Synopsis

Shanghai eArts Festival 2009 presents three projects: “eARTS BEYOND – Shanghai International Gallery Exhibition of Media Art”, “Fantastic Illusions – Media Art Exhibition of Chinese and Belgian Artists” and “New Media Archaeology – Research Project”. The festival theme “System Updating” reviews the history of the development of new media art by selecting and exhibiting important documentation from representative media art institutions, highlighting the activities and achievements of new media art practice, including the fields of professional/public education, museum exhibitions, the construction and development of archives, as well as the fields of urban development and individual video documentations that operate within a wider public sphere. These two parallel approaches cover multiple dimensions of new media art and its connection to society, and form the basis for a series of lectures, conferences, and exhibitions. Shanghai eArts Festival 2009 aims to provide a comprehensive and intellectual model of new media art practice through reviews, exchange, discussion, and display. Simultaneously, the complex cross-breeding of knowledge, information, resources, and distribution systems will be analyzed，reflecting inherent challenges within the system and creating the possibility for a system update.
In addition, the theme “System Updating” also provides a glimpse into the new direction that Shanghai eARTS is taking to pursue sustainable future development. Shanghai eARTS has upgraded its technical infrastructure and is advancing as a highly competitive organization with more comprehensive new media art programs planned after this year’s festival.