[-empyre-] Creativity as a social ontology

[Simon Biggs]

We would like to thank both Kriss Ravetto-Biagioli and James Leach who have
developed this month's empyre discussion into new and challenging territory,
inquiring into creativity as a social ontology from the perspectives of
cultural theory and anthropology. The debate has revealed further insights
around the theme and suggested novel formulations. James is now heading off
to New Guinea so is unlikely to have the connectivity to contribute further
to our discussion (I envy him a little) but I hope that Kriss can continue
to contribute, from the equally distinctive but better networked location of
Martha's Vineyard.

Now we would like to welcome two new guests for Week 3 of this discussion,
Ruth Catlow (UK) and Magnus Lawrie (UK). We have asked them to discuss how
creativity can enable people and communities through the examples of their
own practices and activities. Ruth is a founder of Furtherfield, an arts
organisation based in London dedicated to exploring new models for creative
communities in both online and offline environments. Magnus is an artist and
a founder of The Chateau Institute of Technology, part of the Glasgow based
Chateau collective of artists and musicians.

Ruth Catlow (UK):
Ruth is an artist and curator working at the intersection of art, technology
and social change. As co-founder, with Marc Garrett, of Furtherfield.org, a
grass roots media arts organisation, online community and HTTP Gallery in
North London, she works with international DIY artists, hackers, curators,
musicians, programmers, writers, activists and thinkers. Her current focus
is on practices that engage an ecological approach featuring an interest in
the interrelation of technological and natural processes.  Ruth has been
involved with developing networked participatory arts infrastructures such
as VisitorsStudio and NODE.London. Ruth has worked in Higher Education for
over 15 years and is currently running degrees in Digital Art and Design
Practice and developing a new MA in Fine Art and Environment at Writtle
School of Design.

Magnus Lawrie (UK):
Magnus Lawrie has, over the past 15 years, been involved in creative and
politically motivated urban communities in the UK, Germany and Spain. This
engagement has resulted from a peripatetic lifestyle and an interest in
grassroots action deriving from his background in visual arts (BA & MFA Fine
Art 1991-97), DIY culture and - by a circuitous route - web design,
programming, systems administration, GNU/Linux and Free Software
development. In September 2010 Magnus will begin a doctoral research
studentship at Edinburgh College of Art as part of the pan-European
Electronic Literature as a Model for Creativity and Innovation in Practice
(ELMCIP) project.

This July edition of empyre "Creativity as a social ontology" is moderated
by Simon Biggs (UK/Aus), edinburgh college of art.




Simon Biggs
s.biggs at eca.ac.uk  simon at littlepig.org.uk
Skype: simonbiggsuk
http://www.littlepig.org.uk/

Research Professor  edinburgh college of art
http://www.eca.ac.uk/
Creative Interdisciplinary Research into CoLlaborative Environments
http://www.eca.ac.uk/circle/
Electronic Literature as a Model of Creativity and Innovation in Practice
http://www.elmcip.net/
Centre for Film, Performance and Media Arts
http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/film-performance-media-arts



Edinburgh College of Art (eca) is a charity registered in Scotland, number SC009201