-» 8 puaner oF THE ARTS. / DECEMBER 1995

cere eer a
Tagny Duff
4th Year
Intermedia

November 6,1995
To Brad Campbell,

cc. Jim Breukelman ~
Sally Michener
Tom Becher
Monique Fouqnet

It has just come to my attention that there is talk of cutting the Intermedia
department from Emily Carr curriculum. What is going on? It seems as though the
administration has given up on providing solutions for problems within the
Intermedia program. Why is the program not being given the funding and respect it
deserves? It seems to me that ever since Emily Carr College has become ‘Emily Carr
Institute’ , the administration has become more restrictive and conservative in its ideas
about art making and budget spending. Since multi-media/intermedia has always been the
area of risk taking and strategical undermining and questioning of art practices it's not
surprising that it is the first area of budget decreases and the last area to receive
adequate equipment and studio space. How can the lack of equipment in room #406
be justified? There's no excuse for the lack of completion in that area which was
supposed to be installed with lights and a sound system. Why always go half way with
promises to the Intermedia department? As a student I'm tired of false hopes that one
day Intermedia students can work and discuss collectively our methods of art
making within a supportive and recognized department. Within the four years I have
been a student here, Ihave seen Intermedia disintegrate rather than grow and expand.
A department that was once exciting and vibrant because of the outspokeness of
performance /multi-media students has now become fragmented and silenced. This
disorganization among Intermedia students stems directly from a sense of anger and
frustration with the administration. Intermedia students have been fighting for adequate
equipment and space access for long enough.

Can Emily Carr Institute afford to compromise her original spirit of
producing new and innovative art by not putting invested money and interest into the
promotion of anew generation of performance art, multi-media involving new ways of
working with technologies, and experimental art forms? These problems must be
addressed and solved in a serious manner now and not allowed to be dragged out any
longer. Iam aware that there is disorganization and dissatisfaction among the faculty
concerning the ' place! or ‘status’ of Intermedia. I thought that with the performance
and Intermedia movement in Vancouver in the 70's (which addressed hierarchies in art
hierarchy and segregation among the media departments still present? I am appalled by
the lack of support Sylvia Scott has received by other faculty. Her constant efforts to
expand thc Intermedia department in terms of equipment,space and vision have been
one battle afler another. It is this lack of support that has driven away some of Emily
Carr Institutes most energetic and essential Intermedia ‘caretakers’. Sadly missed by the
department will be Michael Agrios, who's enthusiasm and encouragement towards
multi-media students did not go unnoticed by us. Unfortunately, administration didn't
think it necessary to expand the audio/visual budget in order to hire desperately
needed additional technical staffto handle the large increase in student enrollment and
equipment use. Now without the cooperation of Michael Agrios , thelintermedia
department is without any technical support. I find it extremely strange that while
photography, film/video, computer graphics and design all have technical assistance,
Intermedia is overlooked. Why are these departments and the administration not getting
together and acknowledging the isolation of Intermedia? Why is nothing getting
done?

If you are truly interesting in addressing this crisis in the Intermedia department, I
suggest that you look into these basic needs: first of all, it is extremely necessary for a
technical assistant for Intermedia students. Secondly,
so that students can use the space for performance and installation work. Thése are two
simple beginnings but they would make big differences for building a cohesive unity
within the Intermedia department. Actualization of these two points will provide _

“incentive for more production by Intermedia students. Of course there are other pressing
needs for Intermedia department, but Ihave narrowed them down to these two points ..

which can be dealt with immediately. I realize that budget cutbacks are always” ”
threatening, but this lack of support and funding within the intermedia program must

change. Intermedia students are paying big dollars to study at Emily Carr’Instituté and eS

we have the right to expect some- return for: our tuition... like access to adequate

_ equiptment;space and opportunity . Education is for students and our.voices néed to be
taken seriously. Don't overlook. Intermedia’ students urgent needs. I'm personally asking —

you; the administration to take action. on behalf of the Intermedia department... °

. if +
Sincerely,

i gps

illustration : Facton —“DownAneD

BY TAGNY DUFF

The Intermedia program is in dire
straits. Don’t let the sweet and
calm voice of Brad Campbell's let-
ter convince you otherwise. At

_ least he acknowledges the fact that

there is “a lack of understanding
about the work that goes on in
Intermedia and , given that, the
type of support the program
needs”. But he goes.on to say that
“we are looking at Intermedia
along with all other program
offerings to ensure that our cur-
riculum is relevant and effective”
which dismisses the unique and
pressing problems within the pro-
gram. When. |_asked the adminis-
tration not-to overlook Intermedia
students urgent-needs - I meant
urgent as in “now”! It is good that
at least some technical support has
been promised to Intermedia, but a
part-time technical assistant who
has obligations to other depart-
ments is not.good enough. Once
again, the administration applies a
Band-Aid when major surgery is
needed.

I also don’t buy Brad’s renewed
promise that he is “moving to
complete work on the lighting grid
in the Intermedia performance
space”. (What exactly does “mov-
ing to complete work” mean?). I
hope he can prove my suspicions
wrong. Call me a hopeless dream-
er; but even after four years of
seeing the Intermedia department
deteriorate, I still have my fingers
crossed. So Brad, if you’re reading
this ... I'm waiting to see some
concrete results from you and your
administration before the year is
over.

There’s one other problem per-
haps even larger than the adminis-
trations lack of response to this
‘crisis’ and that’s student involve-
ment. HELLO INTERMEDIA STU-
DENTS. IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?
The general attitude of disinterest
and lack of energy within the
Intermedia student population is
very disturbing. If students don’t
continue to pressure the adminis-
tration and demand respect as a
department, nothing is going to

Juggling Intermedia

change. We need to work on group
collectivity and organization now
and actually change things within
this institution. One potluck event
is not enough to create a feeling
of camaraderie and purpose, but it
is a start. Thank you 2nd year stu-
dents, for organizing the event”.
Let’s all keep the efforts going
through the rest of the year!

Sylvia Scott has tried for years to
promote collectivity and produc-
tion among Intermedia students
but a ‘void’ still exists! This is
partly because students are not
investing, enough time into. dealing
with the political problems of this
program as-a ‘unified-whole’. It is
time we invested effort into pro-
moting ourselves as Intermedia

_ Students ‘and. dealing with-the
. bureaucratic maze effectively! It is

time to question the growing con-
servative attitudes that are taking
hold of this institution.and.our-
selves now! Action is the only
solution. oe

If you work in performance,-
show your support for the
Intermedia Program by participat-
ing in the Media Show at the end
of the semester. Remember,
InterMEDIA is part of the media

-family and therefore just as impor-

tant as Film and Video. Writing to
the administration directly about
your concerns as an Intermedia
student is important and while
you're at it, make use of The
Planet of the Arts to expose prob-
lems and voice your thoughts. Of
course there is a world outside of
Emily Carr Institute that takes
Intermedia as an art form serious-
ly. Let Emily Carr Institute’s
administration know the impor-
tance of Intermedia art practice as
a form of valuable social/political
criticism within the public and
institutional spheres and as an
area for new, experimental visual
art explorations. Write and make
art, then make it visible so that the
administration doesn’t find a rea-
son to axe the Intermedia
Program. —@s
B ner or me nes | oem 1995

Tepy Dull
sin Your
Intemedia
November 61995,
‘ToBrad Campbell,
= Fi Becket
Silly Mihener
‘Tom Becher
Monique Fouguet

1 hasjust come to my tention that ther is talk of ating the Intermedia

‘department fiom Emily Carr curriculum. What is going oa? Ht somes thowgh the

‘dninistation has given upon providing solutions for probleme win the

Intermedia program. Why is the program nt being given the funding and respect it

eserves? seas to me that ever ce Emily Carr College hs bore Ely Carr

Insitute’, the adninstraton has become more restictive and conservative ints Hess

shout ar making and budget spending Since mal-modiaftermedia has alway ben tho

sea of ris taking and. strategial undermining snd questioning ofan practices is not

‘suprising that itis the iat area of budget decreases and the las ares to receive

‘adequate equipment and studio space. How can tho lack of equipment in room #406

bojusifed? There's no excuse for the ck of completion in that tea which was

supposed tobe installed with Tights and a sound system. Why always go bal way. with

promises tothe Intermedia department? As.a student Tin ire of fils hopes that one

day Intermedia sdents can work and discuss cllcively our methods of at

‘making within 2 supportive and recognized. depatnnt. Within the for yeas Thave

boca student her, Ihave seen. Intermedia dntgrate rather than grow and expand,

‘A departnet that vas one exiting and vibrant because ofthe ouspokenes of {
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illustrction : Verxton Downie

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Juggling Intermedia

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and actually change things within

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rnceds for ltermetia department, but Ihave narrowed them down o these two points
i wich can be dea with immediatly. Lrealze that budget cutbacks re always.
threatening, but this lack of support and funding within th intermedia program must

‘ration not to overlook Intermed
students urgent needs - Ime

‘moting ourselves as Intermedia
students and. dealing with the

ee ee | ‘tet vme eke spars” tine qnsan ie owing eoe
we ve the ight expect some Feta tution. ke aces to adequate | echneal perY cen eemorass
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{ake second. Dost overook Intron stents pet need Tm personaly sing parttime technical asitant who hold ofthis institution and our-
3 the administration oak acon on beta ofthe Inte deprocet, has obligations to other depart- selves now! Action is the only
fa ‘ments isnot good enough. Once solution.
‘Siceey “ ‘again, the administration applies a Ifyou work in performance,
~ Band-Aid when major surgery iS show your support fr the
oe needed. Intermedia Program by participat-
Talso don't buy Brads renewed ing in the Media Show atthe end
promise that he is “moving to ofthe semester. Remember,
s complete work on the lighting grid InterMEDIA is par of the media

Jn the Intermedia performance family and therefore just as impor-
space’ (What exactly does “mov- tant as Film and Video. Writing to
ing to complete work” mean?). 1 the administration directly about
hhope he can prove my suspicions your concerns as an intermedi
wrong, Call me a hopeless dream- student is important and while
er; but even after four years of you're at it, make use of The
seeing the Intermedia department Planet of the Arts to expose prob-
deteriorate, [still have my fingers lems and voice your thoughts. Of
crossed. So Brad, if you're reading course there is a world outside of,
this... 'm waiting to see some Emily Carr Institut that takes
Concrete results from you and your Intermedia as an artform serious-
administration before the year is ly, Let Emily Carr Institute's
over administration know the impor-
There's one other problem per- tance of Intermedia at practice as
haps even larger than the adminis- a form of valuable socal/pliical
trations lack of response to this _crticism within the public and
‘crisis’ and that’ student involve- institutional spheres and as an
‘ment. HELLO INTERMEDIA STU- area for new, experimental visual
DENTS. IS ANYBODY OUT THERE? art explorations. Write and make
‘The general attitude of disinterest ar, then make it visible so that the

and lack of energy within the administration doesn't find a rea
Intermedia student population is son to axe the Intermedia
very disturbing. If students don't Program. ~®

continue to pressure the adminis-
tation and demand respect as a
department, nothing Is going to