Call for papers /Human cities
Human Cities, a European network that groups scientific and cultural partners involved in research and information on spatial, social and political innovation related to the production of public space in contemporary cities, organises a symposium with the title ”Civil society reclaims public space. Cross perspectives based on research”. This symposium is organized as part of the second festival of the Human Cities network and will be held in Brussels from 15 until 31 March 2012.
The deadline for proposals that are directly related to civil society initiatives that target “reclaiming” public space in contemporary cities is 14 october.
More information can be found on the website: www.humancities.eu
Artistic fieldwork in Kilpisjärvi
In September and October 2011 Social Spaces researcher Rosanne van Klaveren is doing artistic fieldwork in Kilpisjärvi for her PhD project FOOD RELATED. She is staying and working at the Biological Research Station owned by the University of Helsinki. Although it is mostly biologists who do their fieldwork in this isolated place within the Arctic Circle, the Finnish Bioart Society runs an artist-in-residence program here as well.
Van Klaveren is developing cultural probes packages that will be used during her research of participatory practices for locative media art. These probes are made to be used in workshops and at home.
In the meantime, Van Klaveren is studying local food and food culture. This is important fieldwork for her participatory project about arctic food, wherefore she is very happy and thankful for being here!
Some new collected food entries from this region can be found at www.foodrelated.org
website Bioart Society: http://bioartsociety.fi/
website Kilpisjärvi Research Station: http://www.helsinki.fi/kilpis/english/index.htm
residency blog: http://www.kilpiscope.net/residency/
Exploring Common Space
“A festival in a Must Go Zone. The Brussels Festival Kanal projects are artistically diverse and explore cultural, social, political and historical issues, but they have one thing in common: they literally get the public moving. As Brussels edges its way westwards, the various districts around the canal are gradually being incorporated into the city centre. Some changes are already under way, others are on their way: streets are being revamped, development plans drawn up and new projects given the green light. At the same time the gap is widening between rich and poor, between those with a qualification or a job and those without.Yet because of its mix of different nationalities, languages, smells, colours and vibrant young population, this is Brussels at its best – a powerful mélange with an unseen reserve of energy, creativity and joie de vivre. Unfortunately, these communities don’t always have the opportunities they deserve. Unfortunately, a none too rosy picture of this part of Brussels is often conveyed to the outside world.” Source, Full programme and more info
“Out of curiosity” at the E-Culture Fair 2010
On 23rd – 25th of August, the research group Social Spaces will be present at the E-Culture Fair 2010 in Dortmund (Germany). The fair is organized by BAM, the Flemish institute for visual, audiovisual and media art, “Virtueel Platform” and “Medienwerk NRW” and is part of RUHR 2010, the European Capital of Culture and ISEA 2010 (16th International Symposium on Electronic Arts). The E-Culture Fair revolves around (cross-disciplinary) projects on (media) technology, art, research and creative industry. Here, companies, schools, universities, research groups and artists from Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany will present their work. At a booth at the Fair, Social Spaces will present itself and several of the projects the group currently is involved in (closely collaborating with Z33 – house for contemporary art, the Province of Limburg and the Expertise centre for Digital Media).
A reflection on artistic research
Via my collegue Sarah Késenne, I found an article on artistic research, which offers an interesting and provocative reflection. This sentence seams like an interesting starting point for further discussion: “An adequate research methodology has to be developed in order to allow the researchers positions on multiple social-material time-spaces of actual making and doing—positions that permit and actually encourage active involvement in the artistic processes in the stages of production before publication, exhibition, and critical reception.”
The rest you can read yourself at http://www.e-flux.com/journal/view/40