[ISEA98] Panel: Colin Fallows & Alexander Kahn (moderators) – St. Petersburg 3.0

Panel Statement

This panel seeks to examine and contextualize the work of a group of radical St. Petersburg based artists, musicians and writers currently working with electronic media. Led by the artist/catalyst, Timur Novikov, the group will share the art and ideas of the New Academy in St. Petersburg with ISEA98.

Papers, presentations, declamatíons, ideas and critical responses have been invited from the St. Petersburg based artists, musicians and writers described as “… the first manifestatíon out of the New Russia that actually impresses me … so weird looking, and it arises from such unique cultural and economic circumstances … This might become the first digítal art movement that really matters” (Bruce Sterling, Art and Corruption, WIRED 6.01, January 1998).

This programme builds on links with St. Petersburg’s artistic cutting edge established more than a decade ago when Liverpool based ARK published the LP Insect Culture by Popular Mechanics (ARK Records, 1987) the large scale multi-media event Perestroika in the Avant Garde (involving Pop Mekhanika and the New Artists, Liverpool, 1989) and the first Russian techno 12 inch Sputnik of Life by the New Composers (ARK Records, 1990 ).

  • Colin Fallows (UK), Convenor, Reader in Audio and Visual Arts, Liverpool Art School, Liverpool John Moores University
  • Alexander Kahn (Russia), Convenor, Broadcaster & Producer of the Russian Service, BBC World Service and Writer, St. Petersburg