Remix and Reclamation

This past weekend I attended the Kitchener Waterloo|Art Gallery opening of the new exhibitions. It was one exhibit in particular that struck me as such an awesome form of remix that I had to share it.

Something About Time is Colwyn Griffith's exhibit. It's a collection of print photography that all channels the same theme about time passing in both public and private spaces; Reclamation, a part of this exhibit, struck me to be a most inspiring and innovative form of remix and visual culture.

Reclamation is in essence a set of print photographs of fast food buildings; McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, are all visible marked buildings that are turned into or repurposed to be new businesses. It solves the answer to the question: "what happens to the Pizza Hut when Pizza Hut leaves?" The building can be reclaimed for the public, created into an entirely new space; it can be remixed from a corporate paradigm into something completely different, even if it still serves the capitalist purpose.

I encourage everyone to try to get out and see this exhibit. When you look at the pictures, remember how we mark buildings, and remember how easily identifiable brands are (right down to the ARCHitecture). The remix of these pieces shows how remix can reclaim something as large as a building for an entirely new audience. The concept can easily be extrapolated to music, of course, but it goes to show how simply a change of name on a building can serve as a sort of cultural jam to McDonalds, or KFC.

It's worth recognizing landmarks for their value to the community, not for their corporate ties; this form of remix assists with that issue.



by Marcie