Art Focus for Technologies: Charm and Challenge

Since the very beginning of art ‘techne’ has been a substantial part of ‘poeisis’. The complex technologies of today create a particularly compelling and provocative frame for expressing artistic ideas. Media/ techno/ hybrid art is currently one of the most promising kinds of art that enriches art with most recent developments in science, robotics, electronics, telecommunication and bio technologies. Interacting with the objects and whole environments, the viewer is empowered to relate to the works in multiple ways and is intuitively immersed into the problematic field of contemporary technological culture. The unique modes of sensory engagement, when visual perception is closely tied with auditory and tactile, suggest new paradigms of cognition and proprioception. While internationally the media arts practice is supported by wide range of industries and governmental institutes, in Russia the development of this field is still sporadic. The exhibition “Art Focus for Technologies: Charm and Challenge” is intended to introduce to Ekaterinburg audience and the city’ guests some of the most important issues of international media art practice and to instigate further discussions, research and practice in this science- and technology-rich region. The exhibition is organized within the strategic program of EB NCCA “Art. Science. Technology” and will include works by Russian, German, Austrian, French, Dutch, and Swedish artists that deal with the ideas of optics, acoustics, interactivity, robotics, virtual realities, and performativity. The pieces will give a witty response to the current state of media consumerism, create sensory provocations and metaphoric interpretations of scientific facts, reflect upon the social and urban structures, as well as present interfaces for more nuanced and intimate communication. A number of works are commissioned specifically for this event. Participating artists: Sonia Cillari (IT/NL), (RU), Arijana Kajfes (SE), Andrey Khazov/ Sergej Novik (RU), Julius Popp (DE), Denis Perevalov/ Nina Rizhskaya/ Igor Sodazot (RU), Alexei Shulgin/ Aristarkh Chernyshov (RU), Christa Sommerer (AT)/ Laurent Mignonneau (FR), Where the Dogs Run (Olga Inozemtseva, Natalia Grekova, Alexei Korzukhin, Vladislav Bulatov, RU). In conjunction with the exhibition there will be organized a series of lectures and workshops by the invited participants. The works of the exhibitions will be documented in a special publication (catalogue). “Innoprom 2011” is one of the largest exhibitions and forums of advanced technologies developed in Russia, which is organized with the purpose to facilitates the spreading of the best innovation practices and developing connections between industrial enterprises and technology developers. The exhibition “Art Focus for Technologies: Charm and Challenge” will be become a valuable and very special addition to the project. Selected pieces of the exhibition can also be put on view at other venues of the city for longer time.