Basically, its an art project requiring participation from all over the world. The sole purpose is to show a snapshot in time (your snapshot in time) using various themes that are posted on the site. Its relatively easy to upload a photo – I would say that choosing the photos to upload is the toughest part, but isn’t that always the case?
I think the most intense question, as always, is the “why”. To begin with, Duran Duran is and always has been a very visual band. This project certainly keeps with that theme. I can understand the partnership simply because the project is a form of participation art, and its innovative in that it utilizes the web to spread its message. As we all should know by now, one of the major (if not the most central) theme(s) to All You Need is Now is enjoying the moment. Live life in the moment you’re in – don’t look back, don’t look forward, just enjoy the now. That’s what this project is to represent. What is your NOW looking like?
I can already read the email and comments I’m going to get when I admit I’ve yet to upload a single photo myself. I suppose the easiest thing to do would be to simply take a picture with my computer and just send it in. (Following one of the predetermined themes of course…that oddly enough coincide with many different words fans should recognize. “Sunrise”, “Beautiful”, “Moon”, “Information”, and “Red” to name but a few of the very recognizable themes.) I thought of doing that yesterday, and then somehow got sidetracked. I checked the site fairly early in my day, and then again before I went to bed last night to see just how many pictures had been uploaded, and at that time there didn’t seem to be that many. I would imagine that for many fans – the holidays are still taking precedence, and perhaps the site will see more activity after this next weekend. For me, its simply that I’m overwhelmed by the amount of pictures I have on my computer and finding the right one(s) to send. In short, I’m overthinking the task. Again. If only I’d grouped my pictures by themes such as “Sunrise”, “Moon”, “Information”…..well, you get the idea!
Upon looking around on Facebook and even Twitter, the project isn’t getting a lot of discussion. Those that have received the email seem to be less than interested, and when met with the task of actually watching an instructional video on how to participate, most fans didn’t bother. I can’t blame them on one hand, it’s not as though you really need to watch a video to participate (its somewhat akin to uploading a photo to Facebook), but on the other, I suspect the lack of interest is simply that – a general lack of interest beyond the music, the videos and the shows.
In all fairness, not every fan is going to be excited or interested in supporting every single project. For example, I am less-than-excited by the “supposed (Are you reading, Mr. Rhodes?) 2012 release” of TV Mania. I’m more interested to see if Nick will really follow through and get it released than I am by the project itself….but I’m also prepared to eat those words if need be. I like being wrong when it comes to Nick. We will see. How about Drama Americana, anyone?!? (No Nick, we still haven’t forgotten about that one!) That aside, it would seem that anything requiring extra work of the fans, especially if a show isn’t directly involved, tends to wane in popularity. Curiously, I have to wonder if this project will not follow the same path. Fans tend to ask what they will get out of it, and I did see many wonder if the band themselves will follow suit and post their own pictures. (not a horrible idea – and it would definitely spur more activity) Time will tell.
I have to commend the band for thinking out of the box and supporting art projects such as these – in this day and age – I find very, very little of that here in my country. The arts really suffer here, and as a musician and a mother of an student who goes to an arts based high school, I applaud them. I wish more bands and artists would partner with SCHOOLS in this nature. That’s just a hint for something the band to consider doing in the future….
-R
