ARS Electronica
Interviews from openX 1999
By Paula Poole
The theme of ARS Electronica 1999, the venerable art festival's twentieth year, was "Life Science". The venues for art were the Brucknerhaus (openX), which focused on network media, the OK Center which housed conceptual installations, and the Ars Museum of the Future which focused on high-toy-factor artworks such as the famous CAVE. There were also numerous outlying venues, such as installations in the Haufplatz in Linz, as well various scattered performance spaces committed to such events as cockroach racing. I attended the "openX" presentations at the Brucknerhaus, and was able to interview the following artists. Each interview begins with a brief description of the work. "openX" was organized and curated by August Black.
Rachel Baker @ irational.org (Art of Work)
Olia Lialina @ teleportacia.org
Usman Haque @ DreamTech International
Also included in openX 1999 were: C5 Corporation, Fakeshop, B92 Radio Belgrade, TeleZone, Laura Bellof, Margarete Jahrmann & Max Mooswitzer of Konsum LinX3d, Radio FRO, net.radio OZOne/E-LAB/Xchange, Sound Drifting: I Silenzi Parlano Tra Loro, and the TNC Network.
Special thanks to Brett Stalbaum, Geri Wittig and the artists of openX