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Liveness, Prosthesis and Avatars in US, Mexico and UK

Marco Donnarumma — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:11:51 +0000

Here it goes, the first mailout of 2012.
Below you’ll find the events coming up in the next months.

http://marcodonnarumma.com/next/february2012/

Tags: liveness, gesture, biomedia, prosthesis, Pure Data, open NIME, award, body/music, body/hacking, seminar.

Screening: I C::ntr::l Nature at Pillow Talk #3, Kyoto, Japan

Marco Donnarumma — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:51:12 +0000

Pillow Talk – a series of projection for performance documentaries, organized by Japanese media artist Yamaguchi Noriko.
“Performances cannot be shared by people of all the time, however much appreciation they received. Since they are consumed immediately and become “something that happened” very soon, their records should be all the more important. However, documentary movies of performing arts have not had frequent chances to be projected.
This exhibition is to create that opportunity for ourselves. Lying on the floor of a comfortable space with high ceiling, why donʼ t you enjoy these unexplored movies with us?”

Pillow Talk #3 took place last Saturday at the KCUA, Kyoto City University of Arts, Japan.
The event included screenings of 3 performances hosted at this year WRO Biennale; namely, my audiovisual work I C::ntr::l Nature, along with works by Istvan Kantor, Megan May Daalder. The programme of Pillow Talk also included works by Ichihara Hiroko, Sako Kojima and Tomohiko Kyogoku.

http://yamaguchinoriko.com/pt3/artist_wro.html
http://www.kcua.ac.jp/gallery/event/1948.html

RIP Max Mathews, a computer music pioneer

Marco Donnarumma — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:56:25 +0000

In his memory I’m posting this awesome video (originally posted by Hans Christoph Steiner to the Pd list).

Learn about Mathews work: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Mathews

Open Letter on the Development of Digital Culture in the UK

Marco Donnarumma — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:24:33 +0000

I forward this message originally posted by Simon Yuill to the Electron Club list.
I completely agree with his thoughts, and warmly suggest you to spend 3 minutes reading the open letter, to better realize what’s going on.
Thanks.

Digital arts organisations have been especially hit by the cuts in funding with many groups who are internationally recognised as important pioneers having 100% cuts. This includes Access Space in Sheffield, the longest running hacklab space in the UK who have done more than anyone here to encourage the use of Free and Open Source Software and recycled technologies amongst the arts and community media. They helped Electron Club out when we started along with a few other projects in Scotland (such as Radius who did the Glasgow Green Map project).

A copy of the letter is below, if you would like to add your name please do so here: http://www.coda2coda.net

PiXXXeL in Amsterdam on 4th April 15:00 @ NIMk

Marco Donnarumma — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 11:19:17 +0000

From Jaromil, via Spectre mailing list

http://PiXXXeL.net – made in Am*dam (and beyond!)
At PiXXXeL we focus on free and open source software practices, 360 degrees! and with direct participations of developers and pioneers living around or, as in this case, passing by the city of Amsterdam.
More precisely you’ll find us in Keizersgracht 264 at http://nimk.nl

This mail announces our 3rd appointment of a regular series we are organizing during 2011 and this time we’ll focus on… MONEY : )
old media that can use a bit of an update – so free software developers are busy on it and there is some interesting running code to look at.
Bitcoin is a digital currency created in 2009, whose use online has grown during 2010 and is booming just as we are talking.

http://pixxxel.net/bitcoin-digital-currency

We’ll have a presentation of this technology by an experienced nomadic developer and bitcoin expert: Genjix – who is also a developer of free software solutions based on Blender and Crystal Space.
Then we’ll proceed with a Q&A session and a critical overview of the limits and, arguably, things that can be made better in Bitcoin, as well things that go wrong.

You are all invited to be with us and brainstorm openly, but please register your presence with a mail to ilse@nimk.nl so that we can be sure we’ll accomodate everyone at NIMk.
Here some links to know more what we are talking about:

http://www.bitcoin.org
http://genjix.freehostia.com
http://bitcoincharts.com/markets
http://www.silkroadmarket.org
http://DYNDY.net

Please distribute to anyone interested,
ciao!

PikselSavers, the exhibition

Marco Donnarumma — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:53:57 +0000

PikselSavers – screensavers that makes a difference!

PikselSavers is a screening programme of short movies and software art curated by the Piksel festival in Bergen, Norway. The programme was selected based on an open call for participation and includes 10 contributions from artists working in a wide range of digital media and techniques. All works are made using Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS).

PikselSavers take the screensaver as a point of departure and inspirational springboard. They are videos and software based on the screensaver format ? short audiovisual (non)narratives made for endless looping. Possible thematic fields includes but are not limited to: sustainable resource allocation, renewable technologies, energy harvesting, fair trade hardware, free content, open access, DIY economy, shared development.

PikselSavers was comissioned by and first shown at the biennial for art and technology in Trondheim, Meta.Morf 2010 – New.Brave.World!, arranged by TEKS – Trondheim Electronic Arts Centre.

More info: http://www.piksel.no/pulse/pikselsavers

Live Media Updates February 2011

Marco Donnarumma — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 17:39:36 +0000

The new issue of thesaddj.com news aggregator is now on-line!

Issue #23: news, articles, calls and events around open source culture, sonic research, new media art and shared knowledge.
Tags: festival, piksel report, sonification, xth sense, biotechnology, censorship, wearable DIY, scotland, workshops, LAC2011, data visualization.

+ upcoming 2011 events.

Read it here http://www.thesaddj.com/newsletter/feb11/index.html

Art with 1M stolen Facebook profiles and a Dating website

Marco Donnarumma — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 13:20:12 +0000

Face to Facebook | Paolo Cirio and Alessandro Ludovico | 2011

A provoking new work by italian duo Paolo Cirio and Alessandro Ludovico (Neural.it), mixing reality, social virtuality to possibly shedding some light on some of the most subtly vicious behaviours of our present society.
I have to say I was just expecting such kind of work to come out sooner or later, and this project fulfilled all my expectations.
Take a look by yourself. Follow an excerpt from the original press release.
Make sure you read the comprehensive information about the concept and development on their website.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Press Release, February 10th, 2010. Somewhere in Europe.

* Face to Facebook.
http://face-to-facebook.net

Face to Facebook is a project by Paolo Cirio and Alessandro Ludovico, who wrote special software to steal 1 million public profiles from Facebook, filtering them through face-recognition software and posting the resulting 250,000 profiles (categorized by facial expression) on a dating website called Lovely-Faces.com.
The project was launched at Transmediale, the annual festival for art and digital culture in Berlin, on February 2nd, in the form of installation displaying a selection of 1,716 pictures of unaware Facebook users, an explanatory video and a diagram detailing the whole process. The Lovely-Faces.com website went online on the same day.

Talk – Pure Data and Hacktive Behaviours, 3rd Feb, Edlug, Edinburgh

Marco Donnarumma — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:13:23 +0000

I’ll be giving a talk and demo of PureData at the next Edinburgh Linux User Group Meeting on Thursday 3rd February.
The meeting is held at the Edinburgh Conference and Training Centre, St Mary’s Street Edinburgh (map at http://tinyurl.com/5r6ebgp ) and starts at 7:30pm. Tea, Coffee and biscuits are available free of charge.

Creativity, hacktive behaviours, self-taught quasi-programming and new media openness.

These keywords quite well summarize the personal artistic research I’ll be presenting at Edlug. From a concept to its practical realization, an artistic work is always a mixture of theories and technical skills and often the hardest task is to keep the work enough close to the original idea which it was generated from.
In these days digital multimedia tools are notably contributing to enhance, and somehow change, the human capability of creation; they can expand our abilities, be thought-provoking and change viewpoints on values and social idioms. This stands true unless we consider how capitalism affects innovators and innovation and the modalities by which we undergo a capital-guerrilla dissemination of closed source tools. In this perspective creativity looses its charachter of authenticness. However, a worldwide actual community of makers, developers, artists and geeks works relentlessy to provide an awesome and infinite set of free, open tools by which an artist can express a creative message and provide a socio-political declaration of intellectual and technical independence.

My first approach to Pure Data dates back to 2004; during these years my work encompassed diverse topics such as biosensing technology, musical and theatrical performance, participatory practice and semantic hacking of Internet data set. These works would have not been possible without a growing awareness of the radical importance of openness of tools and techniques and I hope to provide a comprehensive insight about the possibilities and the challenges that an hacktive creative behaviour can foster.

Talk will be followed by a demo presentation of a biosensing framework (hardware/software) for gestural control of music and responsive milieux I’m currently developing (with the support of The University of Edinburgh and the Dorkbot ALBA group at the Edinburgh Hacklab). Participants will be able to wear the devices and make some noise!

http://marcodonnarumma.com

http://res.marcodonnarumma.com

Thanks Jan at Edlug for organizing the event.
Back to EdLUG:Meetings

Thimbl – the anti-twitter and the Telekommunist Manifesto

Marco Donnarumma — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:58:21 +0000

Original message from the Thimbl project team

Hello! It’s been a long time since I’ve sent out a email newsletter, hasn’t it?

As some of you may know, I’ve gotten drawn into the world of social media, and have been hanging around in places like Facebook and Twitter. There are a few reasons for this, one, to explore those platforms as ways to communicate, but also to very large degree, to understand the enemy. Much of what’s wrong with Web2.0 is covered in the Telekommunist Manifesto (

/////// Don’t be a Twit, it feels good to be fingered!

The platform is called Thimbl, and it also has a manifesto all it’s own:
http://www.thimbl.net/manifesto.html

Thimbl is a microblogging platformed implemented as a specialized Finger & SSH client.

Please take a look! We welcome feedback and participation, the Thimbl project is just beginning, we need your to help spread the word.

What’s really great is that Thimbl has been nominated for the Open Web Award from Transmediale and the Mozilla Foundation, so we’ll be hanging around the OpenZone at Transmediale spreading the word and answering questions.

Winning the Open Web Award would go along way to kickstarting Thimbl, and we really need your help here! You can vote for us! Voting for the Award is being done on the drumbeat.org platform, Thimbl is very new, and is up against two projects that are far better known, so we’re really need your vote. Please sign up to drumbeat and vote for Thimbl!

Here’s how: http://www.drumbeat.org/content/how-vote-drumbeat-thimbl

Also, we have a nice little video to introduce you to Thimbl, you can see it on the home page of our drumbeat project.

http://www.drumbeat.org/project/thimbl-decentralized-micro-blogging-platform

And after you vote for Thimbl, please make a comment on drumbeat, the Transmediale jury is very interested in hearing why you like the project and so are we!
Voting ends Feb 4th, so the time to vote is now! Also, please pass this on, share, blog, tweet, etc. Help us kickstart decentralized social media! With your
help, we can make this manifesto for the open web heard!

Got Questions? Wanna Help?
We’ve also launched a public community forum for the Thimbl project:
http://www.thimbl.net/community.html

Come by and say Hi!

Newstweek: video demonstration of BBC news modification and interview

Marco Donnarumma — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:23:27 +0000

via Piksel list

Newstweek is a device to remotely manipulate news read by others on wireless hotspots.
A new video has been posted detailing the Newstweek device and demonstrating it in operation:

Newstweek: The Thorough Demonstration from newstweek on Vimeo.

An interview and article published today unpacks the conceptual background of Newstweek. It can be read here:
http://www.imperica.com/features/newstweek

Newstweek can be found here:
http://newstweek.com

Regards,
–
Julian Oliver

Pure Data mini-conference in Dublin

Marco Donnarumma — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 09:46:33 +0000

I just received this brief announcement via Pd mailing list.
Sounds interesting, if you’re in the UK, might be worth trying to participate. Some time after this the Linux Audio Conference will take place in Dublin too.

The Department of Music is pleased to announce a Pure Data mini-Conference taking place 4-5 March 2011 in House 5, Trinity College Dublin. It will > feature lectures, papers, workshops and an evening of pure data music performed live.
Please submit abstracts/proposals by email to richard.duckwo…@tcd.ie.
Deadline is January 25th, 2011 – with notification a week later.
Information and schedule of events will be posted on this blog:
http://bluespetroleum.blogspot.com

Rich Duckworth
Lecturer in Music Technology
Department of Music
House 5
Trinity College
Dublin 2
Ireland

Can Art do Technology and Social Change?

Marco Donnarumma — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:11:55 +0000

A recent Save the Arts campaign poster by Jeremy Deller, Scott King and William Morris protests against further anticipated marginalisation of the arts in the UK, 2010

Is it possible to develop artistic projects that not only change the way we see and use technology but also affect real social change at the same time? Ruth Catlow introduces the Zero Dollar Laptop project and proposes that this might just be possible.

By Ruth Catlow.

The Zero Dollar Laptop Workshop programme has been developed and delivered through partnership between Furtherfield and Access Space and aims to change attitudes to technology. It does this by recycling hardware, deploying Free and Open Source Software (FOSS), sharing skills and working together to create rich media content.

This project has provided a useful basis for thinking about how art might be able to create change through learning and education that relates to technology.

This question becomes especially relevant in the context of current, global economic and ecological collapse.

Read here http://www.axisweb.org/dlForum.aspx?ESSAYID=18115

Publication: “Reviewing Netaudio Festival Berlin 2009″ is online now

Marco Donnarumma — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:56:50 +0000

I’m forwarding here a message from Netaudio Berlin Festival Staff. They have been putting together a series of publication about the last edition of the festival, including reports, ideas and articles from all participants.
Looks an interesting reading, I also contributed with a report of the event (previously published here) and some personal observations about net-labels’ music and such.
More info below.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear friend, musician, netlabelhead, netaudio enthusiast, creative mastermind, visual aesthete and free thinker…

We would like to inform you about a new publication on the website of Netaudio Berlin which is finally ready. (At least the texts… the layout is not perfect yet

This publication has developed from the idea to keep hold of some personal perspectives, interesting anecdotes and developed ideas – alongside with some theoretical thoughts – as an outcome of the festival. And analogue to the colorful mixture of participants in the festival, we were able to tie a turbulent bundle of texts in style, types and perspectives. Most of them are very friendly and full of (personal) enthusiasm, others are meant to increase and develop the content, framework and general setup of the festival.

http://www.netaudioberlin.de/publications/introduction_antina/

Find the table of contents here:

http://www.netaudioberlin.de/publications/

You might leave comments on the texts if you like – and we would really love to read your remarks, footnotes and opinions. We are curious about any of your comments.
I will answer your Emails – but it can take a while – because of my final episodes in pregnancy… For urgent requirements please contact Raimund ( raimund@netaudioberlin.de ).

We kindly ask you to spread the word on your websites, social networks and where ever you think it’s relevant.

Best greetings,

Antina Michels and the netaudio team

P.S.: If you are still interested to purchase a Netaudio Book (“Netlabels - Soziale Netze On- & Offline”), please let me know. More info:
http://antinamichels.de/wordpress/?page_id=2

Check the article about the research and outcome in English in this publication:
http://www.netaudioberlin.de/publications/netaudio-scene-article_antina/

–

Netaudio Festival Berlin 2009
Antina Michels
Festival Management

Jaaga Fellowships Bangalore India

Marco Donnarumma — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 07:43:26 +0000

via Openlab announce list

Jaaga is a large creative hackerspace in central Bangalore, India. We are looking for smart, creative people who who want to spend a few months working on interesting projects which use some aspect of high tech to do something fun in our space or on the net.

We offer a bed, homemade food, internet connection, small stipend, and a fun environment to create in. In exchange we ask that fellows blog regularly, open source code any code they may write, and generally contribute to the community.

Videos & pics:
http://jaaga.in/gallery

Details about the fellowship:
http://jaaga.in/fellowship

Ongoing projects at jaaga:

http://jaaga.in/projects”>http://jaaga.in/projects

Freeman /

–
Andrew McWilliams

Live Streaming Presentation by Sebastian Kügler – The KDE Environment

Marco Donnarumma — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:15:50 +0000

via Medialab Prado list

Thursday, September 30, 2010 / 7 pm

MEDIALAB-PRADO
Plaza de las Letras
C/ Alameda, 15 · 28014 Madrid

Lecture about KDE Desktop environment for Unix, developed thanks to the contributions of big communities. Kügler, release manager and member of the Board of Directors, will talk about its organization and management [live streaming].

Further information here.

Revolution?

Marco Donnarumma — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:07:17 +0000

Can one produce an extremely provocative digital artwork about social revolution, against war and suffering of the poor, asking for justice and truth while utilizing proprietary, closed, mainstream software?

The answer is: yes, of course…

…but what is it all about it’s just talking.

A good speech is indeed catchy for the masses, but lacks of the pragmatical aspects which a revolutionary thinker’s spirit is made of.

Concept Store Journal: Art, Activism and Recuperation

Marco Donnarumma — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:08:56 +0000

via AHA list

Concept Store Journal

#3: Art, Activism and Recuperation

The latest issue of Arnolfini’s Concept Store journal, themed Art, Activism and Recuperation is out now.

This third edition examines the wider contemporary relationship between art and politics. What are the power relations between art, activists and cultural institutions? Who ultimately benefits from these relationships? What critical role can art and/or activism really have in a situation where radicalism is absorbed by the mainstream? And under such conditions what are effective strategies of opposition? But, above all, the question asked by Concept Store #3 is, what is to be done (with art?)

Contributors: Glenn Adamson, Tatiana Bazzichelli, Franco Berardi (Bifo), Thomas Hirschhorn, Brian Holmes, Ele Carpenter, Freee, Esther Leslie, Geoff Cox, James Panton, Institute for the Art&Practice of Dissent at Home, Platform, Lars Bang Larsen, Sarat Maharaj, Nav Haq, Sevphen Shukaitis, Tom Trevor, Mark Wallinger. Designed by Message & Meaning.

Concept Store is a journal published twice-yearly by Arnolfini, focusing on critical issues of contemporary art and their relationship to wider cultural, social and political contexts. While Concept Store reflects upon ideas explored within Arnolfini’s artistic programme, it is intended to be a critical platform in its own right, operating as a discursive space for commissioned texts, artists’ contributions, interviews and other experimental forms. Each issue guest-designed by a different practitioner.

Alongside the latest edition, previous issues, #1 Art, Consumerism and
the Experience Economy& #2 Possible, Probable and Preferable Futures,
are also available from Arnolfini bookshop priced £5.95.

FFI about Concept Store
Journal and other Arnolfini publications

Editors: Geoff Cox, Nav Haq and Tom Trevor
Advisory Group: Shumon Basar, Binna Choi, Neil Cummings, Maria Lind, Carol Yinghua Lu

Stockists include: Arnolfini; Artwords; Walther Koenig Books; ICA Bookshop; Design Museum; Tate Modern; Pro QM, Berlin; Architectural Association Bookshop
Concept Store in distributed by Cornerhouse.

www.arnolfini.org.uk

Save Area10!

Marco Donnarumma — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 09:38:17 +0000

***AREA10 IS FIGHTING TO SECURE TENANCY AT EAGLE WHARF BEYOND 15 JULY 2010
*** PLEASE WRITE YOUR TESTIMONIAL OF SUPPORT ***

AREA10 has for the past 8 years been a monumental project space in London for the development and presentation of artists, performers, actors and musicians.Thousands of artists have been supported to make new work, showcase performance and exhibit within a safe and creative environment. After this 8 year research and development AREA10 is well underway for preparing for the next stage.

Recently Area10 moved the first steps in order to become the first UK hub for free open source culture, promoting plenty of workshops, performances, meetings and many other forms of collaborative actions.
Help Area10 to survive signing an on-line petition here.

Live Media Updates June

Marco Donnarumma — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:21:23 +0000

Brand-new issue of the on-line newsletter brought to you by thesaddj.com; new media and open source related art works, events and people.

Tags: openlab, piksel, re-new festival, mapping festival, arduino, content, live performers meeting, net art, online performance.
Read it here http://www.thesaddj.com/newsletter/june10/index.html.

Openlab Interview on Vague Terrain online Journal

Marco Donnarumma — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:40:36 +0000

Openlab Night | Fave Dave Alex | Live coding

Just cross posting the interview with Openlab I recently curated for Vague Terrain online journal.
Tags: london and Openlab, open source distribution, tech activism, models of social organization.

Interview on Linux Audio Italy

Marco Donnarumma — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:08:06 +0000

I just released an interview for Linux Audio Italy podcast. I had a pleasant conversation with Becks – the mind behind the GNU blog and podcast - about my work and Pure Data, recent projects and the Pd Convention in Brasil. The interview will be broadcasted today at 21.00 (repeated on 13 Oct at 00.00), but you can download the whole podcast here http://gnufunk.org/node/44.

Unfortunately dialogues are only in italian, but you can always listen to some excellent open source music. For my italian readers… be sure to browse the numerous contents of the blog, you will find many interesting news about open source production and techniques.

Live Media Updates Sept09

Marco Donnarumma — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:34:14 +0000

I just created kind of online newsletter where to keep you updated about upcoming events and where to collect all the articles from the past months, if you feel like you lost something.

So feel free to enjoy http://www.thesaddj.com/newsletter/sept09/index.html

This page does not substitute the normal newsletter you receive once every two months, but is just a less invasive way to inform more people about what is going in the lab.

Thanks!

Aymeric Mansoux, Marloes de Valk – FLOSS+Art

Marco Donnarumma — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 17:33:35 +0000

Neural.it reviews on FLOSS+Art, a (free and open source) book which everyone interested in digital arts should read.

via: Neural.it

“Mute Publishing Ltd, ISBN 978-1906496180, UK, 2009, English
Advocacy of FLOSS model in culture is a nodal strategy for change, and is important to keep in mind what the two editors Aymeric Mansoux and Marloes de Valk state in the introduction: “software industry no longer sells software: it sells licenses.” Starting from here their proposed path through all the art-related issues of free software results as a rich end empowering experience.
The collection of essays is the most exhaustive ever published including the analysis of FLOSS and music, video, theatre, graphic design, typography, libraries, licenses, live coding, you name it. This dense book with twenty-four authors is really not an apology of FLOSS models for the sake of an ideological battle. On the contrary, for example, the needed open mind and will to switch operating system, plus the consequent investment of personal time, is not underestimated. But the amount of analysis, practices and stimuli emerging while reading is amazing as a whole new world discovery.
Among the others the book includes the seminal Transmediale award winner text “All Problems of Notation Will be solved by the Masses: Free Open Form Performance, Free/Libre Open Source Software and Distributive Practice” by Simon Yuill, that exemplary and critically analyze the FLOSS paradigm through history and philosophy enhancing its fundamental freedom of production quality.
So it’s a sort of manifesto, chorally written sometimes reflecting the same FLOSS defects (redundancy and enthusiasm) and its unmatchable virtues, but giving serious hope for its pervading potential in every art sector.”

Defend our right to an Internet open and Universal

Marco Donnarumma — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:17:30 +0000

via: http://blackouteu.wordpress.com

On May 6^th, pressure from EU citizens has meant that the Directives that attempted to privatize Internet were not passed in the vote in the European Parliament.

This Autumn the Package will be negotiated again.

IN THE EUROPEAN ELECTIONS ON JUNE 6TH DO NOT VOTE FOR THE PARTIES WHICH WANT TO GIFT OUR RIGHT OF ACCESS TO THE INTERNET TO PRIVATE INTERESTS.

After checking the votes of the Members of the European Parliament in the vote of the so called “Telecoms Package” (explained below) is basic that we remember that the parties that voted against it, both Parties of Government and the Opposition equally, are willing to gift our right to a free and egalitarian communication through the Internet to private multinationals.

Citizens can remember and check it in this graphic where they can find the vote of all the Members of the Parliament in the Telcoms’ Package vote (100% is the vote more favorable, 0% to private lobbies)

We suggest you send this simple questionnaire to the main candidates in your country to know the their Parties’ position about Internet. and the future of the Telecoms Package. Click here

Internet access is not conditional

Everyone who owns a website has an interest in defending the free use of Internet… so has everyone who uses Google or Skype… everyone who expresses their opinions freely, does research of any kind, whether for personal health problems or academic study … everyone who shops online…who dates online…socializes online… listens to music…watches video…

ÍNDICE

1-WHAT THEY WANT TO ENFORCE
2- CONSEQUENCES FOR ALL OF US
3- OUR VOTES
4- HOW POLITICIANS ACT

The internet as we know it is at risk. The new rules in the EU (the Telecoms package) voted on May 6 and will be negotiated again in Autumn propose that broadband providers will be legally able to limit the number of websites you can look at, and to tell you whether or not you are allowed to use particular services. It will be dressed up as ‘new consumer options’ which people can choose from. People will be offered TV-like packages – with a limited number of options for you to access. It means that the Internet will be packaged up and your ability to access and to put up content could be severely restricted. It will create boxes of Internet accessibility, which don’t fit with the way we use it today.

This is because Internet is now permitting exchanges between persons which cannot be controlled or “facilitated” by any middlemen (the State or a corporation). This possibility improves citizen’s life and makes access to knowledge easier to everyone, but force the industry (telecommunications, entertainment…) to lose power and control. Access providers have now learned that controlling access they can control the Information Society development. That is why they are pushing to act those changes.
The excuse is to promote competition, offering choices to users which better fit their behavior on the Internet and, by collaborating with sectors interested in the promotion of lawful content (aka the entertainment industry), to control the flow of music, films and entertainment content against the alleged piracy by downloading for free, using P2P file-sharing. However, the real victims of this plan will be all Internet users and the democratic and independent access to information, culture goods.

2- CONSEQUENCES FOR ALL OF US

Think about how you use the Internet! What would it mean to you if free access to the Internet was taken away?
These days, the Internet is about life and freedom. It’s about shopping, booking theatre tickets … holidays, learning, job-seeking, banking, and trade. It’s also about the fun things – dating, chatting, invitations, music, entertainment, joking and even a Second Life. It is a tool to express ourselves, to collaborate, innovate, share, stimulate new business ideas, reach new markets – thrive without middlemen..

Tim Berners-Lee, father of the World Wide Web talks about the USA,….but in Europe the same is happening the same.

Just think – what’s your web address? (the one in your blog, your web…) If the Members of the European Parliament agree to the measures proposed in the Telecoms Package, unless people have that address in their “package” of regular websites – they won’t be able to find you. That means they can’t buy, or book, or register, or even view you online. Your business won’t be able to find niche suppliers of goods – and compare prices. If you get any money at all from advertising on your site, it will diminish. Yes, Amazon and a select few will be OK, they will be the included in the package. But your advertising on Google or any other website will be increasingly worthless. Skype could be blocked, (as it is already happening in Germany with the iPhone,). Small businesses could literally disappear, especially specialist, niche or artisan businesses.
If we don’t do something now – we could lose free and open use of the internet.

Our freedom (of choice in information, market, culture, pleasure) will be curtailed.

3- OUR VOTES

They have to remember that they are servants of citizens who vote them, not of the big companies. Internet still gives us the tools to be watching and judging what they are doing!. In the website http://www.laquadrature.net/wiki/Telecoms_package_directives_2nd_reading you may consult the vote of each MEP.
You must know that you are not alone: hundreds of organizations and citizens are lobbying on politicians. To avoid the Directive being passed, last May 6^th thousands of letters were sent. As a result the amendments which intended to limit and privatize the Internet were avoided, at least for the moment.

4- HOW OUR POLITICIANS ACT

The EU proposals hold an enormous risk for our future. If they become Law, it will be virtually impossible to reverse. People (even the members of the European Parliament who are voting on it) don’t really seem to understand the full implications and the legal changes are wrapped up in something called “Telecoms Package” which lulls people into thinking it is just about industry, that it will not affect them.
However, in reality, hiding from public view, the amendments are about the way the Internet will operate in future. Text about your rights to access and distribute content, services and applications, has being crossed out. And the text that has being brought in, says that broadband providers must inform you of any conditions limiting access, or restrictions to your access. It has seriously being proposed that you will be told the conditions of use of Internet services. This is made to sound good – it is dressed up as ‘transparency’ – except that of course it means that the broadband provider will have the legal right to limit your access or to impose conditions, otherwise why would they need to tell you? If the Telecoms Package as it reads now is finally agreed, the changes will not be reversible.

What about the content?

Marco Donnarumma — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:21:13 +0000

I don’t want to point the finger at anyone with the following words, its should represent just a warning.
And i know that many artists around the world are doing a great effort to improve this situation. My best estimation and trust to all them.

“I love the energy of concerts. Music and performing is a primal form of communication, more so than any kind of visual medium.”

Martin Scorsese

It’s 4 months that i’m on tour, travelling, watching, observing and discovering. Naturally everywhere i go i try to get a glimpse about the local artistic scene. So now i can say i have a discreet (not deep) knowledge of what is going on outta there..ok… (obviously talking about live video digital arts)

My point is : what about the content?

Talking globally I’ve seen a huge waste of technology. I mean… we (as human beings) are living in an ugly condition. Planet earth is going straight to death, anyone who has enough money can move a war everywhere, people lives in the fear of future and buy weapons to feel safe.
So, what does an acclaimed artist to face this situation?
Nowadays in most of case he creates a comfortable augmented reality. He creates a flow of images that reassure everybody, huge waste of technology to create virtual enviroment that allow us to wish (NOT TO LIVE) a virtual better life. For half an hour or more spectators can believe in a better, neutral, empty, synthetic world. At the end of the show their mind will be so flashed by this amazing-nonsense-ultraclean shapes that they will come back home having for sure great dreams. But…

What about the day after?

Spectator didn’t “learn” anything. He’s thought is the same of the day before… So what? what about content? what about concepts? what about real life? what about Art?
If i could define myself an “artist”, i would do it only if someone come to me saying that my work made his mind move, think in a different way, realize things which were kept secret.
This is really difficult, of course, but i know by my experience, that you, as artist on a stage, have a huge power towards your public. And it’s really easy for an artist at least to force people mind to THINK. Just think. Cause this is what we need to discover again… To Think!
There is no need to educate (also cause it’s quiet impossible), but just let them think! They will learn by themselves.
I’ve tested that when you force someone to think, at first sight he will feel scared, but later, when you will help him during his mental process he will be only glad.
Of course this is just my opinion, and i know many people who will kill me for this words, but i feel this concept as a necessary condition to face nowadays life with the power and advantage of Art.

If you want to define yourself “artist” you must face your reality and interconnect with it. This is just a fact.
I believe that technology is not a result, it is just a mean.