Quo vadis, world? In the face of growing global crises it seems necessary that we take a step back and revise existing paradigms of how we think and act. Ecological, systemic approaches and questions on diversity and sustainability with regards to technology and digitalisation are becoming increasingly pressing. With its annual project, mur.at dives right into the subject.
They try to develop solution approaches through artistic, practical and discursive work. Here, local activity is in a field of tension with global networking and exchange. Work sessions, an open residency, open discussion rounds and group work result in an exhibition that unites various positions in the form of artistic works, performances and presentations.
Central Questions and Hypotheses:
Today, more than ever, it is a basic necessity to precisely question how we want to use future technologies, how we can strengthen autonomous structures and develop and provide alternative digital tools. Which alternative strategies can we place in contrast to the monitoring capitalism and the new mechanical persuasion systems of the silicons? Can we still act autonomously after all? How sustainable are our digital lifestyle and our digital infrastructures? Can we really live greener and save resources in hyper-connected houses and cities as part of the "internet of everything"? Or will sustainability become just another rhetorical disposition of green capitalism to enforce the production of more and more devices?
Since 1999 the association mur.at operates a server farm in Graz (Austria) and is connected to the global network via ACOnet (Austrian Science Network). Currently mur.at has over 400 members from the art and culture scene. Most of them live and work in Graz or Styria, some work in other Austrian federal states, and a few work in other parts of the world.
The network mur.at is a virtual, constantly expanding platform of artists and cultural workers from different sectors for the development and promotion of network culture, Web-Art, Sound Art, Software Art and Media Art in general.
The initiative mur.at is committed to technology development using Free/Libre & Open Source Software. Difference-forming media diversity, unrestricted flow of information and transparent knowledge transfer form the core content parameters of the network initiative.
The team mur.at is organized as a self-administered, non-commercial company and forms the infrastructural basis (backbone) for the work of the mur.at community at a high technical level. mur.at creates conditions and expands the possibilities for net art and digital culture.
