Panel Statement
Panel: Without Sin: Taboo and Freedom within Digital Media
In Social Development Theory Vygotsky (1978) argues that social interaction precedes development; consciousness and cognition are the end product of socialization and social behaviour. A Key concept of Vygotsky’s The More Knowledgeable Other (or MKO) refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level than the learner. In these contemporary contexts the MKO could potentially be represented by interactions on the Internet or experience gleaned from social media. Role testing or playing is expected to be transitional – done in our youth, but within online and digital gaming contexts we can delay and extend this developmental process. Both the reality of an un-chartable (dark) Internet, the acknowledged rate of change and the significantly problematic lack of any societal sanction or prohibition, gives ‘us’ more space and opportunity to explore the taboo and address repression. With extended explorations of self brings issues around consciousness, totalization of indetity and what is authentic and what now constitutes healthy behaviour?
- Dr. Donna Leishman is a media artist and researcher and is based in Scotland. Her critical writings and presentations cover the social reception of digital media and the intersection of narrative with interactivity. Themes in the research include developing and exploring the role of the participant, issues around identity and closure and interrogating the aesthetic consequences of difficult interactions and dissonance. Leishman has presented for: ISEA2010 (Ruhr Area, Germany), Digital Art Weeks Xi’an (China), CRUMB/Culture Lab (Newcastle), CultureNet/Capilanou University (Canada), IOCT De Montfort University (Leicester) FITC (Toronto), CHI 2011 (Vancouver) and ISEA2011 (Istanbul). Her works have been featured in The New York Times, The List, The Herald, Create Online, Computer Arts, The Scotsman, The Guardian, Desktop Magazine (AUS), TIRWEB and Design Week. Since 1999 her website 6amhoover.com has been the platform to experience her interactive projects. Her artworks have been presented in museums, galleries, conferences and festivals around the world including: UkinNY festival (NYC), Resistor Gallery (Toronto), Centre for Contemporary Art (Glasgow), TechnoPoetry Festival (Georgia Tech) DeCordova Museum (Boston) OFFF (Barcelona). Digital Arts & Culture conference (Melbourne), M.I.T (Boston), The Six Cities Festival (Glasgow) Designersblock – The Scottish Show (Milan/London) ELO Visionary Landscapes (Vancouver USA) and the Electronic Literature Collection Volume One. She lecturers in Communication Design at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in Dundee. Leishman is the currently external examiner for the MRes in Digital Media at Newcastle University’s Culture Lab. 6amhoover.com