D+T Salon on ISEA Assessment
So, DC blogged about ISEA/01 after my call last night to find out if there will be any resolution of the questions/problematics identified last night. I must admit that I feel uneasy about speaking my mind all the time when my employment is tied to an event, and this goes for the CC Salon as well:
Thus, I will give my base assessment of ISEA/01 here right now in a list:
- cost too much
- too disorganized
- lacked focus (conceptually, technically, etc)
- involved the usual academic suspects (and thus a yawner)
To consider it as a pure contemporary art event is completely incorrect, as new media and electronic art were the focus from the beginning and thus bring out the “usual suspects” and art that is technologically determined. I think the organizers need to be honest about this: it is what it is.
I’m glad that it happened, but think that smaller more local events is much better now for actually answering questions.
The best question from the event last night came from a young student with nice surfer curly blonde hair. He asked, “So, did you all ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS?” No one replied to him and sat there with this nervous silence!!!! TOTALLY AMAZING!
I realized then and there that this last ISEA represented something akin to the United States: too big and too much suffices only a small audience. I really think it will mark a turning point in productivity and scale of future events.
The SFAI D+T Salon and CC Salon are much better types of events for bringing out new people, costing virtually nothing, encouraging a diverse discourse, and localizing content with small local events! I would much rather have a monthly event with rotating topics and people than one big huge event that answers and conquers all – how about you?
