[spectre] WEB-SIDE.ORG 1.0. CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

[Natxo Rodriguez]

WEB-SIDE.ORG 1.0. CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

www.web-side.org is a platform for theoretical research and creation 
produced by “la Caixa” Foundation’s media resource the Mediateca and 
directed at those people and collectives interested in considering digital 
culture in the framework of today’s social and political evolution 
(creation, research, journalism, critique, sociology, philosophy...).

The edition is of a monographic nature.
The publisher of this call is the Fundación Rodríguez (Natxo Rodríguez 
Arkaute and Fito Rodríguez Bornaetxea).
The proposed theme for web-side.org 1.0 is “Maps for disorientation”.

1.0. MAPS FOR THE DESORIENTATION

Immersed in multimedia overexposure, time and space abolished in the terms 
in which they had hitherto been known, the coordinates of our situation in 
the world of digital culture vary considerably.

Due to the chaotic nature of the panorama, the multiplicity of centres of 
attention, the versatility of its forms, the complexity of both its 
container and content; to the short distance from the focus of transmission 
or the noise which accompanies it, the coding of its messages, the 
ubiquitous nature of its languages and the ambiguity of its intentions; to 
the novelty of its means and the speed and capacity of reception required; 
to the ephemeral conditions of creation and distribution; to an incomplete 
education and to disinformation; and in general, due to the current 
characteristics of cultural production in the context of advanced 
capitalism, the sensation of disorientation is spreading as much as the Net 
itself.

In these circumstances, browsing methods provide subjective, corrupted 
models for obtaining knowledge of an out-of-place, dematerialized 
territory. A growing cyber world is imposing its law and giving rise to new 
forms of presence in a real world which is losing its references. The 
compass has gone mad and the radar is rigged.


Cognitive maps and conceptual maps

In a situation of confusion or bewilderment, what is needed is method. It 
is necessary to consider a new alphabet and to do so the sense, use and 
function of new cartographies understood, as a “compendium of references”, 
would seem determinant in the new setting. We could be speaking of the need 
for either cognitive maps or conceptual maps...

Intelligent learning involves the drawing up of plans, which are cognitive 
or intellectual structures that represent the relationships between 
concepts and processes on the one hand, and different plans on the other.

Thus conceptual maps, whose objective is to represent significant 
relationships between concepts in the form of propositions, operate as a 
true formulation of knowledge in a digital world.


Disiorentation

In the analogical world we shape our destiny in line with our interests, 
planning our own itinerary. Conversely however, the huge network of the 
digital world ends up showing us the front door to disorientation which 
leads us where we had not intended or wanted to go. In such circumstances 
we should decide the reason behind our disorientation and the value of our 
plan’s course.

The consolidation of a certain piece of knowledge is also the result of its 
production (more than a method of storage, digital is a mode of 
production), so the creation of digital mechanisms for disorientation as an 
end in itself is inherent to hegemonic approaches in the social and 
political arena, conditioning in this way the scope of divergent proposals.

1.0 CALL

3 pieces of research of a theoretical nature
3 creative Net.art projects

We seek
- Maps for disorientation
- Conceptual plans for confusion
- Intellectual structures that heighten disorder
- Tools of massive orientation
- Constructive divergence processes
- Tools to deactivate standardization
- Browsing ‘disinstructions’
- Compasses for getting consciously lost
- Detectors of rigged radar
- Aerial riggers
- Guides to getting lost on the Net

 From the theoretical point of view, special appreciation will be given to 
research, texts, hypertexts and narratives which emphasize the idea of 
disorientation in digital culture, as well as to the documental rigour of 
the work and its contribution to development of the core theme.

Special appreciation will be given to those Net.art proposals that employ 
new languages in the practical focus of the Call theme, from the formal 
presentation and creative solutions to the conceptual development of the 
browsing processes and the map structures.

Mixed forms integrating theory and practice in one proposal will also be 
highly valued.

Participation requirements
Call applicants must be 18 years old or over
Call open for unpublished works produced for exclusive publication on 
www.web-side.org

Documentation to be included
• Applicants’ curriculum
• Project report
• Mock-up or demo of the project

A committee will choose the projects which meet the minimum requirements 
and address the proposed theme.

The selected projects will be awarded 3,000 euros.

Calendar and deadlines
• Period for presentation of proposals: between 13 May and 29 July 2003
• Proposals must be sent to the following address: 
mediatecaonline.fundacio at lacaixa.es
• Announcement of the projects selected by the committee: 30 September 2003
• Production period
• Theoretical research works, from 1 November 2003 to 30 January 2004
• Creative projects, from 1 November 2003 to 28 February 2004
• On-line publication of web-side.org 1.0, on 14 April 2004
Info: mediatecaonline.fundacio at lacaixa.es.
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