Link: http://archive.rhizome.org/starrynight/index.php
StarryNight is a net based art project, that works with the texts posted on internet all over the world. It collects data on how many times a text has been read, assigning a star to it on the project’s “sky”. Based on how many hits the text receives, the star becomes brighter and brighter, signifying the importance or perhaps the confirmation of its existence on the internet. Another feature this website offers is selecting between the keywords linked to a specific star (text), linking it with the other texts having the same keyword in common. This feature is represented by a visual “linking” of stars, that create beautiful constellations the same way real constellations have been represented since ancient times.
I really like the way this project captures the manner in which, in the same way as the brighter stars are easier to get noticed by a mere human eye, the specific texts rise from the depths of the internet towards the imaginary sky, becoming brighter and brighter, easier to catch the eye of the other internet users as well. This project is symbolical, which gives it the spark I believe every art piece should have and that sets it apart from other items meant simply for amusement.