ISEA96, Rotterdam, NL
An Exhibition Report

Unfortunately this years the International Symposium of Electronic Art 96 in Rotterdam did not up-hold the tradition of presenting a strong new media art exhibition. Not at fault were the artists or the works that were chosen nor the small budget but rather that the site for their installations did not create an intriguing environment to view the full splendour and endeavour of the artists.

Because of safety regulations imposed by the Rotterdam World Trade Centre major restrictions were implemented in the installation of works. The World Trade Centre presents a site for possible bomb scares and the obscure nature of technological based installations could be some device planted if not positioned in specifically marked spaces for clear oversight for the security surveillance. Technology watching technolgy!! The same restrictions were imposed for additional sitting and chat areas.

In the main hall Arabian dessert-like tents were erected for the exhibition of interactive works, TV/video screenings of 3D animation and defining an area for the information booth. Special material lined structures provided the necessary flat surfaces to hang additional 2D still works. A very small but nice coffee area that seated about 10 people at one time seemed to entertain the participants throughout the conference with the rest of the few 100 visitors gathering quietly around the tent structures that in my view only missed the token camel to make the picture complete.

A separate room provided the conference with a Gallery like space displaying photographic manipulated imagery, a slide show for various documentation of digital works and computer terminals to view CD ROMs such as the Mutant Genome Project a work by Melbourne artist Patricia Piccinini. Most of the CD ROMs were stolen in the early hours of the conference because they were not installed directly onto the computer hard disc but rather stacked on the sided: a free for all! (l and let me refrase at this point: that individauls may have taken not stolen one or two CD's, thinking that they were free promotional materials)

Present in the photographic stills exhibition were Melbourne artist Ian Haig with his Mighty Morphing Muscle Men that sat very boldly in contrast with its installtion technique. Other works included delicate images from Tasmanian artist Bill Harzt, Loss of Certainty as well as from Annette Weintraub, Lane Hall & Lisa Moline and James Faure Walker.

In the main hall and tent structures interactive works were displayed. Melbourne artist Martine Corompt played a significant role in the entertainment of the masses with her installation, SORRY! A lowend computer interactive work which exploits the stylistic slapstick violence and humour of Western animation. Fred Kohlman invited the viewer to translate their movement into a musical composition and Masaki Fujihata created a beautiful space for a reading of a virtual book. The work is descibe by the artist has a link between words and imagination though the use of interactive technolgies. Other smaller works and a variety of 2D prints were hard to be appreciated and were almost over-seen due to the lack of sensitivity in their installation.

This ISEA conference unfortunately had very little magic in its realisation of inviting curiosity to technological based art works. The overall feeling of this conference may have been more spirited if the chosen venue had realistically envisaged the nature of the symposia and the demanding application of eletronic art. Although there are many other reasons for this conference to have not been the easiest to coordinate, as the Director Wim van der Plas fell seriously ill just before the conference, the main attraction was therefore the Rotterdam 96 festival which included the Dutch Electronic Art Festival DEAF and the V2 exhibition shows. The festivals theme was Digital Territories and displayed a variety of interactive and electronic performance art.

In brief about changes to ISEA: As a result of the first Syposium in the Netherlnds in 1988, it was decided to establish the Inter-Society for Electronic Art. This was finally achieved in 1990. Since then, the ISEA HQ has been based in Rotterdam.

When this took place a recommdation proposed that the secretariat should move every five years. Through serendipity, rhater than any planning process, this has now happened. At this years ISEA 96, the responsibility of managing the secretariat for ISEA was officially passed on to SAT - the Societe des art technologiques in Canada who hosted the last ISEA in Montreal in 95.

The new local headquarters in Montreal, are now expressing a new attempt to present ISEA to the many participants who over the years did not become members and who have never considered to become members to now become more engaged. SAT are in the process of setting up new research labs in Montreal to support works by artists, scientists and researchers to gravitate around projects and further develop the debate of electronic art. They are in the process to provide new media art training courses as well as act as a distributor, to promote and market digital art for the ISEA/SAT members especially concentrating on public access to the artist information.

Finally to rapped up: during the plenary session at this years ISEA, a heated discussion took place that questioned the non-representation of minority/cultural groups and the lack of diversity in the support of indiviudal artist that may not have access to funding bodies in the countries. The discussion focused on providing such acces to the ISEA conference that heads itself to be an international festival and provide a forum of exchange between a diverse group of people.

This issue has been seriously taken on by the board as well as by the hosts of the next ISEA symposium, in Chicago. They are currently setting strategies in place to be pro-active in the inclusion of people from diverse backgrounds, so that representation of a wider range of artist, etc, can be encouraged to participate and be assisted. Amanad McDonald Crowly, director of ANAT, commented that Chicago will be trying to establish mechanisms for subidising attendance and participation of individuals from 'disadvantaged' backgrounds. ISEA's board are also currently working out how to get the best participation and presentation onto the board. (This is yet to be finalised, ....)

For more information see : ISEA HQ website