MEDIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Media Research existed
in various forms prior to officially becoming a Foundation in 1990. The founding
members were Gábor Bora, Aesthetician; András Böröcz, Sculptor;
Miklós Peternák, Art historian; László Révész, Artist, Filmmaker;
János Sugár, Artist, Filmmaker; and Katalin Timár, Art historian.
The group comprised a unique wealth of expertise, with each member being an
expert in his or her respective field.
Originally, the group was formed to create a shared environment for the exchange
of ideas, focusing on gaining knowledge and insight concerning the impact of
new technology on society and the Arts. The Media Research Foundation has, since
then, concentrated its efforts on the promotion of both the theoretical and
practical aspects of new technology, and the cultural applications that emerge.
During its six years of existence, the Media Research Foundation has been active
in three different areas, including participation in Art exhibitions, establishment
of the Intermedia Department of the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts, and actively
cooperating with the Intermedia, i.e.. obtaining support in the form of hardware
and equipment, presenting international lecturers, etc.
In addition to these activities, the Media Research Foundation has continuously
organized, meetings, symposiums and events in an effort to educate the public
about the impact of new technology on culture and society. Among the more significant
events, were "The Media Were With Us", "Linz- Ars Electronica Presents
Itself", "MetaForum 94'" and "MetaForum II."
The Media Were With Us, a cooperation with the Mucsarnok, and the Soros Center
for Contemporary Arts, which took place in April of 1990 and dealt with the
role of television in the Romanian revolution. It was the first event to analyze
a current event from the perspective of the media to take place in Hungary,
and included leading international media theoreticians (Vilém Flusser, Peter
Weibel, Margaret Morse, Ingo Günther etc.), and the staff of Romanian television.
Following this, the Media Research Foundation, in a cooperation with Béla Balázs
Film Studio, produced a video "Mediology" which contained interviews
with five of the conference speakers, and later in a cooperation with the Merve
Verlag, Berlin, published Von Bürokratie zur Telekratie a collection of the
lectures presented during the event.
In 1993, Linz-Ars Electronica Presents Itself marked the start of a successful
cooperative effort with Budapest's Autumn Festival of the Arts that led
to the MetaForum series of international conferences. The MetaForum 94' and
MetaForum II presented many international lecturers, whose work was previously
unknown in Hungary, as well as the work of many Hungarian theorists and artists.
MetaForum 94' initiated a CD-ROM which will contain lectures and interviews
conducted during MetaForum 94', MetaForum II and the forthcoming MetaForum III.
In addition to the CD-ROM, the MetaForum homepage will continue to serve as
a database for conference and related texts and materials.
The Media Research Foundation
has functioned as an organizing body, and has actively sought cooperations with
such institutions as: Soros Center for Contemporary Arts; Ministry of Culture
and Education, Hungary; Béla Balázs Film Studio; Goethe Institute, Budapest;
Austrian Cultural Institute, Budapest; Pro Helvetia, Budapest; British Council,
Budapest; Dutch Embassy, Budapest etc.
While the Media Research Foundation has acted as a project oriented body, with
little infrastructure, relying on volunteers and the support of the Intermedia
Department and the Technical University, we plan to expand our activities to
include a lecture series, workshops and film programs.
We have several projects planned for the near future, including a presentation
of the Critical Art Ensemble in December of this year, a presentation
of Berlin's Video Fest that will take place in April of 1996, in cooperation
with the Goethe Institute, the organization of a joint aesthetic and art symposium
Freiraum, that will take place in Austria during the summer of 1996. Additionally,
we are planning the third and final MetaForum conference, which will be included
in the MetaForum CD-ROM.
PROGRAMS OF THE PAST FIVE YEARS
spring 1997. Freiraum symposium in Forchtenstein / Austria