Exhibition: August 27 thru October 9, 2005
Opening: Saturday August 27, 2005, 5 pm
These days we are not at all surprised to see someone on the street seemingly talking to himself. Wherever we are, we can get information on whatever subject we like: the weather, traffic jams or historical details concerning a building we happen to walk past. Technology has not only changed the way we use public space, it also has brought about its virtual expansion. Through technological innovations like the Internet, text messaging, mobile phones and gps we can freely share information and even develop a community life on the web. We can meet people, assume a meaningful identity and exchange thoughts. In the privacy of one’s own room the world has become infinitely larger and more boisterous than the world out on the street.
The Fusedspace call for submissions resulted in 307 entries from 38 different countries. A nominating jury selected the 30 projects which they felt were the strongest. From these a 25-person final jury selected the three winning proposals. In the exhibition Welcome to Fusedspace Database, designed by Team Science Fiction (under the aegis of Jan van Eyck Academie Maastricht), all 307 Fusedspace proposals will be shown, not just the winners or the nominees. Using a barcode scanner or a database, visitors can follow several trails and find their own engagements with the many ideas raised by the competition’s proposals. They can listen to summaries, read any author’s texts in his or her own words, read the jury statements and see each proposal’s original images. The database terminals are located within three cone-shaped structures in the exhibition space. Cityscape murals, with art work representing all 307 proposals, form the external walls of these three structures.
First prize in the Fusedspace competition was awarded to Ulrika Wachtmeister from Sweden. Her idea, Transitions, explores the public and the private, the virtual and the physical space by suggesting a memorial website and an alternative cemetery with a light installation. Tombstones are replaced by torches, and lit when the memorial-site is visited on the Internet. People travelling through this glimmering field of lights witness the long distance commemoration. Second prize was awarded to the Amsterdam-based artist duo of Joes Koppers and Susann Lekas; third prize went to Marcus Kirsch and Jussi Angesleva (from the UK and Ireland).
Additional Fusedspace events at Stroom Den Haag, Hogewal 1-9:
Wednesday September 14, 2005:
Lecture with a.o. Joes Koppers and Susann Lekas (2nd prize winners) ; Thomas Lommee (nominee); Jouke Kleerebezem (jury member)
Wednesday September 28, 2005:
Symposium Jan van Eyck Academie Maastricht
Fusedspace is an initiative of Stroom Den Haag, SKOR (foundation for art and public space), Premsela foundation for Dutch design and De InformatieWerkPlaats, The Hague; in collaboration with V2_ Institute for the Unstable Media, DEAF (Dutch Electronic Arts Festival), Doors of Perception, EPN (Electronic-highway Platform Netherlands); and was co-funded by the Mondriaan Foundation, Prins Bernhard Cultural Fund and the city of The Hague.
Stroom Den Haag
Hogewal 1-9, 2514 HA The Hague, The Netherlands
Tel. +31-70 3658985 Fax +31-70 3617962
Email: info@stroom.nl Website: www.stroom.nl
Opening hours: Wednesday thru Sunday 12 -5 pm