If as you suggest art can serve as a mediational tool, a catalyst for
dialogue, a platform for exchange (and change), then creative means
need to be explored to engage those who are involved with
socio-political issues outside of artistic circles. For example, here
in Washington, DC, where political dialogue rarely involves input
from the arts, and where the artistic community is surprisingly
disengaged from contemporary political events, we are establishing a
critical dialogue between the Art Department and the School of
International Services at American University where I teach media
art. Last week we invited a representative from the cultural division
at the State Department to discuss the role of the artist in society
and ways in which countries engage art as a communications tool. I am
not so naive as to suggest we are going to change the policies of the
US Government, particularly the current administration, but it is my
hope to establish dialogue that extends beyond the boundaries of the
art world, and furthermore, establishes a conduit between politically
engaged artists, curators, critics and representatives in government
/ international relations, where the front lines of cultural policy
operate and endlessly fail.
At 11:03 AM +0100 4/3/06, Ele Carpenter wrote:
>Hi All,
>Just a reminder that this months' topic is Art and Activism.
>
>I'd also like to welcome invited respondent Shaina Anad, an artist
>who use video and televised media. Currently in Delhi starting a
>residency using cheap surveillance equipment and RF to create an
>open circuit interface, the 'creative use' of which Shaina will be
>exploring over the next month with the peple of Khirkee village, New
>Delhi.
>
>To recap: Self-organisation, direct action, collaboration and social
>networks have long been the characteristics of activism and socially
>engaged art practice. They are now the characteristics of much new
>media art, within the public realm of the web, and interdisciplinary
>practice. But the spheres of discourse still remain distinct.
>
>I'd like to start the discussion by asking: How can curators and
>art-activists help facilitate a more inclusive dialogue?
>
>Thanks Monica and Tim for your links.
>Will respond shortly,
>Best,
>Ele
>
>
>Invited Respondents:
>
>Saul Albert and Michael Weinkove, London, Artists, 'Let The People Speak'
>http://theps.net http://talkeoke.com
>
>Ruth Catlow and Marc Garrett, London, Furtherfield, HTTP Gallery.
>www.furtherfield.org
>
>Minerva Cuevas-Mexico, (MEX).
>Artist, member of Espora.org and Irational.org. Her political practice
>is based on technical and cultural projects, her artistic work responds
>to specific social contexts worldwide.
>http://www.espora.org
>http://www.irational.org/mvc
>http://www.minervacuevas.org
>
>Leigh French, co-editor, Variant magazine: Glasgow / Belfast. (UK)
>Free magazine concentrating on social, political and cultural issues.
>http://www.variant.org.uk
>
>Geert Lovink (NL/AUS), media theorist, net critic and writer.
>Member of Adilkno collective (Cracking the Movement, The Media Archive);
>Co-founder of Internet projects The Digital City, Nettime, Fibreculture and
>Incommunicado; Director of the Institute of Network Cultures
>(www.networkcultures.org);
>Professor at Interactive Media (Hogeschool van Amsterdam); Associate
>professor at the
>Media & Culture department, University of Amsterdam. Fellow at
>Wissenschaftkolleg,
>Berlin Institute for Advanced Study, 2005-6. Web archive:
>www.laudanum.net/geert
>
>Aisling O'Beirn, Artists, Belfast, Northern Ireland
>www.aislingobeirn.fsnet.co.uk
>Virtual Urban, collaborative web project with Marjetica Potrc www.potrc.org/vu
>
>Kate Rich, Artist
>Bureau for Inverse Technology, Feral Trade
>http://sparror.cubecinema.com/feraltrade/
>http://www.bureauit.org/
>
>Nato Thompson, Curator,
>Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA).
>Curated 'The Interventionists' exhibition 2004-5. Co-ed with Gregory Sholette,
>'The Interventionists: Users Manual for the Creative Disruption of
>Everyday Life' 2004.
>http://www.massmoca.org/
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