Hi Gary, Andreas, and CRUMB

thanks muchly for clarifying what is behind this initiative as it wasn't clear from my web searching (though the jury is listed there Andreas).

I was not concurring with the reviewer that it was a 'vague' list, merely posing the question as to the criteria for what I agree is an eclectic list. I like the shortlist a lot and it is always good to have a chance to rethink how we might categorize works which challenge the rubric of art today. I agree Andreas that there has been an increasing "normalisation of digital media as cultural technique and as artistic medium" which is not a bad thing, and the crisis within the new media art field as to how to define itself has been there an awfully long time, which is why, perhaps, the funders have been able to be so ignorant in their decision making of late, which has created space for initiatives like this to spring up... perhaps...
I'd very much like to see the show (and wish it were up longer) and also to have a discussion - which hasn't been had much here or elsewhere - about the current and future state of spaces and organisations which continue to try to support new media art... the Southbank gallery has gone quiet without word about its future programme, and other organisations have fallen with their loss of funding, (or should we hope they have 'dispersed' as indeed new media art has increasingly dispersed into other forms of contemporary cultural production?)
Might this Samsung initiative be sustained or is it another one-off?
Someone, sometime, needs to write a history of short-run new media art shows which have been 'corporate hires' as far as the exhibiting venue is concerned and not become part of longer institutional histories ;-)

Meantime, if anyone can shed light on how to get a ticket for the announcement, and whether it is the 25th (as in this article) or 29th (as on the Samsung site) I'd be grateful.

(written before a cup of tea)
Sarah





On 14 Dec 2011, at 10:29, Gary Thomas wrote:

Enough with the 'vague'!!!

I was one of the nominators..I think there were ten of us, asked to nominate and justify three artists, and propose an artist for the 'lifetime' award. It's organised by the London office Suum - a Korean art agency, and Mark Waugh (ex A Foundation) works with them, so it's credible (as if I'd associate myself with anything that wasn't!).

I was, in a sense, pretty conservative in my own nominations, at least in that they are artists who have been working in media, and interrogating things formally, throughout their practice. But other nominators don't have my background, and it was exciting to do a bit of re-thinking. I think the shortlist is provocative and inspiring. It's not comfortable. And that's good.

So I'd say it's an eclectic, rather than a vague list. It gives artists a chunk of money and aims to increase 'profile', and I think that's good.  I am pretty sure the marketing budget is some way short of 150k. The article questions why the BFI Southbank, but it seems to me getting a high profile space in London, with huge footfall, is a win.

Meanwhile..Animate Projects' Digitalis project goes out into the real world tonight with a screening and panel at BFI Southbank (where else?!) http://animateprojects.org/events/events_2011/digitalis_commissions_launch_night_at_bfi_southank

We've published a newspaper with information about the films and artists, and some short essays, by Ele Carpenter, Rosemary Heather, Nick Bradshaw, Emma Geliot, Tim Shore and Max Hattler.  They're not available online yet, but the newspaper will be available from the animateprojects.org<http://animateprojects.org/> shop very soon, at a price you wouldn't notice you'd spent.

gt


On 13 Dec 2011, at 15:39, Sarah Cook wrote:

Some press about the upcoming new media art show at the BFI Southbank.

I'd welcome any details anyone can add to the story... including confusion about which date the announcement is, January 25 or 29?

Best of luck to all on a great shortlist of artists!

http://artinfo.com/news/story/753565/as-funding-cuts-bite-uk-samsung-launches-a-vague-new-media-art-prize

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