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Gio 14 Giu 2012 22:26:54 CEST

crowdsourcing to generate a multitude of conspiracy theories. The group has
commissioned a series of micro tasks, each of them being almost completely
meaningless. However, when put together, the tasks collectively contributed
to generate a series of potential paranoias. In the final stage, IOCOSE has
paid the 'crowd' to go in the streets and 'protest' against the stories
generated through crowdsourcing. The outcome is a collection of pictures of
online workers, from all over the world, who received money to simulate a
global conspiracy.

The website *http://acrowdedapocalypse.com* displays the process through
which the group IOCOSE has completed the project. In an initial stage, the
group asked the crowd to draw a symbol. Then commissioned a list of
potential dangerous corporations, governments or fictitious entities. The
next stage required the crowd to combine these names with the symbol and
generate evidences of a secret plan, which linked these names together.
Then the crowd was asked to articulate further and narrate these potential
conspiracies, while in the final stage they were asked to write a slogan,
go in the streets and take a picture of themselves, with their face
covered. In each stage, the workers were not aware of where that task was
coming from, and where it was headed.

Sony, the government of Pakistan, American Apparel and Pizza Hut, among
other real or fictitious entities, have been involved in this global
protest. An uncountable number of potential reasons of concern and
mysterious secret plans have been generated through crowdsourcing, each
piece costing less than a few US Dollars.

IOCOSE has investigated the relation between crowdsourcing and conspiracy
theories. Conspiracy theories are, by their definition, neither ultimately
refutable or acceptable. In order to hold true, they rely on the acceptance
that the full evidence is not reachable. They are based on a shared belief:
the idea that each one of us is an unaware piece in a mysterious master
plan. Crowdsourcing, instead, makes this more transparent. Each user
contributes to the creation of something which is bigger than the sum of
each singular production. The final plan remains unknown, but it is
actively produced by a large crowd.

*CONTACT*

*http://acrowdedapocalypse.com*

*http://www.iocose.org/works/a_crowded_apocalypse*
*contact at iocose.org*

*CREDITS*

*A Crowded Apocalypse* is commissioned by *AND
Festival<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fandfestival.org.uk%2Fevent%2Fonline-crowded-apocalypse-0&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGabhuM8qzQBscvouD4stbIF-iXtQ>
* and *Furtherfield<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.furtherfield.org%2Fprogrammes%2Fexhibition%2Finvisible-forces&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEpPfAPHal23OHP-qIpq-GFzrRQ6g>
*.

*ARTIST BIO*

Artist group *IOCOSE <http://iocose.org/>* has been working since 2006.
Their mission is to subvert ideologies, processes and practices of
identification and production of meanings. IOCOSE work with camouflage,
mimicry, fakes and pranks, mostly based in news, social and mass media.
Among their works, IOCOSE have hijacked an exhibition at Tate Modern,
invented a spam campaign for the Italian Democratic Party, designed a
religious hi-tech product based on electric shock, crafted an IKEA
guillottine, experimented a drug made out of floppy discs, and organized an
international contest for the most valueless video on YouTube. IOCOSE have
exhibited, among many, at the Venice Biennale (2011), Tate Modern (London,
UK, 2011), Jeu de Paume (Paris, France, 2011), FACT (Liverpool, 2011),
Aksioma (Slovenia, 2008, 2009), Shift festival (Switzerland, 2010), The
Influencers (Spain, 2010).

--
IOCOSE
http://iocose.org

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Buongiorno lista,<div> </div><div>scriviamo per annunciarvi il nostro ul=
timo lavoro, &#39;A Crowded Apocalypse&#39;. In questo progetto abbiamo uti=
lizzato il crowdsourcing per generare delle teorie cospirazioniste. Il lavo=
ro e&#39; online ed e&#39; visibile a</div>

<div><a href=3D"http://www.iocose.org/works/a_crowded_apocalypse">http://ww=
w.iocose.org/works/a_crowded_apocalypse</a>
</div><div><br></div><div>Sul sito potete ripercorrere la genesi delle teor=
ie ed il loro sviluppo, che ha portato nella sua ultima a fase al crowdsour=
cing di &#39;proteste&#39; globali contro le teorie generate dallo stesso c=
rowd.</div>

<div><br></div><div>Abbiamo avuto modo recentemente di discutere di alcuni =
dei concetti legati al nostro lavoro con Marc Garrett, in questa intervista=
</div><div><a href=3D"http://andfestival.org.uk/blog/iocose-garrett-intervi=
ew-furtherfield">http://andfestival.org.uk/blog/iocose-garrett-interview-fu=
rtherfield</a>
</div><div><br></div><div>Speriamo sia di vostro interesse, un saluto</div>=
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div><span style=3D"color:rgb(34,34,34);font-=
family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">-=
-</span><br clear=3D"all" style=3D"color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sa=
ns-serif;font-size:13px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">

<div style=3D"color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:13=
px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255)"><p style=3D"margin-bottom:0.5cm"><fon=
t color=3D"#000000"><font face=3D"arial, sans-serif"><b>IOCOSE<br>A Crowded=
 Apocalypse<br>

</b></font></font><font color=3D"#000000">(2012)</font><br><br><font color=
=3D"#000000">Link (pictures and information):</font><br><font color=3D"#000=
080"><span lang=3D"zxx"><u><a href=3D"http://www.iocose.org/works/a_crowded=
_apocalypse" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)"><font face=3D=
"arial, sans-serif">http://www.iocose.org/works/a_crowded_apocalypse</font>=
</a></u></span></font><br>

<br><br><font color=3D"#000000"><font face=3D"arial, sans-serif"><b>STATEME=
NT</b></font></font><br><br><font color=3D"#000000"><font face=3D"arial, sa=
ns-serif"><i>In the Atlantean period there were many energies being used an=
d information and knowledge being used which were, for particular reasons o=
f safety, withdrawn, shall we say, to prevent complete catastrophe, to prev=
ent total destruction of your planet=C2=A0</i></font></font><br>

- =E2=80=A8David Icke, conspiracy theorist<b=
r> Conspiracy theories are, by their definition,=
 neither ultimately refutable or acceptable. In order to hold true, they re=
ly on the acceptance that the full evidence is not reachable. They are base=
d on a shared belief: the idea that each one of us is an unaware piece in a=
 mysterious master plan.

Crowdsourcing, instead, makes this more transpa=
rent. Each user contributes to the creation of something which is bigger th=
an the sum of each singular production. The final plan remains unknown, but=
 it is actively produced by a large crowd.

IOCOSE has been drawing on crowdsourcing to hij=
ack the collective imagination. From January until June 2012, the &quot;cro=
wd&quot; has been assembling its own conspiracies and protested against the=
ir protagonists and effects.

<br><font color=3D"#000080"><span lang=3D"zxx"><u><a href=3D"http://acrowde=
dapocalypse.com/" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)"><font fa=
ce=3D"arial, sans-serif">http://acrowdedapocalypse.com</font></a></u></span=
></font><br>

PRESS RELEA=
SE From January until June=
 2012 artist group IOCOSE has been drawing on crowdsourcing to generate a m=
ultitude of conspiracy theories. The group has commissioned a series of mic=
ro tasks, each of them being almost completely meaningless. However, when p=
ut together, the tasks collectively contributed to generate a series of pot=
ential paranoias. In the final stage, IOCOSE has paid the &#39;crowd&#39; t=
o go in the streets and &#39;protest&#39; against the stories generated thr=
ough crowdsourcing. The outcome is a collection of pictures of online worke=
rs, from all over the world, who received money to simulate a global conspi=
racy.

<p style=3D"margin-bottom:0cm"><font color=3D"#000000">The website=C2=A0</f=
ont><font color=3D"#000080"><span lang=3D"zxx"><u><a href=3D"http://acrowde=
dapocalypse.com/" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)"><font fa=
ce=3D"arial, sans-serif">http://acrowdedapocalypse.com</font></a></u></span=
></font><font color=3D"#000000">=C2=A0displays the process through which th=
e group IOCOSE has completed the project. In an initial stage, the group as=
ked the crowd to draw a symbol. Then commissioned a list of potential dange=
rous corporations, governments or fictitious entities. The next stage requi=
red the crowd to combine these names with the symbol and generate evidences=
 of a secret plan, which linked these names together. Then the crowd was as=
ked to articulate further and narrate these potential conspiracies, while i=
n the final stage they were asked to write a slogan, go in the streets and =
take a picture of themselves, with their face covered. In each stage, the w=
orkers were not aware of where that task was coming from, and where it was =
headed.</font></p>

Sony, the gove=
rnment of Pakistan, American Apparel and Pizza Hut, among other real or fic=
titious entities, have been involved in this global protest. An uncountable=
 number of potential reasons of concern and mysterious secret plans have be=
en generated through crowdsourcing, each piece costing less than a few US D=
ollars.

IOCOSE has investi=
gated the relation between crowdsourcing and conspiracy theories. Conspirac=
y theories are, by their definition, neither ultimately refutable or accept=
able. In order to hold true, they rely on the acceptance that the full evid=
ence is not reachable. They are based on a shared belief: the idea that eac=
h one of us is an unaware piece in a mysterious master plan. Crowdsourcing,=
 instead, makes this more transparent. Each user contributes to the creatio=
n of something which is bigger than the sum of each singular production. Th=
e final plan remains unknown, but it is actively produced by a large crowd.=

<br><br></font><font color=3D"#000000"><font face=3D"arial, sans-serif"><b>=
CONTACT</b></font></font></p><p style=3D"margin-bottom:0cm"><font color=3D"=
#000080"><span lang=3D"zxx"><u><a href=3D"http://acrowdedapocalypse.com/" t=
arget=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)"><font face=3D"arial, sans-s=
erif">http://acrowdedapocalypse.com</font></a></u></span></font></p>

<p style=3D"margin-bottom:0.5cm"><font color=3D"#000080"><span lang=3D"zxx"=
><u><a href=3D"http://www.iocose.org/works/a_crowded_apocalypse" target=3D"=
_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)"><font face=3D"arial, sans-serif">htt=
p://www.iocose.org/works/a_crowded_apocalypse</font></a></u></span></font><=
font color=3D"#000000"><br>

</font><font color=3D"#000080"><span lang=3D"zxx"><u><a href=3D"mailto:cont=
act at iocose.org" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)"><font face=
=3D"arial, sans-serif">contact at iocose.org</font></a></u></span></font><font=
 color=3D"#000000"><br>

<br><br></font><font color=3D"#000000"><font face=3D"arial, sans-serif"><b>=
CREDITS</b></font></font></p><p style=3D"margin-bottom:0cm"><font color=3D"=
#000000"><font face=3D"arial, sans-serif"><b>A Crowded Apocalypse</b></font=
></font><font color=3D"#000000">=C2=A0is commissioned by=C2=A0</font><font =
color=3D"#000080"><span lang=3D"zxx"><u><a href=3D"http://www.google.com/ur=
l?q=3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fandfestival.org.uk%2Fevent%2Fonline-crowded-apocalypse-0=
&amp;sa=3DD&amp;sntz=3D1&amp;usg=3DAFQjCNGabhuM8qzQBscvouD4stbIF-iXtQ" targ=
et=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)"><font face=3D"arial, sans-seri=
f">AND Festival</font></a></u></span></font><font color=3D"#000000">=C2=A0a=
nd=C2=A0</font><font color=3D"#000080"><span lang=3D"zxx"><u><a href=3D"htt=
p://www.google.com/url?q=3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.furtherfield.org%2Fprogrammes%2=
Fexhibition%2Finvisible-forces&amp;sa=3DD&amp;sntz=3D1&amp;usg=3DAFQjCNEpPf=
APHal23OHP-qIpq-GFzrRQ6g" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)">=
<font face=3D"arial, sans-serif">Furtherfield</font></a></u></span></font><=
font color=3D"#000000">.<br>

<=
font face=3D"arial, sans-serif">ARTIST BIO Artist group=C2=A0</fo=
nt><a href=3D"http://iocose.o=
rg/" target=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)">IOCOSE</a><fon=
t face=3D"Arial, sans-serif">=C2=A0has been working since 2006. Their missi=
on is to subvert ideologies, processes and practices of identification and =
production of meanings. IOCOSE work with camouflage, mimicry, fakes and pra=
nks, mostly based in news, social and mass media. Among their works, IOCOSE=
 have hijacked an exhibition at Tate Modern, invented a spam campaign for t=
he Italian Democratic Party, designed a religious hi-tech product based on =
electric shock, crafted an IKEA guillottine, experimented a drug made out o=
f floppy discs, and organized an international contest for the most valuele=
ss video on YouTube. IOCOSE have exhibited, among many, at the Venice Bienn=
ale (2011), Tate Modern (London, UK, 2011), Jeu de Paume (Paris, France, 20=
11), FACT (Liverpool, 2011), Aksioma (Slovenia, 2008, 2009), Shift festival=
 (Switzerland, 2010), The Influencers (Spain, 2010).

<p style=3D"margin-bottom:0cm"><br></p><p style=3D"margin-bottom:0cm"><font=
 color=3D"#000000"><br>--<br>IOCOSE<br><a href=3D"http://iocose.org/" targe=
t=3D"_blank" style=3D"color:rgb(17,85,204)">http://iocose.org</a></font></p=
></div>
<div>
<div><div><br></div>
</div></div></div>

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