Guillermo Gomez Pena (2001) 'New Global Culture: Somewhere between Corporate Multiculturalism and the Mainstream Bizarre (a border perspective)'
In this reading, Guillermo Gomez-Pena is exploring how and why globalisation has played such a significant role in watering down performance materials to mass-produced, lack-lustre and over-simplified works fit for global consumption. He blames this not only in part on the introduction of digital technologies, and lack of funding for artists that caused them to find new careers, but also the decision-makers at the top of mega-corporations.
Gomez himself describes his writing as part essay, part chronicle and part performance text. He plays to the writing style of the text as it breaks his points into sections, includes phrases such as “dot-com” and recalls the effects of globalisation throughout history and the digital era on performance.
Gomez addresses the fact that globalisation is causing a severe disconnect with issues within America, issues such as race, sexism and civil rights. As much of the power structure within the US becomes digital and faceless, he mentions that it is now up to the individual to overcome the significant industries and structures of oppression that allow misconduct to manoeuvre in. Movements such as #Metoo and the Black Lives Matter movement where collectives of individuals are trying to tackle issues that are present through society.
It is worth noting that while such movements have become global, they have an aspect of interactivity that Gomez also touches on within his essay. Gomez argues that "our new culture encourages everyone to have an opinion and express it" whether this opinion be informed or not. The use of hashtags in both campaigns allowed audiences to say something on social media. Whether these opinions were seen or not, it gave the everyday person the idea of contributing to the movement.
However, this interactivity and act of what Gomez describes as “talking back” can also have its downsides. As the BlackLivesMatter movement grew the use of posting a black square on social media was used at first to show solidarity and support with the campaign. It quickly became a trend when celebrities and influencers alike began posting, and it moreover morphed into a thing to do because everybody was doing it. This evidences how within the digital age, initial radical behavior from artists and subcultures can become coerced by globalisation and mainstream culture. Companies became enticed into this action of updating their social media feeds with black squares, and the corporate rush to issue statements and support of diversity became the norm for a few days. But as the global phenomenon has died down it is worth understanding where this act has left us, and if in fact companies are implementing the pledges they made across social media. Or, was this just an easy accessible act of activism for non-activists and corporate companies?
