[spectre] Re:(6) Is the ICC (Tokyo) closing?

[shu lea cheang]

From: Norman <norman at wanadoo.fr>
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 10:19:53 +0200 (CEST)

>I'm curious about cross-over publics. For me fringe activities are 
>not necessarily those borne by self-branded fringe events, but might 
>be better identified with "mongrel" publics, with the promiscuity 
>that characterises people who wander between events and venues of 
>different kinds, different geometries.
>
>So how do we reinforce the value of this field to wider society? 
>i.e.increase access and understanding of the work?


good to see some substantial, intro-retro dialogue happening here.
I appreciate reading the retro-review of the shrinking media spaces.
In the case of backspace, it didnt die, james resurrected it as deskspece.
With ica london, it is simply doomed as a media bowwow ground. There was a
big web-letter-campaign when Steve Dietz was let go at Walker. 
Eventually a promise was made to keep Gallery 9 collection intact.

To draw attention back to Tetsuya's Art iT article-

(1) NTT[ICC] remains to be a few institutions left that bears a 
corporate name (Nippon Telephone and Telegraph), a private entity. 
What is at issue? Tetsuya's
article poses the question of  ' social responsibility'? can it be 
imposed on such private sector for which we all know how corporate 
image is about?
The company's reluctance to make 'official' announcement of its closing
raises anxiety about its collection and its currently research and archival
endeavour (i.e. Hive project). Could such media space closes its 
door, let off the crew and come clean?  The article's reaffirmation 
of ICC being part of
'comtemporary' media culture can be seen as a cry for help (from the 
international media cultural) community ? Thus could there be 
'cross-over'
public that demand icc to face the 'public'? Grantedly, Icc did cultivate a
few generations of media artists in japan. While the curators at icc may face
corporate shutdown for press contact, how could we practically cross-over?
" reinforce the value of this field to wider society? "
This maybe a critical time to ensure certain continuity of icc's endeavour.


another matter-

From: Norman <norman at wanadoo.fr>
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 14:59:19 +0200 (CEST)
>>>With all due respect and solidarity for those whose livelihoods 
>>>and commitment to others are at stake in these "restructurings" - 
>>>something most of us can sympathise with all the more strongly in 
>>>that we've been through it in one form or another - I'm interested 
>>>in looking at where we go from here.


We live it. yes, forms of survival and its tacties.
is it the livelihoods or the life style that we are part of this 'community'?

Where we go from here?
we are going or already gone.
I claim myself as an institutional squater, the intervention tactie
has shifted grounds. The field of media practices shifting to mobile,
distributed network is in parallel development of the shrinking media centers.
We did not stop (net)working. We are mining the urbanscape.
Sure, pilgrimage and accreditation do ensure you are still 'seen' (by whom
is another matter). But we are going places, the sprouting of small 
media ventures in 'backspaces'.........

with all due respect

sl