Call for proposals

Center for Global Studies (Academy of Sciences and Charles University)
http://cgs.flu.cas.cz/
International Centre for Art and New Technologies (CIANT)
http://www.ciant.cz
and Prague Biennale 3
http://www.flashartonline.com/pg_PRAGUE_BIENNALE3.htm

invite you to send proposals for the conference on the interplay between
art, culture and technology and issues of globalization and international
cooperation:

Glocal & Outsiders
(part of the Prague Biennale 3)

Prague, 13. and 14. July 2007

Since the mid 1990's biennial exhibits in cities such as Johannesburg,
Istanbul, Melbourne, Havana, Sao Paulo and other expanded the art world's
institutional context beyond any imagination. Art became a new global
spectacle which exposes various cultures and nations to an international
audience. Asian contemporary art has become something like a fashion and
museums are being built at an increasing rate in Asia as well as throughout
South America with new collectors popping up all over the world. Parallel
to this, art also incorporated emerging technologies and developed various
interdisciplinary relations to science and industry. Technological
innovations and artistic creativity joined forces in various new media
festivals and events which brought new and very diverse groups and interests
into play. Technology and globalization also changed the economic
infrastructure of the art world. Internet services such as artprice.com
allow artists to showcase their work to a very broad audience of
international collectors which fund the contemporary art boom. On the other
hand, many artists use the distributive and peer to peer properties of the
internet to experiment with new economic models.

Artists, critics, curators but also buyers are part of these global and
technological exchanges and it is not clear yet whether these
interdependences, integrations and interactions lead to reduction in
diversity, to assimilation or to hybridization:

What are the challenges artworld is facing in the time of globalization and
increasing technologization? How to balance cultural interests and local
scenes with global opportunities and art with technological innovations? How
to view the interplay of art and globalization in the context of complex
economic, trade, social, technological, cultural and political
interrelationships? How does art reflect upon globalization: does it support
intercultural and transnational ideals or it is indifferent to claims of
geography, history, and identity? How does it resist and how does it
support globalization? Do new institutions and technologies allow us to
enjoy and experience art from different cultures or they unify them? What
new forms of artistic and technical exchanges are taking place? How does
international cooperation help emerging fields of art? How can new
technologies expand the social, economical, cultural and artistic aspects?
What are the limits or possibilities on the technological level to build art
projects that improve international cooperation? Do emerging technologies
and art institutions support cultural diversity or they level it?

We are calling for proposals by cultural theorists, cultural historians,
museum experts, art historians, art curators and experts of other
disciplines. Any program formats (papers, roundtable discussions, media
presentations etc.) are welcommed.

Proposals should include the following items:
1. Preliminary abstract, 150-300 words.
2. CV with e-mail address, phone and fax numbers.

Please send them by June 5, 2007 via e-mail to: Denisa Kera (kera AT
ff.cuni.cz) and Aurelie Besson (aurelie AT ciant.cz)