David Byrne’s I Heart PowerPoint
I noticed that the University of Washington is hosting David Byrne to present his work I Heart Powerpoint. Here’s their description:
Byrne has developed what must be the most surreal PowerPoint lecture of all time. This unique evening with Byrne presents singular insights into the ubiquitous presentation software and its potential as a creative tool. His recent book E.E.E.I. (Envisioning Emotional Epistemological Information) marked the beginning of his exploration of PowerPoint as an artistic medium.
I saw this work when it debuted in New York City and, frankly, it sucked. It wasn’t illuminating or interesting in any way, was a serious disappointment and I feel bad for anyone who coughed up eighty dollars for the retail version.
For illumination on PowerPoint as a medium, artistic or otherwise, see Edward R. Tufte’s The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint.
Permanent Link
I’m not sure that I understand the point of this exhibit. I assume that it’s like creating the mona lisa using crayons. The medium isn’t supposed to matter, right? However, whenever I hear David Byrne advocating PowerPoint as an artistic tool, the anger boils up in me and I want to attack him with an axe. The sad reality is that as a designer in a corporate environment I am frequently forced to use yet another ill conceived, badly executed piece of software from Microsoft which has little inherent value for communication. Regardless of whether or not Byrne believes that ideas are innate or not (I haven’t read his book), PowerPoint is not a program that in any way assists the communication of ideas. Sounds like a boatload of pretentious crap to me.
at least he still puts out good music. Oh wait…nevermind
I just randomly came across your article, and it seems obvious that you took him seriously . . . it was rather tongue-in-cheek, as most of his art tends to be. His observations on human nature are keen and off-centered, and never as serious as you seem to be. Lighten up.
Read up on some press about the presentation and you might gain another perspective. I saw the lecture twice and loved it both times.
I caught this lecture last month, and found it to be a colossal waste. It was nothing more than a night of post-pop icon worship. David Byrne’s ideas on New Media are sophomoric and the tour is little more than an advertisement for his $80 DVD.
There are plenty of artists exploring the New Media frontier in meaningful ways, and David Byrne isn’t one of them.