Dr. Edward Shanken, visiting Associate Professor at DXARTS, presents "Alternative Nows and Thens to Be: Art History and the Future of Art," on December 19 as a keynote speaker in the II Symposium at the MADATAC 05 Festival of New Media Arts in Madrid, Spain. The symposium will reflect on the interplay between art, science, technology and the creative processes connected to urban life and contemporary media.
Dr. Shanken outlines the themes explored in his talk:
The malleability of history is demonstrated by the many ways the canon of art history has been written and rewritten from the perspectives of ever-changing presents. But this is also a two way street. Just as every “now” arguably constructs an alternative “then,” so every “then” constructs an alternative “now.” Moreover, every alternative “now” and “then” establishes a particular foundation for imagining the future. This inevitably impacts the “nows” and “thens” to be; those that are yet to come. My talk will explore the relationship between the past, present, and future with respect to writing and rewriting art historical narratives. I will share some examples from my own work to rewrite the history of art, including attempts to expand the field of discourse and to bridge the gap between mainstream contemporary art and new media art.
In addition, Dr. Shanken presents the Spanish translation of his book: "Inventar el futuro: arte, electricidad, nuevos medios" (pdf).
MADATAC is an annual Contemporary Festival of New Media Arts & Advanced Audio Visual Technologies. It is an independent, non-profit, international platform with an open, all-encompassing philosophy and an on-going commitment to education and free access.