Powerful new media at ANAT's masterclass
In the midst of globalisation in the Asia Pacific region the newly opened Brisbane Powerhouse: Centre for the Live Arts did more than touch a nerve with its invitation to ANAT, Australia Network for Art & Technology, to come to Brisbane, produce work and teach New Media skills and theory. The event was a sophisticated excursion into New Media culture. The Powerhouse's 'coup' in bringing ANAT's international masterclass to Brisbane, gave Queensland new media artists a broad competitive context for their work. A number of local institutions, projects such as Multimedia Arts Asia Pacific (MAAP) along with Brisbane's digital music scene were well-represented at the class. Brisbane curators and artists participated. With several evenings of new work open to the public, audiences were able to enjoy a diverse assortment of presentations by artists from Australia, Canada, China, England, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh, Mexico, New Zealand, Slovenia, and the United States. Issues of globalisation, its effect on art practices and influence on new regions, could be shared across borders, continents and oceans. The event attracted highly-skilled and knowledgeable tutors as internationally recognised as Blast Theory (UK), Nina Czegledy (Canada), Tess de Quincy and Laura Jordan, Geert Lovink (Holland), Mongrel (UK), Marko Peljan (Slovenia), Rea (Gamileroi/Wailwan) Alexei Shulgin (Russia) and John Tonkin. Like many similar technological lab spaces which are cropping up- Makro Lab in Rottnest, Western Australia or the Media Lab in Lubjliana, Slovenia-ANAT's Alchemy focused on theory and skilling, visual art, performance and skill-sharing in an 'immersive environment'- in this case, deep immersion! Described by Amanda MacDonald Crowley in a brief interview as an offshoot of ANAT's previous National Schools which have been open only to Australians, this year's twist, to... The rest of this article is available to subscribers of Eyeline