View source for Scientific and Artistic, Utopian and Critical Visions on Energy


* 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)."



[[Category:Articles]]

[[Category:Energy]]

[[Category:Latvia]]
[[Category:Art]]