The Medium is the Medium – today!

Today’s the day! Our Biennial event The Medium is The Medium is here…

Curated by us and Liverpool Biennial 2012, we wanted to talk about why critical writing is important in a mature and thriving arts landscape. At a time of rapid technological and cultural change, we increasingly take to new media for information.

With everyone able to write or start a blog, where does this leave traditional art criticism?

The Medium is The Medium asks what effect open participation in social media and blogging has on critical writing; does this point to a more democratic and richer debate? In any case, where are the standards set now?

Named after Nam June Paik’s pithy riposte to Marshall McLuhan’s suggestion that the form of the medium (TV in his case, the internet in today’s) necessarily, and symbiotically, embeds itself in the message, we wanted to explore how true – or not – this is in the case of the ubiquitous blog.

We welcome a host of industry experts to point to some of the answers: Cherie Federico (Aesthetica Magazine), Rachael Jones (The Double Negative contributor, freelance writer and social media manager), Francesco Manacorda (Artistic Director Tate Liverpool, pictured), Edgar Schmitz (Lecturer in Critical Studies at Goldsmiths), and Miranda Sawyer (The Culture Show, The Guardian).

And for those who can’t make it this afternoon, don’t panic – you can join in via our live blog. And for those Twitter fans, send us your questions for Miranda Sawyer et al through our special hashtag, #themedium! Can’t wait!

The Medium is the Medium 2-5pm Saturday 22nd September Camp and Furnace

Follow us on Twitter @TheDbleNgtve @Biennial