Nordic Scene

Deltagarkultur, translated “Participatory Arts” or “Participatory Culture” is a new book in swedish written by Interacting Arts. The authors have all been heavily involved in the nordic live role-playing community. The book can be ordered here. If you know any publishing house that would be interested in a translation, please contact editor@interactingarts.org.

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter:

In spectator culture media, the role of the producer is to create suggestions. The role of the consumer is to recieve them. Communication moves in one direction only: when we look at a work of art, go to the theatre or see a film, we are supposed to remain spectators. If we paint on the paintings in the gallery, play the harmonica during a concert, or climb the stage shouting “Hamlet, No!”, we are in violation of the prevailent agreements of the particular medium. Such crimes against protocol are generally punished by lowered social standing, by branding the perpetrator a boisterous nitwit, and/or calling for a policeman. Unlawful dispossession is no more tolerated by spectator culture than by the authorities.

Every media structure constitutes a relation: who produces suggestions for whom? Being able to control the shape of suggestions means having a strong influence on the experience of the recipient. In other words, media relations are always relations of power. Media based on one-way communication have a visibly authoritarian structure. The recipient is, at best, able to avoid unwanted suggestions by severing the perceptive contact with the medium, but as long as she herself doesn’t assume the role of producer, all this means is that she has momentarily switched manipulators.

/…/

To be consecrated, elevated to the position of producer of suggestions is a dream of many consumers. Could this be because they would like to shape reality rather than be shaped by it? Produce the suggestions that create experiences of their own accord rather than be passive spectators?

(By Kristoffer Haggren, Elge Larsson, Leo Nordwall & Gabriel Widing)