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WAY,WAYBACK,inthenearPleistocene,preiPhoneyearof2005,GUTHRIELONERGANwasplayingaround.TheprogrammerandartistwastakingtheInternetspresetsandpluginsandstockimagescachesofphotos,video,andcodethatweremerelygivenandeverywhereavailableandinvestigatingtheirearlypromiseofsocialconnectivityandsensoryplenitudeintandemwiththeirdegraded,schlockyaesthetics,theirillusionsofchoice,andtheirveiledmechanismsofcontrol.Hisworkwouldcometoquestiontheverydividesbetweenonlineandoffline,toprobethestrangeandinextricablerelationbetweenthetwoexperiences,andhewouldbecomelegendaryamongotherartists,ifremainingvirtuallyunknowntothelargerartworld.

Lonergantriedtoenterthatworldinearnest,tomakehisephemeralworkstick,makeitsolid,printitoutastrategythatwouldbedarklymirroredwhentheproblematictermpostInternetwasusedtobrandandsellawidevarietyofartproduction.ButbythenLonerganhadmovedon.EdHaltertellshisstory.

SOMETHINGREALCOMINGTHROUGH

VisitGuthrieLonerganswebsiteattheageofmammals.comandyoullfindlittlebutalongindexoflinks,

renderedinTimesNewRomanonplainwhite,orderedforthemostpartbyyear,inreversechronology,

stretchingbackto2005.Scrolltothebottom.OneoftheearliestofthehyperlinksistitledLONELYLOS

ANGELES.Followthelink,anditleadstoanothersimplydesignedpage,thisonepopulatedbytwo

adjoiningcolumnsofscreenshotsthatrecordMapQuestimagesofLA.Thetoprowshowsapairofbusy

gridsofredhighwaysandspindlyblackstreets.BeneaththeseshotsarethewordsLonelyLosAngeles

(againinTimesNewRoman)overananimatedGIFofatinyblueautomobile,slowlycreepingacrossthe

page.Belowliestheheartofthepiece:sixteenmapsofunderpopulatedpartsofthecitywithbarely

anythingtochart.Inone,MulhollandDriveformsawobblyhorizontalbarrierbetweenexpansesofpure

beigeandgreen.Inothers,bitsofroadwayjutinwardfromtheedgeoftheshot,likehairsstuckinthegate

ofafilmprojector,deadendinginfeaturelessfields.Onemapismerelyarectangleofgreen,borderedlike

everyoneofitsneighborswiththeMapQuestlogo,aminusculeicondenotingscaleinmetersandfeet,and

acopyrightnotice.

ThislastexamplefromLonergansLonelyLosAngeles,2005,hasitsliteraryprecedentinamapfamously

describedbyLewisCarrollinhisnarrativepoemTheHuntingoftheSnark(1876).Inthismockepic,the

captainoftheshipengagedinchasingsaidcreatureemploysalargemaprepresentingthesea,/Without

theleastvestigeofland,completelydevoidoflatitudeorlongitudelinesdevoid,forthatmatter,ofany

featuresatallpresentingaperfectandabsoluteblank.Indeed,ononelevelLonelyLosAngelesisan

exerciseinCarrolliannonsense,subvertingtheutilityofamappingservicebyisolatingportionsofthecity

tothedegreethattheybecomeillegible,therebyalteringthesitesfunctionfromconduitofinformationto

generatorofabstractcompositions.Butthepiecestitle,andthecharacterofthepokylittlecardrivingsolo

underneath,impartamelancholytotheseimagesthatgoesbeyondboththeirobviousabsurdityand

interestinform.TheviewerisputinthepositionofaWebsurfernearthemiddleofthelastdecade,

searchingthroughstreetmapsofLosAngelesforsomething,butchoosingroadsthatleadnowhere.Infact,

thisreflectshowtheprojectwascreated.InaninterviewwithLightIndustrycodirectorThomasBeardin

2008,Lonergansayshemadethepiece(whilestillanundergraduateattheUniversityofCalifornia,Los

Angeles)beforeIlearnedtodrive,soinawayIwasusingthecomputerlabtocruisearoundthecity.

ThedefteconomyofLonelyLosAngelestypifiesLonergansbestextantwork.Elegantyethumblegestures

likethis,generatingmaximumemotionalresonancefromminimalarrangementsoffoundonlinemedia,

madehimsomethingofalegendamongfellowartistsengagedwiththeInternetinthepastdecadeorso.A

fewmonthsago,CoryArcangelanartistknownforhissustainedandgroundbreakinginvolvementwith

newmediatoldmethathethoughtLonergan,thoughlittleknowninthegreaterartworld,wasourBruce

Nauman.IfNaumanassertedthatanythingthathappensinanartistsstudiocanbeart,Lonerganupdated

thisclaimforanageinwhichtheartistsstudiohadbecomealaptop.

ONEBIGDATABASE

AbouttwentyoneyearsoldwhenheuploadedLonelyLosAngeles,Lonerganwouldmakehismost

importantconnectionswellbeyondtheconfinesofhisnativecity,inthedispersedcommunitiesofthe

emergentsocialWeb.Findingotherpeopleonlinewasamoreperipateticaffairatthattime,whenthe

oligarchyofmegaplatformsthatnowexistshadyettofullytakeholdofonlineexperience.Forexample,

YouTubewasstillinitsinfancywhenLonergancompiledBabiesFirstSteps,2005,amontageofamateur

videos(pixelatedbytheexigenciesofcompression)byparentsmarkingamilestoneintheirchildrens

developmentfromnewborntotoddlertogatherthefootage,heusedtheLycossearchenginetolocate

videofilesonindividualhomepages.Asanhomagetoitsorigins,BabiesFirstStepscanbefoundtoday

embeddedlikeitssourcematerialsinthecenterofanotherwiseemptypage,thebackgroundofwhichis

shadedanurserywallpink.

NOVEMBER2014

GuthrieLonergan,LonelyLosAngeles(details),2005,websitescreencaptures.

links

Atthetime,thecleaninstitutionalspacesofFacebookremainedrestrictedtocollegestudents.ItspredecessorMyspacethentypifiedtheadolescenceoftheInternetitself:awkwardlydesigned,uncertainofwhatitshouldbecome,butopentoexperimentingwithextreme(andoftenquestionable)formsofselfexpression.AseriesofMyspacepagescustomizedbyLonergan,collectivelytitledMyMyspaces,20052006,isnoweffectivelylost,thankstosuccessivechangeoversinthesocialnetworksarchitecture.OneofthefewofthesetthatwererecordedontheInternetArchivesWaybackMachinewasfittinglylocatedundertheusernameghostsofmyspace:Thepageseemstohavedepictedaflattenedmapoftheglobesurmountedbyatrioofidenticalanimatedghosts,eachGIFenlargedintoapulsatingcloudofsoftpixels,hoveringoverasetofnearlyinformationfreeframes.Encounteringanoldwebsitelikethisisastrangeexperiencenownotonlyaremanyofitshyperlinksdead,butdead,too,areitsconnectionstoofflinereality,sincethegreatersocialworldwithinwhichitwasmadetofunctionnolongerexists.

ThoughhetinkeredoffandonwithMyspace,Lonerganmadehismostimportantdiscoveriesonthebarerboneddel.icio.us,asocialbookmarkingprojectdesignedbyJoshuaSchachterthatallowsuserstoquicklysharelinkstopagesastheysurfthem.Itwasondel.icio.usthatLonergandevelopedatasteforthemostbanalofonlineephemeraapagecelebratingitsauthorscollectionofSuperSoakersquirtgunsaphotooftwofloppydisks,onemarkedMARILYNMANSONPICTURESDARCYSwithatinyhanddrawnpentacleavideoofkidsglidingdownaSlipNSlide.Throughthisongoingresearch,LonerganfoundacircleoffellowWebsurferswhosharedaninterestincollectingsuchthingsandeggedoneanotherontofindtheultimateexamplesofdigitalartifactsthatmightproveastonishingintheirtypicality.Lonerganthenjoinedafewofthemostardentdel.icio.usposters,includingTravisHallenbeck,JohnMichaelBoling,andMarisaOlson,increatingtheblogNastyNets,anInternetsurfclubpredicatedonthesharingofsuchlinks,aswellasofthenewvideos,animatedGIFS,andotherdigitaldetritusassemblagestheywouldcreatefromtherawmaterialprovidedbytheWeb.TheclassicNastyNetspostwassomethingthathoveredinitsstrangenessjustbelowthethresholdofmemespreadability,toounderstatedinitsawkwardnesstobenoticedbytheInternetatlarge,yetsubtlyenhancedbythebarelytheresurfclubcontext.

ThebulkofNastyNetsactivitiestranspiredbetween2006and2009.Thefirstfewofthoseyearsalsomarked,arguably,theculturalapogeeofInternetbrowsingitself,beforesuchpleasureswouldbechallengedbycompetingactivitiesourattentionscorralledintomalllikesocialnetworks,highwayedoverbyserialtelevisionbingeing,orprocessedthroughatoyboxofapps.Fordesktopusers,itwastheageofthefirstbigflatscreens,vastvistaspoweredbybroadbandconnections,onwhichtheusermightroamfastandfree,abletoenlargeoldtwentiethcenturypagessotheirprimitiveelementsseemedtofloatwithinthesebrightnewexpanses.TheneoDecodesignofspecializedcomputerdesksintheyearsleadinguptothisperiodreflectedtheluxuriousnatureofWebsurfing.Theseunitsbodiesofpressedwoodpulp,shapedintovaguelyMetropolislikerecessesfordrives,speakers,andDVRspindles,promisedkinglyconveniencetotheuserashekickedbackinhisergonomictaskchair.

ThedomesticarchitecturesofthisperiodarepreservedinLonergansmusicvideoDomain,2006,aslideshowofphotosdepictingusersselfdesignedmediacentersmakeshiftclustersofscreensanddevicessurroundedbypilesofclutterintercutwithstandarddefinitionfootagezoomingoverajankilyrenderedvirtualocean.Theworksdirgelikemidisoundtrackreinforcesasenseofsolitude,ofwanderingalonethroughdigitalspace.Suchwasthefeelingofthatera,foreveniftheusermultitasked,surfingwithanopenchatwindow,socializingwasadiscreteactivitythathadtobeturnedonratherthanoptedoutof.InotherpiecesbyLonergan,thedesiretocommunicateisarticulatedwithunderstateddesperation.OneoftwovideostitledAcapella,2009,presentsclipsfromastockfootagelibrary,stillbearingtheirtimecodes,ofobjectssuchasanapple,abasketball,andaburgeoningpileofpopcorn,morphingoverchromakeyreadysinglecolorbackgrounds.LonergansetsthiscollectiontoStingsacappellaversionofthePolicesMessageinaBottle.ThatsongsrefrainofsendingoutanSOSseemstoechoLonergansWebcollagebrb,2008,madefrommerelytwoelements:thelowercaselettersofitsacronymictitle,scrollingrighttoleft,placedoveranembedded,loopingsoundfileofwhatoneatfirstassumestobetheMorsecodedistresssignal(threeshort,threelong,threeshort),butuponcarefullisteningdiscoverstospelloutbrb(onelong,threeshortoneshort,onelong,oneshortandonelong,threeshort).Berightback.

HACKINGVRS.DEFAULTS

Duringtheseyears,Lonerganmadethemajorityofhispublicoutput,includinghismostaccomplishedworks.SomeareformalexperimentsinstrippeddownHTML,suchasCarpetinCarpetandMarbleMirror,both2007,madefromoverlappinganimatedGIFsquaresbearingcontrastingtexturesinmotion,eachbuiltfromnomorethantwentyonelinesofstreamlinedcodeperpage.OtherpiecesreflectonthevernacularaestheticsoftheWebasitblossomedintoatruemassculture.InternetGroupShot,2006,isavertical

GuthrieLonergan,

BabiesFirstSteps,2005,digitalvideo,color,sound,4minutes6seconds.

GuthrieLonergan,Halt,

robot!(detail),2006,Webpage.

collageofcutoutsnapshots,collectedfromhomepagesandforums,showinggroupsofeverydaypeoplegrinningforthecameraHalt,robot!,2006,isasimilararrangement,thistimeofmulticoloredstringsofCAPTCHAtext,thosefamiliarlookandretypeuseridentificationteststhathelpcomputerstellwerehuman.Bothreference,throughakindofpopcybernetics,standardizedhumanresponsescuedbyinterfaceswithmachines.ArtistLookingatCamera,2006,furtherpursuesthistheme.Appropriatingstockfootageofanonymousactorsplayingpainters,potters,andarchitectswhoglanceupfromtheir(notablytraditional)craftstosmileintothelens,LonergansvideostillbearstheGettyImageswatermark,whichinterruptsthecoldgazeofeachwelllitfaceasitattemptstomakeanemotionalconnectionwithahypotheticalviewer.

PerhapsLonergansmostinfluentialworkishispieceHackingvrs.defaultschart,2007,atwocolumnHTMLtableattemptingtoparsewhathesawasthetwomainmodesofInternetartatthetime.Theleftcolumn,titledHacking,istypifiedbyHackingaNintendocartridgetomakeimages(areferencetoearlyworkbyArcangel,suchasSuperMarioClouds,2002),Rock&Rollattitude,andSophisticatedbreakingoftechnology,anditiscounterposedwithDefaults,therighthandcolumn,whichoffersinsteadUsingMSPainttomakeimages,Exuberanthumility,andSeminaive,regularuseoftechnology.Thechartwasreceivedasanaestheticmanifestoofitsmoment,evenreadattimesasagenerationallineinthesand.Asitcirculated,Hackingvrs.defaultschartsparkedreactionanddebateonRhizome.organdblogsdevotedtonewmedia,uppingthetermdefaultsasakeycriticalconceptindiscussionsaboutartisticengagementswithtechnology.BloggerTomMoody,himselfanactiveNastyNetsparticipant,laterinterpretedLonergansdichotomyasmeanttodistinguishartistswhouseofftheshelfsoftwarefromtheoldertypeofnetartistewhoinsistsonhandcodingeverything.Lonerganhimself,however,indicatedthatthephenomenonhedescribedhadapplicationbeyondmereartmaking.Therearedefaultsinourculture,LonergantoldtheWallStreetJournalin2007,foranarticleoninternetinspiredart.MySpacedoesntsetupsomethingforyoutocreateanintroductionvideo,butkindoflikeatelephoneansweringmachine,youassumeacertainkindofvoiceandsaycertainthings.

Likemanyartistsdeclarationsonthegeneralnatureofart,Hackingvrs.defaultschartcanalsobereadmorespecificallyasaselfanalysisoftheauthorsownpractice.HadtherebeenanydoubtaboutthisinLonerganscase,itwouldhavebeendispelledbyalecturetheartistgaveatLightIndustryinBrooklynin2009,titledWeDidItOurselves!(AsoneofthecuratorsofLightIndustry,Iinvitedhimtospeak.)ThiseventgrewoutofaseriesofperformancesLonergangavein2006,inwhichhesurf[ed]theInternetinpublic,sharinghisownwork,theworkoffellowartists,andmaterialshehadcollectedonline.Inhislecture,Lonergandescribeshowthedoityourselfauraofindiemusichadbecomefarlesscompellingwhensuchmusicbecame,suddenly,widelyavailabletoallonthedemocraticspacesoftheearlyWeb.Intheprocessofexploringtheseissues,LonergancametothinkabouttheInternetasonebigdatabase,asentimenthehadexpressedsomewhatdifferentlyayearearlierinhisinterviewwithBeard,inwhichheremarked,IguessalotofmyworkapproachestheInternetasthoughitisonesingularbeing(whoa).

ThesewebsitesIwasattractedtonevercompletelylooklikecrap,hetoldtheaudienceatLightIndustry,butthereisanantiseptic,corporatefoundationtothematerial.Certaindefaultsinthesoftwarearealwayspresent,andIfoundmyselfattractedtothesedefaults.Byfocusingonthetensionsbetweentheanonymityoftechnologicallystandardizedtemplatesandtheircounterintuitiveuseasvehiclesofpersonalexpression,LonerganhomedinonaphenomenonpeculiartothatmomentofInternetcultureyetgeneralizabletothehumanconditionasawhole:

Iminlovewiththestruggleassomethingrealcomingthroughthisstructure.IhateutopianfantasiesoftheInternetasthistotallyfree,democraticspacethatwillmakeourlivesbetter.Wereallusingthispreexistingfoundationthatwillalwaysbetherenomatterwhat.Defaultsarealsoareactiontotheinfinitechoicesandpossibilitiesofferedbythevirtual(lettingthecomputerchooseforyou).Youcantgetoffthegrid,butthestruggleofnormal,basicInternetuserstogetsomethingrealthroughthisexistinggridisreallyexciting.Onsomelevel,Ithinkofdefaultasametaphorforallkindsofmediateddistance,forthewaywefeeldissociatedfromwar,money,art,andmusic.

INTERNETAWAREART

ItwouldbeincorrecttoimagineLonerganasasuigenerisdigitalnative,unmooredfromanytraditionorschool,whorealizedthepotentialofnewtechnologybydintofaninherentlygenerationalgenius.Infact,hewasexposedtotheongoinghistoryofInternetartevenbeforeattendingUCLA,where,hetoldmeinarecentGoogleHangoutinterview,hedhadaposterofArcangelsSuperMarioCloudsabovehisbedfreshmanyearandhefollowedinfluentialfigureslikePaperRadandJODIearlyon.Moreover,hisworkhashadanintermittentbutprominentpresenceingalleriesandmuseums.In2009,hecuratedashowwithartistPaulSlocumatthelattersDallasgallery,And/Or,forwhichtheycollectedandexhibitedexamplesoftemplatedriven,usermadeanimationsfromthemediasharingsiteYTMND(yourethemannowdog.com,establishedbyMaxGoldberg).Createdfromonlyafewelementseachtypicallyatiledanimatedimage,aloopingsoundfile,anduptothreelinesoftextYTMNDcompositionswereearlyversionsofthefunnymemestodaysharedonTumblrandFacebookbut,intheirrawminimalism,couldeasilybemistakenforworksofNetart.And/Orsexhibitionproposedthatsuchdistinctionsareirrelevant.Inanessaywrittentoaccompanytheshow,Picture.Sound.Text.,Lonerganarguesthat,whileYTMNDwantsnothingtodowithart,itnonethelesssortofcantquitebedefinedasanythingbutart...itssingularfocusformatisassharpasanyculturalappropriationintheartworld.

LonergansworkappearedintwomajorsurveyshowsattheNewMuseuminNewYork,itsopeningexhibition,Unmonumental,in2008,anditsfirsttriennial,TheGenerationalTriennial:YoungerThanJesus,in2009.Forthelatter,LonerganpresentedhisMyspaceIntroPlaylist,2006,aYouTubeplaylistoffoundMyspacevideosinwhich(mostly)teensintroducethemselvestovisitors,asatwochannelinstallationthiswasalsotheforminwhichthepiecehadappearedinTheNewNormal,agroupshowatArtistsSpaceinNewYorktheyearbefore.AftercriticBenDavis,writingforArtnet,glossedLonergansworkasbeingaboutsocialmediabutnotitselfsocialmediaart,argumentsaboutthevalidityofthisfinedifferencepoweredanextendeddiscussiononRhizomesforums.OneofLonergansformercollaborators,NastyNetsMoody,contendedthatMyspaceIntroPlaylisthadbeentransformedbystagesfromanexpressioninsidesocialmediaintostandardmuseumvideoartfare,therebylosingmuchofitsoriginalmeaning.ThisclaimledtofurtherdebateonRhizome,includingresponsesfromLaurenCornell,oneofthecuratorsofYoungerThanJesus,andLonerganhimself.WhileIunderstoodtheworkhadanoriginalform&location,Ialsofeltitcouldhavedifferentversionsinnewcontextsthatwerevalid,Cornellwrote.Here,shemaybereferencingaconceptpopularizedbyartistOliverLaricinhisvideoessayVersions,2009,

GuthrieLonergan,ShortMusicVideo#6,2005,digitalvideo,color,sound,4seconds.From9ShortMusicVideos,2005.

whichfeaturesavoiceoverbyLonerganinthecharacterofTheInternet.InhisownresponsetoMoody,Lonerganwrotethatheagree[s]thattheoriginalonlineMyspaceIntroPlaylistonYouTubeisthebetterversionofthepiece,buthealsothoughtthattheDVDversionisamorepermanentdocumentationofalive,linkedYouTubeplaylistpiecethatwillslowlydisappear.

InhishighlyinfluentialessayDispersion,publishedinitsearliestformin2002,artistSethPricedescribesahypotheticalscenarioinwhichartistsmightbetterengagewiththesituationoftwentyfirstcenturycapitalismbycreatingworkthatcanvanishintothestructuresofmassdistributionforPrice,thisincludedpracticessuchasbookandmusicpublishing,aswellasthenewerpossibilitiesofferedbytheInternet.Engagingtheseprocesses,Priceoffered,couldextendthelegacyofConceptualismintoanewerathroughagameofontologicalbrinkmanshipbetweenartandnonart,playedoutinthepublicsphere.Insomeways,theactivitiesofLonerganandhisNastyNetspeerscouldbeseenasarealizationofPricesproposal.ButLonerganreverseengineeredPricesprophecy.Ratherthanstartingoutasagalleryartist,thenmovingonfromthatcontexttoexploitthemechanismsandformsofmassmediaincreatinganddisseminatinghisart,Lonerganbeganhisworkonlineandonlylaterattemptedtoadapthispracticeinordertoparticipateinmeatspaceexhibitions.

In2008,concludinghisinterviewwithBeard,Lonerganstatedthatfindingawaytoworkingallerieswasthenanactiveproject.RightnowImscheminghowtotaketheemphasisoffoftheInternetandtechnology,butkeepmyideasintact,hereported.Objectsthatarentobjects...Igotacoupleofbooksandatshirtintheworks.RightnowImreallyintotext(notvisually/typography...just...text...),andlotsandlotsoflists...InternetAwareArt.:)Thislastphrase,too,becameafocusofdebateonline,seemingatfirsttopointtoanewphenomenonofformerlyInternetbasedartistsenteringthecommercialgallerysystem.ButmuchoftheargumentwasoverwhatpreciselyLonerganmighthavemeantbyhiscrypticstatement.IntheirroundupofRhizomehighlightsfrom2008,artistJohnMichaelBolingandcuratorsCeciMossandCaitlinJonesdefinedInternetAwareArtasanattempttodescribethetendencyforartiststotranslatebehavioralorsituationaltendenciesoccurringonlinetoothercontexts,particularlyoffline,notingthatthetermhadalreadygainedsomesignificanceindescribingtheapproachofotherartists,aclaimthatcameunderfireinensuingcomments.Lonergan,forhispart,clarified(somewhat)themeaningofInternetAwareArtinhis2009lecture,saying,IvesortofdefineditasrelatedtotheseideasofthebigdatabasethatIwastryingtotalkabout.AndjustbeingawarethatevenifyourenotmakingInternetart,thatyourartisgoingontheInternet,probably.Andsomehowanyattempttobeawareofthatwillchangeyourwork,thinkingaboutthatInternetcontext.

DisagreementssuchastheseoverInternetAwareArtpresageddiscussionsoverthesimilarlyslipperymonikerpostInternet.ButLonergans2009elaborationonhisownpreviousstatementpointstoamorepreciseissue,whichremainscontentious.JustascinematographershavelongframedtheircompositionswithbothbigandsmallscreensinmindknowingthatTVs,computermonitors,smartphones,andthelikearewheremostwillseetheirimagesso,too,Lonerganargued,havegalleryartistssubtlyshiftedtheirownpractices,consciouslyorotherwise,totakeintoaccountanInternetenabledaudience.Certainly,fewartiststodaycanbeoblivioustothefactthatmorepeoplewillviewreproductionsoftheirworkonlinethantheoriginalsinperson,butdoesthisknowledgesignificantlychangethewaysuchworkisconceived,fabricated,andexhibited?ThatsuchaclaimcontinuestobecontroversialisreflectedinthemixedreceptiontoarthistorianMichaelSanchezsessay2011:ArtandTransmission(publishedinthismagazinessummer2013issue),inwhichSanchezarguedthattheincreasedavailabilityofhighresolutionimagesofnewart,viewableontheiPhoneIPSdisplayandcirculatedviaaggregatorsitessuchasContemporaryArtDaily,haschangedtheinternalrhythmsoftheartworldandcreatednewvectorsofinfluencebetweenartists.

Inanycase,Lonergansactivity,bothonlineandoff,haspeteredoutinthepasthalfdecade.InourrecentGooglechat,Lonerganchalkedthisuptoshiftsinsocialmedia,whichmadethespecialdynamicofsurfclubsuntenableintheageofmasssharingonTumblrandInstagram,andtohisowndeclininginterestinenteringthegallerysystemfullforce.IngeneralImaveryconfusedpersonandcertainlymuchmoreconfusedaboutNetartnowthanIwasfiveyearsago,Lonergantoldme.Netartsrelationshiptocontemporaryartasawholeandtotheartmarketgetsmoreconfusingeveryday.Itsprettyfascinatingtowatch,though.Itriedforyearstofigureouthowtoprintitout,tomakesomethingsupersalable,butIcouldneverquitefigureitout,andIdontthinkIeverwill.

Theageofmammals.comslistsindicatethatLonerganhasmadepubliconlyahandfulofprojectssince2009,andnothingpast2012.ButhehasletonepiecetrickleoutthroughhisTwitteraccount.OnApril2,2014,hetweetedalinktoahiddenpageonhissite,wherehehadcreatedanasciidiagramtranscribingtheintroductoryrifftothejinglefortheHBOGOstreamingserviceasatablatureforguitar.Twomonthslater,hetweetedthefollowingmessage,whichcurrentlyremainsthemostrecenttweetfromhisaccount.Itreads:update:myhbogotabhasbeenacceptedintoultimateguitar.comspreeminenttabdatabase.ItsasifLonerganhasdissolvedbackintothefluxofonlinemediafromwhichheemerged,nowjustanotherInternetuseramongbillions.

EdHalter,afounderanddirectorofLightIndustryinNewYork,teachesatBardCollegeinAnnandaleon

Hudson,NY.

TwoscreencapturesfromGuthrieLonergansMyspaceIntroPlaylist,2006,twentythreedigitalvideos,color,sound,cumulativerunningtime13minutes36seconds.

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