Lucid Networks — Sporadic Correlations

OVERVIEW This year Chronus Art Center (CAC) opens its Lab for a new three-month research and creation fellowship. This program is designed to host international practitioners of extraordinary talents in the area of new media art, in order to produce new work at the Chronus Art Center (CAC), Shanghai, China. The 2019 Fall Research and Creation Fellowship aims to foster global exchange while advancing the discourse and practice of new media art, and contribute to CAC’s research and educational mission as well as the institution’s future collection. LUCID NETWORKS — SPORADIC CORRELATIONS Digital networks of different scales and intent sustain and depend upon each other. A variety of expressions transmitted and mediated via networks are facing a multitude of crisis; Post-truth, saturated uniformity of aesthetics, addictive consumption, fragile sense of intimacy and safety on and offline. The overwhelming relational complexity amplifies the paradox of a blind ecosystem, proving it difficult to imagine how far and to what extent our connections reach. Beyond trivial primary links lurks an opaque wilderness often positively connoted as ‘going viral’, where phenomena emerge from basic interactions, uncontrollably inflate and feed back onto us’. Networks accumulate autonomy beyond rational grasp; Metaphors of omniscient spanning mesh, they circumvent, thread, and connect. Practically however, digital networks are defined by tangible, interconnected stacks and nodes. From data and cable distribution centers, routers and switches, personal and home devices, to sensors quantifying ‘users’ and their preferences, faces, heartbeats, and fingertips. Identifying and claiming those strategical points of interest becomes crucial in leveraging net volatility and our agency as part of the ecosystem. What happens at the other end(s), every time a data packet request triggers? How can a quiz of a free smartphone mini game help elect a president? Why do vacuum cleaners share floor plans of homes? Can we accidentally or deliberately confuse a network, and how would it treat us based on such confusion? ‘Lucid Networks — Sporadic Correlations’ invites to not only manifest critique but ‘walk on network’, inhabiting the digital intersections thanks to which peculiar connections take place. The call prompts artists, designers, and practitioners working with artificial intelligence and machine learning, open data, ‘internet of things’, social media, and related fields. The projects should aim at but not limit themselves to investigating individual-to-large scale data flows, neural networks and deep learning, their potentials and biases, net intimacy and social media frictions, and how to champion individual and collective control over digital dependancies rather than abandoning them. ELIGIBILITY • This fellowship is open to all nationalities and creative backgrounds. • Applicants should be able to use English as working language. • Applicants must not be currently enrolled in degree-granting academic programs, with the exception of PhD candidates who are aiming to develop research within the scope of the fellowship. • Applicants are expected to show demonstrable success in previous development of related projects at this scale. • Individuals and collectives are invited to apply. In either case, please make sure to specify how technical and creative responsibilities will be met. Please note that same funding conditions apply independently of the number of applicants. The selected Fellow will be expected to work at with the Research and Creation team, engaging in a range of activities and actively contributing to the CAC community. The activities might involve leading research initiatives, educational and public engagement programs, and developing current or future research strands for the organization. Projects including their prototypes, work-in-progress, and documentation, will be open to public at the Chronus Art Center. FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT This Fellowship is a chance for international artists and researchers to engage and learn from the creative, technological, and entrepreneurial communities of Shanghai. The selected Fellow will be offered a total amount of $10,000 for a 3-month period, including artist fee, living expenses, and materials. In addition, the fellow will be granted access to our lab facilities and tools. These include but are not limited to: ‘OPTITRACK’ motion capture system, two ‘Oculus Rift’ VR headsets, laser cutter, 3D printer, band saw, sander belt, drill press, manual and prototyping tools, a soldering station along with a variety of electronic components. For international Fellows CAC is happy to provide the supporting paperwork (official letter of invitation) and assist in the process of securing a visa, travel bookings and finding accommodation in Shanghai. All the expenses must be covered from the amount provided by the fellowship. During the three-month program, CAC will work closely with the selected Fellow to see their project realized and offer program support in developing work for performances, events, seminars, exhibitions, or other public and educational programming for the period of the Fellowship. CAC will also facilitate joint presentations alongside community partners, host conversations with the artists and showcase their work in progress shedding light on the creative process. APPLICATION GUIDELINES Please fill out the online application form and submit it along with the required attachments via http://fellowship.chronusartcenter.org. Incomplete or email-sent submissions will not be taken into account. Proposals should include: • A clear description of the envisioned idea • Conceptual background • Technical framework and specifications • Sketches, renders or other relevant audiovisual materials. • Preliminary production timeline • Budget allocations. Taking into account CAC’s potential interest to showcase the results of the Fellowship as part of the public program, projects will be expected to be completed or presented as advanced working prototypes by the end of the Fellowship. EVALUATION CRITERIA Applications will be reviewed and the final decision—including interviews—will be made by CAC’s International Advisory Board comprised of leading scholars, artists, and museum professionals. Acceptance will be based on the overall quality of the proposal and its potential to contribute to CAC_LAB’s broader research endeavors. Apply via: http://fellowship.chronusartcenter.org/ For further inquiries, please email .