Constant Dullaart, Artist, Netherlands, 1979

The Dutch artist Constant Dullaart (1979) studied at the Rietveld Academy and worked as a ‘resident’ at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. Although he initially made video art, he is now primarily known for his newer internet-based work. Dullaart is fascinated by this medium, and makes the software structures and recognizable symbols his subjects. On-line standard presentation settings, logos and other digital elements are treated as ‘found footage’ and worked into installations, performances, videos and websites. Fitting into the tradition of the formalistic approach of other net artists, Dullaart uses this approach to expose the inner workings of the medium. Who is it who really determines on-line visual language? How powerful are massive corporations like Google and Adobe? What behaviors and actions do they force users to perform? By having the Google start page revolve in the image in ‘The Revolving Internet’ (2010) or by having the YouTube play button bounce around in ‘YouTube DVD Bounce’ (2008), he appropriates the visual vocabulary and investigates the possibilities for users. By bringing the framework of the medium to life, he offers a new way of seeing virtual reality. In addition to taking the internet as the subject for his work, Dullaart also lets it function as the platform for presenting his work directly to the public. His work has also been exhibited at MassMOCA, the New Museum in New York, Autocenter and Grimmuseum in Berlin, and De Appel, NIMk, W139, and the Stedelijk Museum in The Netherlands. He regularly acts as a curator, and teaches at art academies and universities. Dullaart lives and works in Berlin.

Winner of the Filmfonds DocLab Interactive Grant 2023