Three years ago, London-based painter Alison Raimes decided to establish an online discussion group for artists, after becoming increasingly disillusioned with similar groups she came across on the internet. The majority of these forums, she found, were dominated by westerners, often ostracising people from other countries, whose English skills were not considered to be on the same par with their own.
‘I got involved in a couple of art discussion groups and liked the idea of it, but was sort of disturbed by the antagonism that evolved,’ Raimes recalls. ‘And also, the way a lot of people were excluded because they didn’t speak “good” English. So I wanted to create an environment where that didn’t happen,’ she explains.
And so, Artlives was born. But what began as a group of artists meeting online daily to discuss their lives as artists, has grown to 42 members representing 20 different countries. Now, the ‘virtual’ group is about to embark on its first ‘physical’ exhibition, to be held in London next month.
Reconcilable Differences will bring together more than 100 works across artistic media, submitted to the open exhibition by more than 30 Artlives members. The group also has two further exhibitions planned – in Brazil in August, and again in London in 2004.
The whole project is testament to how the internet can not only bring previously isolated communities and individuals together, but also provide new opportunities for artists to showcase work. Especially, Raimes remarks, for artists in countries such as Macedonia and Georgia, where two Artlives members live and work. The prospects for showing one’s work in such places are unfortunately fewer than in the cultural metropolis of London, which, by comparison, overflows with opportunities for emerging and established artists to exhibit in a range of galleries.
‘I think the whole changing face of the internet is fantastic, in terms of how artists can actually find alternatives to the traditional gallery system,’ Raimes observes. ‘I think that’s what is important about Artlives.’
Before establishing the Artlives forum and website, Raimes had been developing relationships with other artists around the world via the internet for about three years. She also realised – firsthand – the potential of the medium to open new windows of opportunity for artists, when a company in South Carolina (USA), offered Raimes a commission after viewing her artwork online.
Initially, Raimes contacted artists she had met through other online forums to join Artlives, but then began to actively seek artists from regions such as Eastern Europe and South America, out of a desire to include those from countries perceived to be on the ‘periphery’ of mainstream art. She now searches arts directories every two or three months to find new artists and invite them to join the group.
‘The idea of moderating,’ Raimes explains, ‘was most definitely to keep it so that they [members] were genuine people who weren’t posting in pseudo names. Whoever is a part of Artlives has to be a professional artist – they have to show they are exhibiting and are genuinely involved in artistic practice.’
Although discourse is predominantly in English, Raimes emphasises the Artlives agenda is designed to give enough space and time to members for whom English is not their first language. ‘In other words, no one is allowed to “flame” in our group,’ she says, pointing out that attacking someone online, or “flaming”, is a problem often experienced in un-moderated groups.
In response to the ongoing language problem – which Raimes admits is one of the barriers to artists joining – Artlives is currently in the process of setting up a Spanish-speaking group, as a subsidiary to the English version.
Next month’s exhibition is a welcome outcome the founder did not initially predict, however, for many members, the opportunity simply to meet and discuss their lives, work and cultures online has been of huge benefit. The resulting exhibtions are, obviously, an added bonus. But forget the idea of an internet chat room full of one-liners – Artlives members have a lot to say.
Brazilian artist and Artlives member, Clare Pechansky, describes the experience as the meeting of individuals, attempting to be understood. ‘Try to think about a chain of individuals, posting messages, and trying to be understood in words or by artistic work. This is Artlives,’ Penchansky writes.
For Swedish artist Carlo Geers, the emphasis on the individual is paramount, in a world increasingly focused on the process of globalisation. The importance of the network for him hinges on the dialogue sprung from a myriad of culturally diverse people.
‘Artlives is a dialogue, a place where different people, from different countries with different backgrounds, come with different points of view on different subjects. The only things we have in common are an interest in contemporary art, a willingness to talk and finally, the ability to listen,’ he says.
But Raimes delves deeper. On the group’s website, she writes: ‘On Artlives, we have discovered that history is not as simple as the books would make it.’ She tells Arts Hub that she has found various discourses ‘revealing, educating, and, I think, humbling,’ while others have been downright worrying.
She points, for example, to the view expressed by a member from a nation recovering from war, who felt life before liberation from communist rule was preferable to post-war freedom.
But, she concludes: ‘The whole impetus of Artlives is to discuss our lives as artists. That’s how it came to be.’
‘Artlives: Reconcilable Differences’ will show at the Jersey Galleries, Osterley Park House, Jersey Road, Isleworth, Middlesex, April 2-27. Tel: 020 8232 5050 Website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/osterley
For more information about Artlives, including its members, visit www.artlives.org.uk
