Jess, Marc,
One of the great things about living in a network culture
is that work has multiple and international exit points, platforms and
points of exposure.
Which makes the anxiety about a proposed partial historicising of British
Media
Art practice seem somewhat trivial. Not to mention the irony of
wanting/desiring to fix transient
network forms and practices in dead wood pulp.
From where I'm sitting (in Southwark) this argument seems somewhat
parochial.
Tom Corby
www.reconnoitre.net
> From what I've read, this conference's primary aim to sell a book (I love
> the use of the word 'coincides with' - as in "oh my goodness this
> conference is on as it just so happens that in my pocket ....":) so on
one
> level is probably IS a waste of time to worry who and what has been
> included.
>
> On the wider issues, what I find disappointing about the this event as
both
> an artist, curator and viewer (In exactly the same way as last years
> User_Mode conference or even BALTIC) is the usage of the well tailored
> phrase
>
> "Complex, fast-moving and constantly evolving, new media work by
> artists can often be difficult to grasp'
>
> which seems to me a blanket cover-all. It could be more honestly
translated
> as
>
> ' media art is so varied and prolific that we have deliberately
> limited it to only a few already recognized projects, artists and
artworks
> so as to achieve a cohesive timeline, progression and context. New Media
> Art actually follows a non-linear timeline, often paradoxical progression
> and has multiple contexts but we are worried that you might not 'get'
this
> (and it would be bloody difficult to explain)'
>
> however, in an equal mix of cynicism and idealism it would be great to
> have this footnoted with the statement
>
> 'we understand that by historicalising new media in this limited
> capacity we are taking the risk that it will be generally understood (by
> viewers, students and curators new to New Media) that only the projects in
> the book are truly contextual to new media or have historical
> significance. In addition we apologies in advance of any boundaries,
> excessive formalisation or expectation places on new media artists and
> curators in response to this books formalisation of the practice
> thematics.'
>
> (!)
>
> As the number of these major UK conferences increase, I have been
generally
> disturbed by seemly institutional obsession with following the american
> lead in curation and conference thematics, despite the recognized short
> comings of this model (need I refer to the Walker dialogue on CRUMB?). The
> fact that Dietz is the keynote speaker reflects this (Lev not available
> for this one eh?:) Don't get me wrong, I respect Dietz work and his many
> achievements but as I am sure many on this list will agree, curating new
> media in the UK is really quite distinct from curating in the US. We also
> have articulate, inspiring and experienced UK curators so couldn't one
of
> them be asked as the keynote on a conference of British New Media
> practice? Simon Biggs has mentioned that he is not included and I think
> we could all think of a number of other similar significant British
> innovators of whom are conspicuously absent. Disappointing again, this
> conference (with all the authority of the Tate) simply does not well
> reflect British new media practice curatorially or artistically. Even
Arts
> Council funded projects are not well represented, as many of the
> significant new media practitioners who have run or contributed to high
> profile ACE funded ventures and works (well within this 'historical'
> timeframe) are also strangely absent.
>
> And yes, in all honestly, like marc (furtherfield) and like (possibly)
> Susan or Simon, I too would have liked a mention but then very few from
> the UK are viewing my work or projects because it doesn't (and is
unlikely
> ever to) fit formulations of new media such as this. Outside the UK I
> am 'one of the leading female net.artists' and in the UK I could wheel
> naked through the Tate with a laptop on my head on April 3rd and still go
> unnoticed. (hmm should I try that?:)
>
> I guess if this is 'a series of snapshots' of British New Media practice
> then there will always be those on the edges of an image only whose feet,
> elbows and waving hands are visible...
>
>
>
> jess.
>
> o
> /^\ rssgallery.com
> ][
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