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Press Release | 07 01 2004
Public Netbase
Nike withdraws case against art project
"nike ground - rethinking space" heralds new forms of intervention in public space
At the beginning of December it was still uncertain what would be the
outcome of the lawsuite that Nike International's filed against Public
Netbase, following the art project "nikeground - rethinking space". For
several weeks, the action posed a threat to the continued existence of
this renowned Vienna-based platform of net culture. But now it is
certain that the sportswear company yielded to the attention generated
by the action on the part of international observers and the media.
"It was worth it to insist on the right of free artistic expression in
urban spaces", Public Netbase director Konrad Becker declared. "The
attempts of intimidation of this company, known for its subversive
marketing strategies, have turned against themselves". The worldwide
interest in the issue can also be put down to the fact that the project
emphasised the importance of a cutting-edge artistic practice that
employs the real means of production of a society
increasingly determined by the media and technology. Becker: "Our
intention was to regard the city of Vienna as a stage for a complex
modern work of art that generates different subjective interpretations
using various channels of transmission. The project drew attention to
important aspects such as the globalised dominance of economic interests
over cultural symbols and gave rise to controversial perspectives and
contentious interpretations."
"The intention to discuss the function of public space has generated
reflection as to how far transnationals should be allowed to dominate
the semiotic systems of everyday life", say the artists of project
partner 0100101110101101.ORG. The irritation caused by the announced
re-naming of Karlsplatz into Nike-Platz represents a new form of
intervention in public space. "For the future art space Karlsplatz this
project provides an impetus that shows how the combination of net art,
politics and theory can offer alternatives to the culture of
representation", Becker concluded.
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