spring_alpha

spring_alpha<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:=
office:office" />

social software system by Simon Yuill

drawings by Chad McCail




Opening 8 April 17.00 - 19.00 hour


Exhibition April 9 - June 6


Presentation and Discussion Tuesday April 13, 2004 , 20.30 - 22.30 hour




The Scottish artist Simon Yuill developed the first phase of spring_alpha d=
uring his Artist in Residence from January 12th till April 12th 2004 at the=
Netherlands Media Art Institute. spring_alpha is an exploration of softwar=
e and social governance in relation to Free Software and Open Source practi=
ce. The project combines the development of an open software system along w=
ith workshop events that seek to broaden Free Software and Open Source deve=
lopment principles into areas outside of programming.



The software system is a networked game/simulation environment based on Cha=
d McCail's drawing "Spring" and the series "Evolution is Not Over Yet". The=
se narrate the attempts of a small, urban community to create its own "utop=
ian" society. This narrative is used as a metaphor for the real-world issue=
s that the project explores and a focus around which workshop ideas can dev=
elop. The software system serves as a "sketch pad" for testing out ideas fo=
r alternative forms of social practice at both the "narrative" level, in te=
rms of the game story, and at a "code" level, in terms of working with the =
actual data and communication structures that support the game. spring_alph=
a explores, and critiques, parallels between the role of computer code in g=
overning software systems and legal systems in governing human societies.=


http://www.spring-alpha.org <http://www.spring-alpha.org/>




Exhibition:


The project will be presented including the original drawing "Spring" and t=
he series "Evolution is Not Over Yet" by Chad McCail.



Presentation and discussion:

Simon Yuill (Glasgow), media artist, together with Matthew Fuller (Amsterda=
m), media theorist and artist, Francis McKee (Glasgow), media theorist and =
curator and Chad McCail (Edinburgh), artist will discuss the next topics:=


- The relationship of Open Source/Free Software practice to 'traditional' a=
rt and critical practice

- The relationship of Open Source to broader social

- The relationship between software and social systems

Entrance 3,50 / 2,50 reservations [email protected]



<mailto:[email protected]>

Netherlands Media Art Institute
Montevideo/Time Based Arts
Keizersgracht 264
1016 EV Amsterdam
The Netherlands
T +31 20 6237101
F +31 20 6244423
info <mailto:[email protected]> @montevideo.nl
www.montevideo.nl