Digital art and activism: performance, protest, polities, technologies.

DeLappe, Joseph; Leuzzi, Laura; Blackwood, Jon; Zećo, Maja; Zeilinger, Martin

Abstract

This panel, chaired by Laura Leuzzi, addresses diverse themes and approaches towards engaging emerging technologies in the context of digital art and activism encompassing notions of socially engaged art and art as social practice from practice-based and theoretical points of view. In 2019, the Digital Art and Activism Network was launched-over the last three years the network functioned to investigate the state of art and activism utilising emerging technologies while consecutively establishing collaborative ties with international artists and organisations to lay the groundwork for future collaborative scholarly and creative projects. When the networking project began, the world was witnessing many crisis and disrupting phenomena: the rise of the alt-right, the refugee crisis in Europe, Brexit in the UK, the global emergency of climate change, and a constant attack of basic civil rights including freedom of speech, reproductive freedom and rights for the LGBTQAI+ community in many countries. What followed were the global crisis of COVID, State violence against minorities, the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian troops, the overturn of Roe vs Wade, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, a worldwide energy crisis and all else. The world continues to be in seemingly endless upheaval over the npast few years. We find ourselves fearful regarding what is yet to come - but at the same time motivated to continue to fight for change through the creative utilisation of new technologies and perhaps most importantly through connecting and working with others who share our interest in fostering positive change through creative action. This panel brings together five of the many participants in our networking activities over the past three years of conferences, workshops, and collaborative projects, in order to share their work and insights into the current state and future possibilities of digital art and activism.

Citation

DELAPPE, J., LEUZZI, L, BLACKWOOD, J., ZEĆO, M. and ZEILINGER, M. 2023. Digital art and activism: performance, protest, polities, technologies. Presented at the 28th International symposium on electronic art (ISEA2023): symbiosis, 16-21 May 2023, Paris, France. Hosted on YouTube [online]. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyF1oQ3hIGQ

• Presentation Conference Type: Presentation / Talk
• Conference Name: 28th International symposium on electronic art (ISEA2023): symbiosis
• Start Date: May 16, 2023
• End Date: May 21, 2023
• Deposit Date: Nov 22, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 22, 2024
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Keywords: Digital art; Social activism; Artist networks
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2584791
• External URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyF1oQ3hIGQ