[LEAuthors] LEA Special Issue: Digital Arts and Electronic Music in Asia and the Pacific

[nisar keshvani]

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LEA Special Issue: Network Leaps, Bounds and Misses: Critiquing 
Regional Strategies for Digital Arts and Electronic Music in Asia and 
the Pacific
Guest Editor: Fatima Lasay <fats at up.edu.ph>

The Leonardo Electronic Almanac (ISSN No: 1071-4391) is inviting papers.

Under the UNESCO Digi-Arts Knowledge Portal for technology-based arts 
and music, an international colloquium took place on 4-5 December, 
2003 at the Sarai Center for Study of Developing Societies in Delhi, 
India. The meeting, entitled "Old pathways/New travelers: new media, 
electronic music and digital art practices in the Asia Pacific 
region", sought to launch a media arts and electronic music 
initiative sponsored by UNESCO Digi-Arts and Sarai, to promote and 
develop research, networking, mutual cooperation, training and 
knowledge in these fields within the region. The meeting also aimed 
to point out the role and place of media and technology in a social, 
cultural and economic landscape inscribed by ancient histories of 
contact and paths that internally connect the landmass of Asia and 
the island cultures of the Pacific regions, its impact on young 
people and its potential as a unique tool to promote cultural 
diversity.

As critical and engaging discussions of such a network of 
associations are underway, what do our past and current national and 
regional practices reveal about the limits of localization, proximity 
and regional reification? What lies beneath or within concepts of 
media and technology as instruments for promoting cultural diversity? 
Is media and technology a result or cause of culture? What is the 
position of media, art and technology in the ontological divide 
between regionalization and globalization? In which aspects do we 
need to transcend the regional level in the regional network building 
efforts? What is the significance of local ontologies within the 
process of building a regional network?

Can asymmetrical local and regional development and promotion of 
digital arts in the region be addressed by mere institutional and 
conventional proximity? If geographic proximity is insuficient, then 
which conceptual spaces might provide a more solid basis for 
cooperative development? What critical and realistic approaches have 
been and can be made, in both imagination and actualization, to move 
in opposite directions and still meet together, across the globe, in 
building that strong and balanced support structure for digital arts 
in the region?

For the June issue of LEA, we invite contributions from artists, 
musicians, practitioners, curators and critics that address regional 
networking competence problems and realities in the field of digital 
arts and electronic music in the Asia Pacific cultures.

LEA encourages international artists / academics / researchers / 
students to submit their proposals for consideration. We particularly 
encourage authors outside North America and Europe to send proposals 
for articles/gallery/artists statements.

Proposals should include:
- 300 word abstract / synopsis
- A brief author biography
- Any related URLs
- Contact details

Deadline for proposals: 31 March 2004

Please send proposals or queries to:
Fatima Lasay
fats at up.edu.ph

or
Nisar Keshvani
LEA Editor-in-Chief
lea at mitpress.mit.edu

http://lea.mit.edu

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What is LEA?
-------------

Established in 1993, the Leonardo Electronic Almanac (ISSN No: 
1071-4391) is the electronic arm of the pioneer art journal, Leonardo 
- Journal of Art, Science & Technology.

The Leonardo Electronic Almanac (LEA), jointly produced by Leonardo, 
the International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology 
(ISAST) and published under the auspices of MIT Press is an 
electronic journal dedicated to providing a forum for those who are 
interested in the realm where art, science and technology converge.

Content
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This peer reviewed e-journal includes profiles of media arts 
facilities and projects, profiles of artists using new media, feature 
articles comprised of theoretical and technical perspectives; the LEA 
Gallery exhibiting new media artwork by international artists; 
detailed information about new publications in various media; and 
reviews of publications, events and exhibitions. Material is 
contributed by artists, scientists, educators and developers of new 
technological resources in the media arts.

Mission
-------

LEA's mission is to maintain and consolidate its position as a 
leading online news and trusted information filter while critically 
examining arts/science & technological works catering to the 
international CAST (Community of Artists, Scientist and Technologists)

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