Social
Spaces

SKOR organizes a lecture and debate on Google & privacy, following the latest issue, nr. 19 of Open. Cahier over kunst en het publieke domein, entitled Voorbij Privacy.

More info: http://www.skor.nl/article-4925-nl.html

Tomorrow For Real opens in Maastricht and Hasselt. This is an art festival that deals with the interrelations between video, art and public space. For Real presents screenings by many interesting artists in public space. Besides that, the festival organises a symposium tomorrow where Social Spaces will be presenting. If you want to participate in the symposium, you first have to register via email (sanne@for-real.eu).

Viewmaster Foundation, the Maastricht Academy for Fine Arts and Design and Maastricht University / Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (Media Culture Master) organise a symposium on the dynamic relationship between virtuality and reality in public spaces and the role of video art in that. How does the public space act when it is used for alternative artistic purposes?

More information: http://www.for-real.eu/symposium.php?lang=uk

VR/Urban is a collective of public media interventionists and their latest project, Smslingshot is a really cool (and fun) attempt of reclaiming public urban space. The city has been covered by advertising posters and commercial digital media screens. Graffiti and other street art represent an attempt of  marking the walls as being public domain. Still, new technologies ask for more initiatives and this is exactly what Smslingshot is.

What is it exactly?

The SMSlingshot is an autonom working device, equipped with an ultra-high frequency radio, hacked arduino board, laser and batteries. Text messages can be typed on a phone-sized wooden keypad which is integrated in the also wooden slingshot. After the message is finished, the user can aim on a media facade and send/shoot the message straight to the targeted point. It will then appear as a colored splash with the message written within. The text message will also be real-time twittered – just in case.

If you want to know more details on how they developed the device just check out their website. And if you want to try the device for yourself, VR/Urban might be coming to Eindhoven in November at the STRP art & technology festival.

“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

Participants sought for the art project ’Short Cut Leuven’ by Stijn Van Dorpe

“Short Cut traces an imaginary straight line (a ‘short cut’), via a group of walking people, through Leuven. The aim is to form a line and walk a trail between Naamsevest and Engels Plein, straight across private property, public buildings, streets and squares. In this way Van Dorpe reconnects the private to the public, while making us think about topics like “living in the city,” “loss of privacy” etc.” Source & more info