THE INTER-SOCIETY FOR THE ELECTRONIC ARTS
THE ISEA NEWSLETTER
# 23, NOVEMBER 1993
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Editors: Dirk Boon, Wim van der Plas (Holland). Correspondents: Yoshiyuki
Abe (Japan), Ray Archee (Australia), Peter Beyls (Belgium), Leslie Bishko
(US), Paul Brown (US), Annick Bureaud (France), Jurgen Claus (Germany),
Roger Malina (US), Ivan Pope (UK), Rejane Spitz (Brazil). Lay-out: Rene
Pare (Grafico de Poost). Text editors: Ray Archee, Seth Shostak.
ISEA, POB 8656, 3009 AR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Tel 31-10-2020850, Fax 31-10-2668705 (c/o Heidi van der Plas).
Email ISEA@MBR.FRG.EUR.NL (Board) or ISEA@SARA.NL (Newsletter)
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CONTENTS
EDITORIAL . DISCUSSION . NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA . GOLDEN PLOTTER '94 .
FORUMBHZVIDEO . ICMC94 . CALLS FOR PARTICIPATION . CALENDAR
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EDITORIAL
Wim van der Plas
FISEA 93: ANOTHER GREAT SYMPOSIUM
The Fourth International Symposium on Electronic Art took place recently
in Minneapolis, USA (November 3-7). As most readers of this Newsletter know,
the Inter-Society is the product of this series of symposia, and the
symposia are the place where members (and soon-to-be members) meet and
discuss the future of electronic art.
The format of the symposia has been roughly the same since the beginning:
the kernel is an academic, three day symposium, preceded by two days of
workshops. Accompanying these events is a large art exhibition, concerts,
performances and a film & video show (a.k.a. electronic theater).
The Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD) hosted FISEA 93 (Director:
Roman Verostko). Since MCAD received no support from any government body
to organize FISEA, Roman and his dedicated staff (and his wife, Alice)
did a wonderful job organizing all aspects of the symposium.
THE ART FACTOR
The key note speech was given by Jan Hoet, director Museum of Contemporary
Art Gent (Belgium) and artistic director Documenta Kassel (Germany). Hoet
whilst no great connoisseur of recent developments in electronic art, is
a renowned art critic.
To invite him, was entirely in keeping with the theme of this symposium:
'The Art Factor'. Hoet's approach was highly critical; he did not exactly
commend the art works he saw at FISEA. This fact, and his indomitable
personality, caused heated discussions all during the symposium, usually
with Jan Hoet in the middle of the debate. Well, that is exactly what these
symposia are meant for.
PROJECTS & APPLICATIONS
Since the second ISEA symposium, part of the academic symposium is not
just 'paper and panel sessions', but 'poster sessions', or, as they were
called in Minneapolis: 'projects & applications'. During these, artists
display and explain their work in a rather informal setting.
Short presentations, simultaneously at different locations, gave delegates
a chance to move from one to the other, and ask questions, etc. This has
proven to be a very valuable contribution to the general informative level
of the symposia.
ISEA PANEL
During the final (plenary) session of the symposium, the ISEA Panel session,
a discussion was started on the usefulness of 'papers & panels sessions'.
These are standard procedure at academic symposia, and many people question
the use of listening to someone reading a paper that can be read just as
well at home, from the symposium proceedings. Suggestions were made to
replace these sessions with round table discussions. However, the academic
character of the ISEA symposia is exactly what distinguishes them from
festivals and other electronic art events. It was concluded that the
papers & panels sessions should not disappear, but be much improved. The
speaker should not just 'read his or her paper', but summarize it and work
from there on a presentation that communicates the points made in the paper.
Furthermore, the round table discussions are only good for 'birds of a
feather', for example artists. However, the ISEA symposia were meant to be a
meeting ground for art and science, for artists, scientists and scholars
(within the limitation of the field of electronic art, or electronic
culture). Thus conscious effort should be made to involve more scientists.
FUTURE ISEA SYMPOSIA
During the ISEA Panel, both Helsinki and Montreal reported on the progress
being made on ISEA 94 and ISEA 95, respectively. Both are receiving support
from their national and local governments. Proposals for '96 and '97 were
presented. For '96 proposals were announced by Munich (Germany), Bratislava
(Slowakia) and another German city. For '97 a proposal came in from Troy
(NY), USA. Other proposals for that year are expected from a major american
city and from Japan. The deadline for '96 proposals (Europe) has been set
for March 1, 1994. The deadline for '97 proposals is set for August 1, 1994.
ISEA 94
ISEA 94, the 5th International Symposium on Electronic Art which will take
place in Helsinki, Finland (August 23 - 28 1994), has already received 30
proposals for the Sillicon Graphics ISEA94 Grant. A decision will be made
shortly after November 15th. From the beginning of 1994 a monthly E-mail
newsletter will be published.
ISEA BOARD
Peter Beyls (Belgium) was nominated to be on the board of ISEA.
Regular members of ISEA have a chance to oppose his candidacy until December
15, 1993. All other board members have indicated they will remain on the
board for the coming year (Theo Hesper, Wim van der Plas, Martha Hesper-de
Haas, Simon Penny, Roman Verostko).
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DISCUSSION
On the Symposium Format
We like to invite discussion on the points raised during the ISEA Panel at
FISEA93 (see Editorial). Ray Archee, one of the wonderful English language
correctors of this Newsletter, sent this comment:
'I totally agree with you on the fact that a "reading aloud" of a written
paper is terrible. The presentation and the paper are entirely different
things. I am a social scientist but have been overlooked as far as I am
concerned. Most other reputable conferences have a referee procedure that
is fair and obvious to all who submit papers. Since only abstracts are
needed then I can only conclude that the ISEA process is not similar to
other international conferences.
Has this been looked into for future events? As it stands, it is not merit
that commands a place in an ISEA event, but how well-known a presenter is
(but only within certain circles).'
Ray Archee
Reaction by Wim van der Plas:
I believe more "reputable conferences" work with abstracts as the basis
on which the decision is made to invite authors to submit a full paper.
It saves time and energy, both for the organizers and for the respondents.
It is felt that the paper usualy gains quality (and certainly actuality),
if it is written in the knowledge that it can be presented and close to
the actual date of presentation.
However, I think you have a point. We should explicitly invite both
abstracts and full papers (as it stands, no paper has ever been rejected
because it was send in full instead of in abstract form). Furthermore, I
think that it is unavoidable that the fact the submission is by someone
well known, to a degree, influences the decision of the Program Committee
(would you refuse a submission by Marvin Minsky?). In general however,
I think the Program Committees have primarely looked at the contents of
the proposals. Many 'unknown' authors have found a place in the ISEA
symposia programs. We need to give unknown, but talented people a chance.
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NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA
Ray Archee
Apart from TISEA 92, Australian electronic art has not been prominently
represented in this newsletter. The main reason for this is the fact
there exists no central organisation which can co-ordinate the many
pockets of artistic endeavour which are going on all over this
geographically-dispersed country. I hope that my role in ISEA might
remedy this situation.
Adam Lucas, Sydney-based writer/journalist/educator reports on his
SIGGRAPH '93 paper entitled "Multimedia and Interactivity in the
Antipodes". The most ambitious project amongst many, is the Encyclopedia
of Aboriginal Australia Interactive CD project. The two disks will have
text, images, audio and video; four Aboriginal communities from both city
and outback locations will be represented. The overall philosophy is "to
let Aboriginal people express their perspectives on Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal history and society".
There are a multitude of other projects going on; there is also the
Next Wave Festival next year. More on these events next month...
Ray Archee < rarchee@extro.ucc.su.oz.au >
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GOLDEN PLOTTER '94
Dr. W. Schneider
Competition Computer Generated or Computer Processed Images and Objects.
For example: computer graphics, computer animation, computer directed
(light) objects, project ideas, multi media pieces, etc.
The work must have been realized within the past two years. The winner
will be awarded 5.000 D. Mark. Award ceremony & opening exhibition
April 30, 1994. Deadline: December 15, 1993
Info:
Dr. W. Schneider, Museum der Stadt Gladbeck
Burgstrasse 64, D 45964 Gladbeck, Germany.
Tel: 49-2043-23029
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FORUMBHZVIDEO 93
Rejane Spitz
International Video Festival of Belo Horizonte
November 10 - 15, Palacio das Artes, Minas Gerais, Brazil
The FORUMBHAZVIDEO 93 programme includes informative shows, such as an
European Show, featuring works distributed by the London Video Access;
retrospectives of Eder Santos, Gary Hill and Alain Bourges; experiments
with public access TVs, especial projects from foreign production
companies - such as Museum Notes, produced by the Danish Video+Film
Workshop Institute, works produced by the International Centre of Video
Creation; videos by Naim June Paik, Peter d"Agostino, Antonio Muntadas,
Robert Cahen, Shigeko Kubota, Raymond Bellour, among others; and a
Latin American Competitive Show - which will trace a landscape of the
state-of-the-art video production of the continent.
One of the programme's highlights is the Reflection Cycle, structured
in order to investigate the electronic image's implications within
contemporary society. There will be four lectures, followed by debates.
The festival's approach is to blend diverse interests from different
fields of knowledge - such as philosophy, semiotics, communications,
fine art, cinema and computer science.
Coordinators: Adriana Franca, Ana Flavia Dias Salles, Rogerio Velloso
and Vania Catani.
Contact:
FORUMBHZVIDEO 93, International Video Festival of Belo Horizonte
Rua Santa Rita Durao 384, CEP 30140-111, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Tel: 55-31-2254908, Fax: 55-31-2231140
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INTERNATIONAL COMPUTER MUSIC CONFERENCE 1994
September 12 - 17 1994, Aarhus, Denmark.
Since the first conference in 1974, the annual International Computer Music
Conference has developed into the principal international forum
for the interchange of artistic, scientific, engineering and philosophical
research in the field of computer music and music technology.
The ICMC consists not only of paper sessions, but a variety of other ac-
tivities as well, including hardware and software demonstrations, studio
reports, special interest group meetings and a trade exhibition.
An integral part of an ICMC is the professional performance of computer music
compositions: usually around ten concerts are presented at each conference.
The theme of the 1994 conference is "The Human Touch", focusing on the many
aspects of human-machine interaction by highlighting live performance and
presenting new developments in the area of user interface and instrument
design.
The 1994 ICMC will present a wide variety of outstanding soloists,
ensembles and orchestras performing with computers. The call for music
submissions encourages composers to send works involving computers with
instruments and dance.
Submission deadline: February 1, 1994.
Info: ICMC 1994, Musikhuset Aarhus, Thomas Jensens All, DK-8000 Aarhus C,
Denmark. Tel: 45-8931-8171, Fax: 45-8931-8166, Email: ICMC94@daimi.aau.dk
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CALLS FOR PARTICIPATION
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CALL FOR WORK
In Greece, a weekly program on art and technology has started on a national
television channel. The program is called METATI (Post...What?).
Each episode is 30 minutes, and contains four items. The items can be on
electronic (or rather, technological) art activities, or art work proper.
In the last case royalties are offered of 12000 drachmas per minute.
Tapes can be Beta, SVHS, Hi8 and other professional standards, preferably
PAL.
If you are interested, get in touch with:
Manthos Santorinaios (or his secretary Theodosia) at
Eikona,
168, Mavromichali St.
11472 Athens, Greece
Tel: 30-1-6460748, Fax: 6420451
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LERI@CON '94
July 22 - 24 1994, Austin, Texas, USA
We'd like to go out of our way to encourage you, the members of this
community, to take an active role in helping Leri@Con '94 come to life.
If you have a project, paper, performance, rant, game, video, panel,
speaker, gadget, product, or fringe-type meme that you'd like to see
represented or involved with Leri@Con, let us know! Our focus with
this convention is not, as you can tell, on "big name" stars, but on
the community itself; the presentations and performances should emanate
from that locus above all else. If you have a proposal and a way to get
to Austin next summer, email
moores7518@cobra.uni.edu with the
details, or share them on the mailing list of your choice. We'd also
like to hear about absolutely any suggestions, ideas, comments and
criticisms, but above all else, SPEAK UP! Thanks muchly well in
advance.
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CALL FOR "'STUFF'
The Uncanny Refutation of the Apocalyptic
(Abstract, full piece available on request from ISEA)
Originally, the title of this issue was to be solely 'Apocalypse.'
Presumably it would have dealt with the rising tide of millennial expectation
which seems to inundate Western culture periodically. Those expectations
will no doubt becomes particularly acute as we approach the year 2000. Even
if there is no actual apocalypse, we are in the midst of an avalanche of
material on the Apocalypse and allied enthusiams. And even if the Apocalypse
were to be televised, most of us would probably be watching another channel.
(...)
The idea of the sublime, very popular in the 19th century (and
undergoing critical re-examination now) and given great impetus by Immanual
Kant, can be seen to be a frozen apocalyptic moment, its equivalent esthetic,
the overwhelming wave of Absoluteness held in stasis by an emerging techno-
logic gaze (and perhaps, in fact, given life by that gaze).
In some ways, we might say the sublime was the last gasp of the apocalyptic
(...).
This techno-logic and the apocalyptic can be seen to be, at the very
least, co-extensive with each other. Much of the meditations originating
from and about the emerging so-called 'cyber-culture' attest to the
powerfulness of the apocalyptic 'collapse of the flesh' into a new order of
being. (...)
Nevertheless, many questions remain. Does this new info-matic,
cybernetic, global order differ that drastically from its predecessor? Is
this 'new order' merely wishful (re: speculative) thinking, the very essence
and endpoint of this older Judeo-Christian Apocalyptic simply carried to the
limits of that 2000 yr. old culture's capacity to sublimate and 'leak' all
over the world stage and 'stain' all the other cultures and subjectivities it
touches?
Or are there ungovernable, uncognizable complexities to this emergent
order which nevertheless cloak themselves as revenants of previous human
subjectivities, 'ghosts' (geist), which of course include values, ethics,
morals, etc.? Is this a new mythic return? or the old? (Paganism? Post-
modernism? The real beginning of modernism?) (...)
For while technology is continually apocalyptic, it also continually
unleashes monstrous doubles of everything (and doubles always participate
in the monstrous).
(...)
Maybe, instead of always everywhere, The End, it is now always
everywhere, The Beginning; no more need to worry about happy endings.
And now: we no longer worry quite as much about the hammer blows from
without (...) but seepage from within: viral contamination, parasitic
infestation, Pod People from outer space, the arrival of the Doll Universe,
your car talks to you, your grandpa has just been downloaded, you've forgot-
ten to pick up your mess and now the Great Mother wants a few words with you.
(...)
_________________________________
ALL SUBMITTALS SHOULD INCLUDE:
the author(s) name address and phone number
DEADLINE: summer, 1994
ADDRESS INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSIONS TO:
PERFORATIONS 6
c/o Public Domain, Inc.
P.O. Box 8899
Atlanta, Georgia, USA 30306-0899
Phone: 404-377-2627 FAX: 404-894-9135
CONTACT:
Robert Cheatham (zeug@pd.org)
Chea Prince (cprince@pd.org)
John Evans (joev3@pd.org)
or Email queries to: info@pd.org
Public Domain, Inc. is an Atlanta based arts/theory non-profit organization.
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CALENDAR
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SONYVISIE 94
November 17 - 20 1993
Sony tradeshow electronic media for professionals.
Schipholweg 275, Badhoevedorp, Holland
Info: Tel 31-20-6581880, fax 6593367
VIRTUAL REALITY VIENNA '93
December 1 - 3 1993, Vienna, Austria
International symposium on Virtual Reality and New Technologies in
Computer Simulation. Contact:
Dr. Manfred Weiss, IDG Austria, Fax: 43-1-523050833,
Email: christian.bauer@uibk.ac.at
X COLLOQUIUM ON MUSICAL INFORMATICS
December 2 - 4 1993, Milan, Italy
The Colloquium on Musical Informatics is an international biennial meeting
of researchers in computer applications to music. The special topic of this
10th edition is musical informatics and hypermedia systems.
Info: Com. Organizzatore del X Colloquio di Informatica Musicale, c/o L.I.M.,
Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Informazione, Universita' degli Studi di Milano,
via Comelico 35, I-20135 Milano, Italy. Tel: 39-2-55006.338/.382,
Fax: 39-2-55006.373, E-mail: MacLim@hermes.mc.dsi.unimi.it
EDUGRAPHICS'93 & COMPUGRAPHICS'93
December 6 - 10 1993, Hotel Alvor Praia, Alvor, Algarve, Portugal
The First International Conference on Graphics Education and the Third
International Conference on Computational Graphics and Visualization Techni-
ques.
Organizer and Chairman : Harold P. Santo, Department of Civil Engineering,
IST - Advanced Technical Institute, Technical University of Lisbon
Av. Rovisco Pais 1, 1096 Lisboa Codex, Portugal.
Tel. + Fax: 351-1-848-2425, E-mail: d1663@beta.ist.utl.pt
DICTA 93
December 8 - 10 1993, Sydney, Australia.
Digital Imaging Computing: Techniques & Applications
Info: Tony Adriaansen, CSIRO
Tel: 61-2-8099495, Email: DICTA93@EE.UTS.EDU.AU
ONLINE 93
December 7 - 9 1993, Olympia 2, London, UK.
Seventhteenth International Online Information Meeting.
Themes: Online and Internet, Mulimedia Solutions, VR, CD-ROM, New methods of
Information Delivery. Info: The Organizing Secretary, Learned Information
Ltd, Woodside, Hinksey Hill, Oxford, OX1 5AU, UK. Fax: 44-865-736354
2nd INTERNATIONAL INTERACTIVE MULTIMEDIA SYMPOSIUM
January 23 - 28, 1994, Perth, Australia
Topics: Education, training & public information, Industry applications &
contexts, Finding markets and niches, Creative design, Management &
marketing, Research & evaluation
Info: John W. Brown, Western Australia House, 115 Strand, London WC2R OAJ,
UK. Tel: 44-71-2402881, Fax: 2406637
or Promaco, Unit 9a Canning Bridge Commercial Centre, 890-892 Canning Highway
Applecross, Western Australia 6153. Tel: 61-9-3648311, Fax: 3161453
1994 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MULTIMEDIA COMPUTING AND SYSTEMS
February 21 - 25 1994, Darmstadt, Germany
Info: Erich J. Neuhold, GMD-IPSI / T.H. Darmstadt, Dolivostrasse 15
P.O. Box 104326, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
Tel: 49-6151-869802, Fax: 49-6151-869818, Email: neuhold@darmstadt.gmd.de
EP94
April 13 -15 1994, Darmstadt, Germany.
EP94, the Conference on Electronic Publishing, Document Manipulation and
Typography. For more info (or Call for Papers) contact ISEA or:
EP94 - GMD-IPSI, Dolivistr. 15, D-6100 Darmstadt, Germany.
Tel: 49-224114-2473, Fax: 49-224114-2618, E-mail: ep94@gmd.de
ED-MEDIA 94
June 25 - 29 1994, Vancouver, Canada.
World Conference on Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia.
Info: ED-MEDIA 94/AACE, P.O. Box 2966, Charlottesville, VA 22902 USA.
Tel: 1-804-973-3987, Fax: 1-804-978-7449, E-mail: AACE@Virginia.Edu
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MASS COMMUNICATION RESEARCH
July 3 - 8 1994, Seoul, Korea.
"Communication in the New Millennium: Communication Technology for Humanity"
Info: Howard Frederick, School of International Service, The American
University, Washington, DC 20016 USA.
Tel: 1-202-8851635, Fax: 1-202-8852494, Email: hfrederick@igc.apc.org
3rd INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR MUSIC PERCEPTION AND COGNITION
July 23 - 27 1994, Campus Sart Tilman, B-4000 Liege, Belgium.
Info: ESCOM Secretariat, Centre de Recherches Musicales de Wallonie
16 place du 20 Aout, B-4000 Liege, Belgium.
Tel: 32-41-223362, Fax: 32-41-220668, Email: URPM@BLIULG11.BITNET
ISEA94 THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ELECTRONIC ART
August 23 - 28 1994, Helsinki, Finland.
The 5th International Symposium on Electronic Art will take place in
Helsinki, Finland. ISEA'94 will be a lively forum for artists, scientists,
educators, critics and scholars, all those who share a professional interest
in the electronic media. In addition to approximately 200 international
participators, the organizers expect a total attendance of 10.000 visitors.
Info: ISEA'94, University of Arts and Design UIAH, Hameentie 135c, 00560
Helsinki, Finland. Tel: 358-0-7563344, Fax: 7563537, Email: ISEA@UIAH.FI
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The Inter-Society aims at joining a world-wide network of artists, scien-
tists and their institutes, making it easier for the institutes and
individual members to share expertise with each other. The aims of the
Inter-Society are to promote a structured approach to electronic art and
to help finance worthy electronic art projects. For membership information
contact ISEA at the address on the front page.
ISEA distributes a hard copy version of this Newsletter in order to keep
its members, who have no access to Electronic Mail, informed. Those
members can, if they desire, get in touch with the Email addresses men-
tioned in this Newsletter by contacting ISEA.
Support: Erasmus University Rotterdam (Law Dept), Amsterdam University,
V2 Organisation, Tell Productions, YLEM, ISAST, Renderstar Technology,
Media Research, Museum der Stad Gladbeck, Corel Corporation.
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End of Newsletter