Explorations on Sound and New Media Art Conference: Urgencies
November 5 – 7
Auditório Ilídio Pinho

Confirmed Keyspeakers and Artist Talks:
(upcoming keynotes coming soon)

• Aura Satz
• Steve Goodman

Contemporary challenges such as environmental degradation, armed conflicts and neo-colonial dynamics can be seen as long-standing issues that have not yet been adequately resolved over time. These current crises reflect a pattern of repeated behaviours that need to be revised in order to implement sustainable solutions.

Although the consequences are increasingly persistent, especially in terms of social and ecological tension, this moment also represents an opportunity to act, reflect, reassess and follow fairer and more resilient paths.

Forensic sound research, audio documentation of war-related technologies and their symbolic and historical study, recordings that capture the acoustic effects of climate change, soundscapes that reveal the impact of biodiversity loss are some examples of how urgency can be conveyed through sound alerts. In this context, listening emerges as an essential form of attention, which is present in a variety of research and art fields as, new media art, sound art, cinema.

Based on these approaches, “urgencies” is the guiding theme of the third edition of the Explorations on Sound and New Media Art Conference. This edition aims to position listening as a fundamental means of addressing pressing contemporary  issues, which include studies on sound ecosystems, sonification, sound and cinema, documentary, new media art, digital art, conservation and heritage, art and politics, war and resistance, and public empowerment and engagement.

The Explorations on Sound and New Media Art Conference is organized by CITAR - Research Center for Science and Technology of the Arts. We are pleased to invite participants to engage with their artworks and research proposed by the thematic dimensions of this conference.

Areas and communication topics:

• Acoustic Ecology and Environmental Sound Art: Investigating the relationship between sound art and the environment, focusing on natural sounds and eco-acoustic installations.

• Algorithmic and Generative Art: Understanding the role of algorithms in creating new forms of art and examining generative processes in sound and visual art.

• Bio-Art and Eco-Art: Integrating biological elements into art and exploring ecological and environmental themes through biofeedback and living organisms.

• Sound and Cinema: Exploring the role of sound in film as a medium to address environmental and social issues, including the portrayal of wars and climate change, through auditory techniques and sonic landscapes.

• Digital Art: Production and study of digital technologies, including software, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality, that address issues related to technology, the environment, and contemporary social transformations.

• Documentary: Investigating the role of documentary in capturing real-world events and social issues, including environmental crises, conflicts and the impacts of climate change.

• Sound art: Exploring the artistic use of sound as a medium to convey environmental, social and political issues, with a focus on sound studies.

• Art and Politics: Investigating the intersection of art and engagement in social political issues, focusing on how artists get involved in issues such as war, climate change and human rights.

• Digital Heritage and Preservation: Exploring the role of art in raising awareness about the preservation of biodiversity, ecosystems, and endangered species, and discussing the techniques and challenges of preserving digital and new media artworks.

• Algorithmic and Generative Art: Investigating the role of algorithms in generating works of art, exploring the intersection of technology and nature, and examining how generative art can respond to pressing social issues

• Bio-Art and Eco-Art: Exploring the integration of biological processes and living organisms into art, addressing ecological themes and the effects of environmental degradation, climate change, and the consequences of human activities on biodiversity and ecosystems.

• Philosophy and Ethics of New Media Art: Analysing the ethical implications of new media in the context of climate change, war, and social justice, as explored in artistic works.