As mentioned in my previous blog post, I will now be analyzing two specific sections of Jeremy Baileys online performance in The Web I Want. Throughout the entire performance, Jeremy Bailey is augmenting his own body by placing virtual three dimensional objects over his chest. Keep in mind these images are in a fixed position the entire performance. The first half of his performance involves virtual objects that do not move or change. Then about half way through, the objects begin to become more complex first starting with the virtual advertisements. The virtual advertisement incorporates two computer screens floating on Jeremys chest but within the computer screens are two different advertisements. One screen is playing an iphone advertisement while the second screen is showing a clothing advertisement.
Further into the performance the virtual objects become even more complex than moving videos within them. Jeremy Bailey adds the addition of movement of the object based on the sound of music. Two circles are floating on his chest and as the music plays the circles change in size with the beat of the music.
Let’s talk more specifically about how the use of virtual three dimensional objects with this performance creates an emotive effect. First off for those who do not know an emotive effect is described as having an emotional impact on an audience. Jeremy’s usage of virtual objects floating over his nude chest definitely makes the audience feel a certain type of way. The emotional response could go one of two ways though. The audience is likely to be so confused that they want to know what the point of the performance is or the audience will just think it’s something ridiculous. In order to get a different perspective than my own, I had an acquaintance watch the section of the performance that incorporates the music circles moving to the beat. Their response was as follows
“What the fuck is this for. I think this was someone trying to be funny but clearly they are not. This person seems disturbed. But to be honest it is so weird and fucked up that I wanted to see what else would happen.”
Clearly this person viewed the performance as ridiculous and pointless but felt like they needed to know what else the performance would involve or else they might miss out. Overally, the artist Jeremy Baileys usage of virtual objects to augment his own body does have an emotive effect on the audience even if it just is emotional confusion. This emotional confusion results in the audience become so curious they pay attention longer. By making the audience pay attention longer, the online performance could be considered successful in some sense. Some online performances don’t even get the audience’s attention at all.
MM 