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that sounds really interesting, tracey. i did a project last year
using an AR app called Zappar, which is similar to Aurasma, &
also not open source. it frustrates me that both of these apps
(& lots of others) are only available via google play or the
apple store. we had people come to our project last year who did not
want to sign up to google play & therefore could not access the
work. i also don't want to have to sign up to google in order to
access free apps, & i don't understand why app makers don't also
make their apps downloadable from their web sites for those of us
who don't want to use google play or app store. we are being forced
into one or other system & i would prefer that my work is
accessible outside of these corporate structures.<br>
<br>
so i'm very interested to hear how things go with the new tool you
are developing :)<br>
<br>
h : )<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 8/02/15 9:09 01AM, Tracey Benson
wrote:<br>
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Hi everyone :-)
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<div>Thank you Renate for the introduction and inviting me to
participate in a conversation about tools and technologies.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I use a range of software tools in my creative work and
rely on a range of online tools to create interactive
artworks. Over the last couple of years I have been exploring
geo-locative and augmented reality tools to make artworks that
can be viewable through hand held devices. An example is a
series of augmented reality 'walks' recently created in
Dunedin, Auckland and Copenhagen. I am currently using a tool
called Aurasma which has its pros and cons, but generally a
great tool to use. One of the cons is that it is only
available on limited devices and I would like to work with
software that is open source, free and accessible to any smart
phone or tablet user. To this end, I am now working with a
developer in Bangalore, who I met at a recent Ada Initiative
ADACamp. Our plan is to create a tool for the purpose of
creating an AR walk of Bangalore and our project is titled
"Look both ways". We hope that by mid year we will have a
pilot ready to test.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>There is a philosophy that drives my practice, which is
focused on access . In short, I like to think about tools and
technologies simply as creative mediums; and that like
learning to paint or create a screen print, there is both a
technical and a creative process to go through. I also use
free tools where possible as I like the idea that anyone can
make what I make - DIY. What I find frustrating with so much
art that is driven by technology is that the technology limits
the exchange between audience and artist; or that it assumes
too much from the audience or it doesn't function
efficiently. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>In my day job as an online strategist, my focus is on
engaging audiences with online tools, so accessibility in a
technical and a social sense is essential. The goal of
accessibility and engagement is pursued in a number of ways:
by creating plain English content; offering translations of
content; ensuring that websites are compliant with web
standards; and trying to provide a consistent and responsive
design screen sizes and hardware platforms. These goals are
also considered in my creative work - e.g. access is a
critical element to the AR walks. Each walk was created with a
blog and a printed map, both of which could lead the
viewer/audience through the work, even if not physically
present.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Renate, it is interesting that you mention gender politics
as it is a topic that I don't actively think about or use as a
subject in my creative work of late. Yes, I am a feminist, in
true sense of the world, I unreservedly believe in social
equity and social justice. Over recent years that conviction
has played out in different ways, from being a trade union
delegate and harassment officer in my workplace to
increasingly working with Indigenous peoples and scientists on
projects that focus on environmental justice and action. This
is where the word 'access' resonates in a different way for me
- in terms of people having access to fundamental
infrastructure so they have clean water and renewable energy,
let alone access to the online tools and technologies that so
many of us take for granted. Over the past 5 or so years, I
have been increasingly focused on some of these issues as a
writer as well as working with Indigenous organisations to
build their online presence so they can actively communicate
with audiences and stakeholders. So whilst my work has not
been directly dealing with feminist and women's issues per se,
I find networks like the ADA Initiative inspiring as they are
all about empowerment and building self confidence as well as
providing a great community to network and collaborate. I am
also in awe of many wonderful media artists, scientists and
researchers, who are still yet to be catalogued in Wikipedia.
I mention this as I met a mother and a daughter from Kerala
and ADACamp who facilitate a Wikithon on International Women's
Day to include entries on prominent women into Wikipedia.
There are similar events planned all over the world for the
forthcoming IWD. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I think I will stop there as I am at risk of writing a TLDR
message (Too long didn't read)</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>More soon.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Cheers</div>
<div>Tracey</div>
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<div><font face="Verdana" size="2">Dr Tracey Benson<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.bytetime.com">www.bytetime.com</a></font></div>
<div><font face="Verdana" size="2"><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.traceybenson.com">www.traceybenson.com</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:tracey@bytetime.com">tracey@bytetime.com</a></font></div>
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<div>On 08/02/2015, at 2:55 PM, Renate Terese Ferro <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:rferro@cornell.edu">rferro@cornell.edu</a>>
wrote:</div>
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<blockquote type="cite">----------empyre- soft-skinned
space----------------------<br>
Those who have been on -empyre soft-skinned space for a
while will<br>
recognize our next special guest, Tracey Benson. She was a
member of the<br>
moderating team from 2005 to 2007. I am really looking
forward to having<br>
a conversation online. It would be interesting to hear
about what you<br>
have been up to especially in regards to tools and
technologies and gender<br>
politics a thread that was carried over from Ben Bogart
and a<br>
conversation that he began on the correlation of tools and
their context<br>
and cultural conceptions in the design. Interesting first
week but we are<br>
looking forward to developing former threads and
introducing new ones.<br>
Welcome Tracey. For now I will say goodnight from the
East coast of the<br>
US while in Australia Tracey must be enjoying very warm
summer weather and<br>
a second cup of coffee.<br>
<br>
Tracey Benson is a media artist, writer and researcher
living in Canberra.<br>
Her work explores notions of place through locative
technologies,<br>
photography, online writing and video. Her work has
featured in many<br>
international and national emerging media festivals since
1996. Tracey has<br>
a MA from QUT, Creative Industries and a PhD from ANU,
which explores<br>
online environments and social impacts in the geo-physical
world. Since<br>
2007, she has co-organised the Canberra chapter of Dorkbot
and is also<br>
Secretary/Treasurer of NZ based organisation Intercreate.
This<br>
organisation brings together artists, scientists and
Indigenous peoples to<br>
focus on environmental challenges and sustainable
solutions.<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.byte-time.net/biography.html">http://www.byte-time.net/biography.html</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Renate Ferro<br>
Visiting Assistant Professor of Art,Cornell University<br>
Department of Art, Tjaden Hall Office: 306<br>
Ithaca, NY 14853<br>
Email: <<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:rferro@cornell.edu">rferro@cornell.edu</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:rtf9@cornell.edu"><mailto:rtf9@cornell.edu></a>><br>
URL: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.renateferro.net">http://www.renateferro.net</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.renateferro.net/"><http://www.renateferro.net/></a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.privatesecretspubliclies.net">http://www.privatesecretspubliclies.net</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.privatesecretspubliclies.net/"><http://www.privatesecretspubliclies.net/></a><br>
Lab: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.tinkerfactory.net">http://www.tinkerfactory.net</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.tinkerfactory.net/"><http://www.tinkerfactory.net/></a><br>
<br>
Managing Co-moderator of -empyre- soft skinned space<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://empyre.library.cornell.edu/">http://empyre.library.cornell.edu/</a><br>
<br>
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_______________________________________________<br>
empyre forum<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:empyre@lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au">empyre@lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au</a><br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://empyre.library.cornell.edu">http://empyre.library.cornell.edu</a><br>
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<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:empyre@lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au">empyre@lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://empyre.library.cornell.edu">http://empyre.library.cornell.edu</a></pre>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
helen varley jamieson<br>
<a href="mailto:helen@creative-catalyst.com">helen@creative-catalyst.com</a><br>
<a href="http://www.creative-catalyst.com">http://www.creative-catalyst.com</a><br>
<a href="http://www.talesfromthetowpath.net">http://www.talesfromthetowpath.net</a><br>
<a href="http://www.upstage.org.nz">http://www.upstage.org.nz</a></div>
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