NEW YORK.- In an era where the proliferation of information has been accelerated through technological advancement and the Internet, how do people decide what information they will share with others? Contagious Media, on view at the New Museum of Contemporary Art from April 28 – June 4, 2005, explores this question through the examination of recent projects developed specifically to spread social and political messages through word of mouth or its Internet based equivalent. Each project in the exhibition demonstrates the speed with which a single project can spread via the viral networks of gossip, e-mail, phone, television and the web. Contagious Media is organized by Rachel Greene, Adjunct Curator.

Like many works of art that rely on disguise or deception, contagious media projects are purposefully designed to conceal that they are created in a satirical and critical context. The deliberate obscuring of the origin of contagious media projects helps to effectively communicate messages about contemporary social issues from racism to labor practices to romantic entanglements, all illustrated with a touch of humor to make them more appealing to the general public.

Examples of contagious media on view at the New Museum include widely viewed projects developed by Jonah Peretti, Director of Research and Development and Leader of the Contagious Media Group at Eyebeam. Peretti’s many projects offer examples of Internet creations originating with e-mails sent to a small group of people that were eventually seen by millions and covered by international media.

Peretti’s Nike Sweatshop Emails (2001) feature a series of e-mail exchanges between the artist and an anonymous customer service representative discussing the artist’s order of a pair of custom made Nike sneakers emblazoned with the word "sweatshop" along the side, and Nike’s refusal to complete the order. The Nike Sweatshop Emails were eventually e-mailed to over 2 million people worldwide and forced Nike representatives to defend the company’s labor practices on NBC’s The Today Show.

Also included in the exhibition are two projects created by Peretti with his sister, writer and performer Chelsea Peretti, in 2002. Rejection Line, reachable at 212-479-7990, is a recorded voice messaging service designed as a method to discourage unwanted calls. Callers to this number are given the option to speak to a comfort specialist, hear a sad poem from a kindred spirit, or cling to the unrealistic hope that a relationship is still possible.

Another project by Chelsea and Jonah Peretti, BlackPeopleLoveUs.com parodies an "enlightened" white couple, Sally and Johnny, as they document their relationship with their black friends and neighbors. The site includes "testimonials" from black people that laud Sally and Johnny’s ability to relate to people of another race. BlackPeopleLoveUs.com, an ambitious project to get people to think about race issues, has generated an enormous e-mail response from people who understand the satire behind the site as well as from people who are outraged at the audacity of the made-up couple. The stunning social dynamics created by these two projects will be explored within the exhibition space through surprise interactions with museum visitors.

The most recent project by Jonah Peretti included in the exhibition is Fundrace.org, a website developed in Eyebeam’s Research and Development Lab during the 2004 elections. Fundrace.org accesses a federal database of political contributions and combines it with programming that codes by geographic mapping. Users may search by name or location to track support given by wealthy citizens, business owners, celebrities or even friends and neighbors. The project creates transparency in campaign finance and makes an intervention into political debate with voyeuristic thrill.

In addition to the works by the Perettis, contagious media projects often stem from anonymous sources. Other projects included in the exhibition include Dancing Baby (1998), Hot or Not (2000), All Your Base Are Belong to Us (2001-2002), and Dog Island (2003). Subservient Chicken (2004) brings a commercial aspect to the use of contagious media as a form of viral marketing, as it was originally developed to promote a new product for Burger King. The popularity of all of these websites and e-mails demonstrates the effectiveness of contagious media as a tool for propagating messages concerning today’s social, political and cultural issues. Contagious Media adds another element to these projects by exhibiting them in a critical context.

Funding - Media Lounge exhibitions and public programs are supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Jerome Foundation in celebration of the Jerome Hill Centennial, and the New York State Council on the Arts.
The New Museum of Contemporary Art receives general operating support from the Carnegie Corporation, the New York State Council on the Arts, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, JPMorgan Chase, and members of the New Museum.