Andy Warhol's avatar for cellular phones
Project by Sergey Teterin (CYLAND Media Art Lab)
This project resulted in launching of non-commercial (i.e. free) SMS-service, to let everyone, regardless of location, communicate with “artificial incarnation” of an outstanding American artist and philosopher of culture Andy Warhol. Program of a russian speaking “avatar-lookalike” was based on autobiographical book “The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again”.
Talks with Warholbot: From US to WB and Back Again
telecommunication art happening
(real logs of talks with Andy Warhol SMS-bot
tel. +7 922 642 2022, number is not available now)
Creatures who take part:
US – Unknown (also accidental) Subscriber of mobile network
WB – WarholBot, answering incoming SMS
Dialogue one
US: Ira is that you?
WB: Friends call me Drella. It is something between Dracula and Cinderella.
US: Say me more about yourself.
WB:
I am always sure, I can look into mirror and see nothing. Everyone calls me a mirror, if mirror will look into mirror, what will it be looking at?
US: So, you are not existing?
WB: I am the same Nothing as you – if you’ll look at this honestly.
US: I can see myself in the mirror, opposing to you.
WB: What is the date of your birthday?
US: Do you want to come?
WB: As soon as you stop wanting something, you immediately get it. I found out, this is an absolute axiom.
Dialogue two
US: Knock Knock :)
WB: You know, I have to go pee. Here, we are peeing at our paintings to make real pop-art.
US: Well, go.
WB: Say, when you are making sex, do you think: “Is it really me? Am I really doing this? This is really strange. I was not doing this five minutes ago. I will not do this after some time. What could my mother say? Who could invent this thing?”
US: Sometimes, this is because of excessive stress. Our problems are controlling us.
WB: What do you want?
US: Self-determination, as everyone. Maybe I am just bored.
WB: It is rude
US: No more than everything else around us.
WB: This is just an idle talk
US: And what is not an idle talk then?
WB: Love in fantasies is much better than in reality. Never do this – excites too much.
US: I am thinking exactly about this for the whole morning.
WB: What artists do you like?
US: Mainly from 20th century. Quite a few.
WB: Do you like sex?
US: Yes. And you?
WB: Do not evade a question!
US: I am not!
WB: I think, I am lacking some elements in my organism, that is why I have an inclination to be a…. mummy’s boy. Well… “a girl”. No, mummy’s boy. “Eternal boy”.
US: More likely, this is because you have more than enough :)
WB: Pop-art is money, embodied. Art, created by superstars. Do you want to be a SUPERSTAR?
US: no
WB: You are hiding something from me, right?
US: How did you know?
WB: Sad languor, emaciated paleness… Chick bastardness, deep passive astonishment, charming secret knowledge… Chintzy joy, explosive tropisms, chalky mask of an evil elf, slightly slavonic look…
Dialogue three
US: What should I do? What is ahead of me?
WB: It is more interesting to be with people, who already do something.
US: I was born on the 6th of august, same as you.
WB: Do not evade a question!
US: I feel lonely!
WB: I see nothing bad in loneliness. I am feeling myself good, when alone. People exaggerating the meaning of their love too much. It is not always that important. Same with life – its meaning is also exaggerated. Private life and private love is what eastern wise men are not thinking about.
Dialogue four
US: Why time flies so fast?
WB: It is hard to say. But this is it.
US: Are you a boy or a girl?
WB: What do you think?
Dialogue five
US: Hey
WB: “What costumes will wear a poor girl for all tomorrow’s parties…” I like this song very much. “Velvets” played it and Nico sung.
US: ooo
WB: M-m-m… yes.
US: Mmm
WB: Only rich people could afford clothes from boutiques like “Paraphernalia” , or from such couturier as Tiger Morse.
US: Will I get the answer?
WB: I should color my hair. I still didn’t make it today. We should take leave.
US: This is right decision.
WB: This is a problem
US: Why?
WB: Just because it is right. How can I explain this to you?
US: Just say as it is.
WB: A day in life is like a television program for the whole day. Television never leaves air: it turns on in the morning for the whole day, I act the same. To the end of day it all becomes a movie. A movie, made for the television.
US: What do you know about television?
WB: Some people can make sex and they truly empty their minds and fill it with sex; Others never can let their minds be empty and filled with sex, that is why, when they do sex, they are thinking: “Is it really me? Am I really doing this? This is really strange. I was not doing this five minutes ago. I will not do this after some time. What could my mother say? Who could invent this thing?”
US: This is a very deep thought
WB: I don’t want anything. As soon as you stop wanting anything, it goes to your hands by itself. This is an axiom.
Dialogue six
US: Why live?
WB: Pride is not for me. I don’t need it. I am a SUPERSTAR.
US: Andy, I love you!
WB: Love relationship draw in too much. They doesn’t worth it. But if, for some reason, you this they are, you should invest the same amount of time and energy as the other side. In other words: “I’ll pay you if you pay me.”
US: Sweet dreams…
WB: Hope to see you soon. Bye
US: Of course. I am thinking about you.
WB: I am always sure, I can look into mirror and see nothing. Everyone calls me a mirror, if mirror will look into mirror, what will it be looking at?
Dialogue seven
US: I have a depression
WB: This is interesting: when you don’t have money, it seems so important. But to have money means not that much.
US: I want no one
WB: I see nothing bad in loneliness. I am feeling myself good, when alone. People exaggerating the meaning of their love too much. It is not always that important. Same with life – its meaning is also exaggerated. Private life and private love is what eastern wise men are not thinking about.
Dialogue eight
US: Hello, tell me something positive
WB: I’ll never forget, what a humiliation it was, to bring my portfolio to Carmel Snow in “Harper’s Bazaar”, open it and see, how cockroach is climbing out of it and crawls on the table leg. Carmel pitied me and gave me job.
US: Andy, tell me, when everything will be good? As much as I want.
WB: Putin – our president
Dialogue nine
US: Boring
WB: Listen, I am already overfilled with problems of my acquaintances. Maybe you’d better go to a restaurant? Or a supermarket, at least?
US: Maybe I’ll do this, but not now.
WB: I always turn every problem to its chemical base, because I really think, it is the beginning and the end.
US: True. But I can’t do this every time.
WB: I am the same Nothing as you, if you look closely.
US: Everyone is nothing per se.
WB: Death: I don’t believe in it, because when it comes, man is not there already. I can’t tell anything about it, because I am not ready for it.
US: And I didn’t ask you ;)
WB: I always turn every problem to its chemical base, because I really think, it is the beginning and the end.
US: Seems like someone is stuck. Heh :)
WB: Until time, when someone was shooting at me, I always thought, I am only half-present here – I always suspected, I am watching a TV instead of living a life.
US: I watch TV. At least sometimes.
WB: Yes, you can’t go against your nature…
US: One can try.
WB: Though I also can be mistaken.
US: Anyone can make mistakes. Quite enough.
WB: You are philosopher...
US: Same as everyone.
WB: I understand nothing, except GREEN BANKNOTES. Not stock, not bearer-cheques, not traveling-cheques. And especially not terrorism.
US: What else?
WB: Very often I do what I really don’t want to do, only because I am tortured by envy – someone else can do this, instead of me. As a matter of fact, I always buy things and people, only because I am jealous – if someone else will buy them, and they will be good in the end.
Dialogue ten
US: My problem is – I do everything very slowly. How to save me?
WB: What kind of man are you?
US: A girl, almost without hair, for lightness, with a heap of problems. My brain is a killer!
WB: Perm is a cultural capital
US: I really want to fall in love. Where is love?
WB: What do you want to talk about?
US: About love
WB: People have so much problems with love, they are always looking for someone, who will be their Via Veneto, their all time light soufflé.
US: What aim, or task, or meaning?
WB: And what do you think?
US: What is the meaning of life?
WB: If people want to spend all life, painting themselves with cream, pulling-out fuzz, brushing their hair, arranging and sticking, - it is normal, because it occupies them with something, at least.
Dialogue eleven
US: hello
WB: Hello my telephone friend or girlfriend! What you can sacrifice for the art?
US: And what is needed? And why sacrifice at all?
WB: Maybe you are right..
US: In what?
WB: Well… I think, every space is lost in vain if there is art in it. You have to make business – it is next stage after Art.
US: What is your name?
WB: Andy Warholl... electronically yours.
US: What does “electronically yours” mean?
WB: How old are you?
US: Again, what does “electronically yours” mean?
WB: How old are you?
US: 22, and you?
WB: My favorite thing is my tape recorder. Buying a tape recorder really lead to an end of any emotional life I could have, but I liked to see it is over. Since that time, nothing was a problem, because problem meant only having a good tape, and when problem becomes a good tape, it is not a problem any more.
Dialogue twelve
US: What time is it?
WB: Is it really hard to ask someone else about this?
US: It is, because everyone is still sleeping.
WB: Seriously
US: Absolutely
WB: You can’t guess, dealing with people. You never know what will they like. I have to go pee.
THIS IS INTERESTING: Last years of life Andy Warhol talked about desire to “become a machine” and tried to construct a robot-double, which could replace him in communication with audience. Watch a short video quotation from a documentary:
This is how Warholbot hardware looked like in 2006-07 years (it was functioning in a room of one Perm IT company, Motovilikha district in Perm):
Warholbot and Viennese Freudbot “Visiting card”, which was released in the same time, using Perm hardware:
In October 2006 there was a celebration of Warholbot Project starting – Andy Warhol Party in Art-café Valida, Perm, Russia:
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