Julene Bello
Professor Kathleen Ruiz
Computer Art
11 April 2000
Final Project

AIM I AM

“AIM I AM” is mainly a commentary the on the social phenomena America Online Instant Messenger service (AIM) has caused worldwide. It is a humorous visualization of conversation on AIM with huge yellow androgynous figures replacing unique body types; ringing wav files are substituted for the volleys of conversation, punctuation in the form of smiley faces and acronyms like LOL (laugh out loud) and BRB (be right back) swapping places with obvious communication cues. These life-size instant messenger characters are representations of those who use AIM.

On AIM, we are digitized and then solely defined by emoticons, screen names, member profiles, and font choice. Online we are both anonymous and unique, somewhere (at the computer) and nowhere (hooked up to an Ethernet hub somewhere on campus), and enabled to communicate in more ways and disabled also. There are many pros and cons when dealing with this type of communication and this art installation in no way tries to compare face-to-face conversation with computer mediate avenues. It only seeks to raise basic questions of identity and representation online, a place where identity and representation are always subject to suspicion, and raises the points of tradeoff when communicating that way. Online the possibilities to communicate are endless. And all instant messenger systems strive for one goal and for one effect—to allow loved ones to stay in touch, to continue relationships, to maintain human interactions with the available tools of the age.

References:

· Nicholas Negroponte’s “Electronic Agoras”, a compilation of Internet articles concerning online identity

· PC Magazine Online’s magazine review of AIM

· Claes Oldenberg’s “Torn Notebook”

· President of The Center for Internet Studies Dr. David Greenfield’s article “The Net Effect: Internet Addiction and Compulsive Internet Use” @ www.virtual-addiction.com

· Oscar Wilde’s “Portrait of Dorian Grey”