Third Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, 1999 : Beyond the future : Report.

VIRTUAL TRI ENN IAL OVERVI EW An exciting new component of APT3 was the Virtual Triennial. Existing both with i n the exhibition an Online, the Virtual Triennial showcased work by artists who use the Internet or d igital and video media in the creation and presentation of their work. I ncluding a d ig ital dimension in APT3 was a progressive move into the area of new media, wh ich has qu ickly emerged as popular veh icle for creative expression . VT explored net art, allowing artists for the first time to exh ibit their work Online and also onsite at the gallery. WEBSITE : www.apt3. net New technolog ies are an active presence in contemporary art practice. I n response, APT3 included the Virtual Trienn ial . The core of the Virtual Trienn ial was the APT3 Website (apt3 .net) wh ich remains on-line. The Website proved to be popular and attracted 1 .3 million h its· from J une 1 999 until January 2000. The Website features photographic images of artwork and video of performances ; specific information on artworks, artists' statements; and material on artists . Also included is general information about the APT3 conference, publications and events . 'Kids APT On-line' features projects and i nformation developed specially for children . Special features of the s ite include an exhibition of on line artworks, detailed profiles on participating artists, an e-mail forum discussing contemporary art and issues, and also Kids APT Online interactive artworks and projects developed for children 3 - 1 2 years . Lead ing multimedia production company QANTM Australia were responsible for the development and real isation of the APT3 400 page s ite which can be found at http:// www .apt3 . net/ VI RTUAL TRI ENN IAL: ARTWORKS Another aspect of the Virtual Trienn ial was artwork that used digital media in their creation or presentation. Some works were p resented on-site within the exhibition to Gallery visitors . The Gallery also worked closely with MAAP (Multimedia Art Asia Pacific) who were responsible for the content for the Virtual Trienn ial on-l ine exh ibition, du ring which they launched 3 1 sites each day for the du ration of September 1 999. MAAP were involved in the netcast of the official open ing and APT3 conference. NO I E (National Office for the I nformation Economy ) also assisted with funding the REALT I ME Journal 3 issue, which covered APT3 and MAAP99. Artists i n the Virtual Trienn ial included Jun-J ieh Wang from Taipei, an artist who set the cornerstone for multimedia in Taiwan. Neon Urlaub - Agency version is a virtual travel agency offering tourist packages to "the newest war zones, the most exotic places , and the most brutal and exciting adventures !" The artists installed h is agency in the gallery, an Internet booking service complete with p lastic palm trees. The d ifference between the real and the hyperreal is lost in th is journey through cyberspace. Jun-Jeih Wang's mu ltimedia conceptual installation artwork merges art and technology in a humorous adventure of consumerist desire. Choi Jae-Eun utilised the technology of the CD-Rom and the laser printer to produce an instal lation of slow moving m icroscopic details of a complex ecosystem . Sang Ye and Gerem ie Barme's collaborative work incorporated two inflatable red pil lars that were installed outside the gallery entrance for the opening week of the exh ibition . These pillars referenced the original marble Hua Biao of Beijing in Tiananmen Square. Their work also included a video feature in wh ich people passing by the orig inal Hua Biao are interviewed . These interviews were a way of creating a d ialogue with the silenced icons through the medium of video . Shi Yong also utilises video and the moving image to deliver his aud ience tips on etiquette. A selection of work from the UN I MAS Artists (artists from the Faculty of App lied and Creative Arts at the University Malaysai Sarawak) was also included in the Virtual Triennial . These works are a reflection of the artists' engagement with new media and were specifically created for APT3. 29