The colloquium in the context of the New Technological Art Award (Update_4) on 15, 16 and 17 November 2012 bears 'Immortal' as title. It questions the (im)perfection of technology and the eternity of art, is consistent with the public debate on sustainability, and opens the debate between science and ethics. With experts from the disciplines of art, music, science, philosophy, restoration and conservation, the subject will be treated in an interdisciplinary way, and clear lectures will introduce the discussion.
Scientific euphoria thinkers predict that by the next generation not only the intelligence of computers will become superhuman, but also that medical knowledge will be so far advanced that the human body remains forever young. Seen from this perspective, terms such as levels, updates and upgradings coming from the world of computer games therefore appear to be mere variations on the transhumanist Lazarus myth and on the belief in reincarnation. The evolution of technology has an undeniable impact on our thinking about 'being' and 'time'.
The question is what impact this speculative conceptual framework has on the artistic practice? Should art pursue eternity, and how does this affect the status of documentation, archiving, conservation, repair, data migration, conversion or implementation modalities? The fact is that the question of authenticity, original and copy, still appears to be the most immortal. On the other hand, the (physical) storage seems to be a concept of Western culture which is - in comparison with music - characteristic of the visual arts.
Speakers:
IMMORTAL
Thursday, November 15th
14h00: Stef Van Bellingen: introduction
14h15: Frederik Leen (15h: Q&A) (chief curator of the Museum of Modern Art in Brussels)
15h15: Maarten Baes (16h: Q&A) (professor physics and astronomy)
16h15: break
16h45: Frederika Huys (17h30: Q&A) (restaurator of contemporary art / The House of Conservation)
17h45: break
19h15: Artist talk: Julijonas Urbonas (artist Update_4: Euthanasia Coaster)
19h45: Ann Van Sevenant (20h45: Q&A) (dr. Philosophy)
Friday, November 16th
10-13h: workshop Rosa Menkman (artist and researcher, author of the Glitch Manifesto)
14h00: Stef Van Bellingen: introduction
14h15: Bram Vandeveire (15h: Q&A) (coordinator TEBEAC Ghent)
15h15: Pierre-Yves Desaive (16h: Q&A) (art critic and professor at La Cambre in Brussels)
16h15: break
16h45: video Marko Stamenkovic & Dana Levy (artists & researchers)
19h15: Christophe Dejaegher (coordinator photography at BOZAR)
19h45: Artist talk: Stanza (artist Update_4: Capacities)
20h15: Peter Beyls (digital artist / composer, professor)
Saturday, November 17th
14h00: Stef Van Bellingen: introduction
14h15: Rosa Menkman (15h: Q&A) (artist and researcher, author of the Glitch Manifesto)
15h15: Jean-Paul Fourmentraux (16h: Q&A) (sociologue, postdoctorate researcher at the Raymond Aron Centre of Sociology and Political Studies in Parijs)
16h15: Angelo Vermeulen (17h: Q&A) (kunstenaar en doctor biologie)
17h15: Yves Bernard (dir. iMAL) & Stef Van Bellingen (dir.WARP)
18h: Award ceremony Update IV
If you would like to attend please see details and application form in the PDF: