[spectre] Call for Renewable Futures 2017: Economia Conference

Fri Sep 30 16:59:55 CEST 2016

Dear all,

Please find below our open call for the second edition of RENEWABLE 
FUTURES 2017, art and science conference, which with the title ECONOMIA 
will take place in January 20-22, 2017, in Eindhoven, Natlab, former 
Philips physics Lab, organised by Baltan Laboratories, in collaboration 
with RIXC, in the framework or Renewable Futures European collaboration, 
as a part of Economia festival

The DEADLINE for conference and artwork proposals is extended! It is now:

October 15, 2016

Please see below more info, and please share this open call to anyone 
who might be interested!

best,

Rasa

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OPEN CALL:
RENEWABLE FUTURES CONFERENCE 2017 - ECONOMIA
The second edition of art and science conference series in Europe and 
the Baltic Sea region

January 20 - 22, 2017,
Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Venue: Baltan Laboratories / Natlab, former physics lab of Philips.

Renewable Future is a new conference series that aims to invent new 
avenues for more sustainable and imaginative future developments. The 
first conference edition took place in Riga (LV) exploring the 
transformative potential of art. The second Renewables Futures 
conference will take place in Eindhoven, aiming to push the boundaries 
of our thinking about the economy. The conference will be a part of 
Economia festival organized by Baltan Laboratories in Natlab, former 
physics lab of Philips.

Economia festival is a three-day event during which we collectively 
explore new ideas and thinking about our economy. The event is a 
laboratory for ideas, a place where we can step out of the existing 
frame. We will use unexpected and playful approaches looking at the 
essentials of economy, thus establishing a fresh point of view on the 
economic system and our society.

* Background: about Economia

In the eighties economy transformed more and more into a so called hard 
science. economy reduced its various approaches of our complex and 
unpredictable economic behavior, to one comprehensive theory known as 
the neoclassical or neoliberal model. This model captured economic 
behavior in mathematical formulas. It had the beauty of simplicity, the 
predictability of a formula and sounded too logical not to be true.

Like most powerful technologies dating from after the Second World War, 
economy has influenced the world of our ideas, how we define ourselves, 
and how we organize our society. Just as the discovery of DNA forced us 
to look differently at life, and the developments in ICT made our world 
smaller in unprecedented ways, the neoliberal model caused a huge shift 
from common interest to individual interest, and from a long term view 
to a short term view.
It is striking how little imagination this hard economic approach 
generates. economy has no equivalent of multiple universes, singularity 
or space-travelling. No strange life forms in the depths of the ocean or 
on other planets, no artificial or eternal life. economy is astoundingly 
prosaic and, rather than to explore and push the boundaries of its own 
domain, it seems to move inward, in precisely the opposite direction.

Since the outbreak of the financial crises in 2007/2008, uncertainty 
about the effectiveness and validity of the neoliberal model has grown 
considerably. economy, as a social technology in its present form, 
provides no solution to issues of climate change and social inequality. 
It cannot help us organize social alliances, public interests or develop 
long-term prospects. Its results no longer appeal. The added value of 
efficiency and productivity are outweighed by the numerous disadvantages 
of reducing all values to market value.

Although critique on the neo-liberal model grows, no new answers or 
alternatives have been proposed yet. In the search for new economic 
insights and alternatives to the current model, why not start by 
treating economy like any other technology? Playing with it, hacking it, 
using input from other disciplines, unleashing science fiction on it, 
approach it in an artistic manner. In short, taking ownership so that we 
can reshape and rework economy as we see fit. Because however 
meaningful, criticizing the current model won’t rid us of it. And we aim 
to do precisely that.

The aim of the festival and conference is to approach economy in new 
ways and look at our economic system and society with the detached view 
of the visitor, researcher, gamer, alien and artist. We want to reclaim 
economy as a social/cultural structure that we created, ridding us of 
the idea of economy as an inevitable law of nature.

More information about the festival: http://www.thinkeconomia.nl

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OPEN CALL FOR PAPERS AND ARTWORKS

We welcome presentations by academic researchers, designers, artists, 
scientists, students, social entrepreneurs, visionaries and other 
creative thinkers and practitioners to submit their proposals with 
regards to the following themes:

* Economy as evolution:
economy is about development and evolution. Societies develop and the 
direction they take is determined partly by the type of economic 
relationships they develop. Parallels are often drawn between these 
developments in culture and those in nature.

* Economy as a game:
economy is about rules and laws. Just like other types of relationships 
in the edifice of a society, an existing system of economic 
relationships adheres to certain laws and regulations. Gaming is about 
learning the laws and rules of a game so that you can play it better and 
better.

* Economy as a fiction:
economy is about ideas and faith. Credit has existed right from the 
start of societies, in the form of trust that A would pay B. Just as 
today, you would do a task for future reward in whatever form. Every 
form of economic relationship is an idea, or to put it better perhaps a 
prejudice. Which means it can change.
economy as a market: economy is about supply and demand. The greatest 
and most misunderstood cliché. Demand and supply is a way to describe 
life. Each influences the other in an unpredictable and complex ways.

* Economy as magic:
economy is both tangible and invisible. We are familiar with two forms 
of trade, goods and money. The one that you can handle and the other 
that exists only in the form of ones and zeros. The latter seems like 
pure magic. It is with good reason that some of these ‘financial 
wizards’ call themselves ‘Master of the universe’.

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CONFERENCE PROPOSALS

Proposals should explore at least one of the 5 proposed themes, which 
are at the heart of this conference. Selected speakers are invited to 
present their papers as part of the conference and are encouraged to 
engage within lively discussions amongst peers, experts, and the general 
audience.

Proposals should consist of:
1) Abstract: 250 words
2) Short biography: 100 words

THE DEADLINE EXTENDED - October 15, 2016.
Notification for acceptance will be sent before 15 of November.

Submit your proposal to: http://openconf.rixc.lv/

More information about the Conference Call:
http://thinkeconomia.com/pdf/openCallEconomia.pdf

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ARTWORK PROPOSALS

Proposals for developing or showcasing art projects (installations, 
performances, video based work, etc.) should contain:
1) a description of the art project (max 1 A4), including at least 2 
photos/visual materia and/or a link to the website referring to 
previously developed works.

Selection of artworks will be based on quality, feasibility and the 
connection to the overall theme.

THE DEADLINE EXTENDED - October 15, 2016.
Notification for acceptance will be sent before 15 November.

Please send your artwork proposals to Olga Mink: 
info at baltanlaboratories.org,
With the subject: Artwork proposal Renewable Futures: Economia 2017.

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Festival curators: Wiepko Oosterhuis, Olga Mink

Conference chairs: Rasa Smite / RIXC, Olga Mink / Baltan Laboratories, 
and Wiepko Oosterhuis.

* Conference International Scientific Board:

- Katja Kwastek. Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History, Vrije 
Universiteit Amsterdam.
- Armin Medosch. Professor of theory of art and media, Singidunum 
University, Belgrade.
- Gediminas Urbonas. Associate Professor and Director at MIT program in 
art, culture and technology, MIT Boston.
- Misko Suvakovic. Professor of Aesthetics and Theory of Art, Belgrade 
University.
- Jussi Parikka, Professor in Technological Culture & Aesthetics, 
University of Southampton.
- Dieter Daniels, Professor of Art History and Media Theory, Hochschule 
für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig.
- Douglas Kahn, Professor of Media and Innovation, University of New 
South Wales, Sydney.
- Lev Manovich, Professor of Computer Science, City University of New York.
- Laura Beloff, Associate Professor and Head of Section, IT University 
Copenhagen.
- Prof. Lily DIAZ-KOMMONEN / Head of Research Department of Media, Aalto 
University, School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Helsinki, Finland
- 
Prof. Kristin BERGAUST / Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied 
Sciences, Norway

* Conference Local Organizational Board:

- Katja Kwastek. Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History, Vrije 
Universiteit Amsterdam.
- Daniëlle Arets, lector Strategic Creativity, Design Academy Eindhoven.
- Annie Fletcher, Chief curator exhibitions Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven.
- Dan Diojdescu (MBA). Teacher economy at Avans School of International 
Studies (ASIS).
- Ingrid van der Wacht, independent project manager and concept developer
- Alain Heureux, Your Own Lab and The Egg Brussels
- CeesJan Mol, Venturespring

* Contact: info at baltanlaboratories.org, rixc at rixc.lv

* Organizers: Baltan Laboratories in collaboration with RIXC and 
Renewable Future European network, supported by Creative Europe.

http://baltanlaboratories.org

http://renewablefutures.net

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-- 
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rixc.org