Artist Profile: Guy-Vincent Ricketti
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The artwork of Guy-Vincent Ricketti embodies the transdisciplinary approach to the creative process. His work integrates elements from literature, music, performance, and fine art. This deliberate and intentional nonconformity to traditional disciplinary rules allows new insights to be achieved in a variety of mediums. He is an internationally exhibited and collected artist currently working on global new media projects exploring communication, art, and technology. Guy-Vincent is also one of the pioneers in using Twitter as a medium to express himself as an artist by doing what is known as TwitterART.
In a exclusive interview for Bit Rebels Guy-Vincent answered some of our questions regarding this new form of expression.
1. How did you come across Twitter?
I was introduced to twitter by a friend who is extremely passionate about social media and technology. Our conversation and my curiosity to integrate new mediums led to my exploration of twitter.
2. Were you already experimenting or creating ANSI or Unicode Art before?
Many of my earliest artworks referenced literature, poetry, and the written word. Incorporating text-based xerography in the form of collage paintings and creating “concrete poetry” was an early interest of my creative journey. My work is not directly correlated with ANSI or Unicode art as it’s currently defined.
3. When did you see the potential of the Twitter platform as an art medium?
I’ve been aware of the power and potential of blogging for many years, but I’ve never been interested in spending the time needed to write a traditional blog. Microblogging is the perfect medium for me to express creative short bursts of poetry, graphics, thoughts, and observations. I’ve also found that it’s an excellent way to direct people via links to view my fine art on my
websites.
4. What do you try to express with your Tweets? What is the concept, if any, behind it?
As a multidisciplinary artist, I look at all forms of communication, technology, and art as a potential source of inspiration. Twitter has become a very effective tool to communicate with individuals from around the world. Generally the conceptual content expressed in my tweets follows the specific thematic work in which I am involved. Some of my favorite graphical twitterART incorporates both words and symbols.
5. How do you see, from the point of view of a creator, the attention that TwitterArt has been getting?
As an artist, I’m focused on creating innovative work that utilizes any medium that enhances and helps articulate my particular conceptual direction. For me, the most fascinating element of twitter is its ability to connect, share, collaborate, and inspire people within a global capacity. Generating twitterART offers me an opportunity to spontaneously create and connect with others who conversely connect and inspire. As far as the recent twitterART attention, it’s positive from the viewpoint that it enhances an artist’s visibility, and in turn may lead to more worldwide emphasis on the arts.
6. Due to the extreme viral nature of Twitter, are you concerned with copyright issues?
Based upon my experience on twitter, the overwhelming majority of individuals are very conscientious in providing credit to the original source of the content whether it’s twitterART, quotes, original poetry or other creative or intellectual material.
7. What is the value of a Tweet containing TweetArt? Have you ever thought about it?
The value of tweet containing twitterART, has two principal components. The first deals with my interest in visually expressing and pushing the boundaries of an idea within the limitations of 140 characters. For individuals who have twitterART streaming across their computer, it activates the screen in a very fresh and stimulating way. I’ve been thanked numerous times for providing distinctive visuals to a wide range of people using twitter on a regular basis. I certainly appreciate their positive feedback and view my twitterART contributions as only one part of the overall experience generated by people on twitter.
8. With Twitter’s new TOS, and the fact that Twitter is opening the doors to advertising being included on Tweets, do you think that companies will try and use the same kind of graphic based Tweets? What is your stand on this? Would you work for a company to make their brand more graphic thus appealing on Twitter?
Regarding twitter’s new Terms of Service and the impact of advertising being part of twitter’s future, perhaps Biz Stone would be better suited to discuss their business model directions. If it does happen, advertisers will use whatever means are available for them to target their audience. If that includes graphic based tweets I’m certain they will utilize them. I haven’t investing my energy on the subject of advertising, but if a company asked me to collaborate on a graphic brand strategy, now we’re talking business, not art. I do twitterART because I want to. Doing it for someone else is an entirely different conversation. For me, twitter is an extension of my artistic process, a process based on being organic and having the ability to change direction with fluidity.
9. How do you see TwitterArt evolving knowing that is constrained by the UTF-8 code?
I’m uncertain how it will ultimately evolve, but I frequently see innovative talent on twitter expressed in a variety of unique and compelling ways. In my experience, constraints serve to speed up the creative, intellectual, and evolutionary process of a particular medium. I see the increased utilization of links as a significant force to expand the communicative process. All of the advances are somewhat interdependent upon one another. As a multimedia artist, I’m excited to participate in such a creative, diverse, and globally integrated twitter community.
You can find more information about Guy-Vincent’s work on his website or you can follow him on Twitter
