ISEA2014: 20th International Symposium on Electronic Art

Woodman Taylor
Carlos Guedes
Stefan Messam
Colleen Quigley
Tina Sleiman
David Howarth
Matthew Dols
Ayyub Hamilton

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a location with exquisite contradictions. Its location not only provides a place with world-renowned architecture, but also boasts its development along the waters, its original trading ground. The 20th International Symposium on Electronic Art weaved local UAE traditions and history into the global context of new media science, art and technology. ISEA2014’s over-arching theme of “Location” references the nature of where the UAE positions itself. It is a major transfer hub, a meeting place where dreams can happen, but greater yet, a place for innovation and change.

The symposium explored eight subthemes: Speculative Mediations; Technology, Science and Art: East Meets West; Emerging Economies/Emerging Identities; Nomadic Shifts; Digital Archaeology and Collaborative Spaces; Interlacing Worlds: Fiber and Sensory Mediation; Nomadic Highway/Bridging Media and Connecting Worlds/Linking Ideas. Themes were specifically chosen with both local importance and international relevance and the results continue to resonate both near and far. The subthemes framed the nomadic symposium that ranged in research questions, but were built with discussions on how we navigate place with breadth of community engagement and new technologies.

ISEA2014 was a unique and fruitful experience for presenters and attendees. Conference and keynote presentations, along with exhibitions, brought site-specific relevance, with a cross-over exchange of ideas, including student participation which made the location of Dubai unique. It was an opportunity to access a wide range of ideas that can contribute to future goals and development.

Speculative Mediations

The media play a primary role in our perceptions of the world around us. It can be argued that in some ways the media helps to create the world around us. What is our role as new media artists and manipulators? How do we engage in the world around us through the media? How do we move beyond speculations and get to the truth? Should we disclaim our personal bias within our work? If so, how?

Technology, Science and Art: East Meets West

From the very zero that makes possible the binary data that the information age is built upon to the recursive geometries of Arabesque patterns, the long history of mathematical, scientific and artistic contributions from the Arab world is well known. Within the context of the current state of geopolitical flux, speculation is solicited with regard to the contemporary and future balance of technological progress between East and West with prospects for trans–global cooperation and project collaboration.

Emerging Economies/Emerging Identities

Dubai has been the emerging economy to watch over the past 15 years. Both the unprecedented triumphs and dramatic overreaches have played a role in shaping identity and in many ways the reverse is also true. How has the course of emerging economies like Dubai’s at the turn of the 21st century played into the identity of the developed world and in the world that has yet to emerge? In what way has this influenced the work of artists?

Nomadic Shifts

The rich history and cultural identity of the Emirati people is closely tied to nomadic lifestyle. Microclimate, geography and biology of the region are the generative cause of the nomadic life of the Bedouin. Today, the idea of the nomad has taken on a multitude of diverse connotations with new generative causes. How do these new notions of nomadic existence affect the practice of new media art?

Digital Archaeology and Collaborative Spaces

Digital tools and applications are being used to recreate lost communities and to better understand spatial and cultural histories. In architecture and planning, virtual worlds create the opportunity to push the boundaries of materials and concepts (chaos, uncertainty, responsive environments) — that may or may not be realized. How does this practice impact the evolution of social systems? How has this practice influenced education and collaborations across disciplines?

Interlacing Worlds: Fiber and Sensory Mediation

Trading states along the Silk Road, by their nature as wealthy cross – cultural meeting points, played a catalytic role in advancing the evolution of luxury or exotic goods. In nomadic societies, fabrics — whether for clothing or housing — were developed from products in their surrounding environments. Today, technology has advanced to allow fibers and fabrics to engage upon our senses through optics and feedback response. The rich history of and the future possibilities for the influence of textile and related materials by digital technology are explored.

Nomadic Highway/Bridging Media

Social networks have played a pivotal role in today’s communication system. The Internet and other digital media are indispensable in the effort to illuminate and advance the public discourse on complex social themes and political systems. This theme provided a forum for the exploration of the future of social media in art and its potential influence on the evolution of social ecologies.

Connecting Worlds/Linking Ideas

As professors try to provide a better learning platform for students, to diversify their subject matter and engage interdisciplinary platforms, this theme focuses on the connection between art and science in the classroom. With the world ever more connected, how can educators embrace new technologies to create new and stimulating ways to link ideas and cultures around the world. Can art that has been developed by new intersections with science and technology lead to a new visual culture that link people and their ideas instantaneously, crossing all borders?

ZAYED UNIVERSITY CREATIVE OPERATIONS TEAM

Executive & Artistic Director: Janet Bellotto
Program Director: Yunsun Chung-Shin
Public Space Program Director: Adina Hempel
Program Manager: Joanne Renaux
Program Producer: Christian Rubino
Program Assistant: Lina Suarez, Luciana Campoli
Community Partnership: Karen Oremus
Content Editor: Omar Ahermouch
Administrative Staff: Nada AlMansoori, Hanan AlGarni
Interns: Maitha Al Qamzi, Aisha Al-Shaheen, Afra Majed, Shamma Ali, Maryam Al Bastaki, Asma Abdullah. Afra Majed, Afra Majed, Aisha Abbasi, Aisha Alshamsi, Aisha Ismail, Aisha Moh’d Al Marri, Alunood Al Jasmi, Alya Sultan, Amna Al Marri, Amna Albanna, Amna Almurr, Amna Alnajjar, Amna Khamis Al Mehairi, Asma Khoory, Asma Nader Fikri, Aysha Al Kitbi, Aysha Khalid Almari, Bayan Abdulsalam, Doaa Almarzooqi, Elmira Al Awadhi, Eman Samir, Fatima Al Helei, Fatima Saleh Alattar, Fatma Al Marshda, Fatma Almulla, Fatma Khalifa Humaid Khamis Bakhit, Fatma Obaid Al Falasi, Fatma Qurwash, Fatmah Abdulla Al Falasi, Hafsa Al Shamsi, Hamda Almarri, Hamda Saeed, Hemian Al Serkal, Hend Al Hathboor, Hessa A Dallal, Hessa Alfaheem, Hessa Almarri, Hiba Al Midfa, Jawaher Ali, Jawaher Mohamed Yousef, Jawaher Mohammed Aljoker, Jenan Abdulsalm, Kaltham Al Sharid, Khadija Alhumairi, Khawla Suleiman, Khulood Mustafawi, Lamiya Al Khayat, Latifa Salem Al Hemeiri, Madiya Nasser Alsaalty, Maha Mohammed Rahmani, Maha Mubarak Abdulla, Mahra Aleghfeli, Mahra Khalifa, Maitha Al Marri, Maitha Alromaithi, Mariam Albastaki, Mariam Mahmoud, Mariam Naser Al Khanji, Maryam Abbas, Maryam Abdulla Al-Falasi, Maryam Abdulrahman, Maryam Ahmad Al Suwaidi, Maryam Ali, Maryam Alzarouni, Mira Abdulsalam, Moaza Al Ameri, Mona Salim Alghufli, Moza Al Kitbi, Naila Khalifa, Najla Khalid, Nama Al Tunaiji, Roquiya Essa, Roudha Almarri, Sara Abdulbasit Merdas, Sara Abdulla, Sara Ghareeb, Sara Omar, Sarah Belhoul, Shaikha Alkhayyal.

ACADEMIC CONFERENCE TEAM

Conference Chair: Thorsten Lomker
Conference Co-Chair: Marta Ameri, Adina Hempel, Brad Moody
Proceedings Co-Editors: Janet Bellotto, Adina Hempel, Woodman Taylor
Program Assistant: Lina Suarez
Conference Assistant: Omar Ahermouch
Student Assistants: Alia Abdalla Matar Salim Almheiri, Alia Buti Abdulla Garaiban Almheiri, Alia Mohammed Alblooshi, Alya Ali, Amna Mohammed Alsaleh, Amnah Aldhanhami, Ayesha Alhammadi, Ayesha Khalid AlMulla, Balqees Abdelrazaq Mohamed Alhussain Alhammadi, Fatima Akbar, Hamda Obaid Ahmad Alzarim Alsuwaidi, Hawra Abdulla Saleh Abdulrasool Al Shawab, Khulood Abdulla Saleh, Mohammed Al Saleh, Maha Mansoor, Mashael Saoud, Moza Ahmed Ali, Moza Al Rand, Munira Abdulla Gharib Juma, Shaikha Al Shamsi, Shaikha Hassan Almas Ali Mohammad, Shaikha Sultan, Alreem Al Rahma, Amina Al Mazrooei, Amnah Aldhanhani, Asma Malik, Ayesha Al Mulla, Fatma Al Marshda, Ghada Al Mutawa, Hamda Al Khazraji, Hend Mohammad, Hind Ahmed, Iman Mohammad, Khawla Obaid, Maitha Al Muhairi, Maryam Bin Humaidan, Moza Ahmed, Noor Shahab Sharif, Nour Al Harmoodi, Reem Al Awadhi, Rowdha Alsayegh, Ruqiya Essa Badri, Sara Alhammadi, Sara Yaqoob Ali Mubarak Al Hammadi, Shaikha Saeed Fayez Matar Al Khayyal, Shoug Alqasimi, Wedad Mohamed, Zahra Hassan.
Proof Readers:
Ann Swallow, Barnaby Priest, Brendan Duffey, Cynthia Weston, Elisabeth Stoney, Fasial Al-Attar, Joyce Choueri, Jesse Macpherson, Kara McKeown, Leon Chew, Michael Bowles, Peter Davidson , Marta Ameri, Omid Rouhani, Salwa AlRais, Wayne Jones, Woodman Taylor, Aisha AlShaheen.

WORKSHOP TEAM

Workshop Chair (AUH): Scott Conard
Assistant Chair (DXB): Rahul Malpure, Sabrina DeTurk, Sarah Lahti Faculty/Staff: Ayesh Ghanim
Interns: Zainab AlAnsari, Shatha Adel, Samah Rashid, Shatha Adel, Alia Alshafar, Alyazeya Abdulrahman, Asma Abdulla Al Kamal, Asma Ibrahim, Aunood Al Ali, Ayesha Buhannad, Basma Almazrouei, Bedoor Saleh, Fatima Ahmed, Fatima Saleh Hussain, Fatma Abdulla AlQurashi, Fatma Ahmad AlMarri, Fatma Khalid, Hamda Mohammad Butaweel, Haya Ahmed S Alshalan, Hind Ahmad Al Marri, Jawaher Mohammad, Khawla Sina Khoory, Lama Alamed, Maryam Saeed, Mira Ahmad AlMarri, Mira Ahmed, Mohammad Majid Al-Khazraji, Noora Ali Mohamed, Rouda Mohammad AlShamsi, Ruqaya Abdulkareem Mubark Alrasasi, Salma Khubaib, Sara Ibrahim, Sarah Abdulbasit Merdas, Shoug Al Redha.

PERFORMANCE and ELECTRONIC MUSIC PROGRAM TEAM

Chair: Woodman Taylor
Co-Chair: Carlos Guedes

EDUCATION INNOVATION TEAM

Education Innovation Director: Stefan Messam
Supporting Faculty: Colleen Quigley, Tina Sleiman, David Howarth
Interns: Hamda Al Ansari, Ahlam Salah, Alhala Ahmad Atiq Ahmad Al Marri, Alya Ali Rashed, Alya Ali Rashed, Budoor AlAqili, Faizah Ali, Faizah Ali Shanbih, Jassim Mohammad Albalooshi, Fatima Hamza, Fatima Khalid, Hamda Jassim Bukhamas, Jawaher Hasan Mohammed Hamaidan, Jumaanah Essayyid Elhashemi, Maryam Hareb Al Mehairi, Moaza Ahmad Mohamad Bakhit Al Suwaidi, Reem Saeed Juma Saifan Al Suwaidi, Shaikha Al Marzooqi, Shatha Adel AlKhumais, Shyma Esaa Al Mulla, Zainab Mohammed Al Ansari.

EVENT TEAM

Event Director: Matthew Dols
Supporting Faculty: Ayyub Hamilton
Interns: Maryam Saleh, Afra Emad Al Humaidan, Aisha Al Shamsi, Alhnouf Ahmed Alshallah, Alia Al Salen, Alia Khalaf Rashed Sultan Alkaitoob Al Nuaimi, Alya Nasser, Amal Salem Albakar, Amna Ahmad Khalfan Kharbash Al Marri, Amna Alawar, Amna Khamis, Amna Tayyeb Abdulla, Arwa Al Bastaki, Asmaa Hamad Hussain Alshaali Al Aleeli, Ayesha Abdulrazzaq Mir Ahmad Ameri, Ayesha Al Ali, Ayesha Tariq Mohamed Binkhadia, Ayesha Tayyeb Abdulla Alroken, Aysha Ahmed Alawadhi, Aysha Alawadhi, Aysha Alserkal, Basma El Qersh, Fatma Adnan, Fatma Mohamed Al Bastaki, Fatma Mubarak, Fatma Sayed Alhashimi, Hessa Kharbash, Hessa Mohammed, Khadija Salahaldin Alhaj Abdalla Abdelrahman Sharafi, Khawla Radhwan Mohamed Radhwan Al Ali, Lama Sami, Latifa, Latifa Alshehi, Mahra Hussain Alali, Mahra Salem Alkait, Maitha Jamal Alshamsi, Maryam Alsuwaidi, Maryam Khalid, Maryam Kherbash, Maryam Qassim, Mira Al Ghaith, Noor Hasan M Binladin, Reem Nasser Ali Mohamad Al Zaabi, Reem Waleed, Ruba Ahmed, Salwa Sultan Janahi, Sanaa Bin Khediya, Sara Abdulnasser, Sara Aljasmi, Sara Almatrooshi, Sara Bint Yousuf Alserkal, Sara Saif, Shamma Alkaabi, Sondos Hisham Mohammad Khalil, Wedad Mohamed.

DESIGN TEAM

Design Director: Nazima Ahmad
Senior Graphic Designers: Fatma Al Hassan, Maryam Bin Humaidan
Graphic Designers: Amna Al Tunaiji, Mariam Saifan, Amal Abdulaziz, Maha Yousif AlObaidli, Fatma Mohammed AlMazrooei, Khadija Salahaldin.
Publications: Osama Nasr, Cromwell Ojeda
Web Masters: Sarah Lahti, Daniel Echeverri
Graphic Design Support: Tina Sleiman
Website Programmer: Jimson Lee
Website Assistant: Ayesh Ghanim
Publication: Zayed University Books

MARKETING, PR AND SPONSORSHIP TEAM

Director: Dhalia Mahmoud
Photographer: Raja AbdulJabbar
Senior Media Relations Specialist: Mahmoud Moursi
Intern: Mariam Tahir

SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM

Social Media Director: Daniel Echeverri
Multimedia Designers: Maryam Al Mahri, Mariam Al Kamali, Khadija Al Mulla.
Interns: Khadija Al Sayegh, Amina Almazrooei, Marwa Zainal, Hend Mohammad, Latifa Al Dowais, Amina Almazori, Farida Mohammed, Hessa Al Mansouri, Khadija Al Sayegh, Latifa Hamad Mohamed Salem Al Dowais, Marwa Zainal, Noor Sharif, Sarah Esmail Moosa.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN DUBAI TEAM

Luis Castaneda
Flounder Lee
Brad Moody
Woodman Taylor
Hendrik Wahl
Rawan Marshoud
Ghada Kheir Bek
Elie Sawaya
Rim Ibrahim
Nabyl Chenaf

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF SHARJAH TEAM

Kevin Badni
Riem Ibrahim
Sunitha Kallai
Pramod Kumar
Razi Ahmed

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ABU DHABI TEAM

Judith Miller
Bana Kattan
Maya Allison
Samuel Faix
Laura Latman
Scott Fitzgerald
Carlos Guedes
Nils Lewis

ZAYED UNIVERSITY SUPREME COMMITTEE

Aliya Ali, Director of Convention Center
Bryan Gilroy, Assistant Provost and Campus Director, Chair, Supreme ISEA2014 Committee
Cromwell Ojeda, Graphic Design Specialist
David Kerr, Senior Retention Coordinator
Enas ElAgami, Special Projects Coordinator, Office of Campus Director
Faisal Al Othali, Manager, Administration and Protocol
Humaid AlShamsi, Senior Development Specialist, University Foundation and Community Relations
Istiqlal AlHosani, Finance Officer, Financial Services
Janet Bellotto, Interim Dean, College of Arts and Creative Enterprises
Karen Oremus, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Creative Enterprises
Manoj Jose, Video Editor
Maria Kennedy, Director Campus Services
Omar Ahermouch, ABP Instructor
Osama Nasr, Acting Director, Publications and Marketing
Priya Sridhar, Senior Administrative Officer, Office of the Assistant Provost & Campus Director
Rashid Khan, Interim Director, Computing Services Department
Riham Hwaidi, Director, Campus Physical Development Office
Shamirah Faleel, Video Editor
Whinney Antony, Web Designer, Marketing and Publications
Yunsun Chung-Shin, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Creative Enterprises

Additional Support

• Arwa Bukhash, Cherry Pablo, Maria Navarro, Peter Noel
• College of Communications and Media Sciences Students and Faculty, Zoe Hurley, Jack Frizzel, Campus Physical Development Office, Facilities and Security, Business Center, Campus Services Staff
• Marilyn Roberts, Acting Provost
• Mohsen Onsy, Associate Provost and Chief Academic Officer
• Michael Allen, Assistant Provost, Faculty Affairs and Research
• Stephen Tarantal, Founding Dean, CACE (College of Arts and Creative Enterprises)
• Livia DeBraganca, Executive Assistant
• Gemma Ornedo, Executive Secretary
• David Kerr, Senior Coordinator
• Mahra Salem Rashed AlKait, Zayed University
• Mauro Bellotto, ISEA2014 Music Theme
• Nina Colosi, Streaming Museum
• Hetal Pawani, thejamjar
• Elizabeth Monoian, LAGI (Land Art Generator Initiative)
• Michel Bechara, British Council
• Elodie Beaumont, Antoine Grund, Institut Français
• Antonia Carver, Art Dubai
• Alizee Sarazin, Dubai Moving Image Museum
• Lina Younes, The Animation Chamber
• Giorgio Ungania, Federica Busa, Lubna Haroun, Heather Shaw, Expo2020 Team
• Abdulla Yousuf, Carine Rizk, Margherita Giacobbi, ADMAF (Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation)
• Giuseppe Moscatello, Dana AlSadek, Maraya Art Centre
• Nasif Kayed, SMCCU (Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding)
• Alya Naomi, Aisha Biklhair, Salwa Mikdadi, Joseph Bihag, Karina Lance, Hind Khalid, DTCM (Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketin)
• Kevin Badni, AUS (American University Sharjah)
  
• Scott Fitzgerald, Carlos Guedes, NYUAD (New York University Abu Dhabi), Woodman Taylor, AUD (American University Dubai)

Janet Bellotto, Dean of the College of Art and Creative Enterprises introduces ISEA2014 from ISEA2014 on Vimeo.

Chloe Cheuk | Kenny Wong | Marco De Mutiis @ ISEA 2014 Dubai from Kenny Wong Chi-Chuen on Vimeo.

ISEA_Sunday_Nov2 from Hend on Vimeo.

ISEA_Monday_Nov3 from Hend on Vimeo.

ISEA_Tuesday_Nov4 from Hend on Vimeo.