playful mobilities. critical mobilities. anne galloway dept. of sociology & anthropology

playful mobilities. critical mobilities.

Anne Galloway

Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology

Carleton University

floating points 2 networked art in public space

wireless & networked technologies

public spaces & social lives

play & critical intervention

wireless & networked technologies

telegraph & radio. mobile phones. handheld devices. wearable technologies.

global positioning. radio frequency identification.

wireless networks. hertzian spaces. hybrid performances.

public space

mid 1400s “public” identified with the common good

early 1500s “public” identified with being open to general observation & scrutiny

late 1600s contrasted with “private” or being sheltered by family & friends

public space

public space as a special region of socialibility

if private = familiar & homogenous, then public = unfamiliar & heterogeneous

public life consists of negotiating difference & complexity

public space

civility (cosmopolitanism) vs. nature (family)

1700s struggle for public order

1800s protection from public chaos

public space

the urban-industrial revolution

the capitalist metropolis

the privatisation of public space & the fall of public man

public space

as networked space

public space

as play space

play & critical intervention

play as functional & productive

pleasure in play = mastery & control

rule-bound, goal-oriented, resolvable

play & critical intervention

play as seductive

pleasure in play = pleasure in other people

uncertain, unsolvable, unending

play & critical intervention

play as world-building

imagining. exploring. expressing.

conforming. adapting. subverting.

play & critical intervention

using play to critically engage tensions

between public & private, production & consumption

subjects & objects, performance & representation, freedom & control

play & critical intervention

play as (critical) mobility

against stability & singularity

for ambiguity & multiplicity

wireless & networked art in public space

performance. identity. agency.

ownership. access. use.

authorship. connection. interaction.

playful mobilities. critical mobilities.

using social & cultural studies, art and technology

to creatively & critically negotiate tensions

and create courageous new worlds

Thank you

Anne Galloway

anne@plsj.org