Comments on: aesthetics and the new mobilities paradigm – Sheller and Urry http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/2013/03/17/aesthetics-and-the-new-mobilities-paradigm-sheller-and-urry/ Gina's E-learning and Digital Cultures site - part of the MSc in E-learning at the University of Edinburgh Wed, 09 Jul 2014 20:01:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Giraf87 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/2013/03/17/aesthetics-and-the-new-mobilities-paradigm-sheller-and-urry/#comment-36321 Giraf87 Wed, 09 Jul 2014 20:01:53 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/?p=1332#comment-36321 hi Albert thanks for your comment. This blog was actually part of a course module that was completed last year and I don't often check it.But as it happens I am very much looking into mobility as it is part of my dissertation I am currently writing up. What you are suggestion is actually one of the criticism of Peter Merriman in 'Rethinking Mobile Methods', 2013 as he writes What I want to argue, though, is that a conceptualisation of mobilities research and mobile methods as social science research is in danger of limiting academic work to interventions in the social, economic and political realms, whereas a broader understanding of mobilities underpinned by the arts and humanities (as well as social sciences) might highlight the diverse ways in which critical research and practice might unfold, ranging from creative artistic interventions and walks, to the production of performances and plays. Thanks for explaining your reservations and reminding me of Merriman too, as I had planned to incorporate this into my critique. I enjoy the mobilties readings on paradigm and methods, but it can be quite disparate too... With regards to trajectories, you may be interested in the writing on rhizome by Deleuze and Guattari, I have a Pinterest board on this http://www.pinterest.com/giraf87/rhizome-deleuze-guattari/ hi Albert

thanks for your comment. This blog was actually part of a course module that was completed last year and I don’t often check it.But as it happens I am very much looking into mobility as it is part of my dissertation I am currently writing up.

What you are suggestion is actually one of the criticism of Peter Merriman in ‘Rethinking Mobile Methods’, 2013 as he writes

What I want to argue, though, is that a conceptualisation of mobilities research and mobile methods as social science research is in danger of limiting academic work to interventions in the social, economic and political realms, whereas a broader understanding of mobilities underpinned by the arts and humanities (as well as social sciences) might highlight the diverse ways in which critical research and practice might unfold, ranging from creative artistic interventions and walks, to the production of performances and plays.

Thanks for explaining your reservations and reminding me of Merriman too, as I had planned to incorporate this into my critique. I enjoy the mobilties readings on paradigm and methods, but it can be quite disparate too…

With regards to trajectories, you may be interested in the writing on rhizome by Deleuze and Guattari, I have a Pinterest board on this

http://www.pinterest.com/giraf87/rhizome-deleuze-guattari/

]]> By: Albert Mayr http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/2013/03/17/aesthetics-and-the-new-mobilities-paradigm-sheller-and-urry/#comment-36038 Albert Mayr Sat, 05 Jul 2014 17:19:43 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/?p=1332#comment-36038 Hi Gira (or is it Gina?) and all, Thanks for posting all this. I am getting into this new mobilities paradigm only now, but as a composer/artist have been involved for many years in exploring possibilities with, for instance, moving performers in open spaces and the like. My point of reference has been, and still is Time Geography. What leaves me a bit puzzled in the 'new mobilities' is the separation of the movements from the stationary moments. I prefer looking at what in Time Geography are called 'trajectories' that include both movements and stationary times at different 'stations'. More than the question of moving art works (and I mean moving in physical space, the movements in virtual space require another discussion) I am concerned with the fact that a) environmental aesthetics deals primarily with static configurations and has so far not developed a terminology for dynamic configurations (with possible parameters being, for instance, densities, rate of change etc.) and b) - a corollary of a) - the whole complex of trajectoiries is, so far, not the object of aesthetic consideration and planning. While, next to the predominant efficiency-oriented studies of mobility now experiential aspects are beginning to be considered, there is nothing comparable to the vast repertoire of aesthetic thoughts and practices available for static configurations. And, as I know from experience, the mere idea of an aesthetic approach to space-time issues is very hard, if not impossible, to convey to the "professionales" in this area. Hi Gira (or is it Gina?) and all, Thanks for posting all this. I am getting into this new mobilities paradigm only now, but as a composer/artist have been involved for many years in exploring possibilities with, for instance, moving performers in open spaces and the like. My point of reference has been, and still is Time Geography. What leaves me a bit puzzled in the ‘new mobilities’ is the separation of the movements from the stationary moments. I prefer looking at what in Time Geography are called ‘trajectories’ that include both movements and stationary times at different ‘stations’. More than the question of moving art works (and I mean moving in physical space, the movements in virtual space require another discussion) I am concerned with the fact that a) environmental aesthetics deals primarily with static configurations and has so far not developed a terminology for dynamic configurations (with possible parameters being, for instance, densities, rate of change etc.) and b) – a corollary of a) – the whole complex of trajectoiries is, so far, not the object of aesthetic consideration and planning. While, next to the predominant efficiency-oriented studies of mobility now experiential aspects are beginning to be considered, there is nothing comparable to the vast repertoire of aesthetic thoughts and practices available for static configurations. And, as I know from experience, the mere idea of an aesthetic approach to space-time issues is very hard, if not impossible, to convey to the “professionales” in this area.

]]> By: Jen Ross http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/2013/03/17/aesthetics-and-the-new-mobilities-paradigm-sheller-and-urry/#comment-3272 Jen Ross Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:34:56 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/?p=1332#comment-3272 hi Gina - I found a couple of things that might be useful: http://www.contempaesthetics.org/newvolume/pages/article.php?articleID=347 http://www.julijonasurbonas.lt/t/gravitational-aesthetics/ :-) hi Gina – I found a couple of things that might be useful:

http://www.contempaesthetics.org/newvolume/pages/article.php?articleID=347

http://www.julijonasurbonas.lt/t/gravitational-aesthetics/

:-)

]]> By: cmeckenstock http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/2013/03/17/aesthetics-and-the-new-mobilities-paradigm-sheller-and-urry/#comment-3184 cmeckenstock Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:24:43 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/?p=1332#comment-3184 This will be an interesting research. Travelling or mobile exhibitions are challenging to design, and they always have the sense of temporariness about them. There is also the category of art installations which uses the physical space as part of the effect. While static exhibition (based on locality or gallery) present the question of accessibility or inaccessibility. Web exhibition, although purportedly, more mobile, thus more accessible, does not have the same feel as seeing it 'real', unless perhaps it is still restricted by the tools or platforms used to exhibit these online. Morever, the word exhibition is also in question as with the ideas we have been looking at, design critically etc and framing a cultural process or thought, there is also the element of non-passivity that we look for. So we really have to look at the definition of miniturisation and what that means. And who the audience will be and if the segment of the audience will be different when it is digital (or not?). This will be an interesting research. Travelling or mobile exhibitions are challenging to design, and they always have the sense of temporariness about them. There is also the category of art installations which uses the physical space as part of the effect. While static exhibition (based on locality or gallery) present the question of accessibility or inaccessibility. Web exhibition, although purportedly, more mobile, thus more accessible, does not have the same feel as seeing it ‘real’, unless perhaps it is still restricted by the tools or platforms used to exhibit these online.

Morever, the word exhibition is also in question as with the ideas we have been looking at, design critically etc and framing a cultural process or thought, there is also the element of non-passivity that we look for. So we really have to look at the definition of miniturisation and what that means. And who the audience will be and if the segment of the audience will be different when it is digital (or not?).

]]> By: Giraf87 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/2013/03/17/aesthetics-and-the-new-mobilities-paradigm-sheller-and-urry/#comment-3067 Giraf87 Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:55:38 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/?p=1332#comment-3067 thanks Phil, greatly appreciated, one of the reason I did this module is to get into the dissertation 'mode' and your comments are really helpful. I will check out these references. John Berger was my main focus back in my UG dissertation so it would be apt to pick up the thread. I agree about the sedentarist view (this definition might just stick!): seeing an artwork on the wall can be truly unique. But we must accept that in an educational and leisure context we are are immensely influenced by the digital. The vast repositories of artworks are viewed for many reasons. I am particularly interested in their portability, mobility, transferring between platforms (PC,laptop, pad, phone....) there is a miniaturisation going on. Maybe straight to our posthuman eyeballs... Now how does this affect our experience? thanks Phil, greatly appreciated, one of the reason I did this module is to get into the dissertation ‘mode’ and your comments are really helpful.

I will check out these references. John Berger was my main focus back in my UG dissertation so it would be apt to pick up the thread.

I agree about the sedentarist view (this definition might just stick!): seeing an artwork on the wall can be truly unique. But we must accept that in an educational and leisure context we are are immensely influenced by the digital. The vast repositories of artworks are viewed for many reasons. I am particularly interested in their portability, mobility, transferring between platforms (PC,laptop, pad, phone….) there is a miniaturisation going on. Maybe straight to our posthuman eyeballs… Now how does this affect our experience?

]]> By: Phil Devine http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/2013/03/17/aesthetics-and-the-new-mobilities-paradigm-sheller-and-urry/#comment-3040 Phil Devine Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:05:07 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/ginar/?p=1332#comment-3040 Nice post Gina - I can't help feeling it's more important than ever now to have "a ‘sedentarist’ aesthetic (based on fixed artworks, such as on walls in galleries, or projected, displayed, staged in theaters cinemas, musea)". But I do think I see where you're going, and maybe at some point in human history we will connect metaphorical thought? Until that point surly analogue interpretation (as above) is our only option (to whatever degree). Then if we do reach (found) body of information, won't we become nostalgic for a sedentarist aesthetic? I know, at times, I find myself 'Bunkering' down in a gallery :) I got a lot out of this paper: Natasa Lackovic (2010). Creating and reading images: towards a communication framework for Higher Education. learningSeminar.net - International journal of media, technology and lifelong learning Vol. 6 – Issue 1 – 2010. And, I know I've referenced it lot - but Berger 'Shape of a Pocket' cuts right through this very topic (in my opinion). Nice post Gina – I can’t help feeling it’s more important than ever now to have “a ‘sedentarist’ aesthetic (based on fixed artworks, such as on walls in galleries, or projected, displayed, staged in theaters cinemas, musea)”.

But I do think I see where you’re going, and maybe at some point in human history we will connect metaphorical thought? Until that point surly analogue interpretation (as above) is our only option (to whatever degree). Then if we do reach (found) body of information, won’t we become nostalgic for a sedentarist aesthetic? I know, at times, I find myself ‘Bunkering’ down in a gallery :)

I got a lot out of this paper:

Natasa Lackovic (2010). Creating and reading images: towards a communication framework for
Higher Education. learningSeminar.net – International journal of media, technology and lifelong
learning Vol. 6 – Issue 1 – 2010.

And, I know I’ve referenced it lot – but Berger ‘Shape of a Pocket’ cuts right through this very topic (in my opinion).

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