edmar writes

Version>03
:: Digital Arts Convergence :: March 26-30 2003 :: Chicago :: Technotopia vs Technopacalypse ::::
exploring the multitudes of technology, society, arts, activism and culture ::
Co-presented by Select Media and the Museum of Contemporary Art

For its second annual
festival of digital media arts, the MCA and Select Media
examine two forceful trends, Globalization (the merging
of economies) and Singularity (the adaptation of man to
machine), as seen, created, and debated by programmers,
artists, scientists, activists and critical thinkers.
The five-day festival, Technotopia vs. Technopacalypse,
brings together emerging and leading practitioners employing
or responding to the latest advancements in virtual reality,
robotics, biotech, and other such technology defining
our time. The roster featured in concerts, films, installation
labs, workshops, and panel discussions consists of proponents
as well as critics of the latest developments.

Many believe the earth as a living system may collapse
within the next few decades unless we take global actions
at every level to bring in sustainable development and
change the direction of the current dominating systems.
Others believe benevolent applications of technology and
science will save us from ourselves. And still others
think the techno fetishization is a waste of time.

Version>03 will explore technotopian and technopacalyptic
visions of the present and future through discussion,
symposia, workshops, performance, installations, video
and film screenings, and exhibitions. By examining practices,
tools and ideas that direct us into the future, we hope
to encourage dialogue, direction and action towards addressing
real and speculative forces arrayed in the 21st century.

We will have conversations and investigations on topics
identifying the technologies, cultures and economies affecting
the creation of technotopian and technopacalyptic futures
such as: wireless networks as strategic media; contestational
robotics; new and old tools for radicals; tactical media
projects; freenet open source cultures; fear and terror
economies; resistant virtualities and global solidarity
networks; security culture; robot armies and non-lethal
weaponry; direct action strategies; parasitic media; genetically
engineered foods; nano-technology; campaigning; tactical
magic; technology and agriculture, and many other issues.

Projects to be featured at version>03 include:

tactical vending, freenetproliferation, gameboy music
workshop, skillshare workshops,direct action workshops,
experimental lectures, telepresence, virtual reality devices,
streaming media workshops, version>03 Video library,
alt.space networking, power mapping and others.

This year version>03
will take place at seven locations througout Chicago centering
around the loop area and the West Town area of Chicago.
The central conference and performance program will take
place at the Museum of Contemporary Art. The MCA theatre
program offers four days of musical performances, films,
and a series of panel discussions. The Version Lab, adjacent
to the theater, provides performance space for multimedia
artists, video makers, and musicans. The lobby is transformed
into an informational space for web installations and
demonstrations by some of the best in the emergent media
arts cultures.

As
part of Version>03 the Chicago Cultural Center hosts
Temporary Reconstruction Network Structure (TRNS), a thematic
exhibition on the Singularity. The central component of
TRNS is a series of immersive structures constructed using
geodesic domes/pods. Supplementing these domes/pods are
video projections, video and sound installations, sculpture,
and robots. A film series runs during TRNS hours in the
Claudia Cassidy Theater.

Alternative art/performance
spaces, Buddy, Heaven Gallery, and Open-End Gallery as
well as SAIC's
1926 gallery
will host installations,
events/performances and
the 2nd Annual Cassette Jockey Battle. The Electronic
Visualization Laboratory at the University of Illinois
Chicago will
be open to the public during the festival featuring works
by VR artists. A free bike system will be available to
visitors and attendees of version>03 for transport
to and fro the locations of the festival. Mass transit
also provides easy access to all of the facilities.

Selected programs of Version>03
are organized with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural
Affairs; the Department of Film, Video, and New Media
at the School of the Art Institute (SAIC); the Visiting
Artist Program at SAIC; Nomads & Homesteaders at SAIC;
the Electronic Visualization Laboratory at the University
of Illinois Chicago; the Department of Radio, TV, and
Film at Northwestern University; and the Block Museum
of Art.

Four-day pass to panels,
films, lectures, hands-on workshops at MCA $15

Each 8pm concert at MCA $15

Chicago Cultural Center and 1926 gallery programs are
free to the public

Electronic Visualization Laboratory programs at the UIC
are also open and free to the public

Version Evening events (after 9pm) are $5-10 at Open End,
Buddy and Heaven.

Inquries regarding :

articles interviews and essays, web based works, film
and video submissions are still welcome. A festival cd,
dvd, and festival reader will be released during version>03.

inquiries
to ed marszewski ed@lumpen.com


materials
to:

version>03

960 w 31st street

chicago ill 60608

u$a"