Biography

VNS Matrix emerged from the cyberswamp during a Southern Australian Summer circa 1991... They make works which ironically integrate theory with popular culture. The impetus of the group is to investigate and decipher the narratives of domination and control which surround high technological culture, and explore the construction of social space, identity and sexuality in cyberspace. They believe that by hijacking the tools of domination and control those groups which have been traditionally alienated from high technologies by virtue of class, race or gender can introduce a rupture into a highly systematised culture. Infecting the machines with radical thought diverts them from their inherent purpose of linear topdown mastery, creating new uncolonised and inherently anarchic spaces for the exchange of ideas and information, and cultural expression. VNS Matrix are Josephine Starrs, Francesca da Rimini, Julianne Pierce - with thanks and appreciation to Virginia Barratt. VNS Matrix is a self-governing system, replicating in dangerous and unexpected ways, coming soon to a terminal near you ...

email: jules@sysx.apana.org.au

http://sysx.apana.org.au/artists/vns/

Quotes

VNS Matrix
Gender Hacking

Interview with gashgirl, Josephine Starrs and Julianne Pierce by Nova Delhunty:

Julianne: "At the same time as we started using the concept of cyberfeminism, it also began to appear in other parts of the world. It was like a spontaneous meme which emerged at around the same time, as a response to ideas like "cyberpunk" which were popular at the time. Since then the meme has spread rapidly and is certainly an idea which has been embraced by many women who are engaged with techno theory and practice. (...) The concept has grown and expanded as many different people develop the ideas of cyberfeminism - the meme ebbs and flows as it is shaped by artists, wirters, theorists and even publishers. I think also that it is important as a "feminism". Having become quite unfashionable in the last few years, feminism has been re-shaped by cyberfeminism into a contemporary mould. Feminism does really need to adapt and change to contemporary thought, and cyberfeminism has put issues which are important to women on the techno-agenda. Cyberfeminists are not anti-technology, on the contrary, they are technophiles and geeks who can't get enough of their machines."