[spectre] Mediaterra 2002 - 4th International Art and Technology Festival

[Maria Roussou]

Apologies if you receive this more than once


Medi@terra 2002

4th International Art and Technology Festival

New Platforms of Spectacle, Communication and Resistance

6-15 December 2002


Call for projects

If "the medium was the message", the platform is the message of the message
and
the weakening of the message.

"Platform" is the combination of technology, a new way of thinking about
meeting
needs, and the vision of a group of people who are preparing a "space" in
which
to invite interested persons to develop their own ideas.=20

If the late 20th century was characterized by McLuhan=92s maxim "the medium
is the
message", the beginning of the next one can be characterized as follows:
"We are
preparing new platforms for new messages".=20

With these thoughts in mind, and with all possibilities open, we are=
 exploring
and challenging new platforms by touching (or clicking on) all matters of
interest, from growing new pop art (SMS) to the entertainment field
(feature-length video art, interactive theatre) and technological=
 development
(smart agents).=20

And finally, in this new situation, given the chance to talk about the
past, we
pay homage to individuals or even machines that have already marked the
history
of the digital culture.=20

We believe that a new idea cannot exist unless it is preceded by a new
platform
to host it and this is essentially what determines the way a society=
 evolves.

There are times when evolution is characterized by the destruction of the
platform, but not the ideas; and others when even though the platforms have
been torn down, and ideas are homeless, new platforms are nevertheless=
 created
and new ideas generated.=20

The period that our culture is now passing through belongs to the second
instance. Therefore, acts of renewal or resistance can be primarily=
 described
as the creation or testing of new platforms and not dispute of a system
that is
already as empty as a discarded snake skin.=20

Nor is it accidental, that the word "platform" in the industrial world
describes the space between where you are and the means of transportation
(train, boat) you are about to board to go elsewhere. To board a plane or=
 boat
you must first cross the platform=85

The new platforms then are the landing-stages for the long journey humanity=
 is
embarking on... The question is who will be boarding and who will stay=
 behind
and watch the ship pull out=85

Manthos Santorineos=20
Artistic Director of Medi@terra Festival

   =20
Feature Length Digital Video=20

Streaming Video

The advent of DV technology offers new tools to film and video makers. These
tools are making it possible to produce high quality films cheaply and
independently of the industry monoliths that currently determine what we can
see. The new lightweight cameras, streaming technology, and DV technology=
 have
brought a new lightness of touch to all aspects of the moving image from
production through to distribution. And a new relationship has been created
between creativity, technology and the digital industry, in the search for a
new aesthetic and financial basis for film and video makers.=20

Conditions for entry  =20
The work must have been produced within the past two years.=20

Works shall be in English or with English subtitles=20

Just one work per candidate can be accepted in each category=20

The works may have been presented in other festivals.=20

Each work should be accompanied by a. the entry form, b. a synopsis, c. a
short
CV of the artist, d. Some stills, images in TIFF or JPEG mode, submitted in
digital format, saved on a floppy, on a CD ROM, or as email attachments
(please
note: texts should be in Word for Windows)=20

Pre-selection will be made by the programming committee for Medi@terra 02.=
=20

No originals must be submitted, as materials will not be returned. The works
will become part of the Fournos Archive. Artists reserve all artistic and
commercial rights to their works, and for any future use or presentation of
the
works, their permission is needed.=20

Fournos and Medi@terra festival reserve the right to publish the submitted
material for the promotion needs of the festival.=20



Please also note the following

The feature-length digital video should  =20
be a minimum of 50 min.=20
be sent in DV or DVD format. For the preliminary selection VHS tapes are=
 also
accepted.=20
not be a made-for-TV production. Co-production is accepted. =20
The streaming videos should be  =20
a maximum of 5-10 min.=20
sent in DV or DVD format, but also the exact URL location should be
indicated. =20
 =20
Artificial Entities=20

Since the early nineties, the interdisciplinary fields of art, science and
technology have created a different platform for research, collaboration and
creation. This generates works that encourage audience participation,
continuous change and evolution. These could be interactive artificial
intelligence environments, autonomous and advanced robotics and intelligent
agents. The features we are looking for are innovation, autonomy,
interactivity, as well as the subjective adjustment and interpretation they
suggest to the user/viewer allowing him to become a user/ co-creator. The=
 aim
of creating autonomous virtual characters that pose and realize goals,=
 develop
actions, are influenced by the changes in the environment and then adjust=
 it,
gives a new dimension in the space of art.=20
 =20

Conditions for entry  =20
Each work shall be submitted in one of the following forms:=20

1. video documentation (DV, VHS tape in Pal or Secam). The maximum length
shall
be 15 minutes and it should have an English-language description, either in
voice-over narration or accompanying text.=20

2. of an executable (.exe) file saved in a CD ROM, accompanied by a
description
and the instructions for use in English

3. any type of software that can be run on a "standard" PC, accompanied by a
description and the instructions for use in English. =20
   =20
Only one work per candidate is accepted in each category.=20

The works may have been presented in other festivals.=20

Each work should be accompanied by a. the entry form, b. a synopsis, c. a
short
CV of the artist, d. Some stills, images in TIFF or JPEG mode and e. a
technical description of the work, with a reference to all the technical
requirements that should be met by the steering committee.=20

Preselection of works will be made by the programming committee of the
festival, representing Medi@terra 02.=20

Fournos and Medi@terra festival reserve the right to publish the works
submitted for the promotion needs of the festival. =20
 =20

Awards
One prize of 9.000 Euros for the best Feature Length Digital Video
One prize of 4.000 Euros for the best project from the Artificial Entities
One prize of 1.500 Euros for the best Streaming Video


A call for SMS will also follow soon!


Deadline
20 October 2002



How to participate
Please print attached file or download and print the entry form from
http://www.mediaterra.org and send it along with the material required for=
 its
category to:

FOURNOS
Center for the Art and the New Technologies
Mavromichali 168
114 72 Athens
Greece


For more information=20
Please contact Eleni Kouvari, In Charge of Communication by telephone on=
 +3010
6460748, +3010 6420451 or via email at info@fournos-culture.gr=20




Medi@terrra 2002, International Art and Technology Festival is organized by
Fournos, Center for the Art and the New Technologies and the Hellenic=
 Ministry
of Culture.

Medi@terra 2002 - Steering Committee=20

Dodo Santorineos, Director of Fournos & Medi@terra Festival
Manthos Santorineos, Artistic Director of Fournos & Medi@terra Festival
Maria X, Curator of Fournos
Dimos Dimitriou, Artist=20
John Kontos, Professor of Artificial Intelligence at the Department of
Methodology, History and Theory of Science, U. of Athens
Maria Roussou, Head of the Virtual Reality Department, Foundation of the
Hellenic World
Maria Bouligaraki, Researcher in Information Science, University of Athens
Daphne Dragona, Coordinator for Fournos & Medi@terra Festival

 =20
Special Advisors
Zoe Kazazaki, Head of the International Organizations Department, Hellenic
Ministry of Culture
Maria Maragou, Director of Rethimnon Contemporary Art Center=20