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| SCANZ Solar Circuit Aotearoa New Zealand July 3-16 2006 New Plymouth New Zealand Aotearoa http://www.scanz.net.nz Fax +64 6 757 3232 |
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History and ContextISEA, Solar Circuit/Polar Circuit Several important connections with ISEA and Solar/Polar Circuits are maintained in SCANZ. Three sitting board members of ISEA were on the Project Development Team. A Solar/Polar thematic of engagement with local environment persists. The theme of Connection/Disconnection holds currency and relevancy to Aotearoa New Zealand practice, and also picks up on the Solar Circuit theme of translocality. This is an appropriate moment for Aotearoa New Zealand due to the burgeoning 'New Media' scene. This has been a result of artists self organizing e.g. the Aotearoa Digital Artists (ADA) list administered by the University of Waikato, which has become a centre of focus for new media activity; Creative New Zealand has funded a website for ADA, itself recognition of a cohering presence being established; and there have been coincidental events such as the Empyre feature on New Media in New Zealand and the instigation of the Vodafone Digital Art Awards.
ISEAISEA is an international non-profit organisation fostering interdisciplinary academic discourse and exchange among culturally diverse organisations and individuals working with art, science and emerging technologies. See http://www.isea2004.net. ISEA 2006 in San Jose has four strands – Pacific Rim, Community Domain, Interactive City and Transvergence. Joel Slayton of C5 is chair of the Pacific Rim New Media Summit and a SCANZ artist.
Solar/Polar HeritagePolar Circuit was initiated by Tapio Makela in 1997. Hosted by the University of Lapland, an environment of healthy feedback, processes, problem solving and collaboration as a means of broadening concepts and networks for hybrid art production, was fostered.Solar Circuit 2K2 was held in Tasmania, Australia in 2002. Partners included the University of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Museum. The residency portion was held on Maria Island, a wildlife sanctuary.
Aotearoa Digital Arts Discussion List & SymposiaThe fourth ADA symposium is due to be held in New Plymouth in 2006 and is timed to coincide with SCANZ. On the final weekend of SCANZ, ADA members will be able to freely mix and interact with SCANZ artists. Some SCANZ artists will make short presentations, there will be opportunity for both formal and informal interaction, and in the evening some SCANZ artists will present work at the Govett-Brewster.
re:motere:mote is an ongoing series of conferences developed by r a d I o q u a l I a and ((ethermap, which explore questions like: what does it mean to be remote in an electronic art world? Are there 'centres' and 'peripheries' within a world increasingly bridged, criss-crossed and mapped by digital technologies? Can technologically mediated communication ever substitute for face-to-face dialogue? Is geographical isolation a factor in contemporary art production? Is remote a relative concept? These discussions are augmented via multiple communication channels such as skype, ichat and other video-conference and online collaborative software. Using these, international guests present to the audience, and local presenters are projected to the world. The conference materials are then archived on a website.re:mote:auckland in May, 2005, has set a significant precedent in terms of creating a space of communication between international
and New Zealand Aotearoa artists, and combining artist talks and workshops. It is important to pick up on previous
initiatives, and add the momentum to the future of artistic practice here.
Cultural FuturesCopy for Cultural Futures to come.
REGIONAL CONTEXT
New Plymouth, Taranaki, New ZealandSCANZ is hosted by the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki. New Plymouth and the Taranaki region are building a regional profile as one with high cultural capital. Taranaki is significant in terms of human environment - it was the site for a peaceful protest movement under the guidance of Te Whiti, and important colonial events and clashes; home to Chew Chong who played an important role in business development regionally and nationally; and is the location of the mountain - Taranaki, part of Maori mythology and the second highest mountain peak in the North Island.The region is the location of the internationally recognised Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and Puke Ariki. Currently the region hosts a Sculpture Symposium, Arts Festival (performing arts), Festival of Lights and WOMAD. Missing in this cultural profile for Taranaki, and New Zealand as a whole, is a regular art and technology event or festival.
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