Contexts of Light- and Media Art in the 21st Century

Contemporary light and media art works are produced, displayed and discussed in contexts of art museums, art associations and artistic initiatives, in socio-cultural and participative contexts, in public space, post-industrial sites and cultural heritage environments, media or light art festivals, interim and off spaces as well as art galleries and art fairs or natural history or science museums. Each display comes with a unique set of conditions that impact development and display as well as audience response and contextual discourse. In the artistic practice on site, conceptual and esthetic parameters shift along with interests and requirements of the hosting setting as well as technical options, possibilities of maintenance while on display and in accordance to timelines of production and budget frameworks. The lectures discusses how this complex interaction shapes the contemporary light and media art scene, its productivity and outputs. It addresses the want for further documentation and review, research and critical discourse for the vibrant, and innovative scene. It considers the impact of the intermittent interaction with the established art scene, art institutions and the legitimized canon of contemporary art.

Bettina Pelz will also moderate the Q&A sections of the Conference.

Light as instrument, medium and environment in (post)media art

The terms “Spatial Augmented Reality” (SAR) and “projection mapping” describe mostly temporary large screen projections on urban surfaces. The façade architecture becomes the screen for the content, mostly projected 2D and 3D animations. Many of these artworks generate mainly illusionistic clips emanating from the existing façade structure that allow reality and fiction to merge audiovisually. In combination with an interactive component the artwork can become unique and site-specific. Artists, architects, curators and institutions are increasingly aware of their responsibility, related to this form of the mediatization of architecture, as shown, for example, by the German artist group “Urbanscreen”. Their members approach their work as a counterpoint to the commercialization of public space in the course of its appropriation by industry, propaganda, and advertising. But on the other hand they also make a living from commercial assignments. Artists often see themselves as pioneers and experimental researchers for a possible future in the coming digitized cities. They try to integrate digital content in the cityscape in a harmonious sense. Amongst other things, temporary façade displays can also pave the way for permanent media façades. Through the presentation of various examples, the role of light in fine arts in connection with an alternative approach to the concepts of augmented realities within this process of social and urban evolution will be discussed.

The lecture deals with light through three personal experiences.
How light affects people above the Arctic Circle – Movement of light in the architectural space – Light as part of art and it ́s environment. An original case studies combined with practical and theoretical insights from van der Puij; artist, designer and architect.

Dr Mencia is currently the co-investigator of the AHRC funded project Memory, Victims, and Representation of the Colombian Conflict. Her role is leading the creative team working on the artistic research project titled Women Invisible Voices and give voice to the women in their participation in the construction of memory. For this purpose, she has led a series of co-creation workshops in Bogota, Colombia, with the participation of the research team and the women community groups of la Ruta Pacífica and Zoscua. 
In the co-creation workshops she explored a variety of creative storytelling and artistic approaches to share personal stories, and discuss issues surrounding gender and (in)visibility in museum spaces, websites, and artworks, and with this, raise questions concerning how to address women’s voices that have not yet been heard or represented in these official spaces. In this presentation she will introduce you to research processes and to the digital interactive work developed from the material gathered in the co-creation workshops. ‘Bringing up to light’ in this case is used more as a metaphor to unveil historical memory, however these stories are coming to light and disseminated through the digital medium as the source of light.

In the final presentation of the Conference dr Orosz will try to ask some provocative questions on the notion of light art and how it connected to contemporary art and its alternative applications in public art as well as in the entertainment sector. What the chances are today to define the boundaries of an art form that hasn’t been canonized yet and everybody would take as granted. In other words, what is the relevance that light is a perfect medium of art and what are the odds about it? Taking perspective from theoretical and epistemological background of luminokinetic art he will focus on the two poles of the medium.