I've been following this discussion with keen interest. I agree with
Christiane Paul's opinions, especially her response to the comment
that new media art "lacks the depth and culture urgency" as deeply
disturbing. Not only that it came from the ICA, an institution that
had the courage to put on "Cybernetic Serendipity" in 1968, but also
in the message it sends to other art institutions. The pejorative
manner in which it was delivered speaks poorly of the ICA and their
respect for artists. It also weakens every other new media
institution's position in the "traditional" art world, as those less
informed will use the ICA quote as validation to cut funding, grants,
exhibitions, etc.
I saw Roger Malina's keynote at the opening of EMPAC last weekend. One
point he made was about the "new leonardos". Many others have
commented that globalization, social networking, technology and its
new creative tools have expanded the artist's palette. There is a new
generation of artists that has never known a world without computers.
The world they live in will most definitely impact their creative
expression. After all, isn't contemporary art a creative reflection of
current society? I, too, believe that the media arts will eventually
merge with contemporary art as this generation of artists matures, and
art institutions learn how to deal with it. Now that the ICA has dug
in and said that "there will be no more "media arts" at the ICA, how
do they intend to handle digital prints (i.e. the "Close to the
Surface: Digital Presence" exhibition at the ICA), digital sculpture,
and installation art that incorporates some form of technology? These
are "traditional" art forms that are being made with "new media"
tools. Are these creative works now banned, as well?
Bruce Wands
>
> On Oct 20, 2008, at 6:45 AM, Emma Quinn wrote:
>> Just to clarify the situation, I have been told categorically by
>> Ekow that as I am being made redundant there will be no more 'media
>> arts' at the ICA.
>> Live arts will be covered by the exhibitions dept as part of their
>> programme and the music dept.
>>
>> best
>> emma
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Curating digital art - www.crumbweb.org on behalf of
>> Christiane Paul
>> Sent: Sun 10/19/2008 2:06 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: [NEW-MEDIA-CURATING] Live and Media Arts at the ICA
>>
>> Hi everyone,
>> I agree that termination of new media programs at cultural
>> institutions per se is nothing new, we have seen it before, for
>> many different reasons.
>>
>> I also agree with Simon's comment that the following statement by
>> Ekow Eshun wouldn't necessarily need to be read in a negative way:
>>
>> "I no longer feel that the artistic rationale for devoting
>> considerable institutional?attention to that art form - to the
>> extent of maintaining a dedicated department to its pursuance - can
>> be strongly made."
>>
>> This ideally would mean that new media arts are considered part of
>> contemporary artistic practice and find their place in the
>> institution's programming - something we presumably would all
>> support. (Of course the reality most of the time is that new media
>> arts drop off the map as soon as they lose their dedicated space).
>>
>> What I find deeply disturbing is the following comment:
>>
>> "New media based arts practice continues to have its place within
>> the arts sector. However it's my consideration that, in the main,
>> the art form lacks the depth and cultural urgency to justify the
>> ICA's continued and significant investment in a Live & Media Arts
>> department."
>>
>> Wow. (Live &) New media arts lack 1) depth and 2) cultural urgency.
>>
>> 1) Is it the first art form in the history of art that, overall,
>> lacks depth? One could make a very strong argument that any art
>> form produces works that lack depth, works that are mediocre, works
>> that are good and works that are outstanding. I guess new media
>> arts are exceptional after all.
>>
>> 2) New media arts is the only art form that uses the technologies,
>> which have profoundly changed societies around the planet, as a
>> medium. The information society, globalization, connectivity (from
>> the work place to 'social networking' / Web 2.0), immaterial labor
>> - the list could be much longer - are supported and enabled by
>> these technologies. While not all new media art comments on the
>> social / cultural / political condition, it seems to be *the* art
>> form with prime potential for cultural urgency. (And I'm not saying
>> that any other art form couldn't exhibit the latter).
>>
>> I suspect that many people in the traditional art world share
>> Eshun's opinion. To the best of my knowledge he is the first who
>> shuts down a program by blatantly dismissing the art form. I'm
>> looking forward to seeing his version of an "ambitious artistic
>> plan."
>>
>> Christiane
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Curating digital art - www.crumbweb.org on behalf of marc
>> garrett
>> Sent: Sat 10/18/2008 11:46 AM
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Subject: Re: Live and Media Arts at the ICA
>>
>> Hi Simon & all,
>>
>> I agree with Simon. It does seem that the ICA are sending a strong
>> message that they wish to maintain an old fashioned, perspective on
>> things by keeping mediums and practices apart from each other. Such
>> an
>> approach is a mistake and only serves to show the world outside,
>> how out
>> of touch they are with contemporary culture as a whole.
>>
>> And yes, it is a great pity, not only for culture generally but
>> also for
>> their audience, who are being sold a very limited vision of things.
>>
>> It also sends a rather dispiriting message that they are no longer an
>> interesting or viable option to show at, or worthwhile collaborating
>> with. It also gives the impression that they are all hiding behind
>> some
>> kind of castle, trying to hold together some ideal, which does not
>> relate to the world outside. It is a shame that they have chosen
>> not to
>> expand and take on new forms of creativity in a more positive manner.
>> Yet, this is their choice and perhaps it is more about keeping
>> certain
>> jobs in the ICA - at the top. And unfortunately, those who are
>> staying
>> in these positions at the top, are perhaps less interested in
>> contemporary art and its ever expanding, nuances. Not interested in
>> relearning, adapting their knowledge about media art and other
>> related
>> practices.
>>
>>
>> I think that Emma is probably best out of there.
>>
>> marc
>>>
>>> Johnny is right and I take back what I wrote before. Or, rather, I
>>> wish to
>>> finesse it. Media arts, in the sense they are understood at the
>>> ICA (art
>>> that employs media) is, as I stated before, well and truly part of
>>> the
>>> mainstream of arts practice and therefore not having a specific
>>> program to
>>> engage it shouldn¹t be surprising nor necessarily a bad thing.
>>> However,
>>> creative media practice which facilitates, by its very nature, an
>>> expanded
>>> notion of what art can be well, that is what Johnny is proposing.
>>> It is
>>> something that is a force for change, for creating new modalities,
>>> new forms
>>> of engagement, new social formations.
>>>
>>> In this respect the ICA¹s decision seems to evidence their wish
>>> not to be
>>> involved with any meaningful challenge of the status quo. It
>>> wishes to see
>>> art that is ³art², music that is ³music² and cinema that is
>>> ³cinema². That
>>> is a great pity.
>>>
>>> Regards
>>>
>>> Simon
>>>
>>>
>>> On 18/10/08 12:40, "Professor SR Golding" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> Dear Emma and List
>>>> It is disturbing, but not surprising, to hear of the kind of
>>>> short-sightedness and ill-conceived departure of live & media arts
>>>> from the ICA, especially under the misleading tag line of those
>>>> arts
>>>> no longer being 'cutting edge'. We find at the Univ of Greenwich
>>>> in
>>>> London that our MA-PHD Media Arts Philosophy and Practice Programme
>>>> has increased over the years by 300%, with huge home, EU, and
>>>> international interest. We have just established a cross-
>>>> fertilizing
>>>> Media Arts Production BA/BSc with two Schools: The Humanities and
>>>> Social Sciences and School of Computing Mathematical Sciences. The
>>>> cutting edge work of artists, combined with philosophers,
>>>> journalists
>>>> and scientists has been and continues to be exciting and
>>>> provocative
>>>> -- and our situation is not unique. There are many universities,
>>>> post-academic and creative commons environments that are doing
>>>> precisely this kind of combination -- led by the live arts and
>>>> encompassed in the broad term of 'media arts', where the latter
>>>> ('media arts') points not to a 'sub-set' of technologies, but names
>>>> the paradigm shift of our age (eg, after 'liberal arts'), where
>>>> speed,
>>>> energy, space, time embed themselves differently in the visual and
>>>> sonic arts, or what has been termed elsewhere as the 'altermodern'.
>>>>
>>>> How this substantial and lush environment could have escaped the
>>>> eye
>>>> of the Director at the ICA is not clear from his letter.
>>>>
>>>> However, what is much more obvious is that the role of the 'art
>>>> institute', and especially the ICA, seems to have lost its shine.
>>>> Perhaps art galleries/ contemporary art institutes never did
>>>> encourage
>>>> cutting edge works -- but now, at least in terms of the ICA, it
>>>> definitely is not encouraging it. The Gallery/institute appears to
>>>> have recoiled back to the safe shores of being a service sector
>>>> environment to the usual suspects of capital, industry, and
>>>> banality.
>>>> Pity, really.
>>>>
>>>> Guess we'll just have to go elsewhere -- but then, isn't that the
>>>> usual story for
>>>> artists-philosophers-scientists-designers-curios-thinkers-doers?
>>>>
>>>> Johnny de Philo
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Message from [log in to unmask] ---------
>>>> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:23:43 -0700
>>>> From: marcialart <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Reply-To: marcialart <[log in to unmask]>
>>>> Subject: Re: Live and Media Arts at the ICA
>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>> Dear Emma,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sorry to hear about this. It's sad for you and the ICA, and
>>>>>> astonishingly short-sighted on the part of the director,
>>>>>> especially
>>>>>> as the ICA was THE germinal institution for new media / computer
>>>>>> based art with its pioneering 1968 presentation of Cybernetic
>>>>>> Serendipity curated by Jasia Reichardt.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Best regards and good wishes to you in the next phase of your
>>>>>> career, and congratulations on your accomplishments @ the ICA.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Marcia Tanner
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Oct 17, 2008, at 10:11:13 AM, "Emma Quinn"
>>>>>> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>>>> From: "Emma Quinn" <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>>> Subject: [NEW-MEDIA-CURATING] Live and Media Arts at the ICA
>>>>>> Date: October 17, 2008 10:11:13 AM PDT
>>>>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>>>>> Apologies for the blanket e-mail and any cross postings
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It is with sadness that I am writing to announce the closure of
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> ICA's Live and Media Arts Department. I have included a
>>>>>> statement by
>>>>>> Ekow Eshun, the Artistic Director of the ICA below.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am continuing with the programme here until the end of
>>>>>> November 2008
>>>>>> and will then be looking to develop and expand the programme
>>>>>> with other
>>>>>> partners and venues. I will of course update you on new
>>>>>> developments as
>>>>>> they occur.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you for your support and interest in the department's
>>>>>> projects
>>>>>> during my time at the helm, and please do make the most of the
>>>>>> rather
>>>>>> full line-up running over the next couple of months. It would be
>>>>>> wonderful if you could continue to show your support by
>>>>>> attending what
>>>>>> will be an exciting finale.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://www.ica.org.uk/?lid=12173
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have enjoyed my time at the ICA tremendously and this has
>>>>>> been a
>>>>>> direct result of working with some fantastic artists and
>>>>>> practitioners.
>>>>>> The opportunity and privilege to work on the many exciting,
>>>>>> thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable projects over the
>>>>>> last 3
>>>>>> years, has provided me with new challenges, joy, energy, pride,
>>>>>> insight,
>>>>>> thrills and above all has made me very very happy! I am very much
>>>>>> looking forward to continuing with these established
>>>>>> relationships as
>>>>>> well as generating new ones in the next stage of my career.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I will be contacting everyone again before I leave with my
>>>>>> personal
>>>>>> contact details should you wish to stay in touch.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you for your time.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Kind regards
>>>>>>
>>>>>> emma
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --- From Ekow Eshun, Artistic Director of the ICA ---
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Following a review of the ICA's programming activities I have
>>>>>> taken the
>>>>>> decision to close the Live & Media Arts department from the end
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> November 2008.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The ICA has led a pioneering role in new media arts practice
>>>>>> over the
>>>>>> last decade and more.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> We are proud of that legacy. However times change. And I no
>>>>>> longer feel
>>>>>> that the artistic rationale for devoting considerable
>>>>>> institutional
>>>>>> attention to that art form - to the extent of maintaining a
>>>>>> dedicated
>>>>>> department to its pursuance - can be strongly made.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As an institution dedicated to the contemporary moment it is
>>>>>> important
>>>>>> that we continually review the timeliness and relevance of our
>>>>>> activities and at times make decisions on that basis.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> New media based arts practice continues to have its place
>>>>>> within the
>>>>>> arts sector. However it's my consideration that, in the main,
>>>>>> the art
>>>>>> form lacks the depth and cultural urgency to justify the ICA's
>>>>>> continued
>>>>>> and significant investment in a Live & Media Arts department.
>>>>>> Following
>>>>>> discussion with the ICA Council and the Arts Council - and
>>>>>> agreement
>>>>>> from both bodies - I have decided to close the department.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It's also my view that the sheer breadth of activity that our
>>>>>> artistic
>>>>>> programme encompasses means that we are often stretched too
>>>>>> thin as an
>>>>>> organisation. Our technical, building and financial resources
>>>>>> are under
>>>>>> considerable strain and it is hard for us to communicate our
>>>>>> aims to our
>>>>>> audience with directness and clarity.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In closing the Live & Media Arts department, we will be able to
>>>>>> invest
>>>>>> greater resources in a more concentrated programme of activities,
>>>>>> allowing us to create a more ambitious artistic plan for
>>>>>> 2009/10. And in
>>>>>> communication with the public, the focus of our activity will be
>>>>>> exclusively on Visual Arts, Cinema, Talks and Music.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> In addition, these changes will offer the opportunity for the
>>>>>> Digital
>>>>>> Studio to be reconstituted as a dedicated Education space,
>>>>>> offering a
>>>>>> valuable benefit to an important and growing section of our
>>>>>> audience
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ---End---
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Emma Quinn
>>>>>> Director of Live & Media Arts
>>>>>> ---------------------------------------
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Institute of Contemporary Arts
>>>>>> The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AH
>>>>>> ---------------------------------------
>>>>>> t: +44 (0)20 7766 1415
>>>>>> e: [log in to unmask]
>>>>>> w: www.ica.org.uk <http://www.ica.org.uk/>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Dogs Ears
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Online Art
>>>>>>
>>>>>> www.ica.org.uk/dogsears
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>> ----- End message from [log in to unmask] -----
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Simon Biggs
>>> Research Professor
>>> edinburgh college of art
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>> www.eca.ac.uk
>>> www.eca.ac.uk/circle/
>>>
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>> www.littlepig.org.uk
>>> AIM/Skype: simonbiggsuk
>>>
>>>
>>> Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in
>>> Scotland, number SC009201
>>>
>>>
>
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