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Conversation with Aleksy in an ACTA kitchen 7 feb 2024 (recorded from memory): I wanted to ask you, this is gonna sound really stupid and cringe, like really "fellow kids", but where do you think "meme culture" is heading? People often think of the characters with impact text from the early 2010s , right, but then at some point the wojaks came from 4chan, they got really mainstream a few years ago. And then there was weirdcore, do you know it?

Yes.

It's not meant to be funny per se, but I still think it counts as a meme. But then what? What is happening next.

I don't think it's a dumb question at all, I think it's super interesting, speculating about what's happening. I don't know right now, there is a lot of military propaganda. Like US army recruitment, and they will have like a thirst trap girl on tiktok. And this has been appropriated and made fun of.

I also saw these ironic videos like *hot girl voice* "do you also hate walkable cities?"

Yes, I saw them too, but they've been around for a while I think. I have chinese tiktok, I love chinese social media culture. I started listening to these chinese EDM artists, it's terrible, but so good at the same time. It's like hyperpop in a way, but totally sincere. No irony or self awareness.
follow-up conversation (online) (abridged for clarity) [11:59 em, 2024-02-11] Einar: hey you mentioned something about like military propaganda in memes the other day [11:59 em, 2024-02-11] Einar: would you have an example by any chance? [0:01 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: lmaooo [0:01 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: hold on a sec //www.instagram.com/haylujan/ [0:07 fm, 2024-02-12] Einar: this is really good [0:09 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: an acquaintance of mine is making some works about this shit, one of which will be at the exhibition im a part of so i can send u some more then [0:10 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: https://www.instagram.com/david_varhegyi/ [0:21 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: i feel like there isnt too much internet culture related stuff in rietveld cause a lot of it is edgy and then the teachers tell u its insensitive or whatever [0:22 fm, 2024-02-12] Einar: hmmm yeah but I feel like its really relevant, like its a shame [0:23 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: like not once have i had a moment when the teacher was freaked out about the work i made [0:23 fm, 2024-02-12] Einar: freaked out how? [0:24 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: i made a work about this [0:24 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz93YHXIr4k/?img_index=1 [0:24 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: this is the work btw [0:25 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: and it took a lot of explaining and convincing for them to not find it offensive [0:26 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: even though i come from a position where its especially appropriate for me to comment on this shit [0:27 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: (closeted queer person who had their alpha gym era) [0:27 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: or when i put a joe rogan elon musk podcast in a coomcave set i made [0:27 fm, 2024-02-12] Einar: aaaah this is great [0:28 fm, 2024-02-12] Einar: hmmm , yeah, but I kinda feel like [0:28 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: or now when i wanna make anime figurines out of lab grown meat and eveeryone is like uuhhh ohhhhh thats fucked [0:28 fm, 2024-02-12] Einar: its normal for there to be a generational gap [0:28 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: well yea but world changes and art must adapt [0:29 fm, 2024-02-12] Einar: yes, but its more abnormal that students aren't really bringing new things [0:29 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: otherwise youre gonna have the same shit over and over again like you currently see during the grad shows [0:29 fm, 2024-02-12] Einar: and i think this is bc art school became this trendy thing [0:30 fm, 2024-02-12] Aleksy: yea i think a lot of ppl are more focused on art school aesthetics and being cool rather than making work