When I was born, my mum initially wanted to name me Marcus Brutus, which would have been interesting to carry around with me through school and while living on the council estate. I suspect my survival chances would have been worth studying. How many other children have been given names that set them up to be bullied or experience particular issues due to what others see as silly names? Elon Musk and Grimes named a daughter, Exa Dark Sideræl, whom they call “Y,” and their son, X Æ A-Xii, who goes by “X.” I’m surprised Musk did not name his son Darth Vader.
I was born on the 15th of March, the infamous Ides of March, in Billericay Hospital. Roman senators murdered Julius Caesar at a senate meeting, and his friends betrayed him, Marcus Junius Brutus and Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus. A nurse persuaded my mum not to give me this name, so I was called Marc instead. My father, Barry, was not present at the hospital for my birth, and to this day, I’ve never known why. Yet, through the years, she regularly reminded me that Marcus Brutus was her preferred name for me, saying I was the killer of the patriarch, which always made me feel uncomfortable. I was unsure why my mum favoured Marcus Brutus as my name. It took a long time, years later, for me to realise just how much her chosen name suited me. I have always had an instinctive urge to topple patriarchy wherever I find it. I grew up with two fathers who both treated my mum and me badly. And noticing what men were and are like domestically has confirmed my view of them. I have also fought various battles against dominant bullying men, whether in education, work, politics, the arts or academia, my whole life.
3 years old and in the back garden in Westcliff on Sea, Essex. 1967.
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Published by Marc Garrett
Marc Garrett is co-director and co-founder, with artist Ruth Catlow of the arts collective Furtherfield, beginning on the Internet in 96. Furtherfield has two physical venues, a gallery and a Commons lab, both situated in the park, in Finsbury Park, London. Has curated over 50 contemporary Media Arts exhibitions, projects nationally and internationally. Main editor of the Furtherfield web site. Written for various books and articles about art, technology and social change. Two key Furtherfield publications include co-editing of 'Artists Re:Thinking Games' with Ruth Catlow and Corrado Morgana 2010, and recently on 'Artists Re:thinking the Blockchain' with Ruth Catlow, Nathan Jones and Sam Skinner 2017. Currently in the write up of last year of Phd at the University of London, Birkbeck College.
Emerging in the late 80′s from the streets exploring creativity via agit-art tactics. Using unofficial, experimental platforms such as the streets, pirate radio such as the locally popular ‘Savage Yet Tender’ alternative broadcasting 1980′s group, net broadcasts, BBS systems, performance, intervention, events, pamphlets, warehouses and gallery spaces. In the early nineties, was co-sysop (systems operator) with Heath Bunting on Cybercafe BBS with Irational.org.
Furtherfield’s mission is to co-create extraordinary art that connects with contemporary audiences providing innovative, engaging and inclusive digital and physical spaces for appreciating and participating in practices in art, technology and social change. As well as finding alternative ways around already dominating hegemonies, thus claiming for ourselves and our peer networks a culturally aware and critical dialogue beyond traditional hierarchical behaviours. Influenced by situationist theory, fluxus, free and open source culture, and processes of self-education and peer learning, in an art, activist and community context.
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