The posted replies seem to be suggesting that Node.L is not a curated event
or season of events, and that being the case, would for me go part way to
help me to understand why it has not been a focus of interest for lists like
this. 
It s interesting that the evolution of NMC has developed firmly within an
academic framework, within an ideological optic through which the
relationship between artwork/artist and art history  trains its attention on
curatorial narrative and cultural production. As a list lurker (I wont
pretend to be apologetic, we all do it) I have always subconsciously
percieved NMC as a list about "curating" new media rather than "new" media
(arts) curating.. a list as an extension of a research dept/cluster.. rather
than a list growing out of a mission to look at new ways of curating new
media.
Being based outside london, in fact outside just about everywhere, its
difficult to know how to get a grip on the details of nodal news. It is
somewhat ironic that a distributed network based art form is defining itself
along the physical definitions of funding criteria, ACE etc, but I would
have expected the experimental nature of the Node process would have stirred
enough of the thin and well trampled undergrowth that is curatoral practise
to help those living at the end of the world like me to engage and respond
to londons media arts big gig.
With people like Furtherfield and all the other even smaller arts groups who
are trusting their own ability and independent takes on this scene, to
galvanise some sort of collective response to the pitiful state of public
arts funding for this the unincorporated/uninstitutionalised, their just
will be important stuff produced out of this.

It cant be the case that nodal is under the radar of NMC because it is
invisible or insignificant anymore than it is for the Tate...etc etc so why
is NMC going to be looking at Audio-visual (something im personally very
interested/involved with) and not art historically looking nodal?

best wishes

Patrick







on 2/13/06 23:28, marc at [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...
> 
> 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.