Artmedia, Seminar and Laboratory of the Aesthetics of Media and Communication, was one of the first and most important scientific projects concerning the relationship between art, technology, philosophy and aesthetics. It was founded in 1985 at the University of Salerno. For over two decades, until 2009 , dozens of projects, studies, exhibitions and conferences on new technologies,[1] made Artmedia a reference point for many internationally renowed scholars and artists,[2] and contributed to the growing cultural interest for the aesthetics of media, the aesthetics of networks, and their ethical and anthropological implications.

Beginnings and international events edit

Since the late 1970s, a permanent Seminar of the Aesthetics of Media and Communication was founded and directed by Mario Costa at the University of Salerno. The basic principles of an aesthetics of the technological communication were identified and conceptualized in 1983.[3] In 1984, the conference "Imagery technology", held at the Museo del Sannio, Benevento, placed the issue of the new relationship between art and technology, and the consequent need for a re-foundation of aesthetics, warning that "all our future existence will be played at the crossroads between technology and imagination".[4]

The comprehensive relationship between art and techno-science, technology, philosophy has also been the theoretical subject of the ten editions of the international conference "Artmedia" which were held in Salerno and Paris, from 1985 to 2008. Particularly relevant were the two editions arranged in Paris in 2002 and 2008, which took place at the Ecole Normale Supérieure, the Bibliotheque Nationale de France (BNF) and the Institut National d'Histoire de l 'Art (INHA), with the partnership of the Société Française d'Esthétique, the Université du Québec à Montréal, the University of Toronto, the Universidade de São Paulo, the Université de Paris 1 Sorbonne, and the U.S. magazine Leonardo.

Continuous debate between artists and theorists edit

File:-DeKerckhove Berger Costa ArtmediaIV 1992.JPG
Derrick de Kerckhove, René Berger and Mario Costa, Artmedia IV (1992)
File:-Bolognini Kriesche Costa Kac ArtmediaVII 1999.JPG
Maurizio Bolognini, Richard Kriesche, Mario Costa and Eduardo Kac, Artmedia VII (1999)

Starting from the need to give attention to both theoretical and artistic practices, which were being developed together, Artmedia wanted to gather theorists and artists from all over the world, and to involve them in a common and complementary work. Often these also contributed to spread the spirit of the project in a number of festivals and shows, and through their own art works and research.[5]

Among the theorists who worked with Artmedia and participated in its activities, there are: Bernard Stiegler, René Berger, Abraham Moles, Derrick De Kerckhove, Pierre Levy, Gillo Dorfles, Paul Virilio, Frank Popper,Roger Malina, Daniel Charles, José Jiménez, Anne Cauquelin, Edgar Morin, Thierry de Duve, Catherine Millet, Filiberto Menna, Rudolf zur Lippe, Edmond Couchot, Dominique Chateau, Yannick Geffroy, Philippe Queau, Arlindo Machado, Tetsuo Kogawa, Bernard Teyssedre.

Among the artists, there are: Fred Forest, Roy Ascott, Takahiko Iimura, Maurizio Bolognini, Tom Klinkowstein, Tom Sherman, Eduardo Kac, Enzo Minarelli, James Dashow, Peter D'Agostino, Mit Mitropoulos, Shawn Brixey, Bruno Di Bello, Antoni Muntadas, Orlan, Kit Galloway, David Rokeby, Miguel Chevalier, Norman White, Richard Kriesche, Casey Reas.

The questions raised in the various projects promoted by Artmedia, in a continuous dialogue between artists and theorists, include: Aesthetics of Communication and the anthropology of the future (1985), Global aesthetic communication (1986), Electronic performativity and the art system (1990), Neo-technological arts between aesthetics and communication (1992), Aesthetic research and technology (1995), Developments in aesthetics: change or mutation? (1999), From the Aestehetics of Communication to Net art (2002), Ethics, aesthetics and techno-communication. The future of meaning (2008).

All Artmedia symposiums have been followed by many publications. About the two editions held in Paris a complete video recording is also available, and can be viewed at the Institut National de l'Audiovisuel.

An assessment of the twenty-five years long activity of Artmedia has been made in the seminar on The aesthetic object of the future, held at the University of Salerno in 2009. The Artmedia project has produced a large number of publications and documents that are being systematized with a view to their proper placement and use.

Key areas of investigation edit

Proceedings and Catalogs edit

Artmedia I (1985)

  • Mario Costa (ed.) (1985), Artmedia, Salerno: Opera Universitaria di Salerno (Catalog, pp. 206).[6]

Artmedia II (1986)

  • Mario Costa (ed.) (1986), Artmedia, II Convegno Internazionale di Estetica della comunicazione, Salerno: Università di Salerno (Catalog, pp. 80).[7]

Artmedia III (1990)

  • Mario Costa (ed.) (1990), Artmedia. Terzo Convegno Internazionale di Estetica dei Media e della Comunicazione. Catalogo, Salerno: Università degli Studi di Salerno (Catalog, pp. 80).
  • Mario Costa (ed.) (1990), Artmedia. Terzo Convegno Internazionale di Estetica dei Media e della Comunicazione. Atti, Salerno: Università degli Studi di Salerno (Proceedings, pp. 96).[8]

Artmedia IV (1992)

  • Mario Costa (ed.) (1992), Nuovi media e sperimentazione d’artista, Naples: Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane (including Artmedia IV Proceedings, pp. 1-156).[9]

Artmedia V (1995)

  • Università degli Studi di Salerno, Comune di Salerno (1995), Quinto Convegno Internazionale di Estetica dei Media e della Comunicazione, Salerno (maquette).

Artmedia VI (1997)

  • Università degli Studi di Salerno, Fondazione Filiberto Menna (1997), Artmedia VI, Salerno (maquette).[10]

Artmedia VII (1999)

  • Mario Costa (ed.) (1999), Artmedia VII, Settimo Convegno Internazionale di Estetica dei Media e della Comunicazione, Salerno: Università degli Studi di Salerno (Catalog, pp. 60).[11]

Artmedia VIII (2002)

  • AA. VV. (2002), Dossier Artmedia VIII, in "Ligeia", Paris, pp. 21-245 (CNRF journal, including Artmedia VIII Proceedings).
  • Mario Costa (ed.) (2004), New Technologies: Roy Ascott, Maurizio Bolognini, Fred Forest, Richard Kriesche, Mit Mitropoulos, Salerno: Artmedia, Museo del Sannio (Catalog, pp. 64).[12]

Artmedia IX (2005)

  • Mario Costa (ed.) (2005), Phenomenology of New Tech Arts, Salerno: Università di Salerno (Catalog, pp. 56).[13]

Artmedia X (2008)

  • Mario Costa, Fred Forest (eds) (2011), Ethique, esthétique, communication technologique dans l'art contemporain ou le destin du sens, Paris: Institut National Audiovisuel, Editions L'Harmattan (including Artmedia X Proceedings).[14]

References edit

  1. ^ In addition to the 10 editions of the International Symposium "Artmedia", which took place in Salerno and Paris from 1985 to 2008, the Laboratory has led to numerous other initiatives and events, such as "L'immaginario tecnologico", 1984 (conference and exhibition); "Attività-video: Differenzavideo", 1982 (exhibition); "Videosuite", 1983 (exhibition); "Ouverture Vidéo", 1986 (exhibition); "2 videoplays di Samuel Beckett", 1990 (presentation); "Technettronica", 1989 (Exhibition about the Aesthetics of Communication); "Estetica e antropologia", 1983 (International Symposium); "Tecnologie e forme nell'arte e nella scienza", 2003 (International Symposium); "New Technologies: Roy Ascott, Maurizio Bolognini, Fred Forest, Richard Kriesche, Mit Mitropoulos", Museo del Sannio, 2003 (Exhibition on the Aesthetics of Communication); "Estetica e tecnologia", 1987 (Symposium); "Progetto istallazioni Capodimonte" (Ascott, Forest, Kriesche, Muntadas, Cardini, Prado), Naples, 1997 (Exhibition on the Aesthetics of Communication); "L'immateriale in piazza" (installation projects: Aitiani, Forest, Mitropoulos, Grossi, Prado), Naples, 1992 (Exhibition on the Aesthetics of Communication); "Il suono da lontano", 1989 (Conference); "Un'estetica per i media" 1989 (RAI, Dipartimento Scuola Educazione, TV program); "Cartacarbone", 1990 (radio program); "Coincidences", 1995 (Aesthetics journal, in French); "Epiphaneia", 1995 e 1996 (Aesthetics journal, in Italian).
  2. ^ A. R., Des hauts et débats. Colloque Artmedia VIII, "Liberation", November 29, 2002, p. 13; Dossier: De l’esthétique de la communication au Net Art, "Art Press", 285, November 2002, pp. 37-43.
  3. ^ The history of the "aesthetics of communication", especially on his debut in the '80s, is in the book by Mario Costa,The Aesthetics of Communication. Aesthetic use of simultaneity at a distance, Rome, Castelvecchi, 1999; its basic principles, formulated by Costa, were expressed for the first time in News and Notes, published by the International Center of Aesthetic Communication, Salerno, 1986.
  4. ^ "Aa. Vv., L’immaginario tecnologico, Museo del Sannio, Benevento, p. 8.
  5. ^ Antonella Fimiani, Arte & tecnologia, la frontiera-Salerno, in "Il Mattino", November 24, 1999, p. 23; Sylvie Lisiecki e Marie Saladin, Fenetrês sur les arts numériques, in "Croniques de la Bibliothèque Nationale de France", 46, 2008.
  6. ^ On Artmedia I, see also: Video Magazine, IV, 43, 1985, p.13; Mario Costa, Artmedia, Salerne et l’esthétique de la communication, "Plus Moins Zéro", Editeur S. Rona, 1, Bruxelles 1985, pp.3-4; C.A. Art et technologies de la communication à Salerne, in "L'art vivante", 11 nouvelle série, Paris 1985, pp. 15 e 54; Mario Costa, Video Images και Media-performances, in "CAMERA rewiew", Athens 1986, pp. 47-49; Artmedia: dateci un video e solleveremo l'arte, in "Il Mattino", May 18, 1985, p. 6; Angelo Trimarco, Lontano dal pennello, in "Il Mattino", July 8, 1985, p. 3; Rino Mele, Il video è un'arte che viene da lontano, in "Paese Sera", July 15, 1985, p. 5; Vitaliano Corbi, Artmedia: rassegna di estetica del video e della comunicazione, in “”Paese Sera” (Napoli), May 20. 1985, p. 3; Carla Errico, Sette giorni per parlare di video-comunicazioni, in "Il Mattino", May 19, 1985, p. 17; Natan Karczmar, ART MEDIA en Italie, in "Réalités d’Israel", 1985, p. 18; Stella Cervasio, Artmedia, l'arte del video, in "La Torre", 1985, p. 3.
  7. ^ In addition, see Gianpiero Gamaleri, Pennello elettronico per il video artista, in "Radiocorriere TV", 8, 1986, pp. 102-103; Valerio Caprara, A Salerno "Art media", ovvero video e dintorni, in "Il Mattino", May 27 1986, p. 12; Filiberto Menna, Estetica della comunicazione e video arte a Salerno. Quando evento e trasmissione coincidono, in "Paese Sera", June 9, 1986, p. 3; Video Magazine, 55, 1986, p. 13; Mario Forgione, Tanta nostalgia per la radio. Problemi di un'estetica della radiofonia, Napoli Oggi, June 26, 2006, p. 7; Giuseppe Rocca, La prosa riposa. Radio/Iniziativa al Grenoble, in "Il Mattino", June 13, 1986, p. 10; Alfredo D'Agnese, L'estetica del video, in "Il Giornale di Napoli", May 22, 1986, p. 11.
  8. ^ On Artmedia III, see also: Vincenzo Cuomo, Teoria e performances al convegno "Artmedia", in "Mass Media", 5, 1990, pp. 68-70; Fred Forest, Colloque Artmedia III, in "Communication et langages", vol. 86, 1990, pp. 119-120; Mario Costa, La nuova immagine della comunicazione, in "Il Mattino", November 6, 1990, Libri & Arte, p. IV; Mario Lignano, Il futuro è presente, in "Enne", 41, 1990, p. 14; Antonio Marmo, Il mandala nel computer, in "Gazetta di Salerno", November 22, 1990, p. 8.
  9. ^ See also Riccardo Notte, L'arte multimediale e l'estetica della comunicazione, in "Roma", November 19, 1992, p. 15.
  10. ^ On Artmedia VI, see also: Annibale Elia, Arti moderne, kermesse a Salerno. In rassegna ipertesti e iper-media: la postmodernità, in "Il Mattino", November 26, 1997, p. 33; Salvatore Sabatino, Artmedia tra ateneo e città, in "Cronache del Mezzogiorno", November 27, 1997, p. 7.
  11. ^ On Artmedia VII see also: Claudia Bonasi, Artmedia, tra videoistallazioni e scrittura digitale, in "Corriere del Mezzogiorno", November 24, 1999, p. 2; Patrizia Sessa, Artmedia. Linguaggio artistico d’avanguardia, in "La Città", November 24, 1999, p. 37; Antonella Fimiani, Arte & tecnologia, la frontiera-Salerno, in "Il Mattino", November 24, 1999, p. 23; Antonella Croce, I media e la comunicazione, in "Cronache del Mezzogiorno", November 24, 1999, p. 33; Enrica Tifatino, Mutamenti estetici e comunicazione, in "Il Denaro", November 27, 1999, p. 57; Re.Ga., Al via la settima edizione di Art media, in "Cronache del Mezzogiorno", November 20, 1999, p. 27.
  12. ^ See also, about Artmedia VIII: the OLATS/Leonardo website http://www.olats.org/projetpart/artmedia/2002/mono_index.php ; Aa.Vv., Edition spéciale Artmedia VIII, "Art Press", Paris, 2002; A.R., Des hauts et débats. Colloque Artmedia VIII, in "Liberation", November 29, 2002, p. 13; Felice Piemontese, Artmedia trasloca a Parigi, in "Il Mattino", November 29, 2002, p. 19; Matteo D’Ambrosio, Tutto cambia con la Net Art, in "Il Denaro", December 30, 2002, p. 32; Dossier: De l’esthétique de la communication au Net Art, in "Art Press", 285, 2002, pp. 37-43.
  13. ^ On Artmedia IX, see also: Mario Franco, La creatività è multimediale, in "La Repubblica", November 25, 2005, p. XIII; Gianni Valentino, Musica & Arte. Nella notte del Grenoble si ascolta l’Etna, in "La Repubblica", November 26, 2005, pp. XVI-XVII; Maria Romana Del Mese, Art media a Salerno tra filosofi e matematici, in "Roma-Cultura", November 22, 2005, p. 9; Salerno capitale internazionale della musica elettronica, in "Corriere del Mezzogiorno", November 23, 2005, p. 15.
  14. ^ Extensive documentation on Artmedia X is on-line at OLATS / Leonardo http://www.olats.org/projetpart/artmedia/2008/mono_index.php ; see also Sylvie Lisiecki, Marie Saladin, Fenetrês sur les arts numériques, in "Croniques de la Bibliothèque Nationale de France", 46, 2008, p. 22.

External links edit