and again on different platforms. "Take the stairs and go back to get the elevator". They find pleasure in the in-between actions.

They also love copying, in the same way that the city of Hong Kong multiplies its most successful buildings. The same a little different: clothes style and architecture, are for Neenstars significant as well as their machines. They are great tools for their "surface navigation".

Neen is not interested about identity, but Neenstars, may occasionally use it (their identity) as a password in order to receive privileged information.

The identity of a neenstars is his state of mind. Because he/she will publish everything on the web, his/her state of mind reflects on the public taste. neenstars are public personas.

If fantasy brought Surrealists to ridiculous and revolution drove Communists to failure, it will be curious to observe where computing will bring Neen .

to be continued

Miltos Manetas , 2000

more

Lets define Telic: Telic is magic through technology. Telic is our relationship with the tools which help us to design the World and to see things in a perspective. Our times are Telic. But we want to see more Neen happen.

Telic is Rem Koolhaas's S,M,L,XL . Telic is constructive: anything related with job, is Telic. People which are busy with aesthetics but who also have jobs and clients, are Telic.

But sometimes these Telic people produce very important Neen. It usually comes, as a small notion, hidden inside the nightmare of their job.

Neen in this cases, is what their clients don't understand but they don't have the courage to ask about.

Telic is serious : it makes sense. People recognize it and trust it.

Neen instead, is Telic that went nuts: you wouldn't believe that it's possible and even who makes neen cannot easily repeat it.

There are a few Neenstars, people without a specific profession who linger around us .

Telic is Giacometti , Neen is Fontana. Nature is Telic and miracles are Neen. Miracles which have a purpose , become Telic, stupid miracles instead, like the one where Jesus walks on the water, stay Neen for centuries. But again, if Jesus would come back today and he will start walking on the water, that would be Telic.

Really, there is no way to preserve Neen, because it expires after a second. Neensters are the people who are OK with this fact.

 

Manetas, 2002