Everything Always Everywhere

everything always everywhere by Rafaël Rozendaal

Rafaël Rozendaal everything always everywhere (2013)

Artist Biography

Rafaël was born in 1980 of Dutch and Brazilian decent. Currently he lives and works in New York.

Rafaël Rozendaal is a visual artist whose expansive use of the internet and domain names has brought a high amount of traffic to his artworks. Although his artistic practice consists most notably of websites, he also utilizes installations, writings, lenticulars, and lectures.

Summary

"everything always everywhere" is the title and domain name of one of Rafaël Rozendaal's online artworks. The piece features endlessly moving gradients of black, blue, and white, that depict a simplified view of ocean waters. The top section remains static, acting as the sky. From the lower part of this skyline, or horizon, comes horizontal lines slowly descending down the webpage, expanding the distance between the next line the further it moves down, giving the illusion that these "waves" are coming towards the viewer.

Critical Analysis

Upon first glance there is no question that the descending gradients of blue represent the washing tide of a nameless ocean. Despite its metronomic movements, there's a pleasant comfort in its drifting and almost familiar continuation. Although a depiction of something natural, Rozendaal's piece is heavily rooted in a self-awareness of technology. The ocean is a visual-representation of the internet. Expansive, deep, and full of unknown - open to exploration. Exploration that the current viewer of his work is acting out. A circle of reflexivity tested. His choice to allow the waves to push forward without end speaks volumes to the extent of content being added continuously everyday. Social media websites alone harbour a staggering amount of content uploaded at such a rapid pace that it would simply be impossible to view every photo and watch every video even if they played immediately upon upload. Although a serene scene is presented, the abyss within is as beguiling as old sailor's tales of alluring sea women.

Exhibition Technique

Presented over the internet, everything always everywhere remains as potent in its meaning as its being. Constructed as a website under the domain name everythingalwayseverywhere.com, Rafaël was utilizing the smartest and most prolific form of offering his artwork. Not only is the internet globally accessible but it is trafficked beyond any glimmer of comparison to some of the World's largest art galleries. This widespread distribution is something reflected in the content of his piece as he's looking into exploring what is the internet and where will it go. Its seas go unmapped as there does not appear to be any end to these confines. No logic to tell us whether it's flat or round. Rafaël Rozendaal put context to his work, and inherently this piece, during a talk at the 2014 DLD (Digital-Life-Design) Conference in New York, "I'm fascinated by this idea that the internet is a new canvas, and it doesn't have a fixed size... A website should be like gas. It just fills up a potential space."

everything always everywhere, 2013. Online Artwork, Rafaël Rozendaal

References

Wiki Authors

• Brock Newman