[iDC] Re: Interactive City: irrelevant mobile entertainment?

[mollybh at netspace.net.au]

Dear list members, 

Look, no one is/has said that the entire ISEA2006/Zero/One was a failure. 
If anything, points have been raised pro and con to bring into focus, maybe 
some absences, maybe some things that could improve, maybe some aspects of 
organizations and academia which are all too obvious, and probably disgruntle 
most of us. My disagreements stand as a difference of opinion regarding 
the "interactive city" concept (largely colored by the summit held here in SF 
on the Monday and Tuesday) along side of others' opinions and criticisms. 
I, personally, feel that Anna Munster's criticisms of global cultural 
festivals, in San Jose or Sydney or elsewhere - are a very interesting point 
of departure for an analysis of artistic and curatorial practice in this 
arena. Are "we" (and I use this we in quotes because - who is that? ) 
reproducing practices which fail to articulate the way in which ideas work 
themselves out - in a distributed communications context aka like from more 
than one nationality, political voice, etc. ????

Everyone in this discussion, practically, has given voice to some idea that 
there should have been more linking and cooperation with immigrant communities 
in SJ demonstrated at the festival. That's a good idea!  

Everyone has queried the positioning of "situationism" and "play" (that's a 
good idea! )

Everyone has talked about participation. (That's a good idea!) 

But, please, no one here has suggested that the planners didn't work hard 
enough. Oh, come on. If you are going to put your ideas out there, 
collaboratively or not, in the ultra public context of an advertised festival, 
you gotta take some feedback! What has been suggested is that there wasn't 
enough tooth, maybe, to some of the ideas, or that perhaps there should have 
been more space for comment. The social text was a good idea, at the symposium 
and afterwards. Ok. cool. It's good reading! 

We really need to separate out  what is productive criticism well intended, 
and even humor, well intended, from what was done or experienced. There is 
always some kind of a gap between what is imagined/intended and what is 
experienced. 

I'm glad to get to know the members of this list and look forward to future 
comments. 

I would like to know why it is that people keep saying that net art is over or 
dead? Arent' technologies parallel in use, rather than replacing of each 
other? 

Molly 


 




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