Chris Joseph

1. Lost Highway at the Young Vic

2. Caribou at Scala

3. Portishead at the Brixton Academy

4. Joanna Newsom at Somerset House

5. West Side Story at Sadler’s Wells

6. Candide at ENO

7. Ethiopiques at the Barbican

8. Cildo Meireles at the Tate Modern

9. “The Revolution Continues” at the Saatchi Gallery

10. Heiner Goebbels “Stifter’s Dinge” at P3

1. Portishead - Third

2. The Futureheads - This Is Not The World

3. Santogold - Santogold

4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

5. Benga - Diary of An Afro Warrior

6. Yann Tiersen - Tabarly

7. CSS - Donkey

8. Beck - Modern Guilt

9. Dengue Fever - Venus On Earth

10. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

http://www.MySummerVacation.org

To end the year, a lovely new piece by Alan Bigelow - as usual, great usability and visuals, and a very clever use of whispered vocals to accompany the written text that I found encouraged much closer listening than with with normal spoken word.

From the author:

“My Summer Vacation” is about the death of a young boy at a summer resort. This digital story uses five characters, and their separate narratives, to examine the same event from different points of view. The order in which the characters appear–user prompted from an animated menu–results in different narrative geographies, and different ways of reading the same work.

This piece is created in Flash and uses images, videos, and audio files acquired online, and modified by the artist. A credits page is included in the work.

1. There Will Be Blood

Brilliant performances, wonderful sprawling story, fantastic soundtrack, beautiful photography… what more can you ask for?

2. The Baader Meinhof Complex

One of two films based on non-fiction (and German) stories in my top 10 this year - a fascinating study of the terrorist group. Beautifully shot and acted, and totally absorbing despite being two and a half hours long.

3. Iron Man

The brilliant casting of Robert Downey Jr, and the fact that it didn’t take itself too seriously (see #5) made this the perfect summer popcorn movie. And from a director whose previous high point was the Will Ferrell vehicle Elf.

4. Speed Racer

Criminally underrated, in my opinion - the Wachowski brothers on top form again. OK, so the story may be simple (and if I was young I’d much rather watch this than the tedious The Golden Compass), but even so there are many lovely touches (John Goodman’s ninja/nonja joke still makes me laugh, though I accept that might be a personal thing). More importantly the visuals are like nothing else I have seen, or probably will see again for some time, thanks to the critical drubbing. Perhaps a film to be filed alongside other visually-innovative comic and graphic novel adaptations like 300, Ang Lee’s Hulk and Sin City.

5. The Dark Knight

Obviously the year’s biggest film, in terms of media and box-office success: one of those rare films that becomes a true event. I’m a huge fan of Christopher Nolan and his reinvention of the Batman franchise, though I still prefer Memento to either of his Batman films. I loved The Dark Knight on the big screen, but thought it lost something watching it at home again on DVD, hence the #5 placing.

6. Burn After Reading

The Coen Brothers do it again. After the brilliant but dark drama No Country For Old Men, they come out with this idiosyncratic comedy, a very modern farce for our cynical and information heavy age. All the major players - George Clooney, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt and Tilda Swinton - are great, but Malkovich stands out for his bilious CIA officer (”You’re part of a league of morons!” quickly become a personal favourite phrase).

7. Somers Town

Far too much was written about the funding source for this film (Eurostar), and this slightly eclipsed the fact that this is a lovely story and another fantastic film from one of Britain’s best young directors. The young Thomas Turgoose (who was in Shane Meadows previous This Is England) is again incredibly natural and believable in the main role.

8. The Counterfeiters

Karl Markovics is superb in the role as a criminal forced to work for the Nazis in a concentration camp. The film manages to be uplifting despite the bleak topic.

9. Elite Squad

A fascinating portrayal of Brazilian crime and corruption in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. It wasn’t particularly well reviewed, perhaps as a result of the inevitable controversy around the film creating too many preconceptions.

10. The Orphanage

I’m not usually a horror film fan, but this is more at the ghost story rather than bloody end of the genre. Incredibly creepy and suspenseful. My only problem with it is the M. Night Shyamalan effect, where the great twist somewhat spoils repeat viewings.

Review of François Coulon’s The Reprover, by Claudia Cragg.

[click to switch between voyeur/DIY mode]

inspired by Multi-Color Circle Pattern

flash source/font: circulusinprobando.zip (39KB)

Call for entries
Deadline: 2 March 2009
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VideoChannel - video project environments
http://videochannel.newmediafest.org

is looking for “one minute films and videos” on the theme “memory ” and “identity” for an online feature and future screening programs.

Please find the entry regulations and form on http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=447

CALL FOR PAPERS - special issue of Learning, Media and Technology
issue theme: Learning in Virtual Worlds
Edited by Jeremy Hunsinger and Aleks Krotoski

Virtual worlds are learning worlds.

There is substantial evidence that people learn in virtual worlds. While most learning in these spaces is informal, existing outside the school curriculum, formalised learning environments have also been developed in textual worlds, MOOs, MUSHes, MUDs and multi-media spaces like ActiveWorlds(R), Second Life(R), World of Warcraft (R) to support educational goals in primary, secondary, higher and lifelong learning contexts.

The extensive writings on virtual reality and virtual worlds over the past four decades have covered the breadth of the phenomena and experiences of learning via CMC in these situated spaces; this call for papers seeks scholarship that builds upon and extends those accounts. We seek research that deals with learning and research in social networks or among friends, learning through play, learning through artistic creation and learning in unconventional virtual realities. We seek papers that examine learning or modes of learning that occurs in unexpected ways.

For example, workshops have been transformed with the inclusion of new materials, like clay or other art equipment, encouraging participants to express themselves through different modes of communication. Such physical practices mirror the opportunities afforded in virtual environments, increasing potential outcomes by breaking down borders of expression, creating a place for play, and expanding discourse. We seek research that aims to capture similar alternative practices in learning within virtual worlds.

While all forms of scholarship and research are welcome, we prefer theoretically and empirically grounded study in the social or behavioral sciences. We seek a special issue that exemplifies methodological pluralism. The use of visual evidence and representations is also encouraged.

Submission guidelines:

This special issue is edited by Jeremy Hunsinger and Aleks Krotoski. Please contact them at jhuns[at]vt.edu and akrotoski[at]yahoo.com to discuss your submissions. The editors welcome contributions from new researchers and those who are more well-established. Submitted manuscripts will be subject to peer review.

Length of papers will vary as per disciplinary expectations, but we encourage papers of around 6000 words. Short discussion papers of 2000 words on relevant subjects are also welcomed for the ‘Viewpoints’ section. Learning, Media and Technology submission guidelines and referencing styles will be followed [see: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/17439884.asp]

The guest editors will consider papers received by March 15, 2009. Fewer than 10 papers will be accepted. The special issue will be published in early 2010. Please send papers to jhuns[at]vt.edu, clearly indicating that your submission is for the Special Issue on learning in virtual worlds.

Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent:
An exhibition at HTTP Gallery in London by Doron Golan and Michael Szpakowski.

Private View 7-9pm Fri 16th January 2009
Open 16 January - 1 March 2009
Fri-Sun 12noon-5pm
Unit A2, Arena Design Centre,
71 Ashfield Rd,
London N4 1NY.
http://www.http.uk.net/

Collaboration is working together. Can two people work together without ever having met? Doron Golan and Michael Szpakowski demonstrates that they can…

Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent:
The exhibition takes its title from Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus by the philosopher of language Ludwig Wittgenstein. It explores a collaboration between two artists across geographical distance through the ineffable language of image.

Israeli video artist and filmmaker Doron Golan and British artist, composer and educator Michael Szpakowski both make digital films, which they share through websites and email lists, exploring the mystery of everyday life and of being a human in this place and time. Over the years, the two artists have developed a dialogue and friendship through the exchange of their work. Since 2005 they have collaborated to found and curate DVblog.org, a groundbreaking early platform for art films on the Internet. And yet they’ve never met face to face.

HTTP Gallery in North London is pleased to host the first meeting between Golan and Szpakowski and their art, in real space. Making their online collaborative process physical, the central installation has three elements: a new silent film by each of the artists with a new musical composition by Szpakowski. Bearing their shared sympathies in mind, the artists have independently determined the length and subjects of their films. As a result, the correspondences and resonances between the works are as yet unknown, and will change constantly. The collaborative installation will be accompanied by elements of their independent practices, including a new installation by Szpakowski utilising video and silver birch branches and a selection of Golan’s recent videos, engaging with elements of life in the Middle East and his native Israel, to which he has returned after many years living in New York City.

For more information about the exhibition & artists:
http://www.http.uk.net/exhibitions/golan_szpakowski/index.shtml

Location Details:
http://www.http.uk.net/docs/gettingto.shtml

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HTTP Gallery based near North London’s thriving Green Lanes area is London’s first dedicated gallery for networked and new media art. Working with artists from around the world, HTTP provides experimental approaches to exhibiting artworks simultaneously in physical and virtual space, and for online projects that explore participative and collaborative art practice. Projects on DVD, real-time, webcast, software art and live art also play a role in their curatorial work.

Past Exhibitions:
http://www.http.uk.net/docs/exhib12/exhibitions12.shtml

HTTP Gallery is run by furtherfield.org
http://www.furtherfield.org

INTERACTIVOS? Lima’09: Magic and Technology
International Project Development Workshop

Deadline for entries: February 15, 2009
Call for collaborators: March 6, 2009

Medialab-Prado and the Cultural Center of Spain in Lima (Peru) issue a call for the presentation of projects to be developed within the INTERACTIVOS?’ Lima’09: Magic and Technology workshop, to be carried out in Lima from April 13 through 28, 2009.

The aim is the selection of a maximum of 8 proposals for the development of software pieces and interactive installations that propose a rethinking of the usual scenario in magic tricks. The workshop proposes to explore the use of open hardware and software tools in a collective and interdisciplinary manner in order to create technological prototypes with success in the Media from different perspectives: playful, creative and critical. The call is aimed at artists, magicians, engineers, musicians, programmers, designers, architects, hackers, psychologists, etc.

Contact: interactivos (at) medialab-prado.es
More information: http://medialab-prado.es/article/interactivos_lima08_magia_y_tecnologia

Organizers: Cultural Center of Spain in Lima (AECID) and Medialab-Prado (Madrid City Council)