fineArt forum: How an international online news service can aid the digital cause?

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fineArt forum How an international online news
service can aid the digital cause?

• Nisar Keshvani
• http//www.keshvani. com
• nisar_at_keshvani.com
• editor-in-chief, fAf http//www.fineartforum.org
• lecturer, Ngee Ann Polytechnic
  http//www.np.edu.sg

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Scope of Presentation

• fAf Background/History Readership
• What is fAf?
• fAfs role in the art/tech world
• How does fAf exist?
• What you as an artist can do to promote your
  work?
• fAf screening program
• fAfs future
• QA

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History

• First issue May 1987
• Originated in back room of founder - Ray
  Lauzzanas office
• Began as the network news service of the Arts,
  Science and Technology Network (ASTN).
• Existed as an online Internet bulletin board

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History II

• Launched as an online service in mid-year 1993
  using a Gopher based server
• Based in Mississippi State University till 1992
• Paul Brown on professorship _at_ MSU brought it to
  Australia
• January 1, 1994 began its present World Wide Web
  format.
• 1997 in-house publication of QUT Communication
  Design Program
• It has become the longest running arts magazine
  on the Internet

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Readership

• Approx 84 000 hits annually
• 1 500 unique subscribers
• Highly regarded by the international professional
  art/tech community
• Accessed by many educational establishments
• Arts organisations (like the Getty Foundation,
  Christies, Xerox PARC)
• arts and computing publications (as a feeder for
  news and feature material).

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What is fAf?

• Available in two formats (free subscription)
• Monthly e-digest
• HTML (online version)
• E-digest text version emailed to subscribers
  before magazine is online
• Carries events, opportunities, developments in
  field
• Stuff, Reviews Online gallery is unique to web
  version

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fAf Index
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Reviews, Stuff Gallery Section

• Critical reviews of international exhibitions,
  conferences, events
• Stuff new websites, projects, and exciting
  developments
• Gallery Showcase of artists works (Stelarc,
  Young Hae-Chang, Fats Lasay, Wang Peng)
• Trophies of Honor Art Chronicles of Indigenous
  Peoples

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fAfs role in art/tech community

• Is a crucial news feed for practitioners, news
  providers, newcomers to field
• Presents the latest in a digestible format
• A pro-active policy towards diversity of
  representation.
• Avoids Eurocentrism and supports growing Asia
  Pacific by offering priority to them.

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How does fAf exist?

• Maintained by volunteers (15 QUT students)
• Excellent exposure for young people to work on a
  live intl news service
• Exists with support sympathetic organisations
• Australia Council for the Arts (funding 00-01)
• Mississipi State University
• Arts, Science and Technology Network
• Leonardo-ISAST (France)
• QUTs Communication Design program
• SIGGRAPH Singapore Ngee Ann Polytechnic

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What you as an artist can do to promote your work?

• Develop original concepts/ideas/works
• Dont be afraid to present your unique cultural
  works
• Dont adopt a foreign style if you dont want to
• Take advantage of Internet to showcase/promote
  your works

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What you as an artist can do to promote your work
II?

• Collaborate with local/foreign artists
• Send out announcements about your work
• Join mailing lists to keep updated of latest in
  the field
• Tap available resources fAf, Rhizome, Leonardo

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What is fAfs Screening Program?

• In celebration of fAfs 15th anniversary in 2002
• A compilation of works (digital, film, video)
• 14 International artists Taiwan, Malaysia,
  France, Australia, Singapore
• Works from emerging artists with a cultural
  perspective
• Co-premier in DMF2001 MAAP (Australia)
• Travel to various festivals close with the 15th
  Singapore Intl Film Festival in 2002

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fAfs Achievements

• In Sept, formed a collaboration with ISEA to
  distribute fAf to its members
• Closer ties with organisations SIGGRAPH
  Singapore, Leonardo, MAAP etc
• Exhibit work of emerging talented International,
  Australian Indigenous, Asia Pacific artists in
  its online gallery

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fAfs future

• Long-term plans
• Setting up a mirror site in the Asia Pacific
  region
• Establishing closer ties with arts organisations
  in the region
• Launching a commemorative 15th Anniversary CDROM
  in 2001
• Possibility of making fAf Program annual

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QA

• Subscribe to fAf http//www.fineartforum.org/abou
  tus/subscrip.html
• http//www.fineartforum.org - MSU (US) server
• http//www.cdes.qut.edu.au/fineart_online - QUT
  (Australian) server
• http//www.np.edu.sg/knh
• http//www.keshvani.com
• http//www.np.edu.sg
• http//www.qut.edu.au