Re: [-empyre-] Re: Galleries, publics, net.art

[valerie <valerie@mobilegaze.com>]

Hi Luci -

> i work in a collective art/curatorial practise called low-fi. we produce a
> database of current net art activity with monthly selected [vaguely
> threaded] lists of projects. our focus is on distribution and in attempting
> to present net art to an audience beyond the net art community. we are
> participating in a residency at the ica in london specifically so that we
> are located within a visual arts institution. there are a couple of reasons
> for this: our activity is contextualised/informed, at least in part, by the
> broader art context; we can potentially extend our audience to ica visitors
> who may not be net savvy.

Yes - this is the very same experience that I have had - audience
members not already involved in net.art or computers - are
apprehensive to view / participate in online exhibitions. One of the
ways around this can be to have "real" people there, helping w/ the
navigation etc. I've done this is festival context (Maid in
Cyberspace organized by Studio XX in Montreal:
http://www.studioxx.org ) where we had volunteers from the feminist /
technology / art community on hand to discuss the works - or just
trouble shoot if people got lost. We will also be doping this at the
Musée du Québec - we'll be training some art / technology students to
help the public navigate.

> it would be helpful if institutional sites linked to resources for locating
> net art


Well - my feeling is institutions either don't have the time or the
resources. Also, the fact that they do not see the "public" (i.e.
large crowds of people in the gallery) - it remains ephemeral - and
somewhat unreal. But to be honest - I sometimes feel that way myself!

Valerie
--
MobileGaze: on-line culture.
http://www.mobilegaze.com

Matter + Memory net.art exhibition
http://www.mobilegaze.com/m+m

Location / Dislocation
http://www.deplacement.qc.ca