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News Bytes
The Digital Art Lab
The use of multimedia and computers has become standard in contemporary
visual arts. The Bag Factory's new Digital Art Lab (funded
by the National Lottery Distribution Fund)
will go some way towards bridging the First World/Third World digital
divide by offering effective, up-to-date services to artists particularly
via the wireless Internet connection which provides the artists with
faster download speeds.
The lab will also allow artists to maintain their personal web pages;
offering curators, critics, other artists and the public easy access to
their work.
The Digital Art Lab is likely to play a role in enabling arts
institutions in Johannesburg to work more
closely together. Plans to set up partnerships with others in the
cultural community are already underway. The Bag Factory looks forward to
working with the Johannesburg Art Gallery, the Wits School of the Arts and the University of
Johannesburg amongst others.
Wired and Online
The first in a series of computer skills training workshops took place in
the Bag Factory's new Digital Art Lab between November 2004
and January 2005. The course was conducted by Marc Edwards, Head of
Digital Arts at the University of Johannesburg, and covered
everything from word processing to editing Photoshop images and creating
PowerPoint presentations. Exploring both concepts and applications, Marc
aimed to offer artists a better understanding of the digital medium.
Further digital arts training courses (basic and advanced) are planned
for 2005. In addition to visual literacy exercises, artists will be
presented with local and international examples of creative interventions
using the digital medium.
Public Works at the Bag Factory
During April 2005 Inter 10, a group of students from the UK
based Architectural
Association School of Architecture, came to the Bag
Factory to attend a project led by Andreas Lang and Kathrin Böhm of Public
Works. They started work on an initiative at the Bag
Factory in conjunction with the Johannesburg architectural
community which included Thorsten Deckler and his team who specialise
in design projects for public spaces and institutions.
The Public Works concept lies in the relationship between
institutions that offer and govern public space, and the users of those
spaces.
"Our designs address and articulate the dynamics and agendas of
both groups; our aim is to find architectural solutions that bridge
interests of both groups."
Through consultation with the Bag Factory, their artists
and the surrounding community, Inter 10 reassessed the Bag
Factory's situation as a public art space within the context of a
rapidly developing area of Johannesburg. They explored
the issues of crime, social cohesion and regeneration in Johannesburg from the
perspective of the Bag Factory. Their resulting proposals
look at how the Bag Factory's immediate communities view
the building and its activities. They explored the spaces and the
structures of the Bag Factory and how these various
communities may find mutually beneficial activities.
"The Bag Factory is a building used by artists and we hope
that our residency will stimulate a discussion about art and its
architectural context and possible art/architecture co-operations with
regards to the building and the neighborhood."
Digital
Arts Workshop at the Bag Factory
Joshua Goldberg, New York based video
artist and VJ conducted a free workshop on using real-time VJ software.
After giving brief insight into various commercially based software he
presented, Dervish, software which he has written himself. The
workshop took place at the Bag Factory on June 11, 2005.
Rodent
in Residence
Also in the Digital department; media specialist Rat Western has joined our
team at the Bag Factory. She will be working on the newsletter and website as
well as devising workshops on various digital media.
Visiting Artists
The next group of Artists in Residence
has arrived at the Bag Factory. We welcome Vibha Galhotra from India and Ras Ishi Butcher and Ras Akyem-I Akin-Yemi Ramsay from Barbados. They will be
in residence from July to September. Patricia Kyungu from Kuona
Trust in Kenya will also be
joining us during this time and we welcome back Andreas Lang and Kathrin Böhm of Public
Works.
Bag Factory Artists' Exhibition
The Unisa Art Gallery in Pretoria will be hosting
an exhibition by the Bag Factory Artists. The show opens
on Wednesday 6 July at 18h00 and closes on Friday 26 August. The gallery
is open Tuesday to Friday from 10h00 to 16h00. For more information or to
RSVP for the opening please contact the gallery directly on 012 429 6823
or Ukun1@unisa.ac.za.
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