I was reading curious essays from UNTITLED issue 11 (fall 2025) that had bunch of texts filed under common headline
Noise and online life as subject matter. There are interesting points made in four different takes about it, but most of all, I found myself almost amused to think how diametrically different feelings I would have about it.
As example, I don't share sort of nostalgia about shopping malls like Chris Gibson does. Indeed, the decayed malls are somewhat interesting reminder of changing lifestyles of people, yet I never understood the idea of "hanging out at mall". I always associated that the UG misfits of all kind, pretty much loathed the idea of spending your free time... at the mall? When just about entire world is out there, it would seems like example of simple minded mainstream kids to have no other idea than.. "lets meet at the mall". Yet, in context of noise and in context of quickly decaying form of society, of course it has interesting elements.
However, more curious I felt about mr. Henteleff text titled "Noise about the internet". I have to recommend buying the zine, as I can't really cut & paste or elaborate all the ideas of the piece. What captured my attention, enough to actually read it twice, just to make sure I did got the main points right... was that it really does conclude that:
QuotePeople are naturally drawn towards art that reflects and gives meaning to their experiences. As the internet's share of our lives grows, creative works that incorporate it effectively will become more relevant, and those that do not will seem antiquated. It is therefore essential that, if this thing we like is to continue being important to us, it takes on subject matter that is significant to us. Otherwise, we will move on and Noise will be left as a novelty.
Text does mention noise does incorporate elements synonymous with being online. I am wondering that is really non-internet, non-virtual antiquated? For me, perhaps due elements of industrial culture, noise is associated with critic to contemporary society and what constitutes as expected lifestyle. I see more and more noise folks that actually drop out. Especially they drop out of social media, but also highly limit their screen time and experiences. Dropping out from consuming internet streams, and so on on and...
They do it exactly for reason that
internet share of our lives grows, and most often has become counterproductive in terms of experience.
In recent times, it was largely discussed how all the hit art exhibitions in Finland were the ones, that museum not only had something visually suitable for social media, but actively encouraged people to do so. Pieces that can be experienced in form of someone posting selfie to IG, with that particular cool piece seen simultaneously. In some ways, it was success. A lot of people coming in. A lot of people enjoying. A lot of media attention. Free-of-charge street team of people promoting the exhibition. Problem was mainly, that this approach was counterproductive towards art that is meant to be experienced, thought of, not manifesting itself in tiny phone screen size image. Many argued that art got lost into this somewhat meaningless media consumption. Suddenly it was more about people posting selfies online, display of being there, and people watching online this happening, while amount of people who would go to experience art was way smaller than amount of people who are more or less "content creators" for internet.
I always considered noise as extensions of something real. As ways of making it, being physical, concrete, something you invested time, energy and commitment. As listener, you'd dive deep, indeed like the essay says "being drawn towards art that reflects and gives meaning". I know some people prefer dreaming or escapism etc, I have noticed more the opposite? Escapism often endorses turning away from real life; opposite comes with finding the meaning, light and beauty within what one felt like escaping from OR creating the new reality. Within noise, many times, there is the new, preferably non-virtual life. Some have social life there, some don't. For some it connects to their lifestyles, surroundings etc.
I am sure there are ton of people who lives lifestyle where
internet really is what gives the meaning. I just can't really get it and I see a lot of people who appear to be the same. None of them really die hard luddites or antiquated. Many appear more like... progressed. Seeing how internet share of live is already too much and to give all the rest to it, is not going backwards or staying behind, but progress.
If I see band or artist address internet as topic or theme, it is largely turn off. One that did make me wonder was one of the ideas why internet experience as topic of noise might be less popular was hypothesis that
Noise is relative unpopular, so there are fewer people coming into the genre with new ideas.Aaarrggg... I mean, internet experience as idea, I would assume that big part of pornographic noise is exactly that? There is a lot of internet experience as intrinsic quality of noise themes, yet I would assume its like artists who got into topic from book, despite THE BOOK as topic could be done, but most often what really matter is what is inside the book, not book as format and as means of experiencing the world?
Anyways, long rant, but points: Untitled #11 - recommended!
Internet experience as topic of noise, opinions?
