Matthew Fuller, 3 May, Aarhus

The arrangement with Matthew Fuller has two parts: 1) workshop and 2) lecture. Both are open and free, but for the workshop registration is necessary.

1) Software Studies Workshop

In "Behind the Blip", Matthew Fuller called for a cultural criticism of software, which he began as a software artist already with The Web Stalker in 1997, a piece of speculative software preparing the viewer/user for a critical interrogation of software. He has continued this with his latest books and projects, e.g. "Media Ecologies" (MIT-Press, 2005), the forthcoming pamphlet "Softness: interrogability; general intellect; art methodologies in software" and the forthcoming Software Studies Lexicon. Others have joined in on the work, e.g. Lev Manovich has called for software studies, software art has emerged as a category with runme.org and the read_me festivals, Free and Open Source Software and the debates over copyright and intellectual property has furthered the recognition of cultural aspects of software, and within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) there is a growing awareness of aesthetic and cultural aspects.

Still, it is a field in formation and there are still reasons to discuss the questions, which "Behind the Blip" begins with: "[W]hat kind of critical and inventive thinking is required to take the various movements in software forward into those areas which are necessary if software oligopolies are to be undermined? But further, how are we to develop the capacity for unleashing the unexpected upon software and the certainties which form it. Second, what currents are emerging which demand and incorporate new ways of thinking about software?"

Consequently this workshop will be discussing a future (?) field of software studies:

a) object(s)?
b) methods and theories?
c) outcomes, effects, applications?

The Workshop will take place 3 May at IT-Parken, Ada 018 , Åbogade 34 from 9.30-13.00 incl. lunch (map: http://alex.daimi.au.dk:8080/ereception/browser.jsp?s=turing%20130, directions: http://www.imv.au.dk/eng/people/findway ). The workshop is open and free, but registration is necessary to Søren Pold, pold@multimedia.au.dk as soon as possible and no later than 30 April . Max. number of participants is 15.

For preparation read the "Softness..." pamphlet available here: http://www.interfacekultur.au.dk/enhed/aktiviteter/fuller/fuller_softness

2) Lecture at Æstetisk Seminar

Release Your Inner Geek

A Materialist Aesthetics of Software

Software is largely seen as a question of realized instrumentality. Software is seen as a tool, something that you do something you do with. Such a conception can be seen as something that blocks a real and more inventive engagement with its particular qualities and propensities. This lecture will follow some recent projects by artists and others to develop an aesthetics of digital objects and the grammars of their conjunction and differentiation.

Wednesday 03.05.06, 14.15

Aarhus Universitet, Kasernen, lecture room 124

Langelandsgade 139

8000 Århus C

Mathew Fuller is currently Reader in Media Design at the Piet Zwart Institute, Willem de Kooning Academie, Rotterdam. He is author of ATM; behind the Blip, essays on the culture of software; Media Ecologies, materialist energies in art and technoculture and the forthcoming pamphlet, Softness: interrogability; general intellect; art methodologies in software ( available here: http://www.interfacekultur.au.dk/enhed/aktiviteter/fuller/fuller_softness ) . He is a regular collaborator with the artists group Mongrel.