Borders, Boundaries & Liminal Spaces was originally conceived to be an extension of our concept of the new media center. It also seemed logical to have a conference about liminal spaces inside of one. Truly, the conference afforded us an opportunity to interrogate the space more thoroughly. Aside from the specifics of the topics covered (remains, the body from within and without, present and future, and the manipulation of the system) the conference was particularly enlightening with respect to the engine of Second Life and communication within that medium.

Conference in Second Life at Ars Virtua

Panelists:
Laura Jones (J0E Languish for this presentation only)
Renée Ridgway (Chloe Mahfouz)
Brad Kligerman (Kliger Dinkin)

Moderator
James Morgan (Rubaiyat Shatner)

The session was intended to look at the nature of what is left behind by a culture, people or civilization through the lens of an archaeologist, architect and artist. Laura manages to find a new discipline in the archaeology of the virtual, but one that is different in its essential character but not in its essence. Archaeology will still be about putting together incomplete pieces but the pieces will now be recorded bits of data. Brad focuses on the crossing of the threshold into the synthetic environment. He chooses to consider what is left behind in the transition. Renée considers history through visualization and story telling. She reconstructs the metaphoric narrative based on the bits and bobbs of text that refer to events. She also shows us a cultural perspective based entirely within a familar land.

The CADRE Laboratory for New Media, an interdisciplinary academic and research program dedicated to the experimental use of information technology and art will publish Switch 23, ‘Function//Border//Dysfunction’, featuring the ‘Borders, Boundaries & Liminal Spaces’ conference.

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