Topic of the month: Remote

[Chris Byrne]

Fellow ambiteers,

Without wishing to self-aggrandise New Media Scotland projects on the list, could I nevertheless suggest for November a discussion around the ideas and issues arising from the Remote project? http://www.mediascot.org/remote

I am aware that a number of <ambit> folk were present at Monday's Remote Forum at the Fruitmarket Gallery. Some of you may even have seen the Remote exhibition at Iona Gallery, Kingussie. Also most of the artists involved are on the list. It might be interesting to share impressions of the project.

Despite the interior of the Fruitmarket' lower gallery feeling like a fridge for much of the day, the Forum event was, for me at least, both stimulating and enjoyable. I'm wondering if others share this view or not? Likewise the artists' works and ideas explored during the project as a whole - what did you make of them?

As an aide memoire, I include below the original questions which the artists and the Forum event attempted to address.

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- To what extent is 'rural' a romantic idyll constructed to fulfil the needs of the urban?
- What historical and contemporary evidence is there that the 'rural' is 'remote'? Is there a deep-seated belief that rural arts should be expressed through traditional forms and not new technologies?
- What role has popular culture played in the creation of an image of the future which appears to be almost wholly urban?
- Is there the perception that digital culture expresses 'urban reality' better than 'rural fantasy' and where does this stem from?
- Can new technologies render the idea of remoteness obsolete?
- Is it possible to work too far from the urban infrastructure?
- Are new technologies 'neutral' or do they bring with them preconceptions of content and if so, are these location specific?
- Where are the future technologies located?

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Chris Byrne [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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New Media Scotland tel: +44 131 477 3774
P.O. Box 23434, Edinburgh EH7 5SZ fax: +44 131 477 3775
Scotland, UK http://www.mediascot.org
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