VENUS RISING LAUNCH

CYBERSALON @ THE DANA CENTRE

d.studio, Science Museum's Dana Centre, 165 Queen's Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5HE <www.danacentre.org.uk>
Cost: This event is free but places are limited and must must be booked by contacting Monica Biagioli <monica[AT]cybersalon.org>
Nearest tubes: South Kensington/Gloucester Road

VENUS RISING PRESS RELEASE
London, 2 April 05.

NEW TECHNOLOGY THINK TANK LAUNCHES AT THE SCIENCE MUSEUM

More girls get gadgets, but are the ‘toys for the boys’ days really over?

According to a recent report in the Guardian, in 2003 women accounted for $55 billion of the $96 billion spent on electronics goods in America. In the UK, the equivalent figure for this year is 47%. With statistics such as these it is no surprise that business is starting to sit-up and take note of what women want from technology and how they use it.

But the debate is not just about spending power and habits. What about the development of technology? Its design and usage? Who are the female innovators? Who has access to technology and how can we encourage more women to use it as an expressive medium? What’s different about female-led technological development? What would technology – and the world - be like if it was shaped from a truly ‘feminine’ perspective? And how can technology, art, science and industry combine to create this new feminine paradigm?

VENUS RISING is an initiative by Cybersalon which aims to bring these issues to the public agenda, through debate, research, artist residencies, creative labs and other collaboration. Its Campaign Group comprises 12 female practitioners working in fine art, design, new media and technology.

THE LAUNCH

Cybersalonlaunches VENUS RISING to an invited audience of thought leaders and industry professionals at the Science Museum’s flagship events space The Dana Centre. Dr Elizabeth Goodman, director of Central and St Martin’s SMARTlab, received a lifetime achievement award for her work with safetyNET: a global cybercafe project that uses the power of new technologies to help stop violence against women and children. She will give a 10 minute keynote to kick off the debate, as will Andi Stamp, Director of Melt (to be launched in May) and founder of Shooting Live Artists and b.tv. As a male contributor, Andi’s topic will be ‘Gender: marketing art and genetic science’; a 10 minute presentation on the emerging parallels between marketing disciplines and genetic research. His contribution is very much in the spirit of VENUS RISING: it’s not about exclusion in any way - men are actively encouraged to take part in the debate. The panel will be chaired by Eva Pascoe – the founder of the world’s first internet cafe Cyberia. The launch is a brainstorm event as well as a performance/talk/debate platform, with interactive voting from the audience. The agenda – and the future shape and activities of VENUS RISING will be defined in real-time, not pre-set as a linear progression path. The event is sponsored by IBM, Recollective, and Surrey Institute of Art & Design.

SPEAKERS ON THE NIGHT

Dr Lizbeth Goodman, Director of The Smartlab Centre, Central Saint Martins College of Art Design. Dr Lizbeth Goodman is Director of the SMARTlab Centre for Site Specific Media, Performing and Digital Arts at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, the London Institute (connecting SMARTsystems & People).
Andi Stamp, Director of Melt, previously of b.tv and Shooting Live Artists.

The event is sponsored by IBM, Recollective, and Surrey Institute of Art & Design.

VENUS RISING CAMPAIGN COMMITTE

Monica Biagioli (artist, Senior Lecturer Surrey Institute of Art & Design)
Eva Pascoe (Trustee of Cybersalon, founder of Cyberia)
Hannah Redler (Science Museum)
Alexis Johnson (Co-Director, Equator Media)
Jemima Gibbons (Managing Director, Interactive KnowHow)
Jane Austin (Recollective)
Satinder Gill (Middlesex University)
Julie Freeman (artist, NESTA Fellow)
Anke Lohmann (technologist at PDD, product design firm)
Emma Quinn (Senior Project Manager, Soda Creative Ltd)
Gordana Novakovic (Media Artist)
Tory Dunn (MA(RCA), ILTM; Designer, Educator)

For further information or if you would like to attend the launch contact:
Monica Biagioli: monica[AT]cybersalon.org