Journal: Replacing Online Advertisements with Art (Firefox Plug-In)
read about (install/test) the plug-in here
Add-Art is a free FireFox add-on which replaces advertising on websites with curated art images. The art shows are updated every two weeks and feature contemporary artists and curators. Learn more about Add-Art or install it now (instructions).
Add-Art is currently working in the latest release – Firefox 3.5.
Add-Art is a Firefox extension which replaces advertising images on web pages with art images from a curated database. It is a free and open source project, currently being developed at the Eyebeam Development site.
Of the 100+ add-ons available for Firefox, “adblockers” are the most popular. The most current, Adblock Plus, has over 18 million downloads (as of May 2008) since Jan 2006 (currently over 250,000/week). It’s predecessor, Adblock, has been downloaded over 8 million times. These extensions work by preventing advertising images from downloading and replacing the ads with blank space. Their popularity has risen as pop-up ads, banner ads, and ads incorporating sound and animation have permeated the internet.
For many, replacing ads with blank space would be enough. Add-Art attempts to do something more interesting than just blocking ads – it turns your browser into an art gallery. Every time you visit the New York Times online or check the weather you’ll also see a spattering of images by a young contemporary artist.
