Making art of databases

In recent centuries a whole range of exact systems has been developed in order to describe and categorize spoken and written communication: phonologically, morphologically, syntactically, semantically, pragmatically, stylistically. But there is nothing similar for visual and audio communication, despite the fact that the importance of these media has increased dramatically over the last 200 years. Attempts to develop various systems for the deployment of archives and databases in the work of artists, with the goal of developing interactive, dynamic artworks in which the database plays an active role, were undertaken during a series of masterclasses organized by V2_ in association with the Zentrum fr Kunst und Medientechnologie in Karslruhe, Ars Electronica Center in Linz and the Center for Culture and Communication in Budapest. In this publication, specialists in the field of image, sound and interaction--Lev Manovitch, Sher Doruff, Joel Ryan and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, together with Brian Massumi--share their visions for the use of databases and archives in their particular area of expertise.