Hi Geoff,
>Perhaps part of the problem (and with reference to Simon Biggs's comments
>too) is that this is not really 'grass-roots activity' as such - but an
>attempt to engineer this, as far as I understand it. In relation to
>curating, this might simply be seen as an attempt at control through a
>distributed model and one in which power is expressed in more subtle forms
>as is the case with much of the labour invested in it. If the events
>generate discussion around these themes (and the politics of openness and
>'free' labour), then it will get really interesting...
Well - this is of course true to some extent but different in that
everyone involved were not just curators. In fact, the NODE.London
experience highlights various paradigms, reflecting what many people are
- not all just curators, artists, writers, designers or techies, in the
singular sense. I myself for instance make art, curate, write and make
music. Contemporary, creative activities have opened this up, it is not
necessarily a new revelation but it is very much a more recognised set
of variants which many are more conscious of these days. This is bound
to have some effect on culture and the way that art and related creative
ideas around it are perceived and presented.
In using a consensus model, which was not easy or perfect at all by any
stretch of the imagination- we all managed to get something happening.
To some people it was not about art, to some it was, some it was about
technology, structure and structureless-ness (huh), co-operation,
negotiation, infiltration, collaboration, scale free systems of working,
models of connecting out of local venues, learning who else was out
there in LOndon, community building and much more which made it more
interesting yet pretty intense for all involved at the same time.
>If the events
>generate discussion around these themes (and the politics of openness and
>'free' labour), then it will get really interesting...
I agree. There were also 2 conferences at the early stages of
NODE.London which probably should be mentioned at this point, in October
05. The October season was a more activist part of the project. Actively
engaging in a diaslogue around echnology, media, culture and politics as
part of its focus. Which was a reaction toewards the UK government and
its EU presidency, and its stance regarding consolidation, regulation
and control of intellectual property, copyright and technology.
here's a link for more info for both conferences if anyone is interested:
http://nodel.org/october.php
So debate has already begun - and when the March season picks up,
hopefully there will be more debate around the media art that is being
shown across London as well.
marc
>
>>Some personal thoughts on NODE.London.
>>
>>Last Wednesday NODE.London launched its catalogue and website at E:vent
>>space. The party went on till early morning. It was an excellent evening
>>and the abundance of visitors included those from the press and of
>>course NODE.L's various organisers, interns, subscribers, artists,
>>funders and the just plain interested. People just kept on arriving and
>>filling, and refilling in their droves, fascinated and excited by this
>>strange new project that many have heard about that involves so many who
>>reside in London, also from elsewhere.
>>
>>There are those who have made a clear and conscious decision not be
>>involved with NODE.L which of course is fair enough. But there are some
>>who keep a seemingly nervous, low profile whose previous work in media
>>arts curation might (mistakenly) lead one to imagine they would love to
>>be involved in some form or another, or at least be part of some
>>dialogue around it. Let's face it- there has been nothing like it in
>>London before.
>>
>>So, what's going on? Shouldn't there be an influx of discussions by the
>>main media art lists about it, especially this list? What is it about
>>NODE.London that certain media curators are scared of? I would like to
>>know, as well as many of the people who have worked extremely hard to
>>get this project underway, they would also like to know why the main
>>cultural instigators on here are ignoring and blanking out something as
>>significant as this? I would love to be wrong...
>>
>>Let me inform you why I am part of NODE.London, and what it means to me.
>>
>>The political climate in our world at present as many of you know is,
>>not the most forward thinking and positive scenario that we can wish
>>for. Our planet's resources are diminishing and we are heading for
>>global warming with more catastrophes on the way. The war on our (once
>>free) identities and imaginations, under the (double speak) guise of
>>'war on terror' just continues to promote that 'killing' is the way, for
>>our children. The constant killings, bombings and beatings imposed by
>>emotionally backward absolutists on civilians of the world, is now a
>>daily occurrence. Our governments are failing us (once again), stoking
>>up the 'patriarch' dominated fires with even more useless solutions,
>>adding more pain to the various problems which they originally caused,
>>and blindly advocated.
>>
>>With this dark-dystopian, spiralling trap that we are all falling into
>>'together', I would of thought that there might of been some sense of
>>urgency with an aim to explore new options, addressing such
>>soul-destroying situations that (obviously) dominate our battered
psyches.
>>
>>If we dare to change our behaviours and re-evaluate the way that we
>>work, bringing ourselves up to speed with an empowerment that engages in
>>the process of critical openness, that appreciates the spirit of
>>participation and linking outside of our usual micro-circles, then may
>>be we can feel proud that at least we do not revert to type and hide
>>away behind closed doors, hoping that it all would go away. It is up to
>>us to find ways of engaging in culture that offers potential, (not just
>>for ourselves) and much more than just the same. We need to move more
>>constructively, and further into incorporating (non cynical)
>>alternatives that are flexible and not scared of change.
>>
>>This is one of the reasons why I decided to join NODE.London as a
>>volunteer, not because of profile or cultural capital, but because it
>>challenged my own conceptions of what it meant to be a human being, in
>>the type of world that we are living in today and then a curator and
>>then a media artist. NODE.London is an extension of various ideas, and
>>much of it has come from a grass roots perspective, yet it includes
>>successfully some institutions as part of the season such as the Tate
>>and the Science museum, and other equivalent groups and organisations.
>>
>>I was also inspired by the fact that NODE.London, was a non curatorial
>>project. To me, this was an evolutionary decision and actually quite
>>brave. Many curators might (of course) criticize such a move, due to
>>their own way of working. NODE.London has broken the away from using
>>traditional curation so that there other processes are explored and more
>>media art could to be seen and represented. The content had to rise up
>>from the roots of what the nodes themselves had to offer from
>>social/local perspectives, as well their own curatorial intentions- not
>>from top down, as in anyone telling the nodes what to show. Offering an
>>alternative and more up to date, contemporary version of media arts that
>>is being acknowledged and distributed for all to see.
>>
>>It is a misinformed (subjective and political) myth that a curated
>>project is better than a non curated project. Let's face it, there are
>>bad curators and good curators, just as with all things in life.
>>
>>If the season of media arts in London was to have any authentic,
>>critical effect and was to actually engage itself culturally to a wider
>>audience, beyond its own usual/prescribed circles. The brave decision
>>had to be made of stepping forward and beyond tried and tested formulas.
>>This meant not only supporting those who were either well written about
>>already within historical contexts and canons. It had to also not fall
>>easy prey to the simplistic desire of 'star-making'. This meant making a
>>conscious effort in supporting projects and artists who do not possess
>>cultural currency or agency from within media art-circle defaults,
>>facilitating a space for them to emerge.
>>
>>The activities and social changes of NODE.London are changed by the
>>people who become part of it. It is not a machine or an art product but
>>an ever changing scale-free network, of networks consisting of human
>>beings, who have got involved mainly because they want something special
>>to happen. Call it Utopian, call it whatever you fancy- there is no
>>denying which ever way you choose to slice it that, this season of media
>>arts is going to have quite an impact on the scene on London and the
>>rest of media arts culture internationally.
>>
>>Instead of funding work to be created, we all implement a strategy that
>>allowed the venues to set up technical resources so that they are able
>>to show media art projects. Not only that, there are over 40 venues and
>>over 90 projects exhibiting media arts during the season, which is
>>positive for all concerned.
>>
>>I remember someone wrote last year in Mute, that there were no venues
>>for media art to be found in London. Well- that has changed now and we
>>should celebrate that fact and explore what has led to this resurgence
>>of media arts in London.
>>
>>
>>------------>much respect to all who frequent on this list.
>>It would be really interesting to know what others think about
NODE.London.
>>
>>marc garrett
>>
>>The new NODE.London site:
>>http://nodel.org/
>>
>>If you wish to read a collaborative text about NODE.London by myself and
>>Ruth Catlow from Furtherfield.org & HTTP, it can be found here:
>>http://www.mazine.ws/NODE.L_Interdependence
>>
>>If you want to delve into the finer workings of NODE.London, visit the
>>wiki, http://smal.omweb.org/modules/newbb/ where the history of the
>>project sits.
>
>
>
Best
Simon
On 14.02.06 00:05, " marc <[log in to unmask]>" wrote:
>> Some personal thoughts on NODE.London.
>>
>> Last Wednesday NODE.London launched its catalogue and website at E:vent
>> space. The party went on till early morning. It was an excellent evening
>> and the abundance of visitors included those from the press and of
>> course NODE.L's various organisers, interns, subscribers, artists,
>> funders and the just plain interested. People just kept on arriving and
>> filling, and refilling in their droves, fascinated and excited by this
>> strange new project that many have heard about that involves so many who
>> reside in London, also from elsewhere.
>>
>> There are those who have made a clear and conscious decision not be
>> involved with NODE.L which of course is fair enough. But there are some
>> who keep a seemingly nervous, low profile whose previous work in media
>> arts curation might (mistakenly) lead one to imagine they would love to
>> be involved in some form or another, or at least be part of some
>> dialogue around it. Let's face it- there has been nothing like it in
>> London before.
>>
>> So, what's going on? Shouldn't there be an influx of discussions by the
>> main media art lists about it, especially this list? What is it about
>> NODE.London that certain media curators are scared of? I would like to
>> know, as well as many of the people who have worked extremely hard to
>> get this project underway, they would also like to know why the main
>> cultural instigators on here are ignoring and blanking out something as
>> significant as this? I would love to be wrong...
>>
Simon Biggs
[log in to unmask]
http://www.littlepig.org.uk/
Professor, Art and Design Research Centre
Sheffield Hallam University, UK
http://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/cs/cri/adrc/research2/
|