The Art of Remix

Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy

Remixing political images with popular songs, blending  Japanese cartoons with contemporary movie trailers indicate the art of remixing. These creations often “go viral” revealing the remix to fans and casting aside intellectual property rights of the source material. So what makes an image remix powerful? The meaning doesn’t come from the content itself – but rather the reference, which is only expressible if the image is used, according to Lawrence Lessig in his book, “Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy.”

Lessig’s book provides a framework of understanding about “remix culture” based on historic origins dating back to the early 1900s. The book offers a linear discussion moving through time and innovation cycles as it and proceeds forth through a discussion regarding the rise of new technologies and the impact on our society as a “Read/Only” culture or a “Read/Write” Culture.  

He cites John Philip’s Sousa’s 1906 critique of the lax United States copyright system and his urging that “infernal machines (i.e., the phonograph) would change our relationship with culture, as we would become cultural consumers, not culture producers. This fear of a loss of culture production became what Lessig refers to as the loss of the Read/Write (RW) culture in favor of the Read/Only Culture. The read only culture is one that is less practiced in performance and more comfortable with media consumption. In a turnabout of events, the “infernal machines” that Sousa once feared are now enabling the Read/Write culture as computer technologies place digital creation in the hands of individual producers of all ages.

In an analysis of early “Read Only culture, Lessig points to records and other forms of media that were limited by analog technology.  The advent of digital technology has changed the nature of the Read Only culture as we now do not have to watch network television at prescribed times, but are instead “freed” by the fact that television segments can be taped.

And the concept that we will not be forced to pay for many multimedia experiences will continue to evolve as well. “My sense is that digital technology will enable market support for a much wider range of “free” content than anyone expects now.”  Even today, while writing this blog entry, I too participate in content creation for the digital age as part of the Read/Write culture.  

As the community of “remixers” continues to grow, Lessig projects more active, richer content created and shared across the digital format. Further, he anticipates more “interest-based learning.   From Sousa’s concern over the phonograph to digital file sharing today, we continue to grapple with issue regarding content creation, rights and collaboration.