Scientific and Artistic, Utopian and Critical Visions on Energy

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  • Volume: ENERGY. Scientific and Artistic, Utopian and Critical Visions. Acoustic Space. Issue No. 8


Contents

Rasa Šmite and Raitis Šmits:

"The publication covers a broad scope of topics under 4 main sections:

Section I, INFORMATION AND ENERGY, sets the tone with the article by Eric Kluitenberg, where the author addresses the current imbalance between mobility and sustainable immobility under the pressure of the unfolding energy crisis and in the context of a history of media technology. Julian Priest introduces the perspective of physics in reevaluating the concepts of information and energy. George Papanikolaou and Vasilis Kostakis give consideration to information-energy networks from the perspective of distributed or Peer-to-Peer (P2P) energy production and its socio-economic aspects.

In Section II, CHANGING THE FUTURE LANDSCAPE OF SUSTAINABILITY, Michel Bauwens describes how political, economic, and social systems today are transforming themselves into distributed networks, and offers a conceptual framework for “P2P theory”. Lina Dokuzovic´ introduces an artistic interactive game for a conceptual deconstruction of the current unsustainable and unstable capitalist system. Emergent online network practices are the context for Andrew Gryf Paterson to explore connections between rural traditions and contemporary projects of voluntary cooperation.

Section III, ENERGY IN NATURE AND SOCIETY, features Ludger Hovestadt, Vera Bühlmann and Sebastian Michael, who turn to the topic of convergence of information technology and energy technology contributing to the development of a possible future global energy network and the rethinking of the human condition. John Reshaur Enevoldsen gives an elaborate account of the unique example of Samso/ – Denmark’s Renewable Energy Island; whereas Jegan Vincent de Paul introduces his concept of human grid – a socio-economic energy network with decentralized sources of production and distributed points of use.

Section IV, SCIENCE AND ART OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, includes two articles about Latvian science: Janis Kleperis, Liga Grinberga, Imants Dirba and Ilze Klepere discuss hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, and introduce their research on hydrogen technologies in Latvia, whereas Ingrida Šahta, Ilze Balti"a and Juris Blums present their research on smart clothing manufacture with an integrated cooling system that operates with energy produced by solar cells. The artistic essay by Bartaku offers a futuristic vision about the transformation of a displaced giraffe in a city zoo, harvesting its energy for healing and protecting the citizens against harmful energy weapons. And lastly, Rasa Šmite and Raitis Šmits investigate and analyze diverse artistic approaches in dealing with energy issues of the recently founded Renewable Network.

The main sections are accompanied by an Appendix, which contains interviews with Renewable Network artists and provide visual introductions to their projects, and their quests for a sustainable future."

Excerpts

Introduction

Rasa Šmite and Raitis Šmits:

"In nature, energy is found in many different forms – kinetic (avalanches), motion (wind), sound (thunder), water (rain), thermal (fire), electrical (lightening), magnetic (Earth’s magnetic field), radiant (light), etc. Energy is involved in all processes that take place in the Universe and on Earth. Energy makes change.

In human society, energy is the most essential resource driving its economy and its future development. Now, in the 21st century, as it has turned out, human society with its information technologies needs more resources to sustain its development then ever before. Yet, the currently used forms of terrestrial energy production and most methods of energy generation known to man today have turned out to be finite, non-sustainable, posing serious danger to climate, people and the environment.

Creative ideas and new approaches today are requested in nearly all fields of knowledge production, while the sustainable development of both energy and information technologies have become the key issues of the present. Smart devices and energy internet, clean and renewable energy resources, alternative and ecological design and production methods, open source and hybrid approaches to information technologies – these are just a few of the broad potential quests that could change the future landscape of sustainability.

Addressing issues of sustainability in relation to energy and information technologies, the Energy conference of Art+Communication festival took place in Riga in October 2009, co-organized by RIXC and MPLab of Liepaja University. Outcomes and achievements of the Energy conference serve as the conceptual framework for this publication. Following the theme of Energy, this issue views different social and cultural aspects of energy within contemporary human society and investigates the notion of sustainability from various perspectives – artistic, scientific, technological, architectural and environmental.

Building on the notion, proposed at the Energy conference, that saving-the-world scenarios can be successful only if people from different fields become more susceptible towards new ideas and new collaborations, this issue of the Acoustic Space journal aims to become a cross-disciplinary platform for innovative thought bringing together the results of both scientific and artistic research.

While scientific research papers serve as a solid ground for this publication, artistic explorations stake out their own methods, directions and boundaries of investigation. Their results cannot be judged by universal, ahistorical standards. Validation can only take place through a social process. Although the journal is primary oriented towards academic writing it also encourages innovative styles and allows for a variety of formats.

In this volume scientists and artists, academic researchers, media theorists, social scientists, activists and other lateral thinkers introduce their scientific and artistic, utopian and critical visions on future terrestrial energy."


Other Selections

Other selections:

  • George Papanikolaou, Vasilis Kostakis. AN ESSAY ON P2P ENERGY POLICY

(Džordžs Papanikolao, Vasiliss Kostakiss. ESEJA PAR VIENADRANGA ENER"IJAS POLITIKU)

See P2P Energy


  • Michel Bauwens. THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF PEER PRODUCTION.

(Mišels Bauenss. VIENADRANGA RAŽOŠANAS POLITISKA EKONOMIKA)

See: Vienadranga Razosanas Politiska Ekonomika


  • Andrew Gryf Paterson. CONNECTIONS BETWEEN RURAL AND ONLINE COOPERATION IN FINLAND

See Rural Cooperation and the Online Swarm and: Interview with Andrew Gryf Paterson by Rasa Smite, October 10, 2010 (via e-mail)

Source

"The print journal, Acoustic Space, initially was founded in 1998 by E-Lab / RIXC (Riga) as a bilingual publication (in English and Latvian) for new media culture and creative explorations within the digital networked environments and electro-acoustic space.

Since 2007 Acoustic Space comes out as a peer-reviewed (refereeing) international journal for transdiscplinary research on art, science, technology and society. It is published by MPLab (Art Research Lab) of Liepaja University (Liepaja, Latvia) in collaboration with RIXC, The Centre for New Media Culture (Riga, Latvia)."