Extimitat. Art, intimitat i tecnologia

Catalogue of the group exhibition on digital art curated by Pau Waelder. The exhibition proposes the spectator reflect on the new parameters introduced into the concepts of subject, body and interpersonal relations as a result of the development of new technologies, and how intimacy thus turns into extimacy, to use the term created by Jacques Lacan to define existence. The selection of works, interactive installations that involve the spectator through active participation, brings together renowned international artists: Gazira Babeli, Clara Boj and Diego Díaz, Martin John Callanan, Grégory Chatonsky, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Paul Sermon, Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneau, and Carlo Zanni.

The catalogue has been published with a heat-sensitive cover. Includes colour reproductions of the works displayed and critical texts by Pau Waelder, Pau Alsina and Francesc Núñez. 2011, ISBN 978-84-938055-4-8, 184 pages, 23x17cm, Catalan, Spanish, English and German.

Networked_Performance review of Extimacy: Art, Intimacy And Technology

Inside the immense flow of data exchange, the new technologies have facilitated an interdependency between the spheres of what is private and what is public, between interior and exterior, leading us to reveal, in an increasingly natural manner, our experiences, thoughts and feelings, enlarging the circle of intimacy to the point of sharing our inner life with the invisible, abstract audience of Internet users. Things personal become collective, things belonging to others become our own and intimacy is no longer something that is preserved and kept in our innermost circles, but something that is projected in all directions in an eccentric movement. Thus intimacy turns into extimacy, to use the term created by Jacques Lacan to define the existence, within the most intimate sphere of the I, of a “foreign body”, that which is external to the individual and with which one identifies.

We need to share our intimacy because what we are is defined both by our subjectivity and by what surrounds us. In the realm of digital art, several artists have worked with the new parameters of subject, body, interpersonal relationship and intimacy introduced by the new technologies. Their works enable us to initiate a reflection on the ways in which the mobile phone, e-mails, chats, social networks and instant messaging systems modify, increase or condition our communication with others. They also allow us to consider where the boundaries of our personal space lie, where our “I” ends and that of others begins.

Extimacy. Art, intimacy and technology is a group digital art exhibition which puts forward a proposal that spectators reflect on these concepts through the presentation of works by recognised artists from the international scene. Interactive installations, mainly, that involve spectators in what is active participation with the work, which never ceases to be a piece with its own identity, the fruit of the firm artistic background of creators who combine art and technology in their work. In an era in which the user adopts an active role in the diffusion and manipulation of information on the global network (known as web 2.0), in art, too, a change in roles between spectator and work is taking place, with interactive art as the best expression of this new paradigm. The works of some great names from this sphere, such as Christa Sommerer and Laurent Mignonneau, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer or Paul Sermon, for instance, are combined with the creations of promising artists like Gazira Babeli, Clara Boj and Diego Díaz, Gregory Chatonsky, Carlo Zanni or Martin John Callanan. All of them exhibit the multiple facets a concept as complex and at the same time as simple as extimacy can present, from different angles and with diverse intentions.

Jo-Anne Green

FILE 11 (I Wanted to See All the News From Today)

The 11th edition of FILE – Electronic Language International Festival – takes place this year at centro cultural fiesp – ruth cardoso, Brasil, from july 27th to august 29th, 2010. The programme occupies the art gallery of sesi-sp, the fiesp space, the theater and the mezzanine of the cultural center that hosts the exhibition with interactive installations, games, machinimas, internet artworks, performances and workshops.

Media Art shows how to “soften” the rigidity of technology functionality and to create an environment of creativity and artistic thinking.

Sonification of You at NetAudio ’08 London

Sonification of You, NetAudio Sonification of You, NetAudio, London

Sonification of You was part of Netaudio’08 Festival London, October 2008

Netaudio’08 took place from 22nd to 25th October 2008 at Shunt Lounge, London SE1. It celebrated the creative output of networked musicians and online communities with installations, workshops, showcases and performances.

Netaudio’08 plaid host to a broad range of live musical acts from the IDM of Lackluster and the digital dub of Disrupt to the raucous sounds of emerging talent A.R.E. Weapons. There was live techno and house from Berlin and djs from across Europe and the UK playing everything from esoteric ambience to minimal techno and back via a headlining set from man of the moment: Appleblim. The only criteria here is that they sound good and that they engage via the medium of the Internet.

Within the market side of the festival you could lay your hands on the latest gadgets, kit and software with everything from digital DJ tools to fully fledged audio production software. As a modern day equivalent of a fun fair, the Netaudio Market also featured a number of interactive installations and stalls allowing you to have a taste of what’s on offer by experimenting with numerous sound and internet tools as well as simply enjoying one of the professionals demonstrations.

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Netaudio’08 is funded by the Arts Council England through Grants for the Arts and by Shunt. Cenatus Music Projects gratefully acknowledges financial support from the PRS Foundation. The Netaudio Festival is based on a Swiss concept, first showcased in 2005 in Berne. Netaudio’08 is supported by the Swiss Cultural Fund in Britain.

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