Tuesday 29 November 2011

Justice Precinct


Image: Carolyn McKay

As part of my preliminary research, I spent this morning at the NSW Parole Authority in the Justice Precinct. I went there to observe video link appearances of inmates - to see firsthand how the video conferencing system works and how it looks in courtrooms. A whole new world was revealed as men appeared from correctional centres across NSW, their image multiplied on the many courtroom screens. I have filled my notebook with observations that will inform my draft ethics application, and give me more content to contemplate.

Wednesday 23 November 2011

LOCK-UP EXHIBITION


I Was Here
The Lock-Up Cultural Centre


25 November - 11 December 2011
I’ll be exhibiting a video work in this group show:
“This exhibition celebrates the enormous contribution made to the Lock-Up Cultural Centre by the Artist-in-Residence Program. In the past five years, over 65 creative practitioners: artists, dancers, musicians, writers, poets and architects have resided in the AIR residence and responded to the unique environment of The Lock-Up. They have contributed greatly to the enrichment of the Newcastle arts community, through exhibitions, lectures, workshops and performances.”

It's always great to exhibit my work in The Lock-Up which was a police station in Newcastle from 1861-1982.

Thursday 17 November 2011

Violence Studies








Next year, the University of Newcastle is hosting its inaugural Violence Studies conference. According to the website, they are calling for papers (due 1 May 2012) from a wide range of academics including anthropology, art, history, international relations, law, literature, psychology, philosophy, political science and sociology.


Specific themes may include, but are not limited to:
  • Concepts of violence
  • Representations of violence (in art, literature, and film)
  • Ritual group violence
  • Political violence and terrorism
  • Violence and liberation
  • Violence and sexuality and sexual politics
  • Violence and gender roles
  • Domestic service and violence
  • The history of interpersonal violence
  • Atrocities of war (including the collection of body parts and war trophies)
  • The language of violence
  • Race, class, civil rights and violence
  • Collective violence
  • Vengeance
  • Religion and violence
  • Violence against civilians (war/colonization)
  • Traumatism

Monday 14 November 2011

Facing Forwardhttp://www.facingforward.nl/


FACING FORWARD
Art & Theory from a Future Perspective
Lecture series 
December 2011–April 2012 


Oude Lutherse Kerk
Spui 411 (corner Spui)
Amsterdam



This lecture series considers horizons of the unknown, the discourse of the future and asks "What does it mean to look forward, to speculate, to extrapolate? Is it possible to develop a vision of the future outside these well-worn paths of utopia and dystopia?" 
A publication is forthcoming as well:
Facing Forward: Art & Theory from a Future Perspective


Forensics

I must track down a copy of Cabinet and the next issue with a special Forensics section:


Friday 11 November 2011

Politics of CCTV: trajectory and directions

Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed-circuit_television

On Monday 14 November 2011, a (free) seminar concerning CCTV and it's ubiquitous role in our everyday lives is being held at Sydney Law School. Keynote speaker is Dr Gavin Smith of Sydney University's Surveillance of Everyday Research Group (http://surveillanceandeveryday.com/)

For more information and registration, check out:
http://sydney.edu.au/news/law/457.html?eventcategoryid=35&eventid=8363

Monday 7 November 2011

Arts in Society Conference 2012

How exciting - an overseas conference looms!
I've had an abstract "Visualising the Posthuman Courtroom" accepted for the Seventh International Conference on the Arts in Society to be held at Liverpool John Moores University, UK.
A couple of other 'buddies' have also had their abstracts accepted so looking forward to a strong contingent of antipodeans.



Anakhronismos


Following on from my last post, I'm putting together a video screening at Bondi Pavilion 27 January 2012 and I'm calling it: 


αναχρονισμός Anakhronismos ΑΝΑΧΡΟΝΙΣΜΟΣ

meaning backward + time.

Video Shoot

Last Friday I had a short and successful video shoot with actor, Barry Shepherd being a judge delivering fictitious convictions and sentences for me. With my very minimal direction, Barry instantly began delivering his lines in a most judicial manner and we got through in one take!

Here are a few HD video stills:




This digital video will form part of another shoot I'm undertaking in December in a disused courthouse. The final work will be 'premiered' in the Anakhronismos screening that I'm curating in January 2012 at Bondi Pavilion.

Sunday 6 November 2011

Combatant Status Review Tribunals, pp. 002954-003064: A Public Reading

If only I was in New York next week then I could see this performance.
On 12-13 November at MoMA, there will be a 4 hour reading of unedited transcripts from 18 Combatant Status Review Tribunals held in the US military prison camp, Guantanamo Bay 2004-5. Artists include:


Andrea Geyer, Sharon Hayes, Ashley Hunt, Katya Sander, and David Thorne


http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/1214

Tuesday 1 November 2011

The Pleasure of Research!


I'm always interested in considering what it means to research through and with artistic practices.
This is a new book where Henk Slanger proposes that artistic research is "a temporary autonomous activity focusing on the intellectual pleasure of an experimental method and an implicated form of artistic thought."

http://www.artresearch.eu/

Forensic Aesthetics

While the latter part of the 20th century may have been labelled the "era of the witness", the 21st century privileges forensics. This forum considers the aesthetic dimensions of forensics: form, presentation, delivery and theatricality.
http://www.veralistcenter.org/currentprograms/?p=2854
http://www.veralistcenter.org/currentprograms/?p=2841 
These links provide:

"Etymologically, forensics refers to the “forum,” and to the practice and skill of making an argument before a professional, political, or legal gathering. Forensics has always been part of rhetoric, but its domain includes not only human speech but also that of objects. In forensic rhetoric, objects can address the forum. Because objects do not speak for themselves, there is a need for “translation” or “interpretation” – forensic rhetoric requires a person or a set of technologies to mediate between the object and the forum, to present the object, interpret it and place it within a larger net of relations."