By our 10th festival, Freewaves had established itself as a grassroots yet global arts organization connecting innovative, relevant, independent new media from around the world. Too Much Freedom? brought together curators from eight countries for programs across the city, and presented an online exhibition space. We wanted to explore the possibilities of online curating and make it clear that art can be anywhere, in any world.
In an interview, Freewaves director Anne Bray explained that, across the thematic and visual difference between the technically innovative and thoughtfully provocative works, “Two ideas that kept resurfacing had to do with questioning reality. One is disbelief about the images we see relentlessly flickering on our screens. As our culture has transitioned from verbal to visual, we all depend on images for information. Artists know how images function and want to expose their vulnerability to manipulation. An image can have the look of veracity without one ounce of truth.”
“Another pronounced theme is the blurring between “real” and virtual space. As the rapid institutionalization of the virtual environment of the web occupies more time and prominence in our minds, artists are questioning—is your mental space yours, or theirs?”
Freewaves is currently deepening and reorganizing our archive of 35 years of public art in Los Angeles. Check back in 2025 to explore more of our history.
