Temporary.cc is the latest online project/app by Zach Gage. Part bot, part website, part visualization, for each unique visitor it receives, Temporary.cc deletes part of itself. These deletions change the way browsers understand the website’s code and create a unique (de)generative piece after each new user. Eventually, like tangible media, Temporary.cc will fall apart entirely, becoming a blank white website. Its existence will be remembered only by those who saw or heard about it.
Virtual data isn’t subject to decay like traditional media. Despite this, we can still lose personal data to disk failure, viruses, or accidental deletion. Unlike personal data however, data on the internet has a seemingly infinite shelf-life. Between search-engine caching, cloud-hosting, re-blogging, plagiarizing, and the way-back machine, the net collects and eternally stores vast amounts of information.
Temporary.cc was inspired by Jonah Bruker-Cohen’s work on distributed network art at coin-operated.com. Music by Edwin Morris from gratisvibes.com
Zach Gage is a digital mixed media and installation artist currently residing in New York City. You can see more of his work on stfj.net
