--empyre- soft-skinned space--Hi Renate and all
Firstly - Happy New Year!
I have been thinking a lot about what are my goals and aspirations this year
and what make makes them different from other years.
For me, this years aspirations are really a continuation of a process which I
guess started around 4 years ago when I realised that I needed to bring my
different worlds together as an artist, educator and a government
advisor/strategist (AKA public servant).
This year brings new challenges - I have stated a Masters of Science where my
topic is exploring different knowledge systems and sustainability behaviour
change. My study is supported by my employer (I work in the Energy policy area
of the Australian federal government) and I hope to be able to actively work
with artists, Indigenous peoples, scientists and technologists on developing
this research.
I regards to my teaching work (I teach part time with a subject titled
Cross-Media Production). This year I am expanding the syllabus to include a
topic on environmental issues. This is also in consultation with my agency and
at the final presentations staff from the business areas (e.g. energy, waste,
threatened species) and from Public Affairs will come to the final
presentations and give students feedback. I am really excited about this as it
will expose talented emerging creatives to prospective employers. On the flip
side - my colleagues will see innovative work which uses a broad range of media.
For the past few years I have also been invoked with Intercreate and SCANZ in
NZ - I know a few of you have done residencies in Taranaki over the years. This
year we are doing a distributed model and there will be a number of SCANZ
events - in NZ, Canberra and the US. I am organising the Canberra event for
May/June this year and will be sending out a second call for participation soon.
Later this year I will be based in Norway for three months as an
artist-in-residence with Drammen Kommune. I am very much looking forward to
having this nice chunk of time to do some research and expand on my "Waters of
the Past" project which explores migration, ancestors and sea faring. Just to
keep the worlds connected, I have also started conversations with some people
in Norwegian government who have managed sustainability programs. Our plan is
to do some information sharing on program development/implementation.
Other than the above, I am resolved to not be destroyed by the mess that is
world politics and focus on what is possible at the level of the local. We are
fortunate to have quite a progressive government at the State level in Canberra
(the Australian Capitial Territory) and I hope to be able to be more involved
in City Farm - an organic community farm as well as lobby MLAs to develop one
in our area.
So if asked my goals for 2017 and beyond, I have two words - Connecting Worlds.
It is as simple as it is complicated.
All the best to everyone and hope you all have an amazing and inspired 2017.
Tracey
On 25/01/2017, at 5:51 AM, Renate Terese Ferro wrote:
> --empyre- soft-skinned space--
> Thanks Erin for your insightful post From Data Preserves to Dépense without
> Reserve” on Media Ecologies. Your resources are so much appreciated and a
> special shout out to Michelle Murphy and Patrick Keilty who organized the
> data rescue event.
>
> I have wanted to write this post to all of my fellow -empyre subscribers but
> have been delaying. So I will do it here and now. I have been wondering
> these past few months if -empyre- soft-skin space has run its course. Though
> we have a well documented archive
> http://lists.artdesign.unsw.edu.au/pipermail/empyre/
> that traces our history since January of 2002 it has become much more
> difficult to find participants willing to keep our community going. While we
> have many fans who lurk it has been difficult to find willing and able
> participants to organize topics, participate actively, sit on our Moderating
> Team, and other responsibilities that -empyre requires. As you know Melinda
> Rackham’s idea of an online listserv community laid the seeds for -empyre.
> Now close to 2000 subscribers there are many days when one or two of us keep
> things moving behind the scenes.
>
> -empyre need some vibrant helpers who are willing and dependable to keep it
> sustainable. Currently we have three others who sit on the Moderating Team
> including Tim Murray from Cornell University, Soraya Murray from Santa Cruz,
> and Derek Murray also from Santa Cruz. So this response that Tim made in
> early January, “to crank up the noise of the net by submitting your New
> Year’s resolutions against oppression, fascism, neoliberalism, and
> conservatism” goes out to all of you once again on not only the continent of
> North America but in Australia and England and Asia and everywhere else our
> subscribers are lur
