ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Matt Kenyon - New media artist
From a plant that lives or dies based on stock prices to an oilcan that flows backward, Matt Kenyon creates art that startles, amuses and challenges assumptions.

Why you should listen

Matt Kenyon works at the intersection of art and technology, creating pieces that question society’s large, complex systems — from our reliance on global corporations and oil, to the military-industrial complex. His works include: “SPORE 1.1,” a self-sustaining ecosystem for a rubber tree, purchased from The Home Depot and watered in conjunction with Home Depot stock prices; “Supermajor,” a collection of vintage oilcans with droplets of oil that defy gravity and flow back into a punctured hole; and ”Notepad,” a commemoration of the Iraqi civilians who died as a result of the US-led invasion, printed in the lines of what appear to be your average, everyday legal pads. 

Kenyon creates these projects through SWAMP, or Studies of Work Atmosphere and Mass Production. He teaches art at the University of Michigan's Stamps School of Art & Design.

More profile about the speaker
Matt Kenyon | Speaker | TED.com
TED2015

Matt Kenyon: A secret memorial for civilian casualties

馬特.肯楊: 我是如何將伊拉克平民受難紀念碑偷偷運進美國政府的

Filmed:
861,905 views

據估計,有15萬到一百萬伊拉克平民死於2003年由美國領頭的伊拉克入侵行動。藝術家馬特.肯楊想為他們立一座紀念碑。不過,與其去建造一個巨大的石頭柱子,他的紀念碑尺寸很小,易於複製。他花了五年時間將這些「紀念碑」偷偷運進權力中心——包括直接將它塞進時任美國檢查總長的手中,這個過程被拍攝記錄下來。
- New media artist
From a plant that lives or dies based on stock prices to an oilcan that flows backward, Matt Kenyon creates art that startles, amuses and challenges assumptions. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
There's this quote引用 by activist活動家 and punk朋克
rock musician音樂家 Jello果凍 Biafra比夫拉 that I love.
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我喜歡引用激進主義分子及
朋克音樂家杰羅.比夫拉說的一句話。
00:18
He says, "Don't hate討厭 the media媒體.
Be the media媒體."
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他說:「不要憎恨媒體,要成為媒體。」
00:23
I'm an artist藝術家.
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我是一個藝術家。
00:24
I like working加工 with media媒體 and technology技術
because A, I'm familiar with them
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我喜歡與媒體與科技工作。
因為A:我熟悉它們,
00:29
and I like the power功率 they hold保持.
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喜歡它們的力量。
00:31
And B, I hate討厭 them and I'm terrified
of the power功率 they hold保持.
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B:我憎恨它們,並恐懼於它們的力量。
00:35
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
00:37
I remember記得 watching觀看, in 2003, an interview訪問
between之間 Fox狐狸 News新聞 host主辦 Tony托尼 Snow
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我記得在2003年看到的一個採訪,
是在福克斯新聞主持人托尼.史諾
00:42
and then-US當時的美國 Defense防禦 Secretary秘書,
Donald唐納德 Rumsfeld拉姆斯菲爾德.
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與美國國防部部長
[唐納德.拉姆斯菲爾德]之間進行。
00:47
They were talking
about the recent最近 invasion侵入 of Iraq伊拉克,
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它們談論當時對伊拉克的入侵,
00:50
and Rumsfeld拉姆斯菲爾德 is asked the question,
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拉姆斯菲爾德被問及這個問題,
00:53
"Well, we're hear about our body身體 counts計數,
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「我們聽說了我方的傷亡統計,
00:55
but we never hear about theirs他們的, why?"
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卻從來沒能得知他們的傷亡情況。這是爲什麽?」
00:59
And Rumsfeld's拉姆斯菲爾德 answer回答 is,
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拉姆斯菲爾德回答道,
01:03
"Well, we don't do body身體 counts計數
on other people."
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「是的,我們不做對方的傷亡統計。」
01:07
Right?
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是麼?
01:09
It's estimated預計 that between之間 150,000
to one million百萬 Iraqis伊拉克人, civilians老百姓,
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據估計15萬到100萬伊拉克平民
01:14
have died死亡 as a result結果
of the US-led以美國為首的 invasion侵入 in 2003.
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死於2003年美國主導的入侵。
01:19
That number is in stark與之形成鮮明 contrast對比 with
the 4,486 US service服務 members會員 who died死亡
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這個數字與同一時期死亡的4486個武裝人員
01:25
during that same相同 window窗口 of time.
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形成鮮明對比。
01:28
I wanted to do more than just bring帶來
awareness意識 to this terrifying可怕的 number.
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我想做的,不僅是帶來對這個可怕數字的認識,
01:32
I wanted to create創建 a monument紀念碑
for the individual個人 civilians老百姓
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還想為平民們創造紀念碑,
01:35
who died死亡 as a result結果 of the invasion侵入.
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為死於入侵的平民們。
01:39
Monuments紀念碑 to war戰爭,
such這樣 as Maya瑪雅 Lin's Vietnam越南 Memorial紀念館,
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對戰爭的紀念碑,
比如林瓔女士的越戰退伍軍人紀念碑,
01:42
are often經常 enormous巨大 in scale規模.
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總是非常巨大,
01:44
Very powerful強大 and very one-sided片面.
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非常有力量的,又是非常單方面的。
01:48
I wanted my monument紀念碑 to live生活
in the world世界, and to circulate流通.
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我想讓我的紀念物能生存於世界上並能夠傳播。
01:54
I remember記得 when I was a boy男孩 in school學校,
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我記得當我在學校時,
01:57
my teacher老師 assigned分配 us
this classic經典 civics公民 assignment分配
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老師分配給我們一個經典的公民教育作業,
02:01
where you take a sheet of paper
and you write a member會員 of your government政府.
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拿一張紙,寫一封信給政府的一個成員,
02:06
And we were told,
if we wrote a really good letter,
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並且,我們被告知,
如果能寫一封真正的好信,
02:08
if we really thought about it,
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如果真正認真考慮了怎麼寫,
02:10
we would get back more than just
a simple簡單 formed形成 letter as a reply回复.
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除了正式回信,還會得到別的東西。
02:16
This is my "Notepad記事本."
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這是我的“筆記簿”。
02:19
What looks容貌 like an everyday每天,
yellow黃色 legal法律 tablet片劑 of paper
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它看起來是日常用的黃色法律筆記簿的紙張,
02:22
is actually其實 a monument紀念碑
to the individual個人 Iraqi伊拉克人 civilians老百姓
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實際上是對伊拉克平民的紀念物,
02:25
that died死亡 as a result結果 of the US invasion侵入.
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他們死於美國的入侵,
02:30
"Notepad記事本" is an act法案 of protest抗議
and an act法案 of commemoration紀念活動
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“筆記簿”是一個保護及紀念的行動,
02:34
disguised偽裝 as an everyday每天 tablet片劑 of paper.
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它被偽裝成為日常的筆記簿用紙,
02:38
The lines of the paper, when magnified放大,
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紙張的線條,當被放大時,
02:42
are revealed透露 to be micro-printed微印刷 text文本
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則變成是微小打印的文字,
02:44
that contains包含 the details細節, the names,
the dates日期 and locations地點
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有死去的伊拉克平民的詳細信息,
02:49
of individual個人 Iraqi伊拉克人 civilians老百姓 that died死亡.
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包括名字,日期和地點。
02:54
So, for the last 5 years年份, I've been taking服用
pads of this paper, tons of this stuff東東,
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所以,5年來,我持續填補這種紙張,
使用大量原料,
02:58
and smuggling走私 it
into the stationery文具 supplies耗材
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並偷偷將其混入
美國的與聯邦政府的
03:01
of the United聯合的 States狀態
and the Coalition聯盟 governments政府.
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信紙供應處。
03:04
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
03:05
(Applause掌聲)
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(鼓掌喝彩)
03:14
I don't have to tell you guys this is not
the place地點 to discuss討論 how I did that.
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在這裡我不能告訴大家我是怎麼做的。
03:18
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
03:20
But also, I've been meeting會議 one-on-one一對一
with members會員 and former前任的 members會員
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我也單獨與【意志聯盟】的成員及前成員見面,
03:26
of the so-called所謂 Coalition聯盟 of the Willing願意,
who assisted輔助 in the invasion侵入.
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他們支持入侵行動。
03:31
And so, whenever每當 I can,
I meet遇到 with one of them,
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所以,不管何時只要可能,
我都能碰到他們中的一個,
03:33
and I share分享 the project項目 with them.
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並且與它們分享這個案子。
03:35
And last summer夏季, I had the chance機會 to meet遇到
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去年夏天,我有機會碰到了
03:37
with former前任的 United聯合的 States狀態 Attorney律師 General一般
and Torture拷打 Memo備忘錄 author作者, Alberto阿爾貝托 Gonzales岡薩雷斯.
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前美國司法部長以及《刑訊備忘錄》的作者
阿爾伯托.岡薩雷斯。
03:44
(Video視頻) Matt馬特 Kenyon肯揚:
May可能 I give this to you?
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(視頻)
馬特.肯揚:我能給你這個嗎?
03:46
This is a special特別 legal法律 tablet片劑.
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這是一本特殊的法律筆記簿,
03:48
It's actually其實 part部分
of an ongoing不斷的 art藝術 project項目.
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實際上是正在進行的一個藝術專案的一部分。
03:51
Alberto阿爾貝托 Gonzalez岡薩雷斯:
This is a special特別 legal法律 pad?
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阿爾伯托.岡薩雷斯:特殊的法律筆記簿?
03:54
MKMK: Yes. You won't慣於 believe me,
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馬特.肯揚:是的,也許你不相信我,
03:55
but it's in the collection採集 of the Museum博物館
of Modern現代 Art藝術; I'm an artist藝術家.
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它是現代藝術博物館的一個收藏品,我是藝術家。
阿爾伯托.岡薩雷斯:好的。
03:59
MKMK: And all of the lines
of the paper are actually其實 --
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馬特.肯揚:紙上的所有線條實際上——
04:02
AGAG: Are they going to disappear消失?
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阿爾伯托.岡薩雷斯:它們會消失嗎?
04:03
MKMK: No, they're micro-printed微印刷 text文本
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馬特.肯揚:不會,它們是微打印的文字,
04:06
that contains包含 the names
of individual個人 Iraqi伊拉克人 civilians老百姓
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包括每個死於對伊拉克的入侵的
04:10
who have died死亡 since以來 the invasion侵入 of Iraq伊拉克.
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伊拉克平民的名字。
04:13
AGAG: Yeah. OK.
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阿爾伯托.岡薩雷斯:這樣,好的。
04:16
AGAG: Thank you. MKMK: Thank you.
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阿爾伯托.岡薩雷斯:謝謝。
馬特.肯揚:謝謝。
04:18
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
04:20
The way he says "thank you"
really creeps蠕動 me out.
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他說謝謝的方式使我毛骨悚然。
04:23
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
04:25
OK, so I'd like each of you
to look under your chairs椅子.
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好像,大家都看看大家的椅子下面,
04:28
There's an envelope信封.
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有一個信封,
04:32
And please open打開 it.
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請打開。
04:38
The paper you're holding保持 in your hand
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你們拿在手裡的紙張,
04:41
contains包含 the details細節 of Iraqi伊拉克人 civilians老百姓
that died死亡 as result結果 of the invasion侵入.
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記錄了死於伊拉克入侵的伊拉克平民的詳細資訊。
04:50
I'd like you to use this paper
and write a member會員 of government政府.
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希望大家用這張紙,寫信給政府的某個人。
04:54
You can help to smuggle走私
this civilian平民 body身體 count計數
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大家能夠幫忙使得這個受害平民的統計資訊
04:58
into government政府 archives檔案.
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能夠偷偷潛入政府的檔案。
05:01
Because every一切 letter
that's sent發送 in to the government政府,
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因為每封寄給政府的信,
05:05
and this is all across橫過
the world世界, of course課程 --
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涵蓋全世界的來信,
05:07
every一切 letter that is sent發送 in
is archived存檔, filed提交 and recorded記錄.
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都會被存檔,歸檔並標記。
05:13
Together一起, we can put this in the mailboxes郵箱
and under the noses鼻子 of people in power功率.
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我們能共同把這些紙投入郵箱,
擺在權力人士的面前。
05:19
Everything that's sent發送 in
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每一封來信
05:21
eventually終於 becomes part部分 of the permanent常駐
archive檔案 of our government政府,
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最終會成為政府的永久性檔案的一部分,
05:27
our shared共享 historical歷史的 record記錄.
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是我們共享的歷史記錄。
05:30
Thank you.
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謝謝。
05:31
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲喝彩)
05:42
Tom湯姆 Rielly裡利: So, tell me Matt馬特,
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湯姆.里利:馬特,告訴我們,
05:43
how did this idea理念
come into your head, of "Notepad記事本"?
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你是如何產生”記錄簿“這個想法的?
05:49
Matt馬特 Kenyon肯揚: I'd just finished a project項目
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馬特.肯揚:那時我剛剛完成了一個案子
05:51
that dealt處理 with
the US Coalition聯盟 side of the war戰爭
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是戰爭中美國聯盟方面的業務,
05:55
and it was a black黑色 armband臂章 that was called
the "Improvised即興 Empathetic感情移入的 Device設備"
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它是一個黑色的臂章,被稱為”即時移情設備“,
06:00
which哪一個 accumulated積累, in real真實 time,
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能實時地累計
06:03
the names, ranks行列,
cause原因 of death死亡 and location位置
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名字,等級,死因以及位置信息,
06:07
of US service服務 members會員
who had died死亡 overseas海外,
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死於海外的美國服役人員的,
06:09
and each time the Department of Defense防禦
or CENTCOMCENTCOM released發布 their data數據,
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並且,每次國防部或者CENT.COM發佈他們的數據,
06:13
it would stab me in the arm.
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刺痛了我們的手臂。
06:15
And so, I became成為 aware知道的
that there was a spectacle場面
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所以,我意識到了一件驚人的事情,
06:18
associated相關 with our own擁有 people
who were dying垂死 overseas海外,
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與我們自己人死於海外相連結的,
06:21
but a disproportionate不成比例
amount of casualties傷亡
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卻是一個不成比例的
06:24
were the civilian平民 casualties傷亡.
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平民傷亡數量。
06:26
TRTR: Thank you so much.
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湯姆.里利:非常感謝。
06:27
MKMK: Thank you.
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馬特.肯揚:謝謝。
06:28
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲歡呼)
Translated by Shoudong He
Reviewed by Karen SONG

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Matt Kenyon - New media artist
From a plant that lives or dies based on stock prices to an oilcan that flows backward, Matt Kenyon creates art that startles, amuses and challenges assumptions.

Why you should listen

Matt Kenyon works at the intersection of art and technology, creating pieces that question society’s large, complex systems — from our reliance on global corporations and oil, to the military-industrial complex. His works include: “SPORE 1.1,” a self-sustaining ecosystem for a rubber tree, purchased from The Home Depot and watered in conjunction with Home Depot stock prices; “Supermajor,” a collection of vintage oilcans with droplets of oil that defy gravity and flow back into a punctured hole; and ”Notepad,” a commemoration of the Iraqi civilians who died as a result of the US-led invasion, printed in the lines of what appear to be your average, everyday legal pads. 

Kenyon creates these projects through SWAMP, or Studies of Work Atmosphere and Mass Production. He teaches art at the University of Michigan's Stamps School of Art & Design.

More profile about the speaker
Matt Kenyon | Speaker | TED.com