GLITCH FESTIVAL AND SYMPOSIUM
11-13 January 2002, Oslo, Norway

GLITCH: [from German `glitschen' to slip, via Yiddish 'glitshen', to slide or skid]. A surge of current or a spurious electrical signal; also, in extended use, a sudden short-lived irregularity in behavior. The outcome of a glitch is unknown.

[ poster image from Tony Scott ]

WHAT IS GLITCH?
"Glitch" is a commonplace expression in computer- and networks terminology, meaning to slip, slide, an irregularity, a malfunction or a "little electrical error". Glitch has been the main point of interest of Motherboard's work throughout 2001.

We have approached the theme Glitch from two main points of view:

1: Glitch as an aesthetical direction in electronic art: an aesthetic that consciously uses and amplifies "errors" and "noise" in the realization of an artwork.

2: Glitch as an element in the creative process, where unexpected conflicts between hard- and software and people play an important part in generating the work itself. Here the Glitch is a driving force in the interplay of humans and machines, while the results fluctuate in a continuous temporal state of change, which may be adjusted or radically altered underway.

THE GLITCH SYMPOSIUM AND PERFORMANCE EVENT
For Motherboard "GLITCH" - the symposium and performance event - is a way of culminating the experiences of our past years projects. From a broader point of view, we wish to expose the diversity of work created by artists working thematically and practically within the notion of Glitch. While Glitch Music has experienced a greater amount of exposure, other forms of Glitch Art have remained more obscure. Some have not been conceptualized as art at all. With this Glitch event we wish to bring together international artists, academics and other Glitch practitioners for a short space of time to share their work and ideas with the public and with each other.

GLITCH therefore comprises of an intense weekend of talks and performances, with an emphasis on Live Art. For the sake of clarity we first divided these into two categories, Performance Events and Symposium, but, just for the record, these distinctions may not be so apparent when Glitch is put into practice.

SUPPORT AND FUNDING
GLITCH is initiated, arranged and produced by MOTHERBOARD in collaboration with BEK (Bergen Center for Electronic Art), and hosted by the Oslo Art Academy. Glitch is funded by the Norwegian Council for Cultural Affairs, FFUK (Fund for performing Artists) and PNEK (Production Network for Electronic Art). HOTROD magazine has offered generous PR support.