Re: The Importance of PhysicalSpace
This was a short txt (or better a series of notes/remarks) that accompanied my presentation of Croatian media-art-activism scene, in Graz (“ncc 48h”) October 2001.
I was mostly referring to the Lovink’s “The Importance of Meetspace” which I found becoming more and more dysfunctional:
- geographically (as the form is mainly operational in western Europe)
- socially (working best for “central nodes”, not so good for periphery and being elitist when it comes to approaching it from outside)
- locally (it doesn’t provide any functional reference after the event – as hosts are usually not interested long-term participation in networks/activities)
- institutionally (existing institutions make better use of this form while there is little or no chance in actually instituting new ones)
Therefore I was referring to the rehabilitation of “space” as important next step in the development of local and translocal new media cultural scene.
Emancipating “media spaces”, be it cyber-café like spaces or presentation/club spaces, are essential for local context as specialized public interfaces/references for establishing new media culture as a part of permanent contributor to the contemporary culture. By providing continuous access to the products of media labs, media theorists, activist media campaigns and critical discourses, not relaying on support for making “TMLs” from an existing event, museum, or similar institution. This provides independence important for critical discourses and it also establishes continuous reference and infrastructure for/of support.
Will this lead to the emancipation of field up to the level of support that national film, opera, theater productions are receiving? Not likely. But it will make a significant step or at leas “put foot in the door” for the long run.
Without this the networks themselves “in their mysterious and seductive aspects”, will remain invisible. “It is hard to represent or even visualize what is actually happening on a mailinglist, a newsgroup, a chatroom” and frankly lately it is becoming hard to find media artist, activist, producer, who actually uses IRC or is regularly contributing (not just forwarding announcments) to the mailinglists (especially if you disregard 2-3 most prominent ones like nettime or Xchange).
Geert continuos with :
“The best way to speed up the process of production is to meet in real space, to confront the loose, virtual connections, to engage in the complex and messy circumstances of real time-space, to and present the audience (and possible future participants) with actual outcomes. And then go back again, in scattered places, on-line.”
With which I partially agree, but would like to add that most of the production is usually happening unrelated to the actuall events, but related to the funding that is provided (by event or as a direct refernce to the event). Also the messy circumstances of real time-space are usually more concrete than virtual connections for which they provide the basis.
The issue of web journals is also quite loose… as most of the “relevant” ones aren’t time resistant (as medialounge and European Cultural Backbone can easily be a proofs of).
As presentational points:
- Croatia was well “represented” in mid nineties with several Croatians who were enjoying both the diaspora status in economic way and using their (border) cultural potential, without using the acquiered knowledge/access to information to actually start/strengthen local scene
- In media arts the only reference point was annual event “media-scape”, which was semi-family affair of Berlin based Croatian-German couple and Museum of Contemporary Arts (their only media arts related activity)
- Local reference points at that time, Arkzin publishing house being the most prominent, failed to break out of isolation within Croatia even when hundreds of readers were good basis for starting a local scene
- With the opening of Multimedia Institute’s net.cultural center “mama” in May 2000. we finally established a space that was to become meeting/presentation/education/production point open to general public.
- During the following 2 years a number of projects/organizations (re)established/activated due to the existence of space:
- EGOBOO.bits – GNU/GPL digital publishing label
- past:forward – theory group
- Croatian Linux User Group
- EKS-scena – performing arts and dance association
- Indy Media Croatia and so on …
Problems of running a space against “running a concept”:
- establishing and maintaining infrastructure
(switching back and fort from long-run to daily mode of operating)
- managing human resources
(keeping the activities non-profit but with enough earnings for dedicated work)
- gaining recognition beyond media servicing
(local cultural impact!)
- dealing with problems of not heaving previous records or practices from the field
(especially problematic in policies and financial management)
Why doing it?
- no one else will do it !
- so that things “might” change in the long run.
- so that you don’t have to compromise your work as often as you would otherwise.
- so that your work gets recognized as specific and independent