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Digital
Totem Pole With the year 2000 coming up, major changes within technology
and science are taking place. This gave me the idea for the Digital
Totem Pole. The Digital Totem Pole is the new god of our society. It
dominates our lives through the medium of the IT world, mass information
and the new technology which is taking over the whole world--permeating
all areas of society from industry, the universities, politics and the
cultural spheres. I want to say two things with the Digital Totem Pole.
First, I want to enlighten people to the fact that the new technology
can be used within all different kinds of areas. Secondly, that all
computers are dependent on electric current, which, if cut off, can
destroy all the work done and eradicate important information. There
is also a danger with computers. They can eliminate closeness and love
between people. To enhance my two messages, I asked two poets to write
a poem each based on the Digital Totem Pole. Reza Rezvani, traqnslator
and poet, wrote about the first message in a serious and jokingly ironic
tone of voice. Anna Franklin, journalist and poet, wrote instead about
the second message, drawing a parallel with the original totem poles
The Digital Totem Pole was first shown at a public open-air exhibition
called 'Brusa lilla å..' ('Rush on you little stream...'), part of the
Cultural City of Europe Year 1998, in Uppsala. After that it was shown
at an exhibition in the Botanics in Uppsala. The exhibition which brought
scientists and artists together in common themes went under the name
of 'Colour and Seeing'.
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