ACTION – REFLECTION

Conference on art, culture and social action strategies in new mediaspace.

November 22 – 23, 1998, Tallinn 

The aim of the conference was to bring about critical discussion of new media environment and its impact on art and culture. Within this new electronic media environment the cultural, social and political divisions are dramatically changing. Conference focused from one side on media strategies by artists, groups and social initiatives and from other side will seek to develop suggestions for cultural policies on national, international and transnational level.

“Partnership for Culture”, initiated by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in close co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and the Swedish Institute, takes as its point of departure the capacity of culture and cultural policy for promoting freedom of expression and diversity, democracy and common security. “Partnership for Culture” - for artists and intellectuals, with special emphasis upon the young, first and foremost from the Baltic Sea countries, together with Belarus and the Ukraine.

Conference consisted of several layers:
-papers and discussions
-presentations by artists
-screenings
-international exhibition “Medialization” 

Program:

The politics of cultural memory:
Eric Kluitenberg (Netherlands). “The Politics of Cultural Memory“
Tom Sandqvist (Sweden). “Art Meets New Challenges - The Problematic Use of Dichotomies in the Postmodern World”
Erik Van Der Heeg (Sweden). “Expanded Concept of Art. Critical and Technological Challenges”
Mark Soosaar (Estonia). “Open Channel as the Way to the Democracy”
Tapio Mäkela (Finland)
Ando Keskküla (Estonia)
Audrius Mickevicius (Lithuania). “Open Channel – Necessity for Minorities” 

Panel:

Toomas Lepp (Director of the Estonian Public Broadcasting TV), Estonia; Mark Soosaar, Estonia; Eric Kluitenberg, The Netherlands; Tapio Mäkela, Finland; Mari Sobolev, Estonia;

Presentations:

Nikola Suica (Yugoslavia). “Leon Koen, Painter” (video)
Raoul Kurvitz (Estonia). “Alternative Monetary Systems” (monetary experiment, video presentation)
Maciej Toporowicz (USA/Poland). “Campaign for Prozac” (video)
Hanno Soans (Estonia)
Joseph Bakstein (Russia)
Almira Ousmanova (Belorussia)
Mindaugas Gapsevičius (Lithuania)
Dmitry Golets (Ukraine)

Screenings: 

Mats Hjelm (Sweden)
Selection of video and net art works from French-Baltic-Nordic Video and New Media Festival, Tallinn 1998.