William Powhida: Commenting Machine

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Commenting Machine

In 1993, Tim Hawkinson created his Signature Chair, a machine that churns out his signature questioning the nature of artistic identity and consciousness. In 2009, I present Commenting Machine, an art work which induces anonymous people to assume the identity of William Powhida and post comments in the artist's voice. I'm not sure it was harder to produce than Hawkinson's peice, at least technically, but it's taken years of annoying and shallow art to create the right conditions for Commenting Machine to come into existence.

William said...: You know Anon, I think you've really made me think. Maybe you helped me verbalize all my doubts. You really helped me move on. I am so glad you gave me all the attention. I just wish it was more positive. But hey, it's better then being ignored. I hope to have a new idea for some Art soon (note the capital A!).
Your Friend,
William.

Commenting Machine Number 1
Anonymous blogger, http://williampowhida.blogspot.com/2009/04/post-opening-malaise.html, previous work, hate
Dimensions unknown
2009
unlimited edition

William said...

Yes!!! I've won (ok, maybe I've just won the battle, not the war, I'm sure you'll defeat me at some point). I knew you'd try and use this all for your own work - it's just the type of Wanna be Sean Landers Cliche you'd pull, but the irony is your just posting my comments over and over for me and it's still not art!!! Yeah!! I love you willy. Thanks for getting me that show at Schroder and Romero. I look forward to seeing some drawings of my comments really soon. The thought of you spending time studying my blabber in order to render a silly drawing is amazing. Don't know if I'm willing to show in Seattle yet. I'm not down with no regional art scene. I had no idea they they are your primary dealers. Are you to good for 27th Street?
xoxo
William.

April 22, 2009 1:32 PM

Commenting Machine Number 2
Anonymous blogger, http://williampowhida.blogspot.com/2009/04/commenting-machine.html, previous work, hate
Dimensions unknown
2009
unlimited edition

William said...: Fine, you got me. I'm William Powhida.; April 23, 2009 7:05 PM

Commenting Machine Number 3 Anonymous blogger, http://williampowhida.blogspot.com/2009/04/commenting-machine.html, previous work, hate Dimensions unknown 2009 unlimited edition

william said...: I am xoxo William and I didn't write all these comments. Someone is ripping me off. WTF. Who is William #3? I'd like to invite you to the Hamptons for the William fan club tonight. All the artfag city peeps are coming. Mark Kostabi and Patrick Mimram are coming to.
xoxo
william; April 24, 2009 7:42 AM

Commenting Machine Number 4
Anonymous blogger, http://williampowhida.blogspot.com/2009/04/commenting-machine.html, previous work, hate
Dimensions unknown
2009
unlimited edition

william said...

I haven't died. I just need more fuel to move forward. Feels too much like masturbation to keep going by myself. Give me something good Willy and I'll give you plenty more to make your art with. Otherwise, you may force me into remission through boredom. I'll come back out when you start repeating yourself with some bad art and childish reads of contemporary theory. Or maybe I won't care enough to keep posting? But then if I don't play, it'd just be you and your crappy dealers sitting in your own feces (plus Eddy and Remsen). So sad.

April 29, 2009 6:48 PM

Commenting Machine Number 5
Anonymous blogger, http://williampowhida.blogspot.com/2009/04/commenting-machine.html, previous work, hate
Dimensions unknown
2009
unlimited edition

13 comments:

William said...: Yes!!! I've won (ok, maybe I've just won the battle, not the war, I'm sure you'll defeat me at some point). I knew you'd try and use this all for your own work - it's just the type of Wanna be Sean Landers Cliche you'd pull, but the irony is your just posting my comments over and over for me and it's still not art!!! Yeah!! I love you willy. Thanks for getting me that show at Schroder and Romero. I look forward to seeing some drawings of my comments really soon. The thought of you spending time studying my blabber in order to render a silly drawing is amazing. Don't know if I'm willing to show in Seattle yet. I'm not down with no regional art scene. I had no idea they they are your primary dealers. Are you to good for 27th Street?
xoxo
William.; April 22, 2009 at 4:32 PM
Anonymous said...: You've got to admit it, those comments are funny.; April 23, 2009 at 1:49 PM
William said...: And they sound like something William Powhida would say. I think the commenting machine is working perfectly, self-perpetuating insults.; April 23, 2009 at 2:18 PM
Anonymous said...: Why am I so brilliant, so witty, so incisive, so talented, so incredibly underappreciated and undiscovered by those whose approval and cash I crave?
It's a curse to be this aware.
A curse, I tell you.
Where is my medicine?
Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh.; April 23, 2009 at 6:02 PM
William said...: I love you!; April 23, 2009 at 6:03 PM
The Brooklyn Lab School Chefs said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; April 23, 2009 at 10:03 PM
William said...: Fine, you got me. I'm William Powhida.; April 23, 2009 at 10:05 PM
TR Remsen said...: Applause and high fives...; April 24, 2009 at 8:23 AM
william said...: I am xoxo William and I didn't write all these comments. Someone is ripping me off. WTF. Who is William #3? I'd like to invite you to the Hamptons for the William fan club tonight. All the artfag city peeps are coming. Mark Kostabi and Patrick Mimram are coming to.
xoxo
william; April 24, 2009 at 10:42 AM
William said...: What was:
Comment deleted
This post has been removed by the author.

xoxo
William (the real 2nd William); April 24, 2009 at 4:45 PM
william said...: I haven't died. I just need more fuel to move forward. Feels too much like masturbation to keep going by myself. Give me something good Willy and I'll give you plenty more to make your art with. Otherwise, you may force me into remission through boredom. I'll come back out when you start repeating yourself with some bad art and childish reads of contemporary theory. Or maybe I won't care enough to keep posting? But then if I don't play, it'd just be you and your crappy dealers sitting in your own feces (plus Eddy and Remsen). So sad.; April 29, 2009 at 9:48 PM
TR Remsen said...: Well my views on his work are from my own personal perspective, I try to support those people who support my work (especially since I come from an extension of the same passion as you and Mr. Powhida), we did collaborate together on a recent project, and it maintained and brought discussion on a view of one area of our niche, more than anything else. So I believe your sadness is only one perspective of variety among his work.; April 30, 2009 at 7:42 AM
zipthwung said...: I dont think being anonymous is "cowardly" (lke what, yuo are going to shoot me if I;m not "here?").

I'd say its more courageous to resist the status quo of name brands than to self promote via a blog (but not by much).

In fact, it just makes it hard to discount what is being said - even as it makes it easiier to discount.

SO in the end, I;d like to say there are a lot of "Sean Landers" types out there who never even heard of the dude.

For that matter, i've been doing myself for an embarrasing amount of time - and it feels good, really good.

Totally constructive, right? Fuck yeah.; May 8, 2009 at 1:03 AM

William Powhida

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Commenting Machine

13 comments:

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