Shoes off. Close your eyes. Breathe. Four seconds in, six seconds out. 

Three powerful keynotes set the scene for ISEA2024 Everywhen, beginning with these transformative words from Professor Angie Abdilla.

On the second day, visionary digital artist Tamiko Thiel underscored the significance of network and community, a theme always close to ANAT’s heart. Finally, artist and filmmaker Tiare Ribeaux discussed how she integrates new technologies into age-old practices, telling stories that create new imaginations and new connections to the land.

ISEA2024 Everywhen took us into forests, oceans, and labs to explore the instruments and methodologies guiding our alumni’s research. We were invited backstage to understand the storytelling tools of these artists, technologists, and researchers.

Team ANAT was delighted to partner with and serve on the steering committee for ISEA2024 Everywhen. We were excited to be on Country in Meanjin, personally experiencing the twenty-ninth International Symposium on Electronic Art.

In addition to hosting two events and a workshop, we had the pleasure of reconnecting with many ANAT alumni, experiencing their presented artworks and academic papers. A highlight was our visit to ANAT Synapse resident Keith Armstrong’s long-term art+science project, Forest Art Intelligence (FAI).

Indigenous Protocols for Artificial Intelligence (IP//AI)​ Workshop #3

On 27 June at QUT Kelvin Grove, as part of ISEA2024 Everywhen, this participatory workshop delved into the historical development of AI and its contemporary applications.

Devised and led by Professor Angie Abdilla Old Ways, New in collaboration with Dr Gabriela Ferraro and Dr Safiya Okai-Ugbaje from ANU School of Cybernetics in partnership with ANAT, the session explored data, algorithms, and the methodologies of Machine Learning (ML). Participants engaged in two-way learning to examine Indigenous automated systems alongside current ML practices, aiming to innovate engineering possibilities rooted in cultural practices and care for Country and kin.

“The intersection between culture, arts and technology has been something that has driven me forever. It shows up in the work that I do as a consultant, it shows up in the work that I do as a researcher, and also as a maker,” Professor Abdilla says.

Read more about the workshop

Old Ways, New is an Indigenous-owned and managed company, drawing upon ancient cultural practices and traditional knowledges to inform divergent research and strategic design for the development of truly innovative deep technologies and engineering solutions to benefit Indigenous communities.

The School of Cybernetics is on a mission to help Australians navigate complexity, including those that involve new and emerging technologies. Based in the College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics at the Australian National University.

Coming soon: Our post-event storytelling will include insights from writer Kathryn Gledhill-Tucker and showcase more workshop imagery from Josef Ruckli.

Forest Art Intelligence site visit

While in Brisbane for ISEA2024, Team ANAT and Angie Abdilla had the pleasure of visiting ANAT Synapse resident Keith Armstrong’s multi-layered project, Forest Art Intelligence (FAI). A long term art+science project combining ecological regeneration and experimental creative practice.

We walked the site under the sunny skies and met two members of Keith’s collaborative team: landscape ecologist Dr. David Tucker and SERF Site Technician Marcus Yates.

Keith’s multidisciplinary art+science team obtained unique permission to restore a currently cleared block of land back to high conservation-value forest at the Samford Ecological Research Facility (SERF).

Keith Armstrong is an experimental artist driven by social and ecological justice. His participative practices encourage audiences to envision sustainable futures through collaborative, site-specific electronic arts, networked interactive installations, and art-science collaboration.

respect, relationships, reciprocity, responsibility

The 4 r’s proposed by Indigenous trailblazer Verna Kirkness and her writing partner Ray Barnhardt were at the heart of Postcommodity’s ISEA2024 presentation.

For Team ANAT, capturing a moment in the zeitgeist has always reinforced the validity and strength of the concept or idea. On the final day of ISEA2024 we were delighted to announce ANAT SPECTRA 2025 :: Reciprocity, will be held in partnership with The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC), hosted on Kabi Kabi Country, 2-4 October.

ANAT CEO Melissa DeLaney notes, “the relationship with UniSC evolves after a long time working with Leah Barclay, Tricia King and Lyndon Davis on various projects and ideas. To host ANAT SPECTRA 2025 Reciprocity on Kabi Kabi Country will bring into place the creativity, partnership and room for reciprocity to occur.”

This incarnation of ISEA… Everywhen, explored the concept that past, present, and future coexist in any given place. Unlike the Western view of time as linear, First Nations Australians perceive all time periods as existing simultaneously in the constant presence of place. We congratulate ISEA2024’s Program Committee: Led by Co Chairs Wesley Enoch AM and Prof Gavin Sade, with Melissa DeLaney, Jenn Brazier, Dr Rewa Wright, Dr Leah Barclay, Brad Spolding and Katherine Hamono-Rhonda Marchingo.