On Monday at 1.15 pm in HUMlab at Umeå University Shannon Mattern, Associate Professor at New School, New York will give a seminar on “Hearing Urban Infrastructures: A Sonic Archaeology of the Media-City”. The abstract is:

Abstract: For over a century, scholars and designers have acknowledged the existence of a spatial form commonly known as the “media city,” which encompasses both the modern city as represented through photographs, film, and digital technologies; and the city as shaped by those same technologies. In this seminar I argue for the need to acknowledge the longue durée of the “media city,” and to move beyond ocularcentric models of urban history. Drawing on the growing body of research on infrastructure that’s emerging from across the design fields, and on work in “media archaeology” within my own field of media studies, I’ll argue that we need to “excavate” the deep history of urban mediation, and I’ll take as an example an aspect of the media city that wouldn’t seem to lend itself easily to excavation. I’m referring to the “sonic city” – the city of public address and radio waves and everyday conversation. How does one dig into a form of mediation that seemingly has no physical form? What can we learn about how our cities have functioned as material sounding boards, resonance chambers, and infrastructures for various forms of sonic communication?

I have heard Shannon speak before, have been following her work and have met her as well. This will be a killer presentation for anyone interested in urban space, audio studies, transmediality, digital media and media archeology. If you are in Umeå or within 500 kms of it I suggest attending in person. For others there will be a live stream open upon the hour; http://live.humlab.umu.se/

Shannon Mattern is an Associate Professor at New School, New York. Her research interest include relationships between the forms and materialities of media and the spaces — architectural, urban, and conceptual — they create and inhabit. Additional areas of interest include, generally, media and design history and theory; and, more specifically, media form and materiality; media reception (especially reading) and the spaces in which we store, access and consume media; textual theory; and media and spatial poetics. Shannon keeps a lively blog here: http://www.wordsinspace.net/wordpress/

This blog entry (from December 2012) gives quite a bit of information (and a few links). It was published in conjunction with a search.  An older piece, written by then postdoc Jenna Ng (now at University of York), can be found here. It is excellent, very Jenna like and brings a distinct outside perspective.

What resources are available in HUMlab?

Creative spaces, several virtual/digital platforms, workstations (powerful, both PC and MAC), physical computing gear, interactive floors screen, screen and interaction screens (11 screens), sound studio etc. See here for more information.

What is the digital humanities?

Not a simple question, but simply put, our take is that digital humanities is what is between humanities and the digital. The digital is a tool, study object and medium. HUMlab has a commitment  to the digital humanities, of course, but really our operation is about the humanities, culture and information technology.

I know you stream/broadcast seminars. Is there an archive?

Yes, check this website out (we will launch a new version of the archive later this year). We have 150+ seminars archived.

The digital transformation of society has shaped a new class of digital-worker for whom the economic market appears to have an almost insatiable appetite. The demand for these new digital workers has encouraged the development multiple new programs in digital media. But the increased enrollment in our programs is hardly a function of a new market alone. The tactility of our work — the stuff, the materiality – of the settings in which we find ourselves helps explain the strong attraction to digital technology. New generations are attracted to these environments for the bench or studio culture that it embodies; the digital worker also becomes a digital artist. Contrary to some who would see work in digital settings far removed from handwork, I want to emphasize the ways in which they fall together. Instead of seeing radical breaks with the past, I want to consider what we might learn from the history of our work. In what ways do our current settings challenge us to ask if we are building a digital Bauhaus? And if so, what social, political, or aesthetic aspect of the so-called ‘historical’ Bauhaus provides the most important resonance to a ‘digital Bauhaus?’ Our answers to these questions involve an emphasis on the new forms of writing, materiality, and cognition that shape our work at the beginning of the 21st century.

[April 24 at 3:00 pm]
The Ethics of Remix
Jonathan McIntosh, Rebellious Pixels
HUMlab-X (Arts Campus)

There has been much discussion about the legal issues surrounding remixing media but what about the ethics of appropriation? How do we navigate questions specifically relating to the power dynamics that arise when remixing someone else’s media. Is there a meaningful difference between remixing corporate or government media and remixing works by individuals? This seminar will examine these moral and ethical implications.

You can participate in different kinds of activities (seminars, workshops, courses etc.). Most activities are open to anyone. If you are a student, your program may carry out some courses together with HUMlab. Researchers, students and artists may work on their own or HUMlab-run projects in the lab. We are happy to be involved in discussing new projects, digital components of educational programs or possible research directions. More than anything, HUMlab is  place to be, hang out and meet other people. Just come by!

What kind of people work in HUMlab?

Programmers, humanities researchers (from art history to ethnology), communication managers, engineers, coordinators, project leaders and others. A total of about 20 people (10 researchers).

Why do you have so many screens?

Screens are in some ways an interface to a computationally inflected world. They are historically, materially and culturally significant (think about windows, paintings or a medieval church or the number of computer and mobile screens used in a cafe). Also screens can be integrated with different kinds of interaction technology. There are several screen installations in HUMlab that challenge conventional use of screens (in terms of orientation, number of screens, placement) including the screenscape in HUMlab-2 (11 screens around the room) and the floor screen in HUMlab-X. And although screens are an important part of our infrastructure, we have many other kinds of technology and installations too.

HUMlab is a meeting place of the humanities, culture and information technology (or ‘the digital’) at Umeå University, Sweden. We do education, research and different kinds of development work in digital humanities as well as digital culture and innovation. We work with students, faculty, industry relations, artists and many others. 

Are you a place?

Yes, much of the work is channeled through our physical and digital environments. We have two labs in Umeå – one on the main campus and one on the Arts Campus. 

How long does it take to walk from one lab to the other?

About 15 minutes if you walk reasonably fast. Walking is recommended. Finding parking can be a nuisance.

When was HUMlab started?

It was started in the late 1990s, and formally made into an “academic unit” by the University Board in 2000.

Arne and I drew a heart together towards the end. We have photographic evidence, but I do not have it at hand now, but have a look here.

I am very happy both Lena Gustafsson and Marie-Louise Rönnmark not only participated, but did so in a very engaged manner. When I left they were still there.

Here you see pro vice chancellor Kjell Jonsson start the event off. Right after the research event, we hosted a student event, which was about giving the students a sense of HUMlab and think about possible ways of doing things together. There was vegan and vegetarian pizza to be had. Our three student ambassadors participated: Leonela Lilja, Johan Grönskog and Anna Misharina. I am very happy about the way this worked out, and it was great to talk to the students. We even attracted students from pre-university stages. We will post more information about collaborative possibilities soon.

This is Emma Ewadotter talking about a possible project.

The two events merged, and it was good to see this happen. Nice energy and possibilities!

But what is Circuit Bending? Well it’s an electronic art which implements creative audio short-circuiting striving towards discovering new sounds and functions in for an example electronic toys, like the famous Speak & Spell from 1980s. The techniques of circuit bending have been commonly associated with noise music, though many more conventional contemporary musicians and musical groups have been known to experiment with so called “bent” instruments. Circuit bending usually involves dismantling the chosen machine and adding components such as switches and potentiometers that alter the circuit.

Check out the images and videos below to see and hear what we did.Circuit Bend01Circuit Bend02