[spectre] Call: Digital Arts and Electronic Music in Asia and the Pacific

[Melinda Klayman]

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.


Deadline for proposals: 31 March 2004


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 -------

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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