[-empyre-] Can -empyre strike back or is it the end of our -empyre?

[Tracey Benson]

Hi Renate and all

Firstly - Happy New Year!

I have been thinking a lot about what are my goals and aspirations this year and what make makes them different from other years. 

For me, this years aspirations are really a continuation of a process which I guess started around 4 years ago when I realised that I needed to bring my different worlds together as an artist, educator and a government advisor/strategist (AKA public servant).

This year brings new challenges - I have stated a Masters of Science where my topic is exploring different knowledge systems and sustainability behaviour change. My study is supported by my employer (I work in the Energy policy area of the Australian federal government) and I hope to be able to actively work with artists, Indigenous peoples, scientists and technologists on developing this research.

I regards to my teaching work (I teach part time with a subject titled Cross-Media Production). This year I am expanding the syllabus to include a topic on environmental issues. This is also in consultation with my agency and at the final presentations staff from the business areas (e.g. energy, waste, threatened species) and from Public Affairs will come to the final presentations and give students feedback. I am really excited about this as it will expose talented emerging creatives to prospective employers. On the flip side - my colleagues will see innovative work which uses a broad range of media.

For the past few years I have also been invoked with Intercreate and SCANZ in NZ - I know a few of you have done residencies in Taranaki over the years. This year we are doing a distributed model and there will be a number of SCANZ events - in NZ, Canberra and the US. I am organising the Canberra event for May/June this year and will be sending out a second call for participation soon.

Later this year I will be based in Norway for three months as an artist-in-residence with Drammen Kommune. I am very much looking forward to having this nice chunk of time to do some research and expand on my "Waters of the Past" project which explores migration, ancestors and sea faring. Just to keep the worlds connected, I have also started conversations with some people in Norwegian government who have managed sustainability programs. Our plan is to do some information sharing on program development/implementation.

Other than the above, I am resolved to not be destroyed by the mess that is world politics and focus on what is possible at the level of the local. We are fortunate to have quite a progressive government at the State level in Canberra (the Australian Capitial Territory) and I hope to be able to be more involved in City Farm - an organic community farm as well as lobby MLAs to develop one in our area.

So if asked my goals for 2017 and beyond, I have two words - Connecting Worlds. It is as simple as it is complicated.

All the best to everyone and hope you all have an amazing and inspired 2017.

Tracey


On 25/01/2017, at 5:51 AM, Renate Terese Ferro <rferro at cornell.edu> wrote:

> ----------empyre- soft-skinned space----------------------
> Thanks Erin for your insightful post From Data Preserves to Dépense without Reserve” on Media Ecologies. Your resources are so much appreciated and a special shout out to Michelle Murphy and Patrick Keilty who organized the data rescue event. 
> 
> I have wanted to write this post to all of my fellow -empyre subscribers but have been delaying. So I will do it here and now.  I have been wondering these past few months if -empyre- soft-skin space has run its course.  Though we have a well documented archive
> http://lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au/pipermail/empyre/
> that traces our history since January of 2002 it has become much more difficult to find participants willing to keep our community going.  While we have many fans who lurk it has been difficult to find willing and able participants  to organize topics, participate actively, sit on our Moderating Team, and other responsibilities that -empyre requires.  As you know Melinda Rackham’s idea of an online listserv community laid the seeds for -empyre.  Now close to 2000 subscribers there are many days when one or two of us keep things moving behind the scenes.  
> 
> -empyre need some vibrant helpers who are willing and dependable to keep it sustainable.  Currently we have three others who sit on the Moderating Team including Tim Murray from Cornell University, Soraya Murray from Santa Cruz, and Derek Murray also from Santa Cruz.  So this response that Tim made in early January, “to crank up the noise of the net by submitting your New Year’s resolutions against oppression, fascism, neoliberalism, and conservatism” goes out to all of you once again on not only the continent of North America but in Australia and England and Asia and everywhere else our subscribers are lurking from.  Only a handful of you have responded so far.  In my mind -empyre- soft-skinned space has been a virtual active participatory space since 2002 that has traced the history and critical mission of networked technology and digital media, performance and theory.  It has since its inception struck back critically in so many ways.  
> 
> CAN WE SUSTAIN ITS CRITICALITY?  CAN WE CONTINUE TO STRIKE BACK?  IS THERE ANYONE OUT INTERESTED IN HELPING US CONTINUE TO STRIKE BACK THROUGH THIS PLATFORM.  If so please feel free to post your resolution this month.  We will keep this discussion topic going until the 31st of January.  On February 1st we will launch a new topic “Between Art and Biology” in conjunction with the College Art Association’s New Media Caucus Round Table Discussion. 
> 
> We  need of topics for the upcoming months of March, April and May.  Also looking for vibrant and active organizers who are willing to help out our MODERATING TEAM. If you are interested please email me BACKCHANNEL. If not we will probably seek to shut down -empyre over the next few months.  
> 
> Is it truly the end of -empyre? I hope not. 
> 
> Renate
> 
> 
> Renate Ferro
> Visiting Associate Professor
> Director of Undergraduate Studies
> Department of Art
> Tjaden Hall 306
> rferro at cornell.edu
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> empyre forum
> empyre at lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au
> http://empyre.library.cornell.edu

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