The last meeting of the reSource-net community, hosted by c-base, was dedicated to the proposal of co-building the transmediale and CTM's partner programme, Vorspiel, by creating a process of sharing and synergy among the individuals and the spaces that are part of the reSource network, or close to it. transmediale and CTM invited the reSource-net community and other spaces in Berlin to jointly develop a section of the Vorspiel programme in accordance with the two festival themes.

Submission deadline extended to: October 6, 2013 (address: resource[at]transmediale.de)

transmediale and CTM's Vorspiel is a festival partner programme of distributed events, where a variety of venues invites to a series of exhibition openings, performances, artist talks and special events outside the main venues of both festivals. Last year the Vorspiel took place the weekend prior to both festivals at various organisations, galleries, independent project spaces and other venues across Berlin (more information on last year’s Vorspiel programme here).

After an introduction to the concept and methodology of the Vorspiel by Tatiana Bazzichelli, curator of the reSource transmedial culture berlin, everyone was asked to choose one or two out of six thematic keywords, related to the transmediale and CTM 2014 festivals’ themes (TRANSITIONAL - POST-DIGITAL - WASTE - VOID - LEGACY - DISRUPTION). After that, Kristoffer Gansing (transmediale) and Oliver Baurhenn (CTM) presented the festival themes and their background.
 

The keywords were meant to be an initial input related to the next transmediale and CTM festival topics, and served as a basis for a first common discussion regarding the festival themes, their relation to the keywords (and vice versa). Possible alternatives of approaching or connecting them were proposed.

During the discussion, the keywords chosen by those participating in the meeting were combined for their conceptual relations:

- DISRUPTION and POST-DIGITAL
- VOID and LEGACY
- WASTE and TRANSITIONAL

These three pairings were used to build three working groups, who were asked to find one burning question that would address the keywords (one or both) and along which the single spaces and curators could develop during the Vorspiel a project or initiative that represent their individual (or networked) perspective on the theme.

Here are some extracts of the three groups' discussions as well as the set of questions developed:

DISRUPTION + POST-DIGITAL

- What are the tools for survival or being tactical in the Internet today?
- Is disconnecting a form of giving up, or how can we imagine new forms of disruption?
- “The digital is everywhere, not only in the Internet.” -> Is that applicable to every country ("digital-divide")?
- Is it possible not to leave traces?
- Are correction or recuperation always following a process of disruption?
- Should we give up privacy? Should the NSA files be open to everyone ("post-privacy")?

VOID + LEGACY

- Humanity is in a continuous up and down flux – where are we now in this process? Already at the bottom, or still on the way down?
- Regarding the digital divide – are we conscious about what side we are part of? Do we consciously choose it? Has the gap between the two become smaller or bigger? Who is in, who is out?
- VOID is being created in contrast to what is outside of it; it is therefore only possible through a “non-void”? How can a void be made visible?

WASTE + TRANSITIONAL

- How to turn data into waste?
- Do we value trash more than others did before?
- What value can decomposition have?
- How can you go on producing waste?
- Is waste finite?
- What’s the transitional between trash and treasure?

The outcome of the working groups was then presented and discussed in a final wrap-up and discussion round:

After this meeting, the spaces and curators are now asked to send their first draft proposals (related to one of the questions developed in the meeting, or addressing other questions related to the keywords / festival themes to transmediale) until 6 October 2013. In a follow-up meeting on 17 October at Podewil (the transmediale office), the proposals will all be shared by the spaces / initiators in 5-10 minutes presentations, which hopefully will lead to fruitful and interesting collaborations, interplays and synergies of projects and spaces towards the next Vorspiel, giving yet other perspectives on the festival themes. 

Address to send your submissions: resource (at) transmediale.de