The man from Neen | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Neen is a name to evoke a movement. It's not only art. It's also social and philosophical/lifestyle. Actually, there are two names: Neen and Telic.

Hold on! You had a big press conference and you unveiled "Neen." Everything has been Neen. Please explain.

Here's some background: Almost two years ago, we commissioned from Lexicon Branding a new word which was supposed to define any artistic experience relative to the computer screen. In fact, they proposed [to] us "Telic," a very convincing and sophisticated term invented by the human staff of the company. But we decided to acquire, and introduce, a name which their machines coined. This was "Neen," a palindrome created by a computer program after they [fed] it with words such as "screen" and let it run the different combinations. Neen, which by coincidence in old Greek means "exactly now, not a second later," was a controversial name. Only a few people felt that it was proper to call themselves Neensters and [call] what they do Neen, and this was because most of us, myself included unfortunately, are still doing a lot of Telic.

Are you now saying that choosing "Neen" was a mistake?

No!!! Our times are Telic. But we want to see more Neen happen.

What's the difference? How do you define Telic?

Telic is [related to] the tools which help us design the world and see things in a perspective. Telic is constructive: Anything related with a job is Telic. People [who] are busy with aesthetics, but who also have jobs and clients, are Telic. But sometimes these Telics produce very important Neen. It's usually a small detail which they hide inside the nightmare of their job. Telic is serious: It makes sense or it's a "sense wannabe." People recognize it easily and trust it.

And Neen?

Neen, instead, is Telic that went nuts: You wouldn't believe that it's possible and even [those] who [make] it cannot easily repeat it. But Neen looks great. There are a few 100 percent Neensters, people without a specific profession who linger around us. Telic is Giacometti, Neen is Fontana. Nature is Telic and miracles are Neen. [But] miracles which have a purpose become Telic.

Can you show me a few examples of Neen?

Neen is Telic that went wrong. Unpredictable Telic. A thing you cannot decide if it's worth it or not but it impresses you anyway and you cannot live without it. [Here's an] egomaniac who made a round Explorer window and put himself in the center of the net-world. Boyinstatic.com has a gold frame. It's a Neen color when you see it on the Web. Biribiri.com is a computer which says "Whoops" like somebody who gets surprised. The screen blinks. This is the guy who designed whitneybiennial.com. [He's] 21 years old: a Neenster. Also: lonliness.org, lostpixel.com, magicrobot.org, maiueda.com, mikecalvert.org, whitetrash.nl and uncontrol. This is looking in real time directly inside the public subconscious. A window. It's the most cool public project I have ever seen. They should install it permanently in Times Square!

How about some examples of Telic stuff?

[It's] intellectual and aesthetic stuff related with the computer screen. The best of those. Serious and focused. Professional. These people -- gratisdesign.com, jetset.nl, futurefarmers.com, ourmachine.com -- are doing great stuff, but they have a profession and their things seem destined to respond to a demand. This ruins the Neen in them and lets Telic prevail. Also, some of them are using a lot of references of '70s design and déjà-vu: That's Telic. Golan Levin [does] music and Neen [which equals] Telic. But he is one of the best artists around anyway. We love his Telic! Turux.org could be Neen, maybe they are. But they look somehow Telic.

Is the Neen stuff better than the Telic stuff?

Definitely. We should all try to be more Neen than Telic. But Telic is important. This interview is Telic, Neen doesn't really speak.

So, you aspire to Neen?

Yes, because I like surprises and disorder.

Are you the leader of this movement? You came up -- or hired someone to come up -- with a name for it after all.

I see myself more as the cleaning lady of the movement instead of a leader.

But you are spearheading the activities related to Neen -- or Telic.

Yes: In our age, cleaning ladies also do propaganda.

What is the objective of the propaganda?

To change [the] situation and be useful, in a non-useful way. Glory is the simulation of such a strange usefulness.