Artist Lecture: Mark Cooley

Mark Cooley's work is somewhat based in the political world. He focuses on ideas that surround the US Government and foreign policy, the linking of the Government and corporations. A descent portion of his work as been installation and interactive pieces. The interactive process allows viewers to think about the subject they are presented with in a different way and really start communicating their thoughts on the work. Some of Cooley's work such as that found in the "Bad Dreams" collection are meant to remove the viewer from the outside world and transcend their current state of being so that they may interact directly with the art. Cooley's work really seems to concentrate on providing viewers with a different way of looking at the world and the things that go on within it. It also seems to attempt to bring people together so that a dialogue may take place and release an abundance of ideas and various point of views. One of Cooley's projects titled "Calling America" asked viewers to keep a journal and call into a site to leave a message. This project was very interactive with the viewers and it was actually the viewers who were the work. They transformed from being viewers to being subjects. This project also provided a common ground for people from all over to share and communicate. Cooley's work seems to work as an information tool which provides viewers with a new way of looking at the things and as a place from which conversation may grow.