Aug 27, 2014
Reading Response 5
Jospeh Tate's compelling essay 'Radiohead's Antivideos: Works of Art in the Age of Electronic Reproduction' explores the aesthetics of 'test specimens' in computer animated videos titled 'antivideos', 10-30 second videos released on the internet along with Radiohead's Kid A. The test specimens, wide-eyed bears with murderous grins punctuated the art of Radiohead from CD packaging to website images and promotional stickers. Although reminiscent of character-mascots that establish a product's brand identity the bears are read as protagonists in a self-referential aesthetic that parodies the band's commodification and the operation of capitol at large.