Net Art / Media Installation / Performance

“Perhaps the imagination is on the verge of recovering its rights.” – André Breton

About The Experimental Party

As a project of the US Department of Art & Technology, The Experimental Party was conceived as faux, artist-driven political party and an artistic critique of the political process. Based on a pseudo-utopian model of the political party, the project served as a vehicle for artistic action, acts of artistic mediation, founded on the age-old optimistic notion that the individual really can change the world. The Experimental Party, as a nod to history of the social and political inclinations of the artistic avant-garde, was dedicated to the embrace of experimental thinking, the creation of a mediated environment as a laboratory for political change, a system of communication and production, and a collective process that enables the disenfranchised to enter into the political process with renewed hope and agency. The final goal, as an artistic creation, was to propose a model of society where free and experimental modes of conduct would challenge the status quo and perhaps even prevail. The blending of utopian thought, dada humor, collective action, artistic mediation, and dead serious political aspiration is what defines the spirit of The Experimental Party.

The Experimental Party was a collaboration with numerous artists, including: Mark Amerika, Andy Deck, Jeff Gates, Jon Henry, Lynn Hershman, Gregory Kuhn, Andrew Nagy, Trace Reddell, DJ Spooky, and countless other artists and citizens who believe in the power of experimentalism. The culminating exhibition for the project, the Experimental Party Disinformation Center, took place August 15 – September 4, 2004 at the LUXE Gallery on 57th St. in New York City, coinciding with the 2004 Republican National Convention.

Archived Project Site

Graphics & Photos

• A button spreading the word of a new artist-driven political party, with its mission to create anarchic entertainment for the nation.
• The party’s motto, “representation through virtualization,” is the new call-to-action of the experimentally minded.
• Abe Golam, the avatar of the electrosphere created by Mark Amerika, ran for President under the banner of the party with it’s slogan: “Representation Through Virtualization.”
• In times of crisis, artists take action, forming the USA Exquisite Corpse as an artist-driven service organization with its intent to change the world.
• The party, a subsidiary of the US Department of Art & Technology, brought “acts of artistic mediation” together under the guise of one hell-bent political organization.
• In the nation’s capital, Jill Steinberg sang God Bless America on the national mall at dawn while blinded by patriotism.
• The young artist, Jon Henry, died in front of the White House while raging against the machine determined to protect artistic freedom.
• General Andrew Nagy, leader of the USA Exquisite Corpse, conducts full uniform exercises preparing for highly demanding forms of artistic mediation.
• Jeff Gates, one of the most dedicated artistic bloggers in the nation, and a true patriot, founded WeTheBlog.org, with it’s motto: “In order to form a more artistic union.”

Video

The Experimental Party

A counter-propaganda political video released by The Experimental Party, whose motto was “representation through virtualization.” Featuring Randall Packer, Andrew Nagy, Jon Henry, Lynn Hershman, and Jeff Gates. Created by Randall Packer, 2004.