[-empyre-] local contexts

[Melinda Rackham]

hi all,
thank you Zhenhua, Robin and Ellen for posting such a wealth of  
information on the -empyre- list.
If anyone on our -empyre- community could translate one or two of the  
interviews links that Zhenhua sent earlier to the list, to expand the  
shared knowledge, we would be very grateful.

I've been enthusiastically trawling thru links to improve my rather  
naive understandings of the context from which media art emerged and  
is understood in China. When the discussion topic is so vast, I think  
we naturally generalize to try and grasp an overall perspective and  
framework before we dig down to explore the detail of deeper levels.  
The significant differences in histories, perspectives and nuances in  
the evolution of making and thinking around "media" arts in Shanghai,  
Hong Kong, Hangzhou and Beijing is becoming quiet apparent - as of  
course localized conditions produce localized outcomes.

It seems many artists move between these cities, melding their flavor,  
making conceptual and physical connections between their networks -  
Aaajiao (Xu Wenkai) for example has set up Dorkbots in both Beijing  
and Shanghai, and founded the larger network http://www.we-need-money-not-art.com 
  and its private discussion list. These localized scenes are becoming  
an attractor for non-chinese artists as more media artists from around  
the globe are doing residencies in China, or moving to live and work  
in China, just as they were moving to Berlin a decade or so ago.

Is this due in part to the sense of dynamism radiating from China,  
and /or looking more closely at the mechanics of media art production  
- affordable housing, ease of material construction, what is perceived  
as an opportunistic market, and perhaps a perfect central location  
between Europe, the Americas and Australia?

best wishes

Melinda

Melinda Rackham
melinda at subtle.net




>>>
>>> so, if we talk about china the general culture scene is fine, but  
>>> if we talk about media art in china, I would suggest people start  
>>> to think about translate my research on the media art education  
>>> from Hang Zhou and media art integrated contemporary art in  
>>> Shanghai, to have a basic understanding, which is not the only  
>>> one, but something could easily help with the idea we discuss....
>>>
>>> wish you could understand chinese for the interviews:
>>> <http://www.bjartlab.com/read.php?239>http://www.bjartlab.com/read.php?239 
>>>  shanghai research
>>> <http://www.bjartlab.com/read.php?177>http://www.bjartlab.com/read.php?177 
>>>  hangzhou research
>>>
>>> thanks
>>>
>>>
>>> Li zhenhua | ÛıÍU™Å
>>