TECHNOVIKING ARCHIVE

Archive for research on the Technoviking Meme, 2000-2013

Matthias Fritsch researched the internet history of his video Kneecam No.1 aka Technoviking from it’s production until it became popular a popular Internet Meme with around 40 million registered and documented clicks on the internet and more than four thousand directly related video responses on YouTube. Today the archive contains more than 1000 single units and 10 GB of data in form of images, emails, blogs, forum discussions and a selection of video responses which are categorized to show the different attempts of the Web 2.0’s recycling culture. Because of an ongoing trial (personality rights vs freedom of art) neither the original video nor the full archive are available for public anymore.

The less risky examples from the archive are published in form of mashups or installations of the archive and lectures where Fritsch also shows some of the most interesting video responses. The artist illustrates new ways of production and distribution within user generated networks. From his experiences on the Technoviking Phenomenon Fritsch developed his following Work Music from the Masses which is ongoing since 2008.

Ever since the attention on the video and it’s versions is high up and hundreds of remix versions and responses to the video are still being published in the internet. Fans continue to imitate the video’s dramaturgy and re-enacted it in their homes, in clubs or on the streets. A selection of transformations and re-enactments is published on the website Technoviking.tv. For educational purposes Fritsch is touring to festivals and conferences in order to present his research on the meme and to talk about the internet’s Web 2.0 culture.