Appropriation in Electronic Literature

Scott Rettberg

University of Bergen

Humanistic Informatics

MIT5: Media in Transition Conference

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

April 28, 2007

OED Definitions

The making of a thing private property, whether another's or (as now commonly) one's own; taking as one's own or to one's own use; concr. the thing so appropriated or taken possession of.

“* Art (orig. U.S.). The practice or technique of reworking the images or styles contained in earlier works of art, esp. (in later use) in order to provoke critical re-evaluation of well-known pieces by presenting them in new contexts, or to challenge notions of individual creativity or authenticity in art.

Information Wants . .

• “On the one hand information wants to be expensive, because it's so valuable. The right information in the right place just changes your life. On the other hand, information wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time. So you have these two fighting against each other.”

PIRACY!

Appropriation by Reference in Early Hypertext Fiction

Appropriation as Translation/Adaptation

Barry Smylie et al. The Iliad

Natalie Bookchin’s The Intruder

Appropriation as a Method of Harnessing Network

Discourse

Collaborative Appropriation

My Boyfriend Came Back from the War by Olia Lialina

Blue Company by Rob Wittig