Spectators in Kosice were for the first time able to see the display of best student works of new media studios from Slovakia and the USA. The aim of the festival called „New media explorer“ is to survey and present this new and not very well-known area of fine arts. The exhibition in the East-Slovakian Gallery, which is ending right now, approved the attractiveness of new media.
New Media Explorer is the name of the first year of the international New media festival which took place from 1-5th October, 2008 in the East-Slovakian Gallery in Kosice. The exhibition of best student works of new media ateliers from Slovakia and the USA was prepared not only for those interested in new forms of digital fine arts. Slovakia was represented mainly by works of the New Media Studio of the Faculty of Arts in Kosice (curated by prof. A. Tretter), as well as artistic outputs of the Department of Audiovisual Arts of the Academy of Arts in Banska Bystrica (curated by M. Murin, M.A., D.A.), and also student works of the Department of Intermedia at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design (curated by Doc. Anton Cierny, Doc. I. Németh and Doc. A. Daucik).
A public video projection which presented contemporary trends in video art was the essential part of the exhibition. In an over one hour video loop, the national video frames alternated with those of New York, Texas, California universities and the University of San Francisco students. Short video arts by Abby Kaplan and short film by Jillian Glantz called „Two minutes“ had a suggestive effect. Melaney J. Schmidt unbashfully invited everybody to her tomorrow´s birthday with her small work of art.
Spectators were able to „try“ some of interactive digital installations of students of Kosice upstairs. Among the most impressive ones were an interactive sten-gun by Matej Papik, with which a spectator, after charging the gun and pushing the trigger, generates 2D patterns with antiwar theme, and a kinetic work of Juraj Sasak called „Genesis“, in which the author amusingly and functionally used inflatable fitballs.
The authors of the idea of New Media Point and its „subhead“ in the form of the first year of the New Media Explorer festival – Tomas Marusiak and Michal Murin place hopes in thix exhibition to highten the interest in new media art. The well-known American video artist and pedagogue Skip Blumberg also graced the event, which took place under the auspices of the American embassy in Bratislava, with his presence. His public lecture in which he presented the part of his work together with works of contemporary American artists, was held yet before the ceremonial opening of the exhibition.
The project authors also prepared the internet portal www.nmpoint.com, which is a virtual analogy for the exhibited works and will live its own life until next year´s festival. The fact that a part of the exhibition will be presented from 6th October, 2008 in Banska Bystrica and from 9th October, 2008 in Bratislava, also approves the importance and dimension of this event. For further information as well as the survey of exhibited fine art works, see www.nmpoint.com.
Spectators in Kosice were for the first time able to see the display of best student works of new media studios from Slovakia and the USA. The aim of the festival called „New media explorer“ is to survey and present this new and not very well-known area of fine arts. The exhibition in the East-Slovakian Gallery, which is ending right now, approved the attractiveness of new media.