| Both sides previous revision Previous revision Next revision | Previous revision Next revisionBoth sides next revision |
| foam_newsletter_summer_2014_draft [2014-07-22 13:29] – alkan | foam_newsletter_summer_2014_draft [2014-07-22 14:25] – nik |
|---|
| | ====FoAM Newsletter - Summer 2014==== |
| | |
| | |
| <html> | <html> |
| | |
| | <p><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/14717256365" title="balloons by foam, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5572/14717256365_a1d3f16dde_c.jpg" width="800" height="402" alt="six memos"></a></p> |
| |
| <p>The earth’s unstoppable orbit around the sun, combined with the obliquity of the ecliptic, are two astronomical facts that we at FoAM Brussels find impossible to ignore. It is due to their combined effects that we now experience “summer” in the northern hemisphere, and we very much hope you agree that this is an excellent excuse to bring you our latest, summer newsletter. In the following digital pages we’d like to share some updates about our intensive explorations of futures and interstitial cultures, our cultivation of the edges between food and the environment, and everything that’s been happening on the home front as we continue to develop our unique hosting culture. We invite you kick back with your beverage of choice and enjoy this update – irrespective of the precession of the equinoxes or nutation of the earth’s axis.</p> | <p>The earth’s unstoppable orbit around the sun, combined with the obliquity of the ecliptic, are two astronomical facts that we at FoAM Brussels find impossible to ignore. It is due to their combined effects that we now experience “summer” in the northern hemisphere, and we very much hope you agree that this is an excellent excuse to bring you our latest, summer newsletter. In the following digital pages we’d like to share some updates about our intensive explorations of futures and interstitial cultures, our cultivation of the edges between food and the environment, and everything that’s been happening on the home front as we continue to develop our unique hosting culture. We invite you kick back with your beverage of choice and enjoy this update – irrespective of the precession of the equinoxes or nutation of the earth’s axis.</p> |
| |
| <p><i>Terwijl de FoAM-studio in Brussel onder (naar Belgische normen) hittegolftemperaturen zijn zomerreces ingaat, leek het ons een goed moment om een overzicht te maken van onze activiteiten gedurende het laatste half jaar. Naar goede gewoonte zijn dat er nogal wat geweest. We hebben ze onder vier hoofdingen geplaatst, zo’n beetje onze belangrijke huidige actie- en denkterreinen. In het Nederlands heten ze iets als: toekomsten, culturen in de tussenruimte, eetbaar groen, de kunst van gasten te ontvangen. In het Engels klinkt dat allemaal een stuk beter.</i></p> | <p><i>Terwijl de FoAM-studio in Brussel onder (naar Belgische normen) hittegolftemperaturen zijn zomerreces ingaat, leek het ons een goed moment om een overzicht te maken van onze activiteiten gedurende het laatste half jaar. Naar goede gewoonte zijn dat er nogal wat geweest. We hebben ze onder vier hoofdingen geplaatst, zo’n beetje onze belangrijke huidige actie- en denkterreinen. In het Nederlands heten ze iets als: toekomsten, culturen in de tussenruimte, eetbaar groen, de kunst van gasten te ontvangen. In het Engels klinkt dat allemaal een stuk beter.</i></p> |
| | |
| |
| <h3>Experimental futures</h3> | <h3>Experimental futures</h3> |
| <p>A few months later in Porto (this time on mainland Portugal) we explored another interstitial topic – the elusive “Third Culture”. In a <a href="http://lib.fo.am/future_fabulators/xcoax_workshop">scenario workshop</a> and pre-enactment at the xCoAx conference we hosted a group of artists, designers, theorists and technologists while asking ourselves, “What does the Third Culture look like?” The resulting speculation provoked considerable intrigue, personal insights, bemusement, and several interesting conversations, and we hope some of this energy will continue to resonate with participants long after our departure.</p> | <p>A few months later in Porto (this time on mainland Portugal) we explored another interstitial topic – the elusive “Third Culture”. In a <a href="http://lib.fo.am/future_fabulators/xcoax_workshop">scenario workshop</a> and pre-enactment at the xCoAx conference we hosted a group of artists, designers, theorists and technologists while asking ourselves, “What does the Third Culture look like?” The resulting speculation provoked considerable intrigue, personal insights, bemusement, and several interesting conversations, and we hope some of this energy will continue to resonate with participants long after our departure.</p> |
| |
| <p>Across l'Arc Manche the newly incorporated <a href="http://fo.am/kernow/">FoAM Kernow</a> is a living example of an interstitial or Third Culture. Dave Griffiths & Co have a whole series of citizen science projects on the boil. From instilling algorithmic literacy in schoolchildren in <a href="http://fo.am/code-club/">Code Club</a> to designing a flurry of science-based games like <a href="http://fo.am/project-nightjar/">Easter Robot Nightjar</a> and <a href="http://fo.am/blog/2014/06/04/bumper-crop/">Bumper Crop</a>, Dave is putting his creative and programming skills to a good use in a range of contexts and cultures, from the UK to India. He recently also co-authored with Till Bovermann the article “Computation as Material in Live Coding,” published in the spring issue of MIT’s <i>Computer Music Journal</i> and following up several longstanding interests in the areas of live coding, algorithmic composition, and genetic programming. While acknowledging that academic papers are valuable contributions to knowledge, we were at the same time enthused to read Amber Griffiths's recent <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/jun/16/diy-labs-exciting-alternative-university-science-research">article in The Guardian</a>, a plea for breaking down boundaries between disciplines and a call for non-academic, practice-based research labs.</p> | <p>Across l'Arc Manche the newly incorporated <a href="http://fo.am/kernow/">FoAM Kernow</a> is a living example of an interstitial or Third Culture lab where they have a whole series of citizen science projects on the boil. From developing algorithmic literacy in schoolchildren in <a href="http://fo.am/code-club/">Code Club</a> to designing a flurry of science-based games like <a href="http://fo.am/project-nightjar/">Easter Robot Nightjar</a> and <a href="http://fo.am/blog/2014/06/04/bumper-crop/">Bumper Crop</a>, Dave Griffiths is putting his creative and programming skills to use in a range of contexts and cultures, from the UK to India. He recently also co-authored with Till Bovermann the article “Computation as Material in Live Coding,” published in the spring issue of MIT’s <i>Computer Music Journal</i> and following up several longstanding interests in the areas of live coding, algorithmic composition, and genetic programming. While acknowledging that academic papers are valuable contributions to knowledge, we were at the same time enthused to read Amber Griffiths's recent <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/jun/16/diy-labs-exciting-alternative-university-science-research">article in The Guardian</a>, a plea for breaking down boundaries between disciplines and a call for non-academic, practice-based research labs.</p> |
| |
| <p>At FoAM we have more than a decade of experience in such boundary-crossing, hands-on exploration, and if there are any bibliometrics refugees out there looking for a home, feel free to contact us. In fact, we have one such “refugee” from the mainstream biotechnological research currently in transience at FoAM in Brussels. <a href="http://fo.am/macrotransiency-michka-melo/">Michka Mélo</a> is spending a year at FoAM reconfiguring his life and conducting a range of experiments at the interstices of bioengineering and gardening. At the other end of the bioengineering spectrum, we recently hosted speculative designer <a href="http://fringejoyride.com/2014/04/23/bioluddites-with-foam/">Lisa Ma</a>, whom we assisted in her creation of a speculative movement she calls the <a href="http://lib.fo.am/bioluddite_charter">Bioluddites</a>…</p> | <p>At FoAM we have more than a decade of experience in such boundary-crossing, hands-on exploration, and if there are any bibliometrics refugees out there looking for a home, feel free to contact us. In fact, we have one such “refugee” from the mainstream biotechnological research currently in transience at FoAM in Brussels. <a href="http://fo.am/macrotransiency-michka-melo/">Michka Mélo</a> is spending a year at FoAM reconfiguring his life and conducting a range of experiments at the interstices of bioengineering and gardening. At the other end of the bioengineering spectrum, we recently hosted speculative designer <a href="http://fringejoyride.com/2014/04/23/bioluddites-with-foam/">Lisa Ma</a>, whom we assisted in her creation of a speculative movement she calls the <a href="http://lib.fo.am/bioluddite_charter">Bioluddites</a>…</p> |
| |
| <p>Aside from formal hosting sessions, we continue to welcome people in our studio in Brussels for informal gatherings. In the spring we began hosting <a href="http://fo.am/blog/2014/07/17/library-salons/">library salons</a>, which have seen a diverse and highly entertaining crowd make an appearance who have never failed to surprise in their selection of reading matter. These salons are low-key public events where each of us choose a passage to read from one of the books in our library. The unplanned connections and parallels that have emerged from these sessions often made them feel like serendipitous study groups on life, the universe and everything in-between. Our next salon will be held in September, with Rebecca Conroy of <a href="http://thelibrarium.org/">The Librarium</a> as a special guest. We are looking forward…</p> | <p>Aside from formal hosting sessions, we continue to welcome people in our studio in Brussels for informal gatherings. In the spring we began hosting <a href="http://fo.am/blog/2014/07/17/library-salons/">library salons</a>, which have seen a diverse and highly entertaining crowd make an appearance who have never failed to surprise in their selection of reading matter. These salons are low-key public events where each of us choose a passage to read from one of the books in our library. The unplanned connections and parallels that have emerged from these sessions often made them feel like serendipitous study groups on life, the universe and everything in-between. Our next salon will be held in September, with Rebecca Conroy of <a href="http://thelibrarium.org/">The Librarium</a> as a special guest. We are looking forward…</p> |
| | |
| | <p>Read more about hosting <a href="https://fo.am/blog/2014/07/16/hosting/">here…</a></p> |
| |
| <p>We can’t wrap up the theme of hosting culture without mentioning our (by now well-known) Friday <a href="http://fo.am/apero/">apéros</a>. Over quite a few years now we’ve hosted hundreds of people who have come to visit the studio for a drink and a chat, sometimes to get to know FoAM better or talk about a project. But the best conversations happen when people arrive without expectations, simply to share food and drinks in good company. We will restart Friday apéros in September after our summer recess. And so in the spirit of hosting culture we welcome you to come to one of these apéros, or become involved in other ways. We look forward to meeting you!</p> | <p>We can’t wrap up the theme of hosting culture without mentioning our (by now well-known) Friday <a href="http://fo.am/apero/">apéros</a>. Over quite a few years now we’ve hosted hundreds of people who have come to visit the studio for a drink and a chat, sometimes to get to know FoAM better or talk about a project. But the best conversations happen when people arrive without expectations, simply to share food and drinks in good company. We will restart Friday apéros in September after our summer recess. And so in the spirit of hosting culture we welcome you to come to one of these apéros, or become involved in other ways. We look forward to meeting you!</p> |
| <p><i>Vanaf september houden we weer onze wekelijkse apéro’s op vrijdag, om 17u. We hopen van harte je daar te ontmoeten. Dan zullen onze reizen en experimenten vast weer vele nieuwe gedaanten aangenomen hebben, waar we je graag over zullen vertellen.</i></p> | <p><i>Vanaf september houden we weer onze wekelijkse apéro’s op vrijdag, om 17u. We hopen van harte je daar te ontmoeten. Dan zullen onze reizen en experimenten vast weer vele nieuwe gedaanten aangenomen hebben, waar we je graag over zullen vertellen.</i></p> |
| |
| <p>Read more about hosting <a href="https://fo.am/blog/2014/07/16/hosting/">here…</a></p> | |
| |
| |
| </html> | </html> |
| |
| ====some (potential) images==== | |
| |
| {{>https://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/14313700275/}} \\ booksprint | |
| |
| {{>https://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/13848135814/}} and {{>https://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/13848089444/}} \\ lisa ma / food futures / etc+ | |
| |
| {{>https://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/11816185436/}} \\ mongeese | |
| |
| {{>https://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/10137492246/}} \\ parenzana / futures? | |
| |
| |
| {{>https://www.flickr.com/photos/foam/14063854017/}} \\ futures / workshops / etc? | |
nik