[Air-l] Call For Papers: “The Synthetic Aesthetics of New Media Art”

[Carolyn L Kane]

Call For Papers:

“The Synthetic Aesthetics of New Media Art”
Presented by The New Media Caucus in Association with the College Art Association
February 20–23, 2008, Dallas, TX
http://conference.collegeart.org/2008/

Contrary to traditional aesthetic theories that argue for the primacy of either the subjective and phenomenological, or formal and objective interpretations of artwork, the aesthetics of electronic media, like the logic of technical media itself, is thoroughly removed from anthropomorphic sensibility. One could say that electronic media aesthetics are marked by technical trauma.

However, much contemporary new media art criticism exemplifies a hermeneutic approach that seeks to rationalize and transform work into intelligible “art objects” for canonization and social theories. Is this approach problematic for the logic of technical media? Can certain attributes such as color, form, affect, or sound, effectively reconcile computer based artwork with the subjective and humanistic drives in art making?

The panel invites papers that address the aesthetics of New Media art in distinction to previous aesthetic models or media platforms. For instance, papers suggesting the ways in which color, sound, line, form, symbolism, affect, anti-aesthetics, or ideology may be distinct to new media aesthetics are all welcomed. Essentially the panel inquires: what do aestheticians address in New Media art, and why? Which artists and / or commercial work do you think best exemplifies these issues? Special attention will be given to those abstracts that are concerned with the use of color in New Media work.


• Timeline: Abstracts (max 500 words) and a brief bio due by October 1, 2007. Presenters will be notified by October 15, 2007. Final Papers due February 1, 2008. Send abstracts and papers to: clk267 at nyu.edu

•Format: Presenters can propose brief lectures; media or artist presentations of their own, or other artists’ work; discussions; or other acceptable suggestions.

Contact me with any questions:
Carolyn Kane:  clk267 at nyu.edu

For CAA conference information visit: http://conference.collegeart.org/2008/