Panel Statement

Panel: Revolution of the Public Sphere

From the ‘inner’ cities of Britain to the ‘outer’ cities of the ‘third world’ the promise of new technologies is hailed as the way forward. This will be an exploration of issues raised by the ‘new technologies revolution’.

“The genius of an inventor like Leonardo da Vinci lay in his ability to recombine the then separate systems of biology, mathematics, engineering and art. He has not so much an originator as a synthesiser. There have been few people like him over the centuries, because the ability to hold that much data in one’s own biological memory is rare. Now however, the technology of recombination is available in the computer. The problem now for would-be cultural producers is to gain access to this technology and information. After all, access is the most precious of all privileges, and is therefore strictly guarded...”  _Critical Art Ensemble

•  Pervaiz Kahn (UK), Artist, Birmingham