Art of Decision: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Raising Awareness of Active Citizenship
Symposium:
Session Title:
- Art and Activism in Digital Age
Presentation Title:
- Art of Decision: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Raising Awareness of Active Citizenship
Presenter(s):
Venue(s):
Abstract:
In recent years, developments in Irish society have made clear that the health and stability of Irish democracy is of growing concern to politicians and citizens alike. As in other countries, Ireland experiences significant levels of voter apathy, increasing immigration and increasing diversity around moral, religious and ethical perspectives. This concern has led to a need to address what it means to be a citizen in Ireland and in 2006, the Taskforce on Active Citizenship was established to look at the current state of citizenship and ways to facilitate greater engagement of citizens in all aspects of life. Among other recommendations, the Taskforce suggested that innovative projects to raise awareness and interest in Active Citizenship should be supported and promoted, projects in which community development and Active Citizenship are presented as something attractive, real and personal and that could spark public debate and interest.
The Art of Decision, a research project and interactive multimedia exhibition designed to raise awareness of Active Citizenship, explores the possibilities that creative applications of multimedia and technology, in combination with an artistic approach and aesthetic sensibilities, offer for the development of new innovative approaches and responses to the Taskforce recommendation. In order to explore citizenship, it draws from citizenship theory and social research methods, in combination with multimedia and technology and used in an artistic way, to create a novel mixed-method interdisciplinary approach to art creation and offer new ways to engage citizens. Multimedia, used in an artistic way offers new ways to enliven the presentation of factual information and in combination with social research methods, is used to present participant-authored content on Active Citizenship.
The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to travel through 9 interactive multimedia rooms that present opinions and ideas about power and decision-making from a variety of research participants in an engaging, theatrical way. Contributors’ ideas are presented alongside statistical information in a meaningful and innovative fashion using sound, film and interactive installations. The technology also facilitates visitors to contribute their ideas to Art of Decision as it evolves in the space and in future research. artofdecision.net Art of Decision documentary
