ICECA
Initiative for Cultural Exchange and Computer Arts
The
Initiative for Cultural Exchange and Computer Arts is a non-profit foundation
formed in 2001 and officially founded in 2002 to promote cultural exchange between Thai artists and new
media artists from around the world and establish the Center for Art and Media
(CAM Thailand) as well as a networked, public access New Media Art library. To date, ICECA has organised visits
from over 20 artists from Europe, Japan, Israel and Australia, and provided
accomodation during their stay in Chiang Mai. ICECA has conducted courses
at CMU in New Media Art, Animation, Special effects and special 3D software.
At
the present time this (New Media Art / Electronic Art) genre lacks its
own established forum in this geographical region (Thailand),
therefore, ICECA's main objective is to be a Center for Art and Media
for the growth of a supportive environment for this art form in the
region. ICECA, active over one year in Chiangmai, conductiong
regularily, free of charge workshops and lectures by visiting artists.
ICECA is maintaining its own independent network for international
Cultural Exchange.
ICECA
is the founder and major organizer of "Thailand's First New Media Festival" which took place in Chiang Mai in
cooperation with several partner institutions.
The Festival is planned to take place yearly, on the CMU campus
and is consisting of several simultanious exhibitions, conferences, art
film screenings and media art workshops.
ICECA
and the Chiangmai University Art Museum agreed to continue (and expand)
the New Media Art related activities of ICECA in a long term
collaboration with the Chiangmai University. A proposed 3 year
strategic plan is being developed for the Center for Art and Media
(CAM) which will include a Media Library, a Media Studio, The expansion
of the current Cultural Exchange Programs, an artistic Research Lab and
an exhibition space.
In addition to the Festival and the Center for Art and Media, ICECA
also act as hub and advisor for Thai artists who want to involve and
know more about the genre we are working for. One of our task will be
collecting and redistributing information, providing a link between
Thai and international media art events as well as publiser of new
media art related information in the Thai language.
A little about what we mean by 'New Media'
ICECA focus on New Media art. By new media art we mean art that
involves the use of electronics, computers and technology in any sense.
Art and open-end-research that utilize technology and that cannot be
shown, created or experienced without it. This can be anything from
investigation of new technology, experimentation with presentation
methodologies, installations controlled by computers, interactive
CD-ROMs, electronics sculptures, robotic art, projects based on
Internet or local network systems, etc. ICECA also supports innovative
concepts, philosophical discourse, inventions and art that is made by
non-electronic means and later transferred to digital or even analogue
media e.g. non-interactive computer animations on videotape, prints of
digitally manipulated photographs or artistic research publications.
ICECA
has formed cooperative links with young and also with well known media
artists and instututions such as Goethe Institute (Munich and Bangkok),
Academy of Media Art, Cologne (KHM), Academy
of Fine Arts Prague, New Media Department (AVU),
Zentrum fuer Kunst und mediatechnologie, Karlsruhe (ZKM),
and Epson Inc. ICECA also works with art groups and independent organizations
such as MBC directed by German art film
curator Michael Brynntrup, AudioVisions programme (Austria), Bootlab (Berlin),
and travellab.net.
In
recognition of its success in producing the Frist New Media Festival, CMU
has requested ICECA to plan next year's Festival. The CMU Art Museum has
also requested that ICECA participate in the new Design Center in the CMU
Art Museum.
The
Director of ICECA is Mr. Francis Wittenberger
<email>,
Tel. +66 09 954 1719 |
