What Urban Media Art Can Do Why When Where &How

WHAT URBAN WHY MEDIA WHEN ART WHERE CAN &HOW DO Editors Susa Pop Tanya Toft Nerea Calvillo Mark Wright

2016 50 Pixels and Places, Video Art in Public in Art Video 51. Places, and Pixels with moments” astheunexpectedencounter 1. CatrienSchreuderdescribes“perfect perience of the urban environment,in perience oftheurban Space ( video

( Rotterdam: NAi Publishers ) artthatcanaffectone’sex- What UrbanMediaArtCanDo ences while providing “perfectmoments” and offered surprising, contemplative, orenlightening experi activities human presence,encounters,connectivityandsocial and re-composingourhistories.Ithasfacilitatednewformsof memorythroughre-tracing withourcultural,collective negotiated aboutthecomplexity oflocalplaces andevents and awareness happen”. “what and could happened” evoked Ithas global continues toexplore whatitcan that facilitateourinscriptioninadigitalreality, art media urban environments ment and the ever-changing conditions of urban of networked, technological develop- In-keeping with the pace neither is art in paradigm major emerging the time our …for an ism nor a collection of styles. Rather than a novel way of of way novel a than Rather styles. of collection a nor ism an art isnotdeterminedbya mediumbutratheraconditionof media ofurban photographyorvideoart,the“material” painting, artworks for visible and invisible implementation. Different from and make use ofinnovations in software and technology to craft environmentsinwhichartists create inurban artistic initiatives rearranging surfaces and spaces, it is fundamentally concerned concerned fundamentally is it spaces, and surfaces rearranging with the implementation of the art impulse in an advanced advanced an in impulse art the of implementation the with technological society. society. technological hegemonies and power relations, while bridging between “what hegemonies andpowerrelations,whilebridgingbetween“what performed critiquesofdominantvisiblefactorsandinterrupted moments of“revelation”. politics, Ithasengagedwithurban world to us and explored various artistic tactics for establishing form.Ithasdisclosedtheaugmented architectureandurban through inventionsandinterventions.Ithasdeconstructed space, altered ourperceptionsof–andrelationshipswithurban arthas media howurban twodecadesinparticular, the past “Urban media art” refers to various forms of media-aesthetic, art”referstovarious formsofmedia-aesthetic, media “Urban , 2010 ) gage with people’s urban realityandthecondi gage withpeople’s urban practices that en- doing” and through aesthetic these, and other, ends by means of “making and tions forexperiencingthatreality. networked reality. arthaspursued media Urban human self reference in a digitally augmented, human selfreferenceinadigitally – Jack W. Burnham, 1968 W. Burnham, – Jack do . We have witnessed,over . Wehave BY TANYA TOFT 1 forre-establishing our - -

art inasenseof“doingandmaking”,notunre community’s self-presentationofmeanings. executionwithina making andseeinginaprocessofmaterial of bringingtolight,theactdefininganewrelationshipbetween Jacques Rancière,unitestheactofmanufacturing withtheact twentieth centuries.“Producing”,asnotedbyFrenchphilosopher the ArtsandCraftsmovementoflatenineteenthearly approachandunderlying politicalattitudeof the anti-industrial with DIY(do-it-yourself)andmakerculture,evokingidealsof when lookingthroughtheartworksinthisbook,acloseaffiliation uniquefunctionalities.As such,werecognise, with itsparticular chitecture, ortheverymediuminterfaceatworkinartwork, suggesting corresponding forms of visibility that challenge dis formsofvisibilitythatchallenge suggesting corresponding resent andreconfigurethe“distribution” oftheseactivitiesby making” arenot“exceptions”tootherpracticesinlife.Theyrep- Asking what urban media artcan media Asking whaturban presentations. art, outdoor works, happenings and mixed media “unobjects”, orevenenvironments, suchaskineticandluminous a developmentfrom“theunique workofhighart”toartefacts an object-orientedcultureto onewhichissystems-oriented,with experience insociety. denotesatransitionfrom Systemaesthetics tematisation of society” and conditions oflived in lightof vanced technologicalsociety. artcanbeconsidered media Urban in whichJackW. Burnhamsuggestsartasanimpulseinad- ation oftheroleartinquotefrom1968openingthis article, andsystems oflife. into principles thatshapebothmaterials kind of“craftwork”thusconcernsanimplication ofknowledge affectas a considered cultures how interact. art media Urban cues, andthesharedlanguageusedinacommunity–which andnonverbal interactions,verbal ences, knowledgeofsocial inourlifeworld. patterns courses, normsandfamiliar techné and theabilitytocreate,reflectiveofGreek conceptionof lated totheconsiderationofartas“craftwork” production one design, sculpture,andalsocommunication–concernedwithwhat architecture, agriculture,joinery, ainting, textile everythingfrom art andlifeencompasses term technéistiedtoanotionof“utility”inrelationshipbetween own personal techné around speech, based onlearnedexperi own personaltechnéaroundspeech,based their As aformofcommunication,people areconsideredtohave practices at the time were part ofalarger“sys practices atthetimewerepart We find a similarity between urban media artandtheconsider- media We findasimilaritybetweenurban does . To Rancière,artisticpracticesaswaysof“doingand when communicating rather than what is said or thought. whencommunicatingratherthanwhatissaidorthought. system aesthetics aesthetics system – of space, mediating expressions, material reality, expressions, material mediating – of space, ar- 4 ofthe1960s,whichreflectshowart do is to think of the art as finding finding istothinkoftheartas 2 Rancièreconsiders - - thetics thetics Artforum 4. JackW. Burnham,“SystemEsthetics,” 3. Rancière, Jacques Rancière, 2. 42. 3 TheGreek (London: Bloomsbury, 2015),41. 7(1968):31. The Politics of Aesthetics, of Politics The - - The Politics of Aes- of Politics The

Introduction 51 52 5. Rancière, 6. Ibid.,16-17. 28. Art that The Politics of Aesthetics of Politics The

Rather than considering urban media artinadichotomousre media Rather thanconsideringurban value byitssubjectiveexpression. modernist senseofhaving hierarchies,andalsofrom its“aura” inaplaced itinaesthetic ritual orimitationofreality, asintheearlytheoryofGreek artthat telos ofthisapproachassistsusindiscovering,andunderstand technologicalcondition.Theoverall tionships withinourcurrent ofcriticalityinrela- through whichtheartisfindingnewerrands practices, of “ways of doingand making”, a domain ofaesthetic human today. artas Thispublicationseeksmedia tograspurban nological society, whichcharacterisestheconditionsofbeing anewasanimpulseinouradvancedtech itself anditserrands consideration ofwhatitcan (andshould) toarticulateitscriticalityinacontinuoushaving questioningand artisdevelopingundertheconstantpressure of media urban condition. Perhapsbecause ofthecomplexity ofthiscondition, years), wecanthinkoftheartintermsitsecological,relational 200 ofthepast (informed byadominantmodernistparadigm the establishedhierarchies,categoriesandgenresofart history beentaught tobe“art”from lationship withwhatwemighthave matterintheworld which artanditssubjectsappropriate inwhichtoconsidertheways of contemporaryartasaspace “regime” arthasemergedwithinacurrent media world. Urban butthroughitsengagementsandexchangeswiththe its material significancenotfrom status as“object”,whichachievesaesthetic more concernedwithitsroleandplace intheworldthanwithits aesthetic domain in theecologiesof many relatedfields.Itis an inter-network, inter-environmental,andinter-discursiveconditions sions, thisartisconditionedbyinter-disciplinary, inter-media, principles andexpres- materials, means of thediversityskills, velopment, film,music,performance,andotherdisciplines. By with technology, architecture,design,science,biology, de urban of publicart,constantlymorphingandforgingnewrelationships emergingandfastdevelopingdomain artisastill media Urban complexity oftoday’sworld. ing, ourhumanconditionandsenseofselfinreferencetothe lation to the common world common the to lation does From this position to urban media art, the aesthetic significance significance art,theaesthetic media From thispositiontourban , calls “the aesthetic regimeofart”, “theaesthetic calls both frombeingconsideredaninstrumentof to shapeitself.Inthisregime,theartisliberated of artisestablished . 5 Under this regime, which Rancière within within the formsthatlifeuses do . 6 the autonomy theautonomy in re- in - - - -

cultural understandingoffixedtimeandrepresentation,theemer interventions across the current map of light and media artfes mapoflightandmedia interventions acrossthecurrent projectionsandurban When welookatthewealthofaesthetic presented as for example installations ofimmersivespectacles. installations presented asforexample by as an instrument of change. The other is informed for example, tobeuseful, concerned withthepurposeinartanditspotential valuable byhowitservesapurpose andis ganising and experiential factor in today’s urban complex, withart factorin today’surban ganising andexperiential particular –thrivingsidebyside.Oneisinformed particular idealsin architectural schemes,wecanidentifytwoaesthetic development and “creative” in aesthetic andurban initiatives of to attention adoption increasing the we pay when tivals, and processes of in the on-going of “being” and becoming, whenparticipating it contributestocreatingshiftsinfocus,perception,andasense ourworld:how in termsofhowitappropriates to our lifeworldtoday–mustbe considered have artcan media and networkedparticipation. creation ofculturalunderstandingcomputationalinteractivity inthe participates of (real)timeanddistance,“newmedia” in creating a cultural understanding gence of video participated life’. of the anonymous and the details of ordinary focus from‘greatnamesandevents’tothe‘lives ofthecommonplace”. it israthertheappropriation thatsecuredthestatusofphotographicart; focus ofpictorialism mannerisms ofart(…)itisnottheetherealsubjectmatterandsoft main, “… photography did notbecomean art by imitating the do- ofphotographyasanewaesthetic notes, withtheexample understanding our agency in relation to our lifeworld. As Rancière perceivingand in itsroleaffectingourwaysofappropriating, significance mustbefound these maybe.Rather,theaesthetic optics, drones,ornovelcomputerinterfaces,howeverexciting tracking technologies,telecommunicationnetworks,newcamera found in the employed technologies, such e.g. as locative media, categories ofart,norisit is notfoundinaccordancewithfamiliar space. Since the late 1980s we have witnessed thisorientation Since the late1980swehave space. priation ofthecommonplace inphotographyledtoshiftingpriation the In the first aesthetic ideal of In thefirst aestheticism, 8 If the emergence of photography participated in creating a increatinga Iftheemergenceofphotographyparticipated Aesthetic ideals–pragmatism andaestheticism change do significantlyconcernedwithvisualityasanor- –theroleofsignificanceitmay in urban spheresandenvironments. inurban 9 Inthisperspective,whaturban pragmatism, useful useful 10 artisconsidered

in urban public in urban (Cambridge: MITPress,2010),xiv. 9. SteveDietz,”Foreword,”in 8. Ibid. 7. Ibid.,29. Curating: Art after New Media Media New after Art Curating: 7 pragmatism, The appro- The - -

Rethinking Rethinking

Introduction 53 54 tannica Online tannica Struppek,Mirjam Gernot Tscherteu, UrsulaStadlerand city, inthemedia space e.g.SusaPop, cultureandurbanlications onurban community developmentinrecentpub- and artinurban media the roleofurban 13. Wefindthepragmaticemphasison her: NotesonSiteSpecificity,” 12. MiwonKwon,“OnePlaceafterAnot- Quartier desSpectacles. thesented inthisbook,forexample environmentspre- media of theurban developmentinanumber“tool” inurban Truth 11. Wefindobjectivesofusingartasa of Meaning the and Pragmatism James, because itisuseful.”SeeWilliam dictum formulatedin1978byJames:“true Dewey inthetwentiethcentury, withthe JamesandJohn the theoriesofWilliam with developed and 1870s the in Peirce Sanders Charles with originated tation 10. Pragmatismasaphilosophicalorien- proaching Mediacity Mediacity proaching beauty alone.See sidering thatartexistsforthesakeofits age,con- the “ugliness”ofindustrial late-nineteenth centuryinreactionto theticism developedinEuropethe - Cousin in1818,thephilosophyofaes coined bytheFrenchphilosopherVictor 15. With the dictum “art for art’s sake” Statement,”thisvolume. torial 14. Cura- MarkWright etal.,“Collective Timme, 2008). Understanding, Investigating and Ap- and Investigating Understanding, /art/Aestheticism May 1,2016,http://www.britannica.com Eckardt's edition, 2011); and Frank (Stuttgart: av 89 (1997):104. 98. (Boston: HarvardUniversityPress,1978), Media and Urban Space: Space: Urban and Media , “Aestheticism,” accessed Urban Media Cultures Media Urban pragmatic-aesthetic ideals, we find practices of socially engaged engaged ideals,wefindpracticesofsocially pragmatic-aesthetic critique orwonder,asa cultural community, asa an alternative distinction. of arttoendowand promote places withasenseofunique with some concern by Miwon Kwon in her description of the use Encyclopædia Bri- Bri- Encyclopædia (Leipzig: Frank& October 12 We also find urban media art in the service of less media We also find urban

means of communication of means of art isconceivedasa when instructive ordidacticgoals,forexample scale, derivingfromprinciples ofrelationality, outatthemicro artcarried and participatory reflected in the curatorial inquiry with translocal inquirywithtranslocal reflected inthecuratorial communities. andsustainablefuturesoffor thewellbeing moral objectives, solidarity with people and care cerned withmodelsofconsensus,goodintentions, con initiatives may beartisticandcuratorial engagement.These andsocial participation perience andthought,asa city branding). neighbourhoods and ses ofregeneratingurban ment; in“culturalplanning” (asatoolinproces- develop design, architecture,andevenurban artwithinthefields of courses ofappropriating in dis formulated beyondtheart,inparticular manner for purposes and objectives that are artinaninstrumental media towards usingurban rounding world, the forms of our social lives and livesand rounding world,theformsof our social experiencing an been a conditioninwhichwe,for a while,have condition; dominatedmedia larised andvisually condition thatisinterwined with ourspectacu pression anddisplay. Thisorientationreflects a artworks arefor”. “purpose”inasking“whatandwhothe of value necting CitiesNetwork,whoemphasisethe practices expressedbythecuratorsofCon responds to our visually orientedcultureofex responds toourvisually of places: somethingwhichhasbeenoutlined and cametoreinforcetheculturalvalorisation and 1990s was institutionalised as a practice of site-specificart,whichupthroughthe1980s art asbeingusefulisalsotiedintotheparadigm The other orientation we identify by the ideal The other orientation we identify by the ideal aestheticism aestheticism promoter of of promoter healing factor healing 13 11 These ideals and imperatives are These idealsandimperativesare The pragmatic aesthetic ideal of ideal of The pragmatic aesthetic 15 in urban media artisonethat media in urban 14 aestheticisation valuesofsignificancetoa means of of means ofhistoricwounds,oras . Atthissofterendof source of source enhancing ex ofoursur pleasure, ------and near-future scenarios. These aesthetic idealsgainsignifi and near-futurescenarios.Theseaesthetic the Spectaclein of ideology, which–sinceGuyDebord’swritingsontheSocietyof building. building oftheirhive,which appearstobeonthefaçadeofa beekeeping withaspectacularprojection mapping ofthebees’ The Constitute,whichcombines acommunityprojectaround combine. We find this for example in combine. We find this for example idealsofpragmatismandaestheticism pose, andtheaesthetic idealsofthearttoserveapur- ties inwithpragmatic-aesthetic tendencies simultaneously. spectacular Sometimes art visually sphere and environment. In many cases we find both the urban forcesinrelationtocance because theyoperateasaesthetic situation toimproveourcurrent communities, natureandmaterials the otherhand,insensitiveprojectsofmoralconcernthat engage environments.On spectaclesandaestheticised grand, sparkling theticism whenbrowsingthroughthisbook.Ontheone handin actual interference with the grand scale ecologies of our cities. dimensions beyondourpreviousimaginationandbringitinto artto media of urban theimpact infrastuctures, whichexpand aesthetic increasing growthofmassivemedia an witnessing intuitive qualities.Wearecurrently foritsimmersive,sensualand appreciation and grand, visualdisplay –hasgainednewinterest perience”, thespectacle–insenseof and thepracticalartstowards“affectiveex- arecentgrowingattentioninacademia following of ifested theideaofspectacleas “the Spectacle” as a manipulative, pacifying and visual instigation “the Spectacle”as a manipulative,pacifying mapof ence intheexpanding experience”. aesthetic the normforall experience hasbecome expression byPeterWeibel)“…media andinwhich(accordingtoanoft-quoted our lifenarratives, the same time confirms and challenges themythicalconcept of the sametimeconfirmsandchallenges coveredwithLEDlights.Aestheticismat spaces, outdoor gallery projection); andwhenentirebuildingsareturnedintopermanent deriving fromtheVJ-culture ofmixinglight,music andvideo of architecturalprojectionmapping(closelyrelatedtoaesthetics images ofvisualspectacles,immersiveenvironments,installations ofprojectedorscreened ininitiatives example, powerful projectionandLEDtechnologies.For that takeadvantageoftheadvancementin overtheworld,inartworks festivals incitiesall We recognise the two aesthetic idealsofpragmatism andaes We recognise thetwoaesthetic artisticcritique.

1968 –hashaunted artisticdiscourseandman 17 However, incontemporaryvisualculture, and nuit blanche nuit matter matter Human Beeing Human 16 Werecognisethisinflu ratherthanthe andwhitenight dition,” Con- 16. PeterWeibel,“ThePost-Media ronments,” thisvolume. Media Envi-(opened 2014)in”Urban inHongKong and theOpenSkyGallery inSãoPaulo (opened2012) Art Gallery Digital theSESISP 18. Seeforexample (Detroit: Black&Red,1967). 17. GuyDebord, /lab/post-media-condition 2016, http://www.metamute.org/editorial (2014) by Mute means , 2012, accessed April 5, Society of the Spectacle the of Society - - - - 18

Introduction 55 56 Press, 2007[1790]). 22. Ibid.,10. (London: BloomsburyAcademic,2013). eds. GretelAdornoandRolfTiedemann 21. Theodor (New York: Tarcher Perigee,2005). 20. JohnDewey, 19. Immanuel Kant, son (Cambridge: Cambridge University W . Adorno, Art as Experience as Art Critique of Pure Rea- Pure of Critique utility, liberatedfromreligionandpolitics,alsoeveryday standardsfrommoralityand between theautonomy ofaesthetic toKant’sdistinction thewayback penetrates arthistoryall (that is tosay, itsmedium), and itenables the artto ofthework,orits“thing-ly”character duced totheparticularity Thisliberatestheartfrombeingre- by societyorourintellect. sidered to us, blinds optimism thatsimultaneously encouragesandoccasionally balancing thetechnological ing self-reflexive–bothinterms of important tovalueinart,considering itsopportunitiesforremain cesses ofchangeinourperception oftheworld.Thisaspectis horizon for context inevitably enters into the testationartwork’s and the urban thought, andeveryactionorinitiative, our subjectiveperceptionandexperienceatthelevelwhereevery aestheticism anappealto a senseofpresence.Wealsofindin hance certainfeaturesoftheenvironment–perhapsincreasing forarttoaugment anden- however,thepotential aestheticism, with theconcreteconditionsofourlives.Wefindinideal in(critical)dialogue an intentionalfieldofpursuingnewerrands sphereandenvironmentand,inasense,grantstheart the urban idealproceedswithaconcernfor Thepragmatic-aesthetic back. impressions thataffectoursense ofagency, pro thusinitiating speaks directlytous,andindoingsomaychangethose sensible art’s sake”,replaced byanotionofartfor a democraticprinciple of“artforeverybody”ratherthan of its to the art is tied in with urban politics,cultures,conflictsandcon the artistiedinwithurban complex, with theoperationsofworld.Situatedinurban the whitecube,whereinartisisolatedfromdirectcontact This iswhyitdiffersfromartmadeandmeantforexhibitionin artisconditionedbytheurban. media of thisverycontext.Urban means ofitsinterferencewiththefunctionsandhumanrelations The distinct aesthetic ideals ofartasusefulvs.autonomous The distinctaesthetic Aesthetics Theory, Aesthetics do do and and effects. something inthecontextof our everydaylives,reflectiveof in termsofremindingusthat attemptstoimproveour do doing This is what Adorno calls ThisiswhatAdornocalls in a particular context,andtoinstigatechangeby inaparticular , forming part ofthefielditseffectsandfeed- , formingpart the among others,JohnDeweywithhisconcernfor attention totheusefulvalueofart,promotedby, life. deducible fromit”. antithesisofsociety,is thesocial notdirectly diation atwork, inanechoofhisvisionthat“art beyond the faculties of society and intellect it beyond thefacultiesofsocietyandintellect life. experience experience 19 20 This was challenged withthepragmatist Thiswaschallenged In pragmatism we find a potential forart Inpragmatismwefindapotential of art to help us navigate real of arttohelpusnavigate 22 begins Whenartappealstous spirit spirit our our 21 before“instruction” –theforceofme sake. do

Art iscon by means - - - - - dynamics suggest, which ledto,what Iwill characteriseinalittlemoredetailbelow,which Iwill wefindthe processual and leadingussomewhere.Inthesemovements, i.e. resulting inmeaningbeingfound way for urban art:theemphasisonprocess overobject, media the paved dynamics in artisticdiscoursethathave three enforced art as“art”atall. media qualities ofurban today, andwhichenableustounderstandthe with regimeofartwearefamiliar the aesthetic disciplines – events that contributed to shape the specificitiesof the mediumandof artistic of of thefieldartpracticesandcollapse actions at the time,contributedtotheexpansion performative and art of conceptual in modes ple, in art, found, for exam- idea of dematerialisation nifi for thinkingprocesseswhichwereofmoresig- the artobject”. of described atendencyof“dematerialisation andJohnChandler 1990s: in 1968LucyLippard artwasarticulatedasadomaininthe media qualities inartwasconsideredlongbeforenew physical and virtual elements. combining and existence, as distributedinnature,networked performative; modular, generative,andcustomisable; variable, dynamic,real-time;participatory,time-based, collaborative, and attention to space as aattention matter of to space interactivity, connectivity, andcomputability) (e.g. domainishowitdescribedbyitsbehaviours, aesthetic art”. in relation to “new media Characteristicparticular to this criptions of much contemporary art but has been considered in than what they look like. This is a concept that applies to des- object oroutcome,reflectsanemphasisonhowthingsworkrather andprocessinart,ratherthantothe The attentiontobehaviour nations andimperativesoftheirtime. blindlyobeyingthemoralimagi conditionsshould avoid urban creation ofcontext,presence, andchange. artcandotoday–the media pendent dimensionsofwhat urban In particular, experimental artofthe1960s In particular, cance than theartobjectoroutcome. 26 Thisideainvolvedaconcern 25 The emphasis on these “immaterial” The emphasis on these “immaterial” perception; space Context, Presence, Change (not objects); a growing (notobjects);agrowing 27 23 The and art as as:process-oriented, three mutually de- mutually 27. Ibid.,31 ofArt,” “The Dematerialization and John Chandler,26. Lucy Lippard (Cambridge: MITPress,2008),69. 25. Beryl Graham andSarah Cook, 2008), 4. Press, (Berkeley: UniversityofCalifornia 24. Paul, “Introduction,” Christiane en-no-great-net-artists www.neme.org/82/why-have-there-be Web Site,accessedMay1,2015,http:// No GreatNetArtists?"Neme'sofficial ThereBeen 23. SteveDietz,"WhyHave Curatorial Models for Digital Art Digital for Models Curatorial thinking Curating: thinking Media in the White Cube and Beyond: Beyond: and Cube White the in Media ternational ternational movement, 12 (1968): 31-36. 24 24

- Art After New Media Media New After Art

Art In- Art New Re-

Introduction 57 58 31. Ibid.,5. Vesna,toria 30. Paul, MargotLovejoy, Christiane Vic- 1960s,” in and Art:CulturalConvergenceinthe 29. Shanken,“Cybernetics EdwardA. opments ofArtPractices,”thisvolume. Environments-Devel- Media and Urban Façades tothe 1930s in“Media back architecture the firstinstancesofmedia 28. Darko Fritztracestheemergenceof sity Press,2002),155-77. Henderson (PaloAlto:StanfordUniver- eds. BruceClarkeandLindaDalrymple and Wilmington: Intellect Ltd,2011). and Wilmington:Intellect From Energy to Information to Energy From Context Providers Providers Context was integratedintoarchitecturalsurfacesthatcametoappear 2) From perception to presence presence to perception The waysinwhichexperimental art From 2) 1) From space to context ofthearthadtobelocated, errand inwhichtheaesthetic in space to ofart,the“work” becameavolume space With thedematerialisation From 1) via feedback and visual effects. feedback via transfers betweenmachinesandhumansaltersbehaviour the dynamicandcontingentprocessesbywhichinformation in the1950sand1960s,whichexplored “movement”intermsof practices” inart,Cybernetics(Greek for“governance”) emerged technology intothestructure, andlaterbyincorporatinginformation materials, transparent practices in the field ofart inthe1960s. By means ofglassand preted inthearchitecturalfieldasaresultoftrans-disciplinary wasalsointer- ordinary contexts.Thenotionofdematerialisation environmental sites,andextensiveuseofeverydayobjectsin that involvedinteractionamongcomplex architecturalsettings, lations wereincreasinglycharacterisedbynetworksofoperations into adomainofitsown,andduringthe1980s1990sinstal- “site-specific turn” inartthe1970s,publicbegandeveloping factor.Sincethe asamediating site bymeansoftheinstallation whereartistsbegantoexplore thespecificityof space urban movingoutinto gradually orenvironmentofitsinstallation, space art ofthe1960smovedfocusfromartworkitselfto installation oftheobject. Inparticular, instead ofinthemateriality been mostlyaboutperception: abouttransformingrecognitions relationships and“times”that itengages. is not found in the centre of the object, but in the environment, (Briston , This conception of architectureasephemeral light, adaptable,transportable,andunstable. has recently been proposed, by Christiane Paul, has recentlybeenproposed,byChristiane with “conceptual engages itscontext.Inparallel based architecture” thatcommunicateswithand ledtoanotion of“event- gradually temporal and moving target”. of renegotiation context a as a continuous digital relies environment on networked, in the ing contexts, and the construction of meaning meaningawareness is influenced of shift- by an providers”, Margot Lovejoy Victoria and Vesna, “contextas cedence as an aesthetic “material”. Media art Media “material”. cedence asanaesthetic takespre- these explorations, wherefeedback 30 by which “the process of creating

transformability andephemerality 31 29 In urban media art,meaning media Inurban Cybernetic art evolved from 32 has dealt with “context” has hasdealtwith“context” 28

that challenged perceptuallimits, and inearlytwentieth-century that challenged change to in nineteenth-centuryImpressionist painting art history: forexample movement ofattentionto“movement”throughout We findvariousexamples From 3) gagement withtheart. spectacles, orinsituationsofinteractiveen- of “presence”-e.g.whileimmersedinmedia corporality ofperceptionthatrelatestoconditions concern anattention to theaffective,and to new senses. Theories of post humanism also implants andthecreationofartworksthrough cybernetic the creationandadditionofnewsensestobodyvia on 2000s butoriginatinginCyberneticsofthe1960s,isbased “cyborgart”, emerging inthe of “posthumanism”.Forexample, our understandingandexperienceofembodiedlifeinacondition around whattheinteractionbetweenmatterandcode leadingtowardsquestions andhumanintelligence, tween artificial the inhumanmachine,andmorerecentlywithdifferencebe- has been concerned with the opposition between the human and installation. presence inthe environment orcontextofthe on focus a onperceptionmovedto attention through cinema-technology. ofperception tofocusontheexpansion interest inpsychedelia cinemamovedfroman art,expanded other formsofinstallation cinematic experiencemore“tangible”.Throughthe1970s,like cinemaadvancedinthepublicrealm,seeking expanded tomake one ormorefilmprojectors.Onedirectionin presentations built around and mixed-media “Expanded cinema” “Expanded screen into large-scale, immersive and integrative complexes. ofvideoonaTV- theinstallation video in1965,whichexpanded avant-garde aftertheadventof evolved asanoffspringofthe art formultiple subjectivities.Astrandofinstallation – allowing considered frommanydifferentanglesof audience perspectives the broadersensoryexperienceofordinarylife,whichcouldbe art implied the dissolution between art and life by considering the emphasisonsensoryperception.Installation ception, thusintroducingtotheconceptof“art” sought toappealhisorhersubjectiveper- artinthe1960sand1970s system, installation theviewerinasituationorartificial By “installing” and interpretationsofthephysicalenvironment. Much of the thinking within the field of body-computer interaction Much ofthethinkingwithinfieldbody-computerinteraction 33 becamethetermtodescribemulti-screen 35 34 Withthis“contextualturn”, the ema traditional means. novel ideasmaybeexpressedthrough artinwhich inavant-garde for example, ortechniques,ratherthan, of materials to extendtheboundariesofartinterms here tosuggestsamoreexplicit desire 32. Theterm“experimentalart”isused this volume. working. Artandtelecommunication,” Net- the text“Interaction,Participation, artin incontemporarymedia paradigm and developed to become a significant emerged has interactivity of notion the how demonstrates Arns Inke 35. 46 (2008). 34. StevenMcIntyre, 33. GeneYoungblood, (Boston:E.P. Dutton,1970). does does to Senses of Cinema Cinema of Senses Expanded Cin- Expanded

Introduction 59 60 me our employ subversivetacticsorchallenge artworkstodaythatence tomanyurban plored bytheSituationists,makesrefer- 36. Psychogeography, as a tactic ex - and “mobileart”. dia, also knownas“locativemedia” geopgraphic navigation with mobile with mobile geopgraphic navigation New urbanresistance inaesthetics ofrepair of subversioninthe wheretheytestedartistictactics ronments astheirworkingspace, society. andvisualenvi- material TheSituationistsusedurban, situation oranactivityaimedatchangingcapitalistforcesin questioned notonly the object of art but also turned it intoa of theHappeningasaperformance,eventorsituation,they andreflectiveofthephenomenon Inspired byDadaandSurrealism, in movementsthatsoughttobringart“work”everydaylife. presented acritiqueofmid-twentieth-centuryadvancedcapitalism grouptheSituationistInternational life. The1960savant-garde The modeof technology. ofnew new hybridcommonsandthepowerfulambientpotential society, encouragedbytheconditionsofanetworkedculturewith 1960s. Today, artistsarecontinuously exploring newwaystoaffect found intheresistancetacticsofsubversionemployed inthe today derivesfromdifferentandbroadermotivationsthanthose thetic ideal of pragmatism towards new horizons. However, change other movements. Experimental art in particular brought temporality broughtother temporality movements. Experimental art in particular constructivism, and kinetic art among Russian early avant-garde, perspectivalconventions;butalsoin Cubism thatchallenged of individualsinexplorations ofpsychogeography. of the geographic environment on the emotions and behaviours the temporal,withperspectivesof was significantly concerned with the relationsbetween artand ofthe1950sand1960s in theviewer.Theradicalavant-garde andinvokinginteraction later by utilising the concept offeedback byputtingartintomotion,and and movementinfocus,initially for example thoseof theSituationistInternational,involvedafor example Theresistance-tacticsoftheavant-garde, public space. urban tothepolitical in forconnectingtheaesthetic ered appropriate guidedchange, whichisoftenconsid- and theideaofpolitically an inherentconnectionbetween theartisticideaofinnovation avant-garde eration ofitsraisond’être.Wefindintheradical artin consid- media perhaps the strongestdiscourse in urban resistance like hybridart paradigm, in “genres” significantfor example becomea change hassincetheavant-garde actual changeandrevolution.Theattentionto pretation form new perspectives and lead to was toletnewmodesofperceptionandinter- détournement we find in the radical avant-garde is wefindintheradical

and bioart,focusedtheaes- changing and studied the specific effects andstudiedthespecificeffects the reality of everyday therealityofeveryday 36 The intention Theintention city promises” of more efficient urban spaces, city promises”ofmoreefficienturban the twenty-firstcentury.” art andactivism,whichhedescribesas“thefirstnew formin We findthisinPeterWeibel’snotionof“artivism”,which combines our world. about theworldasmuchtheyconstrueandactivelygenerate Theseforcesdo notrepresentaspectsorideas and behaviours. and takeintoaccounttheforcesthatdriveour“digital”cultures publicspace, commons, beyondthematerial toconsiderthehybrid environments, wehave spheresand the forcesthatorganiseoururban tural formation; thataffectsprocessesofcul- space into urban mentation of technology and sensor networks unstable conditionsofpubliccommons; in publiccultureandthreateningofdemocracybytemporary, issues such as: decline context,art engages withcurrent urban culture.Inthe thishasbroughttourban and thenewchallenges address variousconditionsofdigitisationundercapitalismtoday inscopeto expanded lifeworld,hasgradually isation ofoururban since the1960sonwards, towards capitalism anditsvisualorgan- alienation andcommodityfetishism.Theresistanceperformed, theeffects ofsocial tieth centuryadvancedcapitalism,inparticular considered amajorculturalthreadinsociety:towardsmid-twen- reaction –intheory, aradicalone–againstwhatatthetimewas financial or democracy crises in reaction to the partial inability partial or democracy crises in reaction to the financial movement, whichsearches for waysoutoftheenvironmental, theOccupy intoday’sprotestgroups, foundinforexample repair” phenomenonof“cultures current in responsetoaparticular Artivismarrives tween humansandenvironments withnewmedia. actual andperceivedreciprocalinfluencebe- stimulus intheworld,whichiscausing both an turn, inthesenseofabilitytorespond predictive analytics. mation thatareincreasinglydrivenbydataand and the implication of new geographies ofinfor- i.e. protocols of digital interfaces. ideals thatare concealed intechnologies, urban economy. dominant organisationalprinciple fortheglobal andthethreatthisposesas of surveillance) of, networkculture(andtheinvisibledynamics often throughinterferenceswith,oranadaption discourses, criticalurban art respondstocurrent, Resistance isoftenconsideredinrelationtoamodelofconflict. 40 It investigates and disrupts the “smart Itinvestigatesanddisruptsthe“smart 38 and aconcernforthespecific 42 When trying to understand Whentryingtounderstand 43 Artivism is motivated by a performative Artivismismotivatedbyaperformative 39 Urban media media Urban 37 current criticalimple- current 41

phies,” thisvolume. ”PredictiveGeogra- 42. MarkShepard, this volume. Privacy byDesignforBeingHumane,” 41. NorbertStreitz,“SmartCitiesNeed work Culture,”thisvolume. 40. Kazys Varnelis, ”TheRiseofNet- volume. City?”this City: ASmartCityofaSocial 39. MartijndeWaal, “TheFutureofthe volume. this coming-Environmental ofMedia,” Imaginaries:Exploring theBe- Imperial 38. SoenkeZehle,“CommonConflicts, this volume. for NewFormsofPublicEngagement,” InSearchofFoundations Hybrid Space. 37. EricKluitenberg,“PublicAgencyin first Century,” thisvolume. and Democratic Action in the Twenty- 43. PeterWeibel,“Artivism. Art Media,

Introduction 61 62 and Conflict in the 21 21 the in Conflict and 44. PeterWeibel, and Cambridge:MITPress,2015),24. sruhe: ZKMCenterforArtandMedia Global Activism, Art Activism, Global might bemostlyaffectedduringtheinstallation. wasup,while“presence” may happenlongaftertheinstallation “change” ferent timesduringthelifeofartwork.Forexample, explicitly thantheotherandsometimescomingtoeffectatdif- presence andchangearealwaysengaged,sometimesonemore Inthismodeofdoing,thethreedimensionscontext, space. artwithissues,publics,situationsandpolitics,inurban of media own merit,whilealsoinvitingapurposeful,activeengagement ofthesensualqualitiesinartonits simultaneous appreciation andasenseresistance: between pragmatism,aestheticism actasaformulation mightverywell theticism. Aestheticsofrepair aes- “home” ofhumanself-reference,asreflectedintheideal perhapsmorethanlocation,anexistential is “home”orfamiliar; one’s country”) andconcernsamovementtowardsplace that “back”) and “back”) its Latin originof damage, orputtingsomethingright.Thisistheconceptasfrom terms ofrestoringsomethingtoagoodcondition,making maybegraspedin “Repair” ofrepair”. can consider“aesthetics mass media. interventions,combinedwith distributionsthroughthebased deviations, modifythespeeds,trajectoriesandways inwhich deviations, for unspecified groupsofpeople, widengaps,openupspace the focus of the theme HUMAN PRESENCE. It can take hold of sensible entities, perceptions and the abilities of bodies, which is of under thethemeACTION.The artcanalsodefinevariations artcandoisfound in thisbook media aspect ofwhaturban diverting themfromtheir“natural”purpose).Attention tothis of thesensiblebyevokinginaudience apoliticalnature(by thegivendistribution formation ofpoliticalsubjectsthatchallenge gating vocabularies andmodelsofaction,contributetothe technological society. Itcanreacttosituations,contributeinsti- stateofour produce effectsinreality–asimpulsesthecurrent has rootsintheLatin originof orfrequentlyvisitedoccupied.Thisconception is habitually of goingto,orheadingsomewhere;somewhereasaplace that we mayalsoconsideraslightlydifferentconception,inthenotion ideal.But fixing something,notunlikethepragmatic-aesthetic implies asenseofutility, functionandusefulness,inthenotionof As an aesthetics of repair, what urban media artcan media whaturban ofrepair, As anaesthetics Mirrored in Weibel’s notion of “cultures of repair”, perhapswe inWeibel’snotionof“culturesrepair”, Mirrored st Century Century (Karl- “parare” system. to actbecause ofthestructurepolitical overcoming crises occurring inperformance- overcoming crisesoccurring vism isanincreaseinunequivocalresponsesto reparare, (meaning“makeready”).Thisconception 44 Whatwewitnessinthenotionofarti- acombinationof repatriare (meaning“returningto “re-” (meaning do do is to world. toactuponthe modifying oursenseofagencyandcapacity distribution” experience, thus thatordersand frames oururban impulse,isinterveneinthe“sensible art cando,asanaesthetic media of whatitmeanstobepublic–andhuman.Whaturban and howtheycontributetosharingculture and renovatingideas hybrid commons,ourdigital present and our becomingwithin it, our expressionsaddtopublicspace, aesthetic to whatmedia andattentive infrastructures ofourworld.Weshouldbeaware by whichweinterferewiththedistributed,sensible,andemotional PLACEMAKING. asisthefocusoftheme in publicspace, tween modesofbeing,saying,doingandmaking contexts,andfacilitaterelationshipsbe- urban tion, reproduction,andsubmissioninconcrete rhythms adapted to the natural cycles of produc- interfere withthefunctionalityofgesturesand &SENSEECOLOGY.ENVIRONMENT Itcan century media, in ourcontemporaryconditionoftwenty-first factors that becomeincreasinglydefiningurban code,bigdata,algorithms,predictions,etc. guages”, forexample contribute to a new literacy for grasping and decoding new “lan- which isthefocusofthemeSHAREDEXPERIENCE. Artcan in the sensory perception of what is common to a community, groups of people adhere to a condition, and cause modifications It is crucial thatwecontinuemeans It iscrucial theaesthetic tochallenge 45 as explored under the theme the future of twenty-first century media century twenty-first of future the Mark B. N. Hansen, necessary relationwithhumanaffairs. any without and to prior sensibility), tality oftheworlditself(environmental realitythatregistersenvironmen- ban systemintegratedwithourur- a media is suggestedbyMarkHansentodenote 45. Theterm“twenty-firstcenturymedia” Press, 2015),8. Chicago of University The (Chicago: Feed-Forward: On On Feed-Forward:

Introduction 63