EVA CONFERENCES MIRRORING, REFLECTING & AMPLIFYING ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ James Hemsley, Vito Cappellini, Monica Kaayk, EVA Conferences International University of Florence EVA Conferences International jrh/mmk/nov’07 EVA MOSCOW 2007

INTRODUCTION  EVA = EVE, Adam’s wife  EVA also originally = Electronic Imaging & the Visual Arts  Now EVA = Electronic Imaging, the Visual Arts & Beyond.

PAPER FOCUS  EVA’s role in Mirroring, Reflecting & Amplifying N.B. Polycentric Technology R&D and Diffusion  Face-to-Face meetings still important [even with Internet] for establishing trust for cross-border relationships  Role of CULTURE in inspiring Technology R&D, not just a passive receiver sector NB. Culture x Technology ‘CxT’ indicating the ‘Two Way Street’.

ORGANISATION OF TALK  The Origins of ‘Culture x Technology’ in Europe  The EVA Conferences, A Brief Historical Overview  ‘Culture x Technology’: Future Perspectives & Scenarios  EVA Conferences, the future …  Conclusions.

THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE  During the mid-’80s (1) Scientific Work in Laboratories of Major Galleries & Museums e.g: (1) Scientific Work in Laboratories of Major Galleries & Museums e.g: -National Gallery, London -Central Research Labs of the French National Museums [in the Louvre].  Supported by University Researchers e.g. ENST, Paris, Ecole National Superior de Telecom Major Inspiration for the VASARI Project, first EC Computer Project on Culture for the EC.

THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE (2) Bold Visionary French Efforts for Museum Visitors -1986, Opening of the Musee d’Orsay -Use of Still New PCs -Very Courageous -At End of Visitor Route through the Museum Second Milestone in Museum Visitor Information Systems, ‘Microgallery’ at the National Gallery, London in 1991.

THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE (3) Pioneering use by Artists of Computers  Important Start – Now Widespread N.B. History is Vanishing, especially Computer Hardware. Important to Preserve N.B. History is Vanishing, especially Computer Hardware. Important to Preserve  Examples in Britain – see CACHE Project  In Germany & Internationally, e.g. ZKM Karlsruhe  Russian Examples, to discuss  Cache Link (Possible?)

THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE (4) Early Computer Use for Art History  Education & Research  Notable Research for Finding/Matching Images Visually  Example MORELLLI System  William Vaughan, Birkbeck College, University of London  Precursor of many such efforts in CBR Content- Based Research - Still an active R&D Area, especially for 3D Art Works - ‘Intelligent Systems’

VASARI PROJECT COMPUTERS  RAMA - TELECOMS  NARCISSE - MULTIMEDIA 100s of EC R&D ICT PROJECTS in 1990s … and FIRST EVA Conference held in London July, 1990 Helpful in Worldwide ‘CxT’ Applications Acronym: Visual Arts System for Archiving & Retrieval of Images Giorgio VASARI – Renaissance ‘Father of Art History’ VASARI THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE THE ORIGINS OF ‘CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY’ IN EUROPE

THE CONTEXT THE CONTEXT  1992 – Maastricht Treaty ‘Culture’ as a ‘European’ topic for Action  ‘Convergence’ of Computers [Information Technology], Telecoms & Multimedia [3 separate EC Programmes]  ‘Peace Dividend’, both sides of ‘Cold War’  Technology Development - Web - Scanners - Storage - Software - Display

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS  Russia + + cf. First EVA Moscow  North America: Ahead in Technology; follower initially in the Cultural Sector  Japan: a Distinctive Japanese Way - Consumer Electronics/TV in a key role in 90s - Subsequently Joined International ‘Mainstream’  Rest of World - RoW: Some in lead positions e.g. Australia, others joining later.

Beginnings & Growth Moscow, Gifu (Japan) & Los Angeles Annually in London, move to UCL in 1991 & National Gallery st EVA London July, 1990 Berlin, Florence in mid 1990s International European European Continent UK EVA HISTORY

EVA CONFERENCES Glasgow Edinburgh Cambridge LONDON BERLIN MOSCOW Warsaw Prague Vienna Thessaloniki Athens Brussels Paris Laval FLORENCE Madrid Gifu Beijing Montreal Cambridge New York California Texas JERUSALEM Kiev New Delhi

EVA CONFERENCES 2007 Florence London Berlin Jerusalem Moscow Moscow is the largest of all the EVAs NB: EVA has not received any financial support from the EC Since 2004

CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY Future Perspectives (1) ‘Widening’ DIFFUSIONDIFFUSION Geographical Social Sectoral NB. Mozambique example eg. Disabled & Hospitalised eg. Performing Arts

‘Deepening’ [Raising] Technology OPTIMISTICOPTIMISTIC PESSIMISTICPESSIMISTIC MIDDLE ROAD Three SCENARIOS CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY Future Perspectives (2)

CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY Future Perspectives (3) OPTIMISTIC SCENARIO Technology Develops Rapidly e.g. Haptics / 3D / Intelligent Systems / Grid ++ + Applications in Challenging New Fields eg. Performing Arts, Literature BIG Cultural Data Sets eg. Prague City 3D Model Culture Inspiring Technology R&D ‘Polycentric’ Advances at Very High Level e.g. China & India NB ‘Disruptive’ Advances

CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY PESSIMISTIC SCENARIO KONDRATIEFF WAVE THEORY PEAKED CIRCA 2000 ALL ‘LOW- HANGING’ FRUITS PICKED MAINLY ‘HIGH- HANGING’ FRUITS LEFT

CULTURE x TECHNOLOGY MIDDLE SCENARIO Technology Progress ‘Reasonable’ Incremental Developments Continue Steadily Some ‘Disruptive’ Technology Advances High Polycentric Technology Advances

Moscow Jerusalem Berlin London Florence Vienna EVA CONFERENCES THE FUTURE IN 2008, SIX EVENTS

TOWARDS the 100 th EVA CONFERENCE th EVA MOSCOW EVAs in 2010 = 98 = 98 If 2 more EVAs held in then EVA Moscow 2010 will be the 100 th. Possibilities in Latin America, Australia, Eastern Europe, Middle East. … Volunteers Welcome! 6 EVAs in 2008 EVAs in 2009

TOWARDS the 100th EVA CHALLENGES C H A L L E N G E S FINANCIAL ORGANISATIONAL - Each EVA is Financially Independent - Key Issue - Raising more money. [NB Florence very successful]. Crucially Dependent on Chairs & Organising Groups EVA London leadership transition successful. James Hemsley, now Honorary Chair Succession challenges will occur

CONCLUSIONS EVA CONFERENCES HAVE HAD A ROLE IN: MIRRORING REFLECTING AMPLIFYING Helpng the CxT community to see itself Enabling wider CxT Community to see progress Intellectual Reflection ‘RAISING THE VOLUME’

EVA 2007 MOSCOW 10 th Anniversary Congratulations to all those who have worked so hard over the years on all the EVA Events and particularly those who have made this the 10 th Anniversary event … and most of all a very special Thank You to NadezhdaBrakker & Leonid Kujbyshev without whom EVA Moscow would not have been possible EVA 2007 MOSCOW 10 th Anniversary Congratulations to all those who have worked so hard over the years on all the EVA Events and particularly those who have made this the 10 th Anniversary event … and most of all a very special Thank You to Nadezhda Brakker & Leonid Kujbyshev without whom EVA Moscow would not have been possible