Aotearoa - fresh southern summer with The Paul Annears, Susan Ballard, Stella Brennan, Ian Clothier, Adam Hyde, Trudy Lane, Helen Varley Jamieson, and more guests throughout the month. Surely one of the most desirable global destinations, Aotearoa | New Zealand is currently experiencing a renaissance in media arts and culture. 2005 at -empyre- brings you fresh perspectives from net, sound and media artists, theorists, educators, curators and writers, who are working in, or have recently returned to their home islands. Much is bubbling to the surface from deep pools of creativity such as the Aotearoa Digital Arts list; recent and planned festivals include Version, SCANZ and re:mote; and exhibition venues include Artspace, the Physics Room, the Moving Image Centre and [NON] gallery. Join our guests at http://www.subtle.net/empyre to data mine this southern resurgence of new media and online practice. ------------------------------------- The Paul Annears [http://www.xxos.net ] find there are many advantages to being two people. For many years we have successfully amplified our separate brilliances and recently, through the power of the web, have joined with other 'Paul Annears' in a unique franchising arrangement to produce The Concise Model of the Universe. Paul Annear 404 [ http://www.xxos.net ] has always been anthropographic. Because of this, Paul finds it difficult to avoid strong emotions and unpleasant situations. An obsession with people and her ability to identify with a variety of these creatures has brought her here. Susan Ballard [ http://www.physicsroom.org.nz/space/2002/sensible ] is an artist, writer and musician whose interests cover the broad historical field of new media art with a particular emphasis on contemporary digital and time-based installation from Aotearoa/ New Zealand. Her current PhD research explores relationships between noise and materiality in digital installation art. Stella Brennan [ http://www.stella.net.nz ] is an Auckland-based artist, writer and curator. With Sean Cubitt she founded the Aotearoa Digital Arts discussion list in 2003, and has hosted two subsequent ADA meetings. Her artwork is based in video and installation. Stella teaches at the Auckland University of Technology. Ian M Clothier [ http://www.art-themagazine.com/ian ] is a Pacific based artist writer. In 2004 he was selected for ISEA (Estonia), Digitalis: Ethno-techno (Canada) and ReJoyce Festival (Ireland). Editor of art-themagazine.com, he has contributed to rhizome.org, and was an invited speaker to the Ninth International Conference on Thinking. Adam Hyde [http://www.radioqualia.net ] exhibits frequently internationally and recently won a UNESCO Digital Art Award. He is the Digital Artist in Residence at Waikato University, and is currently organising the 're:mote' festival with Honor Harger and NZ artist duo 'Ethermap', formed by Adam Willets and Zita Joyce. Trudy Lane [http://artefact.mi2.hr ] works in online design and publication for the art/museum industries and as an artist collaboratively creating projects which cross-breed participatory art & educational resource. Trudy has recently returned to New Zealand after 12 years living abroad. Helen Varley Jamieson [ http://www.creative-catalyst.com ] is a writer and theatre artist who has been exploring the concept of cyberformance - remote performers creating live performance via the internet - during the last 5 years. She does a lot travelling with this work, but is currently enjoying some time back home in Aotearoa. Helen writes for Rhizome, Furtherfield and other publications. ============================== -empyre- is an arena for the discussion of media arts practice, and regularly invites practicioners, curators and theorists in the media arts field to discuss specific projects, publications, and issues. Subscribe to -empyre- at: http://www.subtle.net/empyre/