Ryoji Ikeda, test pattern [enhanced version], 2011 © Ryoji Ikeda Image: Park Avenue Armory New York and Forma © James Ewing

Ryoji Ikeda, test pattern [enhanced version], 2011 © Ryoji Ikeda
Image: Park Avenue Armory New York and Forma © James Ewing

 

The 19th International Symposium on Electronic Art presented by Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) and supported by Destination NSW to align with Vivid Sydney will showcase the best media artworks and future-focused ideas from Australia and around the world, Friday 7 to Sunday 16 June 2013 at venues across greater Sydney.

ISEA International, founded in The Netherlands in 1990, fosters interdisciplinary exchange among culturally diverse organisations and individuals working with art, science and technology. Last seen in Sydney in 1992, the annual International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA) returns 21 years later to deliver another ground-breaking event.

In that time, digital art has moved from the margins to become part of the fabric of everyday life. At once ubiquitous and unnoticed, resistance to electronic art has proven futile — it now lies embedded in the heart of our contemporary cultures. The symposium events will infuse the city’s social, digital and physical infrastructure.

A highlight of the program is the Australian premiere of test pattern, a stunning large-scale immersive installation by renowned Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda. Carriageworks and ISEA2013, proudly collaborating with Vivid Sydney, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest celebration of light, music and ideas, co-present test pattern at Carriageworks from 8 June until 1 July 2013. Like many of Ikeda’s electrifying works, test pattern represents the intense energies of the massive data flows that increasingly shape our globalised world.

Ikeda recently staged a similar installation at The Armory in New York, described by The New York Times as a ‘sublime spectacle’ and ‘spectacular, trippy and fun’. New York Magazine described Ikeda’s work as ‘an extreme and elaborate visual and sonic environment’.

In addition to test pattern, Ryoji Ikeda will perform datamatics 2.0, a one-night only event at Carriageworks on the evening of Friday 7 June 2013. This is a new full-length version of Ikeda’s acclaimed audio-visual concert.

WATCH Ryoji Ikeda video 

Also central to ISEA2013 is a stimulating program of artists’ presentations, creative dialogues and critical debates that will unearth the latest thinking and ideas in contemporary culture.  The three-day ISEA2013 Conference will feature over 200 speakers, as well as eight 8 keynote addresses from global leaders in the fields of art, science, technology, media and communications.  Topics to be discussed include emerging cultural forms such as bio-art, data representation, robotics, augmented realities and urban and virtual ecologies.

The Opening Keynote address will be by Michael Naimark, a New York-based internationally renowned pioneering media artist.  The conference will take place from Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 June at The University of Sydney.  Registrations for early bird discounts are available now, bookings are essential: http://www.isea2013.org/events/conference/.

The ISEA2013 TALKS PROGRAM, in collaboration with Vivid Ideas, will inspire new thinking and creative paradigms through provocative speakers such as Italian media critics and hacktivists Alessandro Ludovico and Paolo Cirio, whose infamous online project Face to Facebook involved stealing 1 million Facebook profiles, filtering them with face-recognition software, and then posting them on a custom-made dating website.

The ISEA2013 EXHIBITIONS PROGRAM, will showcase the works of over 150 contemporary artists from Australia and around the world in venues throughout inner Sydney, Parramatta and Campbelltown.  Exhibitions include: Experimenta’s Speak To Me at the Powerhouse Museum, Catching Light at Campbelltown Arts Centre, and Running the City at UNSW Galleries, COFA.

Performances and Workshops will engage and entice audiences at events including Night depot #3 at First Draft, Chip Music Festival, Breathing Monster featuring Myriam Gourfink and Kasper Toeplitz, and Theta lab featuring George Khut and James Brown.

Full details of these events will be profiled on the ISEA2013 website and we’ll be announcing more program highlights in coming weeks. Visit www.isea2013.org regularly to keep up to date with developments as they arise!

 

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its funding and advisory body.

 

The full ISEA2013 program will be announced in 3 program releases.

ISEA2013 Director, Jonathan Parsons is available for media interviews.

 

ABOUT ISEA INTERNATIONAL

Founded in The Netherlands in 1990, ISEA International (formerly Inter-Society for the Electronic Arts) is an international non-profit organisation fostering interdisciplinary academic discourse and exchange among culturally diverse organisations and individuals working with art, science and technology. The main activity of ISEA International is the annual International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA).

www.isea-web.org

 

ABOUT ANAT

Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT) supports artists and creative practitioners engaging with science and technology, within Australia and beyond. Our innovative program includes immersive residencies, professional development labs, online research tools, publications, seminars and workshops. For over two decades, ANAT has strategically incorporated cross discipline collaborations into its programming to increase the benefits for the artists it supports.

www.anat.org.au

 

ABOUT VIVID SYDNEY:

Sydney will once again be transformed into a spectacular canvas of light, music and ideas when Vivid Sydney takes over the city after dark from 24 May – 10 June 2013. Colouring the city with creativity and inspiration, Vivid Sydney highlights include the hugely popular immersive light installations and projections; performances from local and international musicians at Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House and the Vivid Ideas Exchange featuring public talks and debates from leading global creative thinkers. Vivid Sydney is owned and managed by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.

www.vividsydney.com

 

CONTACT

ISEA2013       www.isea2013.org
ANAT              www.anat.org.au
TWITTER      @isea2013 | hashtag - #isea2013
FACEBOOK   facebook.com/isea2013

 

ISEA2013 SYDNEY |  FIRST PROGRAM RELEASE

This first round of program announcements features a diverse mix of local and international, early career and established groundbreaking artists at venues and events across greater Sydney:


Exhibitions
TEST PATTERN [NO.5] – RYOJI IKEDA Presented by Carriageworks and ISEA2013, 7 June
DATAMATICS [VER.2.0] – RYOJI IKEDA
Presented by Carriageworks and ISEA2013, 8 June – 1 July
EXPERIMENTA SPEAK TO ME Presented by ISEA2013, June 2013
CATCHING LIGHT Presented by Campbelltown Arts Centre and ISEA2013, 1 June – 6 July
RUNNING THE CITY Presented by ISEA2013 and COFA at UNSW Galleries, 7 June – 27 July


Performances

NIGHT DEPOT #3
Presented by First Draft in association with ISEA2013, 15 June
CHIP MUSIC FESTIVAL Presented by Campbelltown Arts Centre in association with ISEA2013, 8 June
BREATHING MONSTER – MYRIAM GOURFINK & KASPER TOEPLITZ Presented by Performance Space and National Art School in partnership with Critical Path and Dancehouse in association with ISEA2013

 

Talks
MICHAEL NAIMARK – ISEA2013 KEYNOTE
Presented by ISEA2013, 11 June – 13 June
ISEA2013 / VIVID TALKS – ALESSANDRO LUDOVICO and PAOLO CIRIO Presented by ISEA2013, proudly collaborating with Vivid Sydney, 8 June

 

Workshops
THETA LAB
– GEORGE KHUT & JAMES BROWN Presented by ISEA2013, dLux Media Arts and The Rocks Pop Up (Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority), 7 June – 10 June
THE SUSTAINABILITY OF FUTURE BODIES – CRITICAL PATH Presented by Critical Path and ISEA2013 in partnership with Performance Space, 15 –20 June
MOTION CAPTURE OPEN LAB – GARTH PAINE Presented by Critical Path and ISEA2013 in partnership with Performance Space, 15 June – 16 June
THE DANCING BODY OF THE FUTURE PART II – PAUL GAZZOLA Presented by Critical Path and ISEA2013 in partnership with Performance Space, 18 June – 20 June
WRITING – MYRIAM GOURFINK Presented by Critical Path and ISEA2013 in partnership with Performance Space, 18 June – 20 June

PROGRAM: Stay tuned for more program announcements.

Visit www.isea2013.org and join the email newsletter list for regular updates.