An Exhibition Proposal
For the Reference Gallery
List Visual Arts Center at MIT

V. Projected Internet Events

The projection wall will dominate the room and create a focus on the
events programming. Some of the events will be generated locally via
the three work stations in the exhibition and viewed on the projection
wall. Other events will be generated from other parts of the world and
sent over the Internet to our projections system.

The events programs will be using a variety of technologies, some of
which are explained here:

a) Virtual Tours allows a person to conduct a virtual "bus tour" of web
pages. People arrange to meet on a certain web page at a specified
time. They hop on the tour vehicle, which controls where the passengers
go on the web. Each passenger has an avatar (a graphical embodiment of
themselves) and has the ability to talk with the tour guide and other
passenger via text chat.

This technology will be used to conduct virtual tours of significant art
content on the Web, as well as to experiment with alternative uses of
the technology by artists.

b) Metaworlds are Internet environments that you enter as an avatar (a
representation of yourself). You can talk to others in the metaworld
via text chat or voice audio, and you can effect this virtual
environment by building structures.

We will be programming events on several metaworlds such as small plays,
improvisational performances, stand-up comedy, interviews and panel
discussions.

The four metaworlds that we have tested and feel are ready for prime
time are AlphWorld, Onlive, Black Sun and Virtual Places. We are still
looking for new technologies and expect to find more by the time the
exhibition opens.

c) CU-SeeMe is a widely available conferencing technology that allows
individuals from around the world to talk with each other via voice
audio and see each other via streaming video.

We anticipate programming events like interviews and debates using this
technology. Also, many artists are experimenting with alternative uses
of CU-SeeMe, which we will encourage.

d) RealAudio is a technology that allows you to listen to audio in
real-time over the Internet at 28.8 modem speeds. Then later, these
radio-like programs can be played at any time over the internet. This
technology is built into the latest version of Netscape the most popular
web browser.

Artists are using this technology in many ways, of which ArtDirt is a
prime example. We anticipate inviting people form the Boston area to
participate in the New York based ArtDirt show via a hookup in this
exhibition. Again, alternative uses of real audio are encouraged.

e) VRML is a programming language that allows for 3-dimensional worlds
on the Web. The ability to view and fly through these worlds is also
built into the latest version of Netscape's browser. And most recently
(last week) two companies have release beta versions of chat/avatar
systems that work in VRML worlds...big breakthrough.

Artists all over the world are diving into this new field of Internet
world building. We intend to present some of the most innovative uses
of this new technology by artists. One of the reasons this technology
is so hot is that it will eventually become the non-proprietary
metaworld, often referred to as metaverse, a term made popular, along
with "avatar," by Neal Stephenson in his influential Science Fiction
book "Snow Crash".

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