What are Community Art Machines?

Organizationally:

Collaborative processes between artists and community groups, between artist-designers and computer scientists, or opitmally between artists, computer developers and communities in the realization of complex, significant artworks.

Architecturally:

Imagery serving as interface, where community murals are the historic model.
Murals upon the walls of 3D virtual worlds within the computer.

Real painted building facades containing CRT screens and touchscreens accessing more information.

Digital imaging existing in a physical environment like a community mural, with a critical response to the neighborhood, community, and environmental issues.

Aesthetically:

Incorporation and reclaiming of traditional painting and drawing skills (not necessarily "realist") in critical response to hegemonic obscurantist uses of photography in the corporate spectacle.

Two technological forms I see Community Art Machines taking are "muralworlds", mural-like onscreen interfaces to further information, and "smartwalls", murals on walls yet containing digital interactive media.

Community Art Machines strive to encompass as many truths, as much information, knowlege & wisdom about the world around them as possible. Yet they respect limitations for technological and logistical reasons, hence strive for economy in design: low-resolution wherever possible, limited color or grisaille, the clarity and virtue of the comics. Communications inevitably are bounded by limits, so in the world of technology "limitlessness" may be only a deceptive marketing concept.

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