Abstract

A Coda Presentation of the discussion previously occurring at ISEA98REVOLUTION in Liverpool: a brief history of the development of art & technology since Cybernetic Serendipity in 1968. Then a reflection on the fact that the art mainstream (academies, commercial and state galleries) ignored the field for a long period. When, finally, they did adopt it (in the early 1980s after it had become fashionable) they did so in a way that ignored (undermined) the “significant” agenda and served only to perpetuate their own outmoded paradigm. In particular they promote work where the value (aesthetic or monetary) is intrinsic to the work. This places the mainstream’s adoption of art & technology as an extension of modern-ism (and of the concept of the avant garde) rather than a change to an extrinsic value system (In the context of post-modernism). The academies of art have failed to respond to the challenge of new technologies. They teach students how to push a mouse about and use “shrink wrapped” apps, which emulate traditional media, whilst simultaneously undermining attempts to develop a curriculum that can address “significant” issues and knowledge development. They are constrained by fear of the unknown and restrained by the new “rational” economics of higher education which prioritise funding for developments that earn immediate benefits (like enrolment income) rather than for “prestigious” developments like a reputable (albeit subversive) arts programme.

• Paul Brown, UK/AU, has worked internationally as an artist, writer, consultant and teacher specialising in new media technologies since the 1960’s. His work has been exhibited internationally, including a show at the 1980 Venice Biennale. He recently won a Sponsors’ Award at the 4th International Print Biennale in Sapporo, Japan and In 1996 he won the Fremantle Print Award. He is currently a recipient of a development grant from the New Media Arts Fund of the Australia Council to continue his work in computational aesthetics. He is the editor of Fine Art Forum, the network news service of the Arts, Science and Technology Network (ASTN) and has published over 100 papers and popular features on media technology and related areas since 1980. He is a regular contributor to many international periodicals and he has presented regular talks, lectures and workshops and been a chair and moderator of many seminars and other professional events. He was a Judge for the 1983 and 84 International Computer Animation Film Festivals and was on the advisory board for Computer Graphics 84. During 1989 he served on the AUSGRAPH 89 Film & Yideo Show committee and was Chair of the AUSGRAPH 90 Art & Video Program. In 1990 and 92 he was a member of the SIGGRAPH Art Show Committee and in 1995 and 96 was the Australasian representative for SIGGRAPH. He was on the International Advisory Board for the ISEA95 and ISEA96 symposia and is a member of the Editorial Advisory Boards for both Leonardo and Digital Creativity. In 1997, he served on the jury of the Computer Animation Festival for SIGGRAPH 97 in Los Angeles and was elected Chair of the management board of the Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT).