The Platea Experience: PG Stonefly in Co-ModifyA world where everyone (you, me, that person over there) is obsesed with the promotion of a corporate entity's product eh? Sounded like the catch line for a good horror movie...but it was in fact the theme of @platea's latest project (Project II: Co-Modify) an Open source online public art performance. Count me in! Following is a summary of my modest contribution which involved adopting a brand or product (Lucas' Papaw Ointment) and making that product the center of my online existence from between 3 to 9 May 2009. I tried to choose something that most people had never heard of and wouldn't be able to buy and also something that I do use and would gladdly recommend to friends (so my performance really was heartfelt). A few bits from the performance: Here I got into the theme by adding a drawing of the product to my twitter background...
 ...and because I had cut myself that day (deep gash) while working in the yard, I was in the perfect position to add the first plug for my chosen brand...
 Do people actually make things up just to promote a product?
After a blip.fm post of the track titled Topological Ointment i thought i'd do the unthinkable and update my reading journal (an Ad free zone) with a section from 'one the most scarce books in the library', Platea's Herbal published in 1885. Here, I added a fictitious blurb on the uses of the Papaw plant in art including: "when fermented the flesh of the fruit can be added in a 5 parts, to 4 parts linseed oil, to 1 part white spirits solution to provide a varnish medium" and it was no coinscidence that Lucas' Papaw Ointment just happened to be fermented papaw flesh!  Poetry is a passion of mine...TwiHakio.com take your poesy and retweet on your behalf. I was DM'd by twihiku with a congrats on the 'clever commerical' (in good humour of course!)...
 With a few other tweets to promote my favourite product and some interaction with fellow platea performers (@Rainghirl) and (@sortingtrolley WOOT!)...all that was needed was a finale...I did cut myself again on the last day (true)...so was glad to be able to post about it to the twitterverse...
 My individual participation was a lot of fun, but the real excitement of the Co-Modify event is felt when viewed in the context of the 40+ performances by other peeps all taking on the responsibility to market their special brands. ..Thanks again An Xiao (@thatwaszen) and the other @platea admins for the opportunity to participate...I'm looking forward to Project III and more great Art 2.0 experiences. You can read about the aftermath from the official source here.
Now the only thing left to flog is myself (figuratively speaking ;)  |
3 comments so far...
hazel
buddhagirlAZ
whore_hay