ADA is a network researching the expanded field around media, new media, electronic and digital art. The ADA Network enables communication between artists, curators, teachers, critics, theorists, writers and the interested public. ADA develops public understanding of digital art through its online forum, through publications and exhibitions, and by touring speakers, holding master classes and symposia.
ADA is a national organisation advancing education, enabling discussion, collaboration and mentoring, passing on learning and expertise. ADA contributes towards the development of digital art, in all its manifestations, across Aotearoa New Zealand.
ADA List
The Aotearoa Digital Arts List is an e-mail based discussion list for artists, curators, critics and educators focused on the intersection between art and technology in New Zealand and further afield. To subscribe or manage your existing membership, visit https://list.waikato.ac.nz/postorius/lists/ada_list.list.waikato.ac.nz/.
Trustees
ADA is a charitable trust. Current trustees are Vicki Smith (Interim Chair), Ted Whitaker (Secretary & Treasurer), Birgit Bachler, Jack Gittings, James Hope and Nolwenn Lacire. Previous trustees include Honor Harger, Douglas Bagnall, Su Ballard, Stella Brennan, Janine Randerson, Zita Joyce, Don Hunter, Ana Terry, Julian Priest, Sarah Jane Parton, Rob Carter and Maggie Buxton.
Vicki Smith (Interim Chair) makes artworks that navigate the permeability between visual and virtual, weaving science, the environment and traditional practices into individual work and collaborations. She develops and produces projects that enhance and support collaborative communities of practice engaging creative ways to encourage care and protection for our environment. artecology.net
Ted Whitaker (Secretary, Treasurer) is an artist based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. He graduated from the Dunedin School of Art (MFA) in 2016. Recent exhibitions include; Oceans turn to goo, Toi Pōneke, 2020; Running in the Background, Te Tuhi, 2019; and Small Vision Playback, I: project space, Beijing, 2018. Ted has been an artist in residence at I: project space, Beijing and Blue Oyster Art Project Space, Dunedin.
Jack Gittings is an artistic producer based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. One of the turning cogs in the arts collective, Mouthfull; Jack navigates a varied approach through experiential, sculptural, and interactive practice.
James Hope is a curator and writer currently based in Whanganui. He was formerly Assistant Curator at the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua and has written for publications such as Art New Zealand, HAMSTER, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waitwhetū’s Bulletin, and Writing Around Sound, published by the Canterbury Society of Sonic Artists.
Birgit Bachler is a media artist, designer, and researcher based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington. In her research, she investigates emergent media and the ways contemporary technologies continuously create, shape, and manipulate networks between humans and non-humans, electronic data, and their environments. birgitbachler.com
Nolwenn Lacire programmes and produces digital experiences within public and performing art spaces. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau, she works for Auckland Live and currently curates the Auckland Live Digital Stage, a large scale outdoor screen located in Auckland main public space, Aotea Square. Creative technologies, access to the arts and public spaces are key interests that shape her practice.
Past Work
Since 2019 we have been working under the research banner Indeterminate Infrastructures – Objects, Signals and Architecture this has so far seen a series of Technical Object Seminars, a number of publications and an online symposium (2021) and work towards the first multi-day Symposium (2022) for a significant period.
In 2018 a further review of progress and a number of initiatives were mooted. Firstly a nationwide Open Sandwich event series to gather thoughts and intentions of the distributed community who make up the ADA network.
In 2017 the ADA board supported two applications that lead to an artwork (Sounding) and a workshop and event series collectively called Storm Channels in Dunedin which generated some excellent material for the newly growing artbase.
In 2016 a review of the board and the intention of the Trust lead to work on the ADA Artbase as a basis which has generated some work and writing alongside of material submitted through symposia.
Between 2011 and 2013 was broadly focused on the research project Christchurch Mesh Cities under which a number of projects were undertaken, Master Classes, Symposia and in 2015 new publication A Transitional Imaginary Space, Network and Memory in Christchurch, which was the culmination and reflection on the research project. The proposed project was summarised within a panel presentation to ISEA 2013 and the paper for that is published through Canterbury University.
In 2010 ADA hosted the masterclass tour of Professor Douglas Kahn to Auckland, Christchurch, Whanganui. ADA was a key partner for Electrosmog: Festival of Sustainable Immobility, an international networked conference and festival initiated by De Baile in Amsterdam. 2010 also marked the seventh ADA symposium, Energetics and Informatics. Over the previous decade, ADA symposia have maintained a reputation for inspiring presentations by leading and emergent New Zealand artists alongside renowned international artists and critics. In 2008 ADA published The ADA Reader, a book that remains the only comprehensive text on media arts and their histories in New Zealand. This text has given an international depth and recognition to New Zealand’s media arts practice. The ADA network continues to expand understanding of and exposure to digital and media arts (in all their variety) in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Equipment Pool
The ADA Equipment Pool is a technology resource made available for artists and galleries in New Zealand. This resource is dedicated to supporting artists and exhibitors working with video and new media technology. ADA intends to make this equipment available to use for artists and galleries at cost as a service to the art community.
The equipment is geographically distributed in Whangarei, Wellington, Nelson and Dunedin. Generally speaking, we don’t ship the equipment between centres but encourage artists to take advantage of what is available in the city nearest them.
- 4 x Panasonic PT-AX200E projectors in flight cases, and some audio equipment (details by request)
Preference will be given to ADA List members. Contact admin(at)ada(dot)net(dot)nz for full details, terms and conditions.