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Leonardo Electronic Almanac volume 12, number 3,
March 2004<br>
http://lea.mit.edu<br>
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ISSN #1071-4391<br>
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EDITORIAL<br>
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< Thank you, LEA 2003 Reviewers by Patrick Lambelet><br>
<br>
LEONARDO REVIEWS<br>
----------------<br>
<br>
< Beyond Productivity: Information Technology, Innovation, and<br>
Creativity, reviewed by Amy Ione ><br>
<br>
< Sarai Reader 03: Shaping Technologies, reviewed by Aparna<br>
Sharma ><br>
<br>
<br>
ISAST NEWS<br>
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<br>
< In memoriam: Billy Kluver, co-founder of E.A.T. ><br>
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< Leonardo/ISAST collaborates with ISEA 2006, San Jose,<br>
California ><br>
<br>
< Leonardo/ISAST governing board members renew terms ><br>
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< Arthur Elsenaar and Remko Scha win the 2003 Leonardo Award<br>
for Excellence ><br>
<br>
< Leonardo International Advisory Board welcomes new member<br>
Hisham Bizri ><br>
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< Leonardo collaborates with Harvestworks ><br>
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< Thank you, LEA 2003 Reviewers ><br>
by Patrick Lambelet<br>
LEA Managing Editor<br>
plambelet@tiscali.it<br>
<br>
Readers will notice that this month's LEA is significantly<br>
shorter than usual. This is due to a variety of factors. In<br>
January, we held a brief but energetic weekend meeting near<br>
Pisa, Italy between the LEA editorial staff (currently residing<br>
in Italy and Switzerland) and Leonardo Executive Editor Roger<br>
Malina. What became very clear in those three days was that LEA<br>
is part of an energetic, thriving, worldwide community, bringing<br>
together ideas and visions that might otherwise never encounter<br>
each other.<br>
<br>
Looking back over LEA's 2003 issues, we see a mind-<br>
boggling array of topics - Women, Art and Technology, Zero-<br>
Gravity Art, Technology and Difference, Interstellar Message<br>
Composition, the Contemplative Study of Consciousness and<br>
excerpts from the Leonardo Book Series and *Leonardo Music<br>
Journal*, only to mention a few. There is surely something in<br>
there to satisfy the intellectual appetite of nearly anyone<br>
interested in the arts, sciences and technology, no matter how<br>
diverse their fields of interest.<br>
<br>
We fully intend to improve and progress in this direction,<br>
despite the eternal constraints of a miniscule and<br>
geographically disparate staff. What we lack in number,
we</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">certainly
compensate for in terms of energy and commitment.</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">Nonetheless,
we found that in the midst of implementing new<br>
production procedures and discussing forthcoming projects and<br>
initiatives, it was best to put out a "thin" LEA, albeit
one<br>
that is on time.<br>
<br>
A crucial part in the LEA production process is played by our<br>
peer-reviewers, anonymous significant individuals who generously<br>
give their educated opinions on manuscripts submitted to us for<br>
publication, thus ensuring that we publish only material that<br>
meets the highest academic standards and adds to the existing<br>
body of knowledge in the field.<br>
<br>
Although our peer-review process is "blind" (reviewers'
and<br>
authors' identities are not revealed to each other) - in this<br>
issue, in order to express our sincere appreciation to our<br>
reviewers, we publicly thank those who gave their precious time<br>
to support us in 2003.<br>
<br>
Finally, in this month's Leonardo Reviews, we feature<br>
contributions by Amy Ione and Aparna Sharma, while ISAST News<br>
keeps readers up to date on the latest happenings in the<br>
Leonardo community.<br>
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YOU PEER-REVIEWERS |<br>
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<br>
The Leonardo Electronic Almanac would like to gratefully<br>
acknowledge the following individuals for providing invaluable<br>
assistance as peer-reviewers for articles considered for<br>
publication in 2003. Peer-reviewers are instrumental in<br>
maintaining the highest standards that we strive for in material<br>
that is published in LEA. Each article considered for<br>
publication passes through a peer-review process, thus ensuring<br>
the highest possible degree of accuracy and rigorousness.<br>
<br>
* Adeline Kueh, La Salle-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore<br>
* Alex Adriaansens, V2_Organization, Netherlands<br>
* Anne Nigten, V2_Organization, Netherlands<br>
* Annick Bureaud, Leonardo/OLATS, France<br>
* Arthur Woods, OURS Foundation, Switzerland<br>
* B. Alan Wallace, Santa Barbara Institute for the<br>
Interdisciplinary Study of Consciousness<br>
* Beau Takahara, ZeroOne-The Art of Technology Network, USA<br>
* Craig Harris, Ballet of the Dolls, USA<br>
* David Rosenboom, California Institute of the Arts, USA<br>
* Douglas Vakoch, SETI Institute, USA<br>
* Fatima Lasay, University of Philippines<br>
* Irina Aristarkhova, National University of Singapore<br>
* Jeffrey Schloss, Westmont College, USA<br>
* Margaret Tan, New Media and Performance Artist, Singapore<br>
* Masha Chuikova, Multimedia Center of Actual Art, Moscow<br>
* Marko Peljhan, Projekt Atol, Slovenia<br>
* Michael Naimark, Independent Media Artist/Researcher, USA<br>
* Nicola Triscott, Arts Catalyst, United Kingdom<br>
* Richard Clar, Art Technologies, France/USA<br>
* Rob La Frenais, Arts Catalyst, United Kingdom<br>
* Robert Pepperell, University of Wales College, Newport (UWCN)<br>
* Roger Malina, Leonardo/ISAST, USA;<br>
Laboratoire d'Astronomie Spatiale, France<br>
* Simon Conway Morris,University of Cambridge, United Kingdom<br>
* Steven Dick, U.S. Naval Observatory, USA<br>
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2004.03 <span
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<br>
This month, as the LEA publishing timetables have shifted<br>
slightly out of synch, this report on *Leonardo Reviews* is<br>
being filed before the full list of reviews for March has been<br>
compiled. Consequently, all we are able to do here is draw your<br>
attention to two fascinating reports that have been filed. The<br>
first, by Amy Ione, covers a report that is significant to the<br>
Leonardo community. *Beyond Productivity: Information<br>
Technology, Innovation, and Creativity* has already been
covered</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">in *Leonardo
Reviews*, but Ione's is a timely reminder of the</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">issues that
should be addressed and those that the report has<br>
overlooked. The second is a review of the *Sarai Reader* by one<br>
of our Indian reviewers, Aparna Sharma. Emerging from CSDS,<br>
Dehli, this project, has excited many colleagues with its novel<br>
approach to publishing and its invitation to revisit theory
"out<br>
of the box," so to speak, in particular drawing attention to<br>
theory as a practice. It is a pleasure to be able to feature<br>
both reports side by side here in this way, since they have an<br>
interesting synergy.<br>
<br>
Next month, as our new publishing cycles merge again, I will of<br>
course provide the references for all the new material that has<br>
been posted, as usual. In the meantime, new reviews will be<br>
published on the first of the month, as they have been for the<br>
past two years. They can be accessed as always at:<br>
<br>
http://leonardoreviews.mit.edu<br>
<br>
Michael Punt<br>
Editor-in-Chief<br>
Leonardo Reviews<br>
<br>
_____________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
BEYOND PRODUCTIVITY: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, AND<br>
CREATIVITY<br>
<br>
Edited by William J. Mitchell, Alan S. Inouye and Marjory S.<br>
Blumenthal, The National Academies Press, Washington DC, 2003.<br>
268 pages, illus b/w, paperback $35.00. ISBN: 0-309-08868-2.<br>
<br>
Reviewed by Amy Ione, The Diatrope Institute, PO Box 6813,<br>
Santa Rosa, CA, 95406-0813<br>
ione@diatrope.com<br>
<br>
<br>
Since computer science emerged as a field in the middle of the<br>
twentieth century, it has become an increasingly integral part<br>
of human life. The degree to which revolutionary inventors turn<br>
to computerized tools is both obvious and understated. As a<br>
result, we frequently need to be reminded that computer science<br>
has drawn from and contributed to many disciplines and<br>
practices. These interactions are the core of what we now term<br>
information technology (IT) - new forms of computing and<br>
communications.<br>
<br>
*Beyond Productivity: Information Technology, Innovation, and<br>
Creativity*, developed over 18 months, does this, drawing on the<br>
expertise of W.J. Mitchell, N. Katherine Hayles, John Maeda,<br>
Lillian F. Schwartz, Barbara Stafford and other authorities who<br>
were members of the report committee. The report summarizes<br>
where practitioners have developed new applications and praises<br>
the creative promise of this approach. In doing so, this book<br>
argues that the powerful alliance forged by the computer with<br>
arts and design is establishing an exciting new field -<br>
information technology and creative practices (ITCP). Here, they<br>
assert, we find evidence of the benefits in expanding IT's<br>
sphere of influence. The committee also brings to light all that<br>
we might gain from encouraging, supporting and strategically<br>
investing in this domain<br>
<br>
Comprehensive and impressive overall, the reader gets a sense<br>
of the excitement experts in the field bring to their research.<br>
Their enthusiasm will no doubt match that of many *Leonardo*<br>
readers who are personally involved with projects that link<br>
computer science with the arts communities. The *Leonardo*<br>
community will also welcome the way the documentation<br>
incorporates innovative architectural and product designs,<br>
computer animated films, computer music, computer games,<br>
interactive art installations, cross-cultural experimentation<br>
and Web-based texts. With an eye toward the future, the report<br>
additionally acknowledges that the abundant examples of current<br>
success also point to the many opportunities for new<br>
collaborative ventures that remain to be explored.<br>
<br>
Well-organized overall, the chapters effectively summarize the<br>
broad reach of specific topics and are carefully cross-<br>
referenced to point the reader to areas where ideas were<br>
expanded in an earlier (or later) section. This outline<br>
effectively presents advances in the underlying disciplines of<br>
ITCP and associated applications, probes creativity and comes to<br>
terms with the particular concerns of the academic environment<br>
and policy issues. It would be hard to remain unimpressed by the<br>
encyclopedic accumulation of knowledge concerning all aspects of<br>
the topic. As a fan of the way footnotes allow for an ongoing<br>
counterpoint to an analytic commentary, I was
particularly</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">impressed by
the reach of the footnotes. Full of information,</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">they provided
delightful asides to the trends generalized in the<br>
body of the text. Anyone seeking to learn more about a specific<br>
approach will find leads in abundance offered in the extensive<br>
subtext.<br>
<br>
Example boxes also add tremendously. Topics included range from<br>
the utility of information technology in our computer-linked<br>
world to use of the computer in music improvisation and the<br>
<br>
<br>
telerobotics found in the work of people like artist/engineer<br>
Ken Goldberg. While I already knew many of the examples<br>
mentioned in these asides, some, like the fascinating object-<br>
based sculpture of John Simon, served as introductions. (For<br>
those unfamiliar with his work, Simon focuses in on how he<br>
combines the skills of painting, sculpture, computer hardware<br>
construction and software developments.) More functional, but of<br>
great importance to the field, were the boxes that exposed<br>
issues. One, for example, outlined how the new technologies have<br>
led to a review of the laws surrounding copyright protection.<br>
<br>
Despite all of these attributes that recommend the report, I<br>
was tremendously disappointed to find that the scrutiny given to<br>
the state of the field did not make a serious attempt to<br>
introduce the key distinction between science and technology and<br>
to clarify how computer science differs from natural science. To<br>
oversimplify, it is generally agreed that technology is the<br>
systematic study of techniques for making and doing things.<br>
Science, by comparison, is defined as the systematic attempt to<br>
understand and interpret the world. From this perspective,<br>
technology is concerned with the fabrication and use of<br>
artifacts. Science, on the other hand, is devoted to the more<br>
conceptual enterprise of understanding the environment. While<br>
one could conclude that both depend upon the comparatively<br>
sophisticated skills of literacy and numeracy, not all would<br>
conclude that the two domains are equivalent (although this<br>
report seemed to implicitly infer they are). Perhaps I missed<br>
it, but as I read through the pages it seemed that this<br>
committee simply assumed that computer science is a science,<br>
much the way social scientists assume their work is science.<br>
However, many continue to question the validity of aligning<br>
fields like mathematics, computer science and social science<br>
with the natural sciences. Similarities in their methodology can<br>
be shown, to be sure. Nonetheless, we can also find that the use<br>
of analogy to manipulate information yields different types of<br>
conclusions from field to field.<br>
<br>
One area of contention is the way in which the natural and life<br>
sciences question their analogies through experiments that yield<br>
a different kind of data than creative projects conceived using<br>
mathematical tools that are more adept in coupling<br>
logical/algorithmic criteria when relating information. This<br>
committee never asks if it matters that a logical or algorithmic<br>
"science" approaches inquiry from a different vantage point
than<br>
that of a data-driven experimental science. As a result, this<br>
report presents the context of the experiential, technical and<br>
contextual issues effectively without reckoning with what the<br>
analytic rigor of science conveys from field to field. Without<br>
examining the "science" of computer science, these
experts<br>
adequately look at everything from working within institutional<br>
environments to funding issues and problems of peer-review<br>
without conceptualizing issues outside of what is essentially a<br>
narrowly defined scope that initially appears to be a quite<br>
sweeping analysis.<br>
<br>
Being a National Research Council publication, this oversight<br>
was particularly unsettling. By reputation, this group aims to<br>
further communication on scientific and technological endeavor.<br>
Given its sponsorship, one would assume that clarifying<br>
relationships between science and technology would have a high<br>
priority. Yet *Beyond Productivity* seemed to be more aligned<br>
with the humanities. Indeed it brought the liberal arts of the<br>
medieval European university to mind. In this educational<br>
system, the liberal arts were characterized in terms of
the</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">*Trivium* and
the *Quadrivium*. The traditional *Trivium*</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">included
language, rhetoric and logic. Language is seen in terms<br>
of grammar, the study of meaning in written expression. Rhetoric<br>
is defined as a comprehension of verbal and written discourse.<br>
Logic refers to argumentative discourse for discovering truth.<br>
These elements seem integral to the way ITCP methodology is<br>
conceptualized.<br>
<br>
Similarly, the *Quandrivium*, like computer science, is about<br>
number. Included are arithmetic, the understanding of numbers;<br>
geometry, the quantification of space; music, the study of<br>
number in time; and astronomy: laws of the planets and stars.<br>
Only astronomy is what all would agree is properly termed<br>
science today. Yet, in the medieval university, the study of<br>
astronomy was hardly the empirical science of contemporary<br>
astronomy.<br>
<br>
The transdisciplinary approach that the committee elevates<br>
further brings to mind today's liberal arts curriculum, which<br>
aims to give one a knowledge of the humanities (literature,<br>
language, philosophy, the fine arts and history), the physical<br>
and biological sciences, and mathematics and the social<br>
sciences. This kind of mix seemed to be the foundation for the<br>
undertakings represented in *Beyond Productivity* as well, a<br>
comprehensive survey that did not seem to see its role in terms<br>
of asking challenging questions. Rather, the product suggests<br>
the goal was to communicate issues familiar to those who work in<br>
the art, science and technology environment. Yet - and this is<br>
why I raise this point - in the United States there is an<br>
ongoing debate as to whether educators have dumbed-down science<br>
within the humanistic framework. The lack of engagement with<br>
where science interfaces with ITCP brings this question to mind<br>
and with it, the related question of whether we have<br>
successfully educated humanists to the ideas and methods of the<br>
scientist.<br>
<br>
For example, one interesting section outlined the difference<br>
between interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary<br>
thinking/activity. According to the view presented,<br>
interdisciplinary work is the more appropriate term when an<br>
expert in one discipline reaches out to integrate views from<br>
other fields. The transdisciplinary worker, conversely, does not<br>
dabble in related fields. Rather this practitioner will have<br>
developed expertise in all of the fields needed to accomplish a<br>
creative task. While a wonderful goal, particularly in light of<br>
the report's view that interactive projects are becoming more<br>
evident in the evolving institutional environment, I still found<br>
the report did not address why so many who work in art, science<br>
and technology confuse science and technology and<br>
indiscriminately conflate them when doing so.<br>
<br>
In summary, the committee does recommend mechanisms that would<br>
enable and sustain productive cross-disciplinary collaborations,<br>
but without addressing the difference between science and<br>
technology (or explaining why the authors believe they are<br>
comparable, if this is their view). This oversight weakens the<br>
overall impact of this report. Elevating the transdisciplinary<br>
projects stressed all that creativity promises but some of the<br>
implicit limitations seemed to highlight the goals (and<br>
shortcomings) of a liberal-arts education.<br>
<br>
The way in which the physical and biological sciences are<br>
abstractly present and never clarified raised many of the<br>
questions often expressed by critical commentators of<br>
interdisciplinary, cross-disciplinary and transdisciplinary<br>
work. As such, *Beyond Technology* will aid those eager to learn<br>
more about information technology in terms of art and design.<br>
Those who believe that the breadth of the field too often<br>
subsumes distinctions between science and technology might find<br>
that this report, too, fails to speak to distinctions. Aside<br>
from this caveat, those who are new to the field will definitely<br>
appreciate the care with which the authors summarize<br>
contemporary work. Those who work in this area will no doubt<br>
find that the survey is a good resource for thinking about the<br>
funding situation, conceptualizing policy issues and finding<br>
like-minded people.</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000"><br>
_____________________________<br>
<br>
SARAI READER 03: SHAPING TECHNOLOGIES</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000"><br>
By The Sarai Programme, CSDS, Delhi + The Waag Society for Old<br>
and New Media, Amsterdam. Jeebesh Bagchi et al., eds. Thomson<br>
Press, Faridabad, 2003, 379 pp. ISBN: 81-901429-3-3.<br>
<br>
<br>
Reviewed by Aparna Sharma<br>
Aparna31S@netscape.net<br>
<br>
With the intention of transcending commonplace binarism that<br>
characterizes much discourse on technology in South Asia and of<br>
opening a qualified space that takes into account the mutual<br>
imbrication of technology, society, culture and politics, the<br>
Sarai Reader 2003 - *Shaping Technologies* - covers vast<br>
territory. This collection is comprised of contributions from<br>
scholars and practitioners that make for an intense exchange<br>
between multiple impetuses. *Shaping Technologies* is the third<br>
in the Delhi-based research collective Sarai's annual<br>
publications. In the introduction, Sarai's editorial collective<br>
states that technology, which had figured importantly in<br>
previous readers, "... has taken center-stage [in this
edition]<br>
as a multi-faceted constellation of ideas, images, reflections,<br>
debates, histories and provocations" (p. vii).<br>
<br>
Though the reader contains informative accounts of technology-<br>
dumping and its impacts on health and environment in urban<br>
spaces, its contribution really rests in mapping how commonly<br>
held polarities of, say, the "native," the "rural"
and the<br>
"modernizing" meld. Divided into nine sections that
examine<br>
specific facets of the technology/society interface, it<br>
indicates technology as being constituted in an unsettling<br>
manner, entailing the interruption of indigenous forces along<br>
with new and emergent technology/ies: constituting a matrix of<br>
contingent and disparate forces that interact without negating<br>
or subordinating some in favor of others. Debate around<br>
technology is extended in the notion of "disruptive
innovation',<br>
summarized in Chennai-based research scholar Nimmi Rangaswamy's<br>
comment: ". . . that existing mainstream markets are not<br>
starting places for waves of growth," and there is need to<br>
"incubate technologies from the ground up rather than
introduce<br>
top down" (p. 170).<br>
<br>
Specificity, particularly in terms of communities, is crucial<br>
to most research contained in the reader. The notion of<br>
community takes on board intricacies and inter-operability of<br>
factors such as socio-cultural patterns and practices, language<br>
and environment. Without being an essentially materialist or<br>
localized description, the reader examines these factors not<br>
only to reflect better the re-appropriation of technologies but<br>
also to highlight how the process is persistent, responding to<br>
varied, concurrent stimuli. Two comprehensive and cogent<br>
arguments are Vikram Vyas's overview of an IT-based drought-<br>
proofing model for water management and Rangaswamy's study<br>
around the introduction of internet in rural districts of the<br>
south Indian state, Tamil Nadu. Both emphasize grass-roots<br>
research and activation for enhanced possibilities in relation<br>
to development; and note the reciprocity between communities and<br>
technology.<br>
<br>
*Shaping Technologies* does not only examine contemporary<br>
technologies. Disruption is traced in the participation with<br>
earlier technologies, as discussed in the section
"Excavations."<br>
In temporal specificities, such as those of, say, the colonial<br>
moment, one finds that the interjection of the native instills<br>
particular tensions in the usage/s of technological devices and<br>
the practices emanating from them. Particularly engrossing is<br>
Sabeena Gadihoke's study of women's domestic and amateur<br>
photography at the turn of the century, in which she posits the<br>
photographic camera not only as the means for access to the<br>
"outside" from within a confining and restricting social
order,<br>
but as imbued with the pulls between that order and women's<br>
conflicts at that moment of nationalist upsurge. Similarly, by<br>
describing the "selective adoption" of "naturalist"
techniques<br>
in the commercial imagery of the bazaar, Kajri Jain's paper<br>
identifies friction and resistance between two differing scopic<br>
regimes, wherein techno-rationalist devices are employed
to</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">preserve and
continue the "messianic" or the sacred with</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">overtones of
the cult and devotional.<br>
<br>
The reader is replete with such dialogue and has achieved a<br>
wide geographical palette that extends outside India. The<br>
writings offer reconstitutive insight not only at an immediate<br>
level but, more subtly, in relation to politics as well,<br>
countering much cynicism that surrounds technology as being<br>
either "apolitical" or exploitative. The disjunctive and
inter-<br>
subjective nature of the technology/society interface emerges as<br>
exerting pressures on the boundaries of what constitutes as<br>
"political" and opens alternate theaters for contest, which
may<br>
not coincide fully with popular modes for struggle or be equally<br>
explicit or articulate. These throw a gauntlet before anyone<br>
even vaguely examining technology and stress its import not only<br>
as a means towards elevated levels of economic development, but<br>
as a drive in the construction of the social and political<br>
realms. Chicago-based anthropology student Biella Coleman<br>
addresses this aspect most pointedly in her paper, which<br>
identifies the embedded politics of transgression in the<br>
practice of hacking.<br>
<br>
One of the most impressive and poised statements is the<br>
translated version of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore's<br>
essay, "Airborne." A record of thoughts from his first
air<br>
flight, it profoundly identifies the agenda for the interface,<br>
then at its most nascent. Though referring to the imperial mode<br>
(the essay was written in 1932), Tagore's characteristic vision<br>
emphasizes an "intimacy," a situation "in the totality
of space<br>
and time" for creativity to manifest. This emphasis is echoed<br>
through the reader, opening new territories and introducing<br>
reflective approaches that restore the technology debate from<br>
slipping along common trajectories that oscillate between the<br>
extremes of either techno-fetishism or phobia. The reader thus<br>
accomplishes injecting necessary complexity and rigor into<br>
discourse.<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
<br>
<span
></span>
______________________________<br>
<span
></span>
| <span
></span
> <span
></span> |<br>
<span
></span>
| ISAST
NEWS |<br>
<span
></span>
|______________________________|<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
IN MEMORIAM: BILLY KLUVER, CO-FOUNDER OF E.A.T.<br>
<br>
It was with a great sense of loss that we learned of Billy<br>
Klver's death this January. Born in 1927, Wilhem J. Kluver<br>
founded Experiments in Art and Technology (E.A.T.) in 1966,<br>
along with fellow engineer Fred Waldhauer and artists Robert<br>
Rauschenberg and Robert Whitman. The creation of this<br>
revolutionary organization was inspired by the event *9<br>
Evenings: Theatre and Engineering*, a series of performances<br>
involving such artists as John Cage, Lucinda Childs, yvind<br>
Falstrom, Alex Hay, Deborah Hay, Steve Paxton, Yvonne Rainer,<br>
Robert Rauschenberg, David Tudor and Robert Whitman, along with<br>
a team of u0 engineers and scientists, mostly from Bell<br>
Telephone Laboratories, where Kluver worked as an electrical<br>
engineer.<br>
<br>
Mr. Kluver was instrumental in helping artists including Andy<br>
Warhol, Jasper Johns and Merce Cunningham create work that<br>
required technical and technological expertise, as well as the<br>
*9 Evenings* and E.A.T. teams. His most cherished wish was that<br>
the new technologies - until then the military's exclusive<br>
domain -would be used with peaceful aims in artistic and<br>
community-based projects.<br>
<br>
In recent years, Billy Kluver and his wife and longtime<br>
collaborator Julie Martin had been in the process of entrusting<br>
their considerable resources to various research centers,<br>
including the Getty Research Foundation in Los Angeles and the<br>
Fondation Daniel Langlois in Montreal.<br>
<br>
Sylvie Lacerte, Montreal<br>
<br>
_____________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
LEONARDO/ISAST COLLABORATES WITH ISEA 2006, SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA<br>
<br>
<br>
San Jose, California has been chosen to host a biannual<br>
international symposium that will feature a global gathering of<br>
leaders in the art, science and technology communities in August<br>
2006 to explore cutting edge developments in creative
expression</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">using new and
emerging tools. The International Symposium on</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">Electronic
Art, sponsored by the Netherlands-based Inter-Society<br>
for Electronic Art (ISEA), fosters interdisciplinary exchange<br>
among culturally diverse organizations and individuals working<br>
with art, science and emerging technologies. The 2006 conference<br>
theme is "Silicon Transvergence," and will focus on
projects<br>
that bridge the boundaries between the arts, education,<br>
technology and business communities.<br>
<br>
Internationally renowned new media curator Steve Dietz will<br>
serve as the 2006 symposium director, responsible for<br>
coordinating and establishing the programming of the symposium<br>
and related events. ZeroOne, a local non-profit that focuses on<br>
creating new opportunities to explore the connections between<br>
art and technology, will be the lead organization coordinating<br>
the 2006 Symposium logistics. The CADRE Laboratory for New Media<br>
at San Jose State University will be the lead educational<br>
institution for the prestigious ISEA Academic Conference.<br>
<br>
A unique pre-conference summit of Pacific Rim New Media Centers<br>
will explore the conference theme within a context of economic<br>
globalization, regional integration and environmental change.<br>
The two-day event will be facilitated by Leonardo/ISAST in<br>
concert with their Cultural Roots of Globalization Project.<br>
Additionally, Leonardo/ISAST will focus a special issue of the<br>
journal *Leonardo* on New Media Arts programs and emerging<br>
artists.<br>
<br>
For further information, contact:<br>
Leonardo/ISAST: isast@well.com<br>
San Jose Contact: Joel Slayton, CADRE Laboratory (1) 408-924-4368<br>
San Jose Contact: Beau Takahara, ZeroOne, (1) 650-810-1057<br>
<br>
_____________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
LEONARDO/ISAST GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS RENEW TERMS<br>
<br>
The Governing Board of Leonardo/ISAST is composed of prominent<br>
figures in the fields of art, science and technology.<br>
Leonardo/ISAST says goodbye to some of its long-serving board<br>
members and welcomes back returning members for another term.<br>
Lynn Hershman, Mark Resch and Piero Scaruffi have rotated off<br>
the Board, while Marty Anderson, Penny Finnie and Beverly Reiser<br>
have been elected to renew their terms.<br>
<br>
Renewing their terms on the Leonardo/ISAST Governing Board,<br>
Marty Anderson, Penny Finnie, and Beverly Reiser have expressed<br>
their enthusiasm for new activities in the network's future.<br>
Anderson has agreed to serve as vice chair in addition to his<br>
role as treasurer of the board. Finnie serves on the<br>
Leonardo/ISAST nominating committee and serves a key role in the<br>
strategic planning process for the organization by leading the<br>
project to revise the Leonardo/ISAST vision statement. Beverly<br>
Reiser, as chair of the Leonardo/ISAST international advisory<br>
board, will be deeply involved in the planning and<br>
implementation of the Pacific Rim Summit organized in<br>
conjunction with ISEA 2006 in San Jose.<br>
<br>
Although Lynn Hershman steps down from the board she remains<br>
actively involved in Leonardo/ISAST activities, by chairing the<br>
prize and awards committee and serving on the international<br>
advisory board. Likewise, while this marks the end of Mark<br>
Resch's term on the governing board, where he served as<br>
secretary, he will continue to participate in Leonardo/ISAST<br>
activities, such as chairing the Leonardo/ISAST panel at the<br>
2004 College Art Association annual conference, "Art,
Science,<br>
and Technology: Problems and Issues Facing an Emerging<br>
Interdisciplinary Field." Piero Scaruffi has also vowed to<br>
remain active in Leonardo/ISAST activities, serving as an<br>
advisor on issues related to marketing and globalization.<br>
<br>
The current composition of the Leonardo/ISAST Governing Board<br>
is Roger Malina, chair; Martin Anderson, vice chair and<br>
treasurer; Penelope Finnie; Michael Joaquin Grey; Greg Niemeyer;<br>
Ed Payne; Anne Brooks Pfister; Sonya Rapoport; Beverly Reiser;<br>
Joel Slayton; Darlene Tong; and Stephen Wilson.<br>
<br>
For further information, visit www.leonardo.info.<br>
<br>
_____________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
ARTHUR ELSENAAR AND REMKO SCHA WIN THE 2003 LEONARDO AWARD FOR<br>
EXCELLENCE<br>
<br>
Arthur Elsenaar and Remko Scha's article "Electric Body<br>
Manipulation as Performance Art: A Historical
Perspective,"</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">published in
**Leonardo* Music Journal* 12, has been named the</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">winner of the
2003 Leonardo Award for Excellence. This annual<br>
award recognizes excellence in an article published in a<br>
*Leonardo* journal. Excellence is defined as originality, rigor<br>
of thought, clarity of expression and effective presentation.<br>
Three articles received honorable mention: Steve Dietz's "Ten<br>
Dreams of Technology"(*Leonardo* 35:5), Oron Catts and Ionat<br>
Zurr's "Growing Semi-Living Sculptures: The Tissue Culture
and<br>
Art Project" (*Leonardo* 35:4), and Edward Shanken's "Art in
the<br>
Information Age: Technology and Conceptual Art" (*Leonardo*<br>
35:4).<br>
<br>
You can download the winning article and three honorable<br>
mentions at http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-<br>
journals/Leonardo/isast/awards.html.<br>
<br>
Elsenaar and Scha's winning article traces the historical<br>
developments of using electrically manipulated human bodies as<br>
theatrical display. Addressing the controversial aspects of this<br>
sometimes destructive art form, they investigate the<br>
implications of electrical executions. More often, they note the<br>
stimulating effects of electricity upon the body, studying<br>
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation as implemented in<br>
the nineteenth century by Duchenne and continued in practice<br>
today by artists such as Stelarc and article co-author Elsenaar.<br>
Citing technological advances that enable interactive nerve<br>
stimulation, Elsenaar and Scha point toward a future of computer-<br>
generated dance and theater performances.<br>
<br>
Arthur Elsenaar is an artist and electrical engineer who ran<br>
his own pirate radio station and built the transmitters for many<br>
illegal radio and television stations throughout the<br>
Netherlands. Elsenaar's recent work employs the human face as a<br>
computer-controlled display device. Remko Scha is an artist, DJ,<br>
and computational linguist. He has built an automatic electric<br>
guitar band ("The Machines"), designed an image
generation<br>
algorithm ("Artificial") and developed a theory about
language-<br>
processing ("Data-Oriented Parsing"). Arthur Elsenaar and
Remko<br>
Scha have jointly developed a series of automatic performance<br>
pieces and video installations that involve computer-controlled<br>
facial expression, algorithmic music and synthetic speech. These<br>
works have been presented at scientific conferences, theater<br>
festivals, and art exhibitions throughout Europe and the United<br>
States. Elsenaar and Scha also explore the use of automatic<br>
radio stations as a medium for computer art.<br>
<br>
The Leonardo Award for Excellence was originally established by<br>
chemist and inventor Myron Coler and *Leonardo* publisher Robert<br>
Maxwell. Previous winners have included Rudolf Arnheim, Otto<br>
Piene, Alvin Curran, Karen O'Rourke, Donna Cox and Bill Seaman.<br>
The 2003 Prize and Awards Committee is comprised of Lynn<br>
Hershman, chair; Hisham Bizri, Char Davies, Marcos Novak and<br>
Bill Seaman.<br>
<br>
In addition to the winning article and three honorable<br>
mentions, six other articles were nominated for this prize: Anne<br>
Bray, "The Community Is Watching, and Replying: Art in Public<br>
Places and Spaces" (*Leonardo* 35:1); Harold Cohen, "A
Self-<br>
Defining Game for One Player: On the Nature of Creativity and<br>
the Possibility of Creative Computer Programs" (*Leonardo*<br>
35:1); Ken Gonzales-Day, "Analytical Photography:
Portraiture,<br>
from the Index to the Epidermis" (*Leonardo* 35:1);
Antoinette<br>
LaFarge and Robert Nideffer, "The Leonardo Gallery:
Shift-Ctrl"<br>
(*Leonardo* 35:1); Phoebe Sengers, "Schizophrenia and
Narrative<br>
in Artificial Agents" (*Leonardo* 35:4); and Christa Sommerer<br>
and Laurent Mignonneau, "Modeling the Emergence of
Complexity:<br>
Complex Systems, the Origin of Life and Interactive On-Line
Art"<br>
(*Leonardo* 35:2).<br>
<br>
The 2003 Leonardo Award for Excellence is co-sponsored by the<br>
Technoculture Studies Department and the Art Department at the<br>
University of California, Davis, where it will be presented at a<br>
prize award lecture on campus during the Spring 2004 session.<br>
For further information, visit http://technoculture.ucdavis.edu.<br>
<br>
_____________________________<br>
<br>
LEONARDO INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD WELCOMES NEW MEMBER<br>
HISHAM BIZRI<br>
</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">The Leonardo
International Advisory Board welcomes Hisham<br>
Bizri, from Lebanon, to its ranks of art-and-science
luminaries</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">throughout the
world. International Advisory Board members<br>
communicate via e-mail and telephone on an ad-hoc basis to guide<br>
Leonardo/ISAST in its projects and collaborations.<br>
<br>
Bizri is a filmmaker and visual artist from Lebanon currently<br>
living in San Francisco. His films, videos and multi-media<br>
installations are meditations on his exilic experience as a<br>
Lebanese Muslim living in the West. Describing his philosophy of<br>
filmmaking, Bizri states, "I hope to bring aesthetics back to<br>
cinema, so that cinema can be seen once more as a window onto<br>
the world, and not as a mechanistic vehicle for ideology."
Bizri<br>
studied with filmmakers Raoul Ruiz and Mikl</font><font face="VT100"
size="-1" color="#000000"></font><font face="Courier New"
size="-1" color="#000000">s Jancs</font><font face="VT100" size="-1"
color="#000000"></font><font face="Courier New" size="-1"
color="#000000"> and has<br>
lectured extensively in the U.S., Lebanon, Ireland, Korea and<br>
Japan. A pioneer of "cinematic" virtual reality
installations<br>
for the CAVE theater (premiered at Ars Electronica and ISEA<br>
'98), Bizri has also directed a number of narrative and<br>
experimental films and videos that have been shown<br>
internationally at venues including the Museum of Modern Art<br>
(New York), the Walker Art Center (Minneapolis), the Louvre<br>
Museum (Paris), Biarritz Opera House (France) and the Institute<br>
du Monde Arabe (Paris). Bizri was recently an artist-in-<br>
residence at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at MIT and<br>
currently heads the time-based art program in the Department of<br>
Art and Art History at the University of California, Davis.<br>
<br>
Serving along with Hisham Bizri on the Leonardo International<br>
Advisory Board are Beverly Reiser, chair; Mark Beam; Julio<br>
Bermdez; Annick Bureaud; Nic Collins; Lynn Hershman; Nisar<br>
Keshvani; Christine Maxwell; Michael Naimark; Michael Punt;<br>
Sundar Sarukkai; and Rejane Spitz.<br>
<br>
_____________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
LEONARDO COLLABORATES WITH HARVESTWORKS<br>
<br>
The Leonardo international advisory board approved a<br>
collaboration with Harvestworks, which includes endorsing their<br>
conference, "The Interactive Project: Activated Environments
and<br>
Hybrid Instruments," to be held 23-25 April, 2004 at various<br>
locations throughout New York City. The weekend-long seminar<br>
will feature artworks by the Harvestworks residents, panel<br>
discussions and demonstrations and involve arts organizations<br>
and artist's studios in the city. For more information and the<br>
final participant list, see: www.harvestworks.org.<br>
<br>
Founded in 1977 to cultivate artistic talent using electronic<br>
technologies, Harvestworks' mission is to encourage the creation<br>
and expand the dissemination of digital media artwork. From its<br>
New York City location and through its Internet presence,<br>
Harvestworks provides accessible and coordinated digital media<br>
production, education, information and content distribution<br>
services to a diverse creative community that includes<br>
electronic music composers, interactive media designers, film<br>
and video makers, digital tool developers and computer<br>
programmers. By bringing together innovative practitioners from<br>
all branches of the digital arts, Harvestworks provides a vital<br>
context and catalyst for creativity in the digital arts.<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
<br>
___________________<br>
| <span
></span> |<br>
| <span
></span> |<br>
|
CREDITS |<br>
| <span
></span> |<br>
|___________________|<br>
<br>
Nisar Keshvani: LEA Editor-in-Chief<br>
Patrick Lambelet: LEA Managing Editor<br>
Michael Punt: LR Editor-in-Chief<br>
Andre Ho: Web Concept and Design Consultant<br>
Roger Malina: Leonardo Executive Editor<br>
Stephen Wilson: Chair, Leonardo/ISAST Web Committee<br>
Craig Harris: Founding Editor<br>
<br>
Editorial Advisory Board:<br>
Irina Aristarkhova, Roy Ascott, Michael Naimark, Craig Harris,<br>
Julianne Pierce<br>
<br>
Gallery Advisory Board:<br>
Mark Amerika, Paul Brown, Choy Kok Kee, Steve Dietz, Fatima<br>
Lasay, Kim Machan<br>
<br>
fAf-LEA corresponding editors:<br>
Ricardo Dal Farra, Elga Ferreira, Young Hae-Chang, Fatima<br>
Lasay, Lee Weng Choy, Jose-Carlos Mariategui, Marcus Neustetter,<br>
Elaine Ng, Marc Voge<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
___________________<br>
| <span
></span> |</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">
|
LEA |<br>
| WORLD WIDE WEB |<br>
|
ACCESS |<br>
|___________________|<br>
<br>
<br>
For over a decade, Leonardo Electronic Almanac (LEA) has
thrived</font></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000">as an
international peer-reviewed electronic journal and web<br>
archive, covering the interaction of the arts, sciences and<br>
technology. LEA emphasizes rapid publication of recent work and<br>
critical discussion on topics of current excitement. Many<br>
contributors are younger scholars and artists, and there is a<br>
slant<br>
towards shorter, less academic texts.<br>
<br>
Contents include Leonardo Reviews, edited by Michael Punt,<br>
Leonardo Research Abstracts of recent Ph.D. and Masters theses,<br>
curated Galleries of current new media artwork, and special<br>
issues on topics ranging from Artists and Scientists in times of<br>
War, to Zero Gravity Art, to the History of New Media.<br>
<br>
LEA is accessible using the following URL: http://lea.mit.edu<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
_________________<br>
|
LEA |<br>
| PUBLISHING |<br>
| INFORMATION |<br>
|_________________|<br>
<br>
Editorial Address:<br>
Leonardo Electronic Almanac<br>
Studio 3a, 35 Place du Bourg-de-four<br>
1204 Geneva, Switzerland<br>
<br>
E-mail: lea@mitpress.mit.edu<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
<br>
Copyright (2004), Leonardo, the International Society for the<br>
Arts, Sciences and Technology<br>
<br>
All Rights Reserved.<br>
<br>
Leonardo Electronic Almanac is published by:<br>
The MIT Press Journals, Five Cambridge Center,<br>
Cambridge, MA 02142<br>
U.S.A.<br>
<br>
Re-posting of the content of this journal is prohibited without<br>
permission of Leonardo/ISAST, except for the posting of news and<br>
events listings which have been independently received.<br>
Leonardo/ISAST and the MIT Press give institutions permission to<br>
offer access to LEA within the organization through such<br>
resources as restricted local gopher and mosaic services. Open<br>
access to other individuals and organizations is not permitted.<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
< Ordering Information ><br>
<br>
http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=4&tid=27&<br
>
mode=p<br>
<br>
Leonardo Electronic Almanac is free to Leonardo/ISAST members and<br>
to subscribers to the journal Leonardo for the 2004 subscription<br>
year. The rate for Non-Leonardo individual subscribers is $35.00,<br>
and for Non-Leonardo institutional subscribers the rate is<br>
$77.00. All subscriptions are entered for the calendar year only.<br>
<br>
All orders must be prepaid by check (must be drawn against U.S.<br>
bank in U.S. funds), money order, MasterCard, VISA, or American<br>
Express. Where student subscription rates are available, a<br>
verification of matriculant status is required.<br>
<br>
Note: In order to place orders electronically, you must be using<br>
a browser that is SSL-compliant. If you are unable to open the<br>
ordering link listed above, then your browser does not support<br>
the security features necessary to use this interface. Please use<br>
the addresses below to submit your order. Address all orders and<br>
inquiries to:<br>
<br>
Circulation Department<br>
MIT Press Journals<br>
Five Cambridge Center<br>
Cambridge, MA 02142-1407 USA<br>
TEL: (617) 253-2889 (M-F, 9-5)<br>
FAX: (617) 577-1545 (24 hours)<br>
<br>
For questions contact:<br>
journals-orders@mit.edu (subscriptions)<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
________________<br>
| <span
></span> |<br>
| ADVERTISING |<br>
|________________|<br>
<br>
*Leonardo Electronic Almanac* is published monthly --individuals<br>
and institutions interested in advertising in LEA, either in the<br>
distributed text version or on the World Wide Web site,<br>
should contact:<br>
<br>
Leonardo Advertising Department<br>
425 Market St., 2nd Floor,<br>
San Francisco, CA 94105, U.S.A.<br>
Tel: (415)-405-3335<br>
Fax: (415)-405-7758<br>
E-mail: isast@sfsu.edu<br>
More Info: http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-<br>
journals/Leonardo/isast/placeads.html#LEAads<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________<br>
____________________<br>
| <span
></span> |<br>
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |<br>
|____________________|<br>
<br>
LEA acknowledges with thanks the Rockefeller and Ford<br>
Foundations for their support to Leonardo/ISAST and its projects.<br>
<br>
________________________________________________________________</font
></div>
<div><font face="Courier New" size="-1" color="#000000"><br>
< End of Leonardo Electronic Almanac 12 (03) ><br>
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