Negativland founding member to speak March 31

Negativland founding member to speak March 31March 13, 2006Cynthia J. Moritzcjmoritz@syr.edu

Is Negativland a band? Media hoaxers? Activists? Musicians? Filmmakers? Culture jammers? An inspiration for the unwashed many? A nuisance for the corporate few? Decide for yourself when founding member Mark Hosler presents “Adventures in Illegal Art: Creative Media Resistance and Negativland” Friday, March 31, at 7 p.m. in the Shaffer Art Building’s Shemin Auditorium.

Pranks; media hoaxes; media literacy; the art of collage; creative activism in a media-saturated, multi-national world; file sharing; intellectual property issues; evolving notions of art, ownership and law in a digital age; artistic and funny critiques of mass media and culture; “culture jamming” (a term coined by Negativland way back in 1984) — even if you’ve never heard of Negativland, if you are interested in any of these issues you’re sure to find this funny and inspiring presentation worth your time and attention.

Most famous for getting sued for its “U2” single, Negativland has had 25 years of fun being a thorn in the side of the corporate media and entertainment biz. It has released numerous CDs, does occasional tours, makes little movies, and was the subject of San Francisco filmmaker Craig Baldwin’s 1995 feature film “Sonic Outlaws.”

The event is sponsored by The College of Arts and Sciences, the Convergence Center, the Department of English, the Department of Transmedia, the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, the Central New York Programming Groupthe Experimental Television Center’sPresentation Funds Program (supported by NYSCA).

Paid parking is available in University-area lots. For more information, contact Roger Hallasat rhallas@syr.edu or (315) 436-5460.