Intermedia Hires Resource Person First Task: Define the Job BY HARALD GRAVELSINS November 24 was the first day on the job for Colin Griffiths. Colin has been hired on a tempo- rary, half-time contract to serve as a studio assistant in the Intermedia Department. Until Colin was hired, the burden of technical instruction in Intermedia fell mostly upon Intermedia instructors. Where pos- sible, people outside Intermedia were recruited to provide technical instruction as a matter of good- will. Technical instruction and support are crucial to the nature of the Intermedia programme. Computer, sound, video and other complex contemporary technolo- gies are integral to the work carried out by Intermedia students. Budget constraints and external apprehensions about the Intermedia curriculum have been obstacles in the way of the depart- ment’s efforts to realize its aims. One of the primary tasks to be carried out by Colin is to define the nature of the job of Intermedia studio assistant. A model for allo- cating tasks and identifying the nature of the interaction between Colin, Intermedia instructors, other staff and students will be devel- oped by the end of December. This model will serve as the basis to post a formal job offering, as required by Institute protocols. Colin will be free to apply for this posting. Colin has a diverse background to draw upon in contributing to the direction of the Intermedia department. For seven years start- ing in 1987, he served as produc- tion supervisor for the media arts facility at the Banff Centre for the Through his work in Banff, Colin came into contact with a wide range of Canadian and inter- national. artists. One of these con- tacts was with Dublin-based artist James Coleman. Coleman’s slide and projected imagery-based work was picked up . by the DIA Centre for the Arts in New York for a year-long run. Coleman was given an entire floor of DIA’s six floor building in _. which to install his work. : Colin was needed to provide technical insights and solutions to the DIA exhibit, including config- uring the installation, bringing it into the exhibiting space, replicat- ing the archive, and devising means to package the exhibit for a subsequent tour. Prior to Banff, Colin served as an organizer of the Asia Pacific Festivals held in Vancouver in 1985 and 1987. During Expo 86, he was hired to manage the Xerox International Theatre stage. The Xerox stage was a 1,500- seat open air facility that put on six shows a day, 7 days a week for the six month run of international exhibition. Performances on the Xerox stage presented indigenous performances from many coun- tries, and were based on a cultural paradigm rather than on entertain- ment. Currently Colin has an execu- tive role at the Western Front, and is seeking out opportunities to form a musical band. Rock and roll production and performance are key experiences in the outlook that Colin brings to media-based art. According to Colin, “The model that I bring to the working situa- tion, and the one that always works for me in mutated form, is the model of the band. Say you have a three-piece band. Each person has a certain level of expertise on a certain instrument or a certain technology. There’s uniqueness in each con- tribution, but the way they blend in moments of simultaneity creates something much larger than the sum of the parts. And then, when the music is over, it only exists in memory. And you are back to the ephemer- al. Even if you record the event, all you can produce is a recondi- tioned situation.” Colin’s commitment to intersec- tions of artistic collaboration has links to his days as director of the Convertible Showroom. This was a multi-purpose studio-gallery in the Pumps Building that stood at Cordova and Carrall Streets between 1894 and the early 1980s. In his Convertible Showroom days, Colin would coordinate openings with other small gal- leries, and generate audiences of several hundred enthusiastic . people. Cross-overs were common- place between dance, visual arts, theatre and music. The Vancouver band scene was also fairly dynamic in that period. Colin’s perspective on the nature of creative agency and cre- ative media was formulated in response to these experiences. In regard to artistic agency, Colin states,"The notion of, working with others is. critical to what I do. I’m nota soloist. 1 think that modern practice lends itself.to a diversity of ways of realizing ideas, not all of which are singu- lar.” See ta? In regard to contemporary media and its applications, Colin — asserts, “I struggle with the inter- face of technology. There is a lot of development work that still has to take place in that area. But the same assimilation issue goes for anything - audio, video, computer, a crayon, whatever you choose to use, in terms of its func- tionality. Interpersonal relationships with technology are what I have learned to demystify, without nec- I feel vital part ef the college . 1 expersimental ef the institutien. multi media is a necessary and Michael scheenau — = see that it is the mest Se keeep it going. essarily knowing everything about the technology. The configuration of the work of art is less important than the intention. The motive and the intent is always my first point of intersection when I deal with artists.” Colin’s comments about artistic agency and media indicate why the label “studio assistant” does not explain his role very well, nor indicate the nature of the Intermedia department. As a collaborator who is in dia- logue with an Intermedia artist about the intentions of a project, Colin’s task is to help in building technological and institutional bridges to those intentions. The process tends towards complex lateral modes of project development and realization. The metaphor Colin uses to describe his role is that of a mirror grounded in technological aptitude that engages the aspiring creator by reflecting back on the ideas brought to it. “This [mirroring] sets up a bit of a conceptual distance between the idea and the realiza- tion. DECEMBER 1995 / EMnY 9 You can take two seconds to come up with a killer idea that would take two years to pull off. So maybe there’s a way of col- lapsing that time to a point where the turn-around from inception to completion, whatever that means, is expedited such that it acts as a springboard for the next step or the next idea, or the next intangi- ble which gets you into other areas.” fro! The Intermedia department seems to have found a springboard for itself by hiring Colin. s®& Photo: H. Gravelsins Colin Grifctns reveals his identity November 7, 1995 _ Tagny Duff Dear Tagny, I hope the above comments would be pleased to digas Sincerely, vin; a ay IAD ig to complete work on the are helpful. I¢ . * “yOu would like to talk further about these issu, : les, I Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design sa Chie Brad Campbell, C.A. aa H i resident | a) Jim Bre | : Dean - Media Divis | ue sia! Dean - Studio Divina : que Fouquet, Dean - First Year Division — , Dean - Design Division | yivia Scott, Intermedia Instructor years lighting grid in the Intermedia Pegg ee Emily Carr Instit ute of Art & Design 1399 Johnsion Street Vancouver, British Columbia » Canada V6tt 3k9 Telephone 604 844 3800 Facsimile 604 844 3801 Visions in the making eye 5 Intermedia Hires Resource Person First Task: Define the Job sy Hata Graversus November 24 was the first day ‘on the job for Colin Griffiths Colin has been hired on a tempo- rary, half-time contract to serve a5 a studio assistant in the Intermedia Department. ‘Until Colin was hired, the burden of technical instruction in Intermedia fell mostly upon Intermedia instructors. Where pos- sible, people outside Intermedia ere recruited to provide technical Instruction as a matter of good will ‘Technical instruction and support are crucial to the nature of the Intermedia programme. Computer, sound, video and other complex contemporary technolo- fies are integral to the work carried out by Intermedia students. Budget constraints and external apprehensions about the Intermedia curriculum have been ‘obstacles in the way of the depart- ment’s efforts to realize its aims. ‘One of the primary tasks to be carried out by Colin is to define the nature ofthe job of Intermedia studio assistant. A model for allo- cating tasks and identifying the nature of the interaction between Colin, Intermedia instructors, other staff and students will be devel- ‘oped by the end of December. “This model wil serve as the basis to posta formal job offering, as required by Institute protocols. Colin willbe free to apply for this posting. Colin has a diverse background to draw upon in contributing to the direction of the Intermedia department. For seven years start- {ng in 1987, he served as produc~ tion supervisor for the media arts facility at the Banff Centre for the Ans. ‘Through his work in Banff, Colin came into contact with @ wide range of Canadian and inter- national artists. One of these con- ‘acts was with Dublin-based artist James Coleman. Coleman's slide and projected Imagery-based work was picked up by the DIA Centre for the Arts in [New York fora year-long run. Coleman was given an entire floor of DIA's six floor building in ‘which to install his work. Colin was needed to provide ‘technical insights and solutions to ‘the DIA exhibit, including config- uring the installation, bringing it tothe exhibiting space, replicat- ing the archive, and devising ‘means to package the exhibit for a subsequent tour Prior to Banff, Colin served as. ‘an organizer of the Asia Pacific Festivals held in Vancouver in 1985 and 1987. During Expo 86, he was hired to manage the Xerox Intemational Theatre stage. ‘The Xerox stage was a 1,500- seat open air facility that put on shx shows a day, 7 days a week for ‘the six month run of international ‘exhibition. Performances on the Xerox stage presented indigenous performances from many coun- tres, and were based on a cultural paradigm rather than on entertain~ ment. (Currently Colin has an execu- tive role atthe Western Front, and is seeking out opportunities to form a musical band. Rock and roll production and performance are key experiences in the outlook that Colin brings to media-based at. ‘According to Colin, “The model that I bring to the working situa- tion, and the one that always works for me in mutated form, is the mode! of the band Say you have a three-piece band. Each person has a certain level of expertise on a certain {instrument oF a certain technology. ‘There's uniqueness in each con= tribution, but the way they blend in moments of simultaneity creates something much larger than the ‘sum ofthe pars. ‘And then, when the music is over, it only exists in memory ‘And you are back to the ephem: al. Even if you record the event, all you can produce is a recondl- tioned situation.” Colin's commitment to intersee- tions of artistic collaboration has Links to his days as director of the Convertible Showroom. This was @ multi-purpose studio-gallery in the ‘Pumps Building that stood at Cordova and Cara Strets between 1894 and the early 1980s. In his Convertible Showroom days, Colin would coordinate ‘openings with other small gal- leries, and generate audiences of several hundred enthusiastic ‘people. Cross-overs were common place between dance, visual ats, theatre and musi. The Vancouver ‘band scene was also fairly ‘dynamic in that period. Colin's perspective on the nature of creative agency and ere- ative media was formulated in response to these experiences. ‘In regard to artistic agency, Colin states,"The notion of. working with others i critical to what Ido. I'm not a soloist [think that modem practice ends itself to a diversity of ways of realizing fdeas, not all of which are singu- lant In regard to contemporary media and its applications, Colin assets, “I struggle with the inter~ face of technology. There isa lot of development work that still has to take place in that area But the same assimilation issue ‘Goes for anything - audio, video, ‘computer, a crayon, whatever you ‘choose to use, in terms ofits func- tionality Interpersonal relationships with technology are what I have learned to demystify, without nec- feel ulti media is a meee: vital part of the celle: expersimental ef the institutien. Mickael sch: + Tsee that it Ls the wast ary and Se knnep it goings cessarily knowing everything about the technology. ‘The configuration of the work of artis less important than the intention. The motive and the intent is always my frst point of intersection when I deal with Colin’s comments about artistic agency and media indicate why the label “studio assistant” does ‘not explain his role very well, nor Indicate the nature of the Intermedia department. {sa collaborator who fs in dia- Togue with an Intermedia artist about the intentions of a project, Colin’ task isto help in building technological and institutional bridges to those intention. ‘The process tends towards complex lateral modes of project evelopment and realization. ‘The metaphor Colin uses to describe his role is that of a mirror ‘grounded in technological aptitude that engages the aspiring creator by reflecting back on the ideas Drought to it. “Ths [mirroring sets up a bit of a conceptual distance ‘between the idea and the raliza- vecaer 1995 / mir 9 ‘You can take two seconds to come up with a killer idea that would take two years to pull off. ‘So maybe there's a way of col~ lapsing that time to a point where the turn-around from inception to completion, whatever that means, {s expedited such that it acts as 2 springboard for the next step or the next idea, or the next intangi- ble which gets you into other ‘The Intermedia department seems to have found a springboard for itself by hiring Colin. se oF COT ADDY eniycarinsetate Of Art & Design oe "ete sions ia the making