Leaving the Twentieth Century, Redux

Giocomo Balla, Fallimento (Bankruptcy), 1902, detail

Over at Hyperallergic, Jorge Martin offers a speculative history of the origins of street art. From Joseph Kyselak in 19th century Vienna and hobo markings, to state-sponsored graffiti in fascist Italy and the Situationist-inspired slogans during the Paris riots of May 1968, it's part one of a series.

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Because It's All About You. The birth of psychoanalysis and the Freudian id, public relations and modern marketing, self-actualization through consumerism, and the alliance between the individual pursuit of happiness and the politics of control. Courtesy of an FYI from the blog of architect Lebbeus Woods, there's Adam Curtis's 2002 documentary The Century of the Self, which re-aired this past month on the BBC. As with all of Curtis's films, its staggering in scope and impact. Four hours in duration, and available in four one-hour clips via Google video. And as with several of Curtis's other films, it's also available as a free download via archive.org.