Introduction
The short time-span in which the project is being realized, the complex and difficult nature of the subject matter and the complexity of human nature itself can easily result in confusion under organizers and participants alike with regard to the precise nature of the PROCESS/YON Retreat-Workshops.
These notes are intended to clarify our position on some of the theoretical issues that influence the practical implementation of the project for participants and organizers.
Perhaps the most important aspect of the project is its improvisational nature. The project attempts to define and refine itself through a dialogue with those involved as a normal and essential part of its own development. On the one hand, this makes it difficult to explain (as essential parts may still be under development) but on the other hand, it opens the project up to creative interpretation, within the limits of the main aims, from all those involved.
Inevitably this is likely, at some point, to lead to conflicting ideas and interpretations. The structure and nature of the project is itself intended to allow participants to creatively explore such "internal" conflicts in order to find ways of dealing with them productively on a non-conflicting basis.
Indeed, one of the aims of the Retreat-Workshops is to develop techniques for dealing with such potentially conflicting differences of interpretation through the practical experience of the workshop itself.
Basic Concepts
We have called the meetings "Retreat-Workshops" because we wish to create an environment, which will put the emphasis on "reflection" that involves a questioning of our normal practices, rather than a continuation of them.
We have titled the project "PROCESS/YON" because we wish to emphasize the relationship between the material and the immaterial that is an essential part of the computer, society, art and humanity. This interaction between the material and the immaterial is also an important common element in the long shared history of art and religion. It is not our intention to develop a specifically religious approach within the project but, as well as exploring the implications of modern technology, we wish to create a space where non-rational approaches can be included and to become open for practical knowledge which ancient traditions and wisdoms have developed over the centuries. For how can we understand modern concepts properly if we have no understanding of those that they might replace?
In our view, "PROCESS/YON" links the concepts of process and procession: The first ("process") is inherent to all forms of technology – both electronic and traditional. The second ("procession") has a less technical implication and is more concerned with the "social rituals" through which a culture and a society define itself. In this context, the procession is an important way of dealing with complex and mysterious issues (such as social attitudes towards environment, birth, death, fertility, etc.) so that they can be understood and shared by all on different levels. By reflecting on what we do, how we do it and what it all means, we gain a deeper insight into ourselves, the world around us and the nature of "technology" in general.
Both (digital) technology and the ritual procession are examples of different kinds of "process". It is our intention to find and explore the common links. We are interested in exploring the implications of how the way things are designed and made might have on their interpretation and use (and vice versa) – perhaps a reappraisal of how various forms of "language" affect our creative thinking.
Selection of Retreat participants
Because the project is primarily concerned with discovering, exploring and developing new approaches to and insights in art, technology and society, the main qualification required by participants is an ability to express themselves in various mediums and ways that are open to dialogue with others. Obviously, the ability to draw upon established individual experience and skills are an important part of the dialogue but they should not be allowed to dominate in ways that will close the discussion of new approaches.
In order to make the dialogue as constructive and creative as possible, a wide range of backgrounds, skills, interests and approaches is desirable. Experience in specialized areas such as digital technology or other areas is useful, provided it can be applied creatively, but is not essential. Neither should participants be restricted to "visual" artists (unless this is interpreted in the broadest possible way). For example, one cannot explore the potential relevance of such related disciplines as "language", "music", "mathematics", "philosophy", ethnology", etc. without the inclusion of such experts in the dialogue. The wider the range of disciplines and interests involved the richer the dialogue will be, provided it can preserve minimum levels of cohesion.
Considering the delicate and sensitive nature of these exploratory "Reflections" it is perhaps desirable that the participants exhibit as diverse a range of approaches as is practically possible within the local context, without falling easily into polarized "camps". We hope to develop diversity through the exploration of our common interests rather than by fighting each other because of these differences.
It is the intention that these "retreats" will be like "advanced parties" exploring new territories and that later the participants will assist others to develop these explorations further. Hopefully, they will also interact with each other. Hopefully, independent "retreats" and other activities will be inspired.
The "project statements" provided by potential applicants are intended to help the collaborating local and national organizers/coordinators of the Retreat to select candidates based on their potential contribution to the activity rather than based directly on the level of their digital art skills.
The clarification of complex Concepts
As mentioned earlier, the project is bound to lead to confusion and a range of questions that cannot be answered easily.
Where these questions are of a simple practical or organizational nature, the Project Team will be happy to answer to the best of their abilities.
Where the questions are of a more complex nature, concerning definitions and interpretations of the concepts and principles involved in the project on various levels then they should be answered as much as possible within the project itself.
Such questions can also be posted and discussed through an on-line channel, whether through a web-based or e-mail discussion list. This would not only offer a kind of "practice run" for all involved but might also help expose the potential issues and topics that are currently active locally and/or nationally. In this context, as a result of a question posed by a participant, we have already added a section on "Practical Questions" to the on-line forum.
Defining the Content of the Retreat Workshops
The statements in the application forms will help to clarify the different kinds of issues that motivate the participants. These statements can then be "harvested" as themes for further development within each regional Retreat.
Clearly, there is a complex interaction possible between the themes chosen for exploration and the selection of participants (and vice versa). Of course, the precise nature of the workshop is open to negotiation by the potential participants -according to local interests and needs. So one might ask: what then are the "pressure points" in the local situation? In some cases, these might be concerned with specific technical questions, but there may also be more "abstract" issues which might also be interesting to explore, such as the nature of art in a multi-cultural (and multi-religious) context and how globalized technological systems might help or hinder.
On both a theoretical and a practical level, it would be most productive -if we could develop inspiring and productive links between the various issues.
Towards a Practical Methodology?
Perhaps the most important underlying concept (and the most difficult to grasp and develop in practical terms) is the idea of creatively developing new (collective) insights out of a shared dialogue during the workshop, rather than the usual top-down dissipation of some existing idea.
In order to understand and develop this idea better, it might be interesting to consider the group of participants as themselves forming a "problem exploring computer" – which perhaps may not provide direct solutions to problems, but instead offer a way of exploring these in ways that could lead to the discovery of a range of previously undiscovered potential solutions which can be adopted and adapted individually or collectively depending on the personal preferences of those involved.
In practical terms, this would involve trying to "problematize" local issues in ways that could be expressed in terms of a (complex) machine or system. This involves re-conceptualizing the issues in terms of dynamically interacting processes, rather than static, isolated, concepts and abstract "principles". Activating this conceptual "machine" would then "simulate" the mechanisms underlying the issues, and perhaps indicate ways of re-designing the machine to produce different, more desirable, outcomes (solutions).
If the courage could be found to attempt this experiment, then it might not only help us to explore the nature of these issues better, but the experience might also help us to gain more insight into the nature of both physical and conceptual machines (formal systems of thought) – which might then, in turn, make a practical understanding of the computer much easier because the underlying principles had been explored in a creative, artistic, manner.
The Need for Courage
Please do not worry about any confusion or lack of understanding that you or others may feel. Instead, let us try and use these feelings creatively by exploring the confusion productively. The Project is extremely ambitious, and has to deal with a wide spectrum of levels of understanding and skill that at present appear to be fragmented and isolated from each other. We would like to try and bring them together by linking up the wide range of metaphors and languages implicit within the various perspectives: Perhaps one person sees the computer as a tool, the other as a medium, and another as a garden -while somebody else might see it as a recipe book, a communication system -or a threat to art as we know it.
How can we bring all these viewpoints together in a productive dialogue, and can the various conceptual and practical aspects of the machine itself help us to do so? Ideally, the workshop should not be a "rational learning process" but a wonderful journey of discovery into the unknown, where both the innocent and the sophisticated can learn from each other, and perhaps even from themselves.
Certainly, such an ambition cannot be entirely fulfilled within three days but we do hope that the seeds for further exploration and development can be sown for cultivation and harvest in due time.
Retreat-Workshops: The practical needs
The need for equipment is dependent on what people feel comfortable using and what is locally available. Of course, the actual workshop participants might choose otherwise, but the original intention tended towards a "talking shop" which would be documented in some personal way by those involved. If somebody is a dedicated photographer or filmmaker, an animator or “Photoshopper”, then they can use these tools to express their experience in the workshop. On the other hand, somebody who cannot use a computer could use paper and pencil (or other materials) and have this material scanned or photographed for on-line presentations -or maybe even a simple text (poem, statement, etc.) could be printed out for exhibition purposes.
If the workshop inspires people to explore other people's favorite tools and media to express themselves – then fine – and if not, then OK too. Improvisation and exploration would be the main aspect of what will hopefully involve a personal re-conceptualization of the problem area for those involved.
In this context, the willingness to open up to new experiences and ideas would be infinitely preferable to a dependence on professional attitudes which have become too valuable a personal investment to be open to change. However, this is not to say, that experience is not wanted but this experience should not be allowed to prevent the exploration of new areas and approaches.
The Public Exhibition and Forum
The public exhibition and forum is intended as a "report" to the public to explain the process and to communicate and discuss the results, hopefully for others to explore and develop further. This is why the workshop participants themselves should participate (possibly with the addition of others) in the public forum.
The equipment requirements for the exhibition should flow naturally out of the nature of the personal documents created as a result of the workshop (perhaps during the Retreat but maybe directly afterwards). However, so as to bring some order in this (for planning purposes), perhaps there should be an effort to present all documentation (whatever the original form) via CD and/or Internet, and thus make presentation requirements more predictable. On the other hand, if presentation conditions allow this, then of course printed, wall (or floor based) based documentation can also be permitted.
Conclusion
Basically, the aim of the project is to encourage creative exploration of technology by adaptation and exploitation of local conditions and circumstances in the context of modern conditions.
The project should not be conceived in terms of a classical exhibition, art project or educational seminar, but be conceptualized in terms of a self-defined but open-ended, collective artistic ritual which reflects on the nature of art, society and technology.
