[spectre] Steve Dietz and one more

[yukiko shikata]

dear all,

i feel very sorry for that news, as most of you might agree,
that steve diez has done quite significant works at walker for 
many years. i was very shocked that the walker, one of the 
important art centers to promote new media showed the under-
estimation of new media and what he has done so far.
(i worked with him for Gallery 9 competition for this year, 
and participated to the discussion for "how lattitudes 
become forms".)

in my opinion, working with new media, thinking with it is
really a keen issue for us to live and survive in such a
informationized complex world, and new media expressions have
a high potential by connecting people, knowledge interactively.
but, as the new media doesn't dominate or need the space compared
with the contemproary art, it would be easier for space-based museums
and centers to cut..


and, i have to tell you one more news poped up to me last week,
the closing of Shiseido CyGnet(net gallery) www.shiseido.co.jp/cygnet/
for the several reasons(the replacement of the dept. and boss 
changed, opened the new space, financial restructuring, etc.)
i have been working as a guest curator of CyGnet, and have curated
most of the works there(EastEdge, JODI, exonemo, milica tomic, 
doubleNegatives)... because of the internal structure of the company, 
it was not easy to make the site active, so CyGnet has produced and
supported some important works of net. i had been working with RSG for
their two works since last year for the 5th anniversary of CyGnet, 
but it will not be realized by the sudden set down. it is a pitty...


all the best, yukiko shikata