With the backlash against the Digital Divide and an era where artist can explore new media, the Polvo collective art group from Chicago affirms that the power of art is mere self-expression.

The Polvo Art collective originally formed in 1996, it is an artistic and cultural organization practicing in a community space, based in Chicago/Pilsen.

For the first time exhibiting at the VU Space, St.Albans Campus, Victorian University a cross section of artistic styles explores the complexity of the Digital Divide in the form of new media; video projections, multi-media and sound installations including visual art materials.

The exhibition titled Lies that Bill Gates told me: Exploring the Digital Divide may cast a shadow on mood. Undoubtedly the explosion of wealth, culture and the new, represents the entirety. The biggest threat of American ways is in the American community. The connection between theory and unrepresentative artistic communities in new language opens up to discourse.

The topic deals with hybridist of culture or identity; technology acting as one tool for creating cultural content. Community arts organizations are becoming important centers in facilitating creative expression for the immediate and broader community, such as cultural preservation and advocacy for important community issues.

So then what lies behind Bill Gates?

‘Wake up Mr Gates!!’ artist Miguel Cortez remarks.
Wake up to the impact corporate sectors (in this case Microsoft) has on the bridging of technology.

Here Miguel Cortez’s strategically incorporates graphic design, with an image of Mr Bill Gates taken during an arrest, apparently in the 1970’s.This man or lets say icon, is a key figure in the commercialisation of computer software. Miguel metaphorical approach opens up to discourse on socio political commentaries.

“ He creates software for the masses, he knows it is not good quality but instead he cuts corners” Miguel quotes. “But the lack of good programming design enables hackers to create viruses for windows system.”

So Miguel brings to our attention that power and wealth opens up to idea that anything goes as long as it brings in the ‘dough’

“ The truth lies behind the mute, as the mute can deny everything” M.Di Mauro 2005

What is going on here?
Is the American system beyond redemption?
Have political parties betrayed the American identity, the Bill of Rights and U.S. Constitution?

Keeping all this in mind, it is Miguel’s subversiveness and ideas that continue throughout the exhibition; questions of socio-political satire display ideas of war and Popular Culture.
Concepts of identity politics, the male identity and identity through multiculturalism are explored.

No doubt identity politics is a sentiment shared by many of us around the world. Identity Politics in this case is group based and tends to represent the interest of identity of a particular group rather than policy issues relating to all members of a community.

Voices representing immigrants from diverse cultures, nationalities are voices echoed.

“Communities are the hybridization of culture or globalization of identity” 2

Overall the exhibition successfully gives us an insight to the power of new technology and the exploration of the Digital Divide through studio art practices.

Bibliography

1.Cortez, M 2005 Lies that Bill Gates told me Email received 15 August 2005
< http://www.mcortez.com/index2.htm
< http://www.mcortez.com/bio.htm
< http://www.polvo.org/

2.Educational Cyber-Playground How the Arts Contribute to Bridging the Digital Divide
< http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Teachers/diarts.html

3.Identity Politics Art History online reference and guide
< http://www.arthistoryclub.com.arthistory/identity/politics

4.Gloede W.F. 2004 American Demographics, Nov 1 viewed 10 August 2005,
Retrieved from The Art of Cultural Correctness website

5.Ma Bill, 1997 Viewed Sept, 2005
www.lies.com/dec97/121897.html

6.Rhizome org Net art news 2005 Truth soft Review, Aug 17 Viewed Sep2005
http://rhizome.org/netartnews/story.rhiz?timestamp=20050817

7.Victoria University Printed Text/Booklet 2005