About BEK Archive
Since the start in 2000, a myriad of art and technology projects have been created through the Bergen Centre for Electronic Arts (BEK). The projects form a history with many angles and parallel runs, where BEK has functioned as a resource center or springboard for development, and playing a significant role in the field. The archive over these years is located, in addition to BEK’s servers, in the memory and hard drives of the artists who have been working here, and on the occasion of BEK’s 20th anniversary in 2020, it was time to retrieve and reflect on this recent story. The archive’s projects are very relevant for understanding the development within art and technology. Because, even though 20 years is no time to count, technology from 2000 can be seen as from the stone age considering where we are today. BEK’s history is both local, national and international through the institution’s and artists’ networks.
In working with the archive, we have been looking at some key issues: How to present art that hardly can be documented? How to facilitate the display of art that was created within a specific technological period, with its limitations and possibilities and associated aesthetics? How to tell a diverse institutional history with many perspectives? How to recognize the meaning of memories, anecdotes and polyphony? Is it possible to trace some moments of wrestling where a particular technology or view of technology wins out, and look at how this has consequences for the current situation? BEK came to life in an environment that emphasized sharing and do-it-yourself, where development and process were central. This means that it can be difficult to point out the origin or final results, but where the development takes part in a larger international environment, and where the ripple effects can be difficult to concretize within such a documentation project as the BEK Archive.
By highlighting projects from BEK’s 20 years in the field, the art and technology field as such is also highlighted. The projects we present onward will range widely in format and media, and include digital and time-based art, video, sound, stage projects, music, film and even more. Under ‘Chronology’ you will find BEK’s history all the way back to the small sprouts that later became BEK. In ‘Features, we reflect on themes and projects that go over a longer period of time, and which have proven to be particularly relevant for artists and the environment associated with BEK. ‘Projects’ provides insight into artists’ projects, which have been associated with BEK and developed here.
BEK Archive is launched in connection with BEK’s 20th anniversary in 2020. This first version of the archive provides a small insight into some of what has taken place. This is not the whole story, but some perspectives. Going forward, BEK Archive will grow, when more reflections, projects and themes are added. BEK Archive actualizes stories, but is just as much a platform that both archives and presents art projects at the same time.
We are interested in feedback from you! Is there something else you remember, or something you remember differently? Have you got ideas about what topics we should bring up? We will create an online forum for this, but until further notice you can get in touch via e-mail bekarkiv@bek.no
BEK Archive is made by:
2020
Editors and project management: Lars Ove Toft and Vilde Salhus Røed
Co-editors: Anne Marthe Dyvi (To Video), Sissel Lillebostad (motlyd) and Marieke Verbiesen Author chronology: Dusan Barok
Translation and proofreading: Pip Rowson (English chronology, To Video and motlyd), Lene Stokseth (Norwegian chronology) and Vilde Salhus Røed (Norwegian Å video and motlyd)
Interview and fact check chronology: Anne Marthe Dyvi, Gisle Frøysland, Jørgen Larsson, Signe Lidén, Trond Lossius, Åse Løvgren, Marit Paasche, Per Platou, Ellen Røed, Vilde Salhus Røed, Roar Sletteland, Espen Sommer Eide, Lars Ove Toft and Marieke Verbiesen
Design: Stian Remvik
Programming: Sindre Sørensen
2019
Project management: Vilde Salhus Røed
Resource group: Trond Lossius, Marieke Verbiesen and Vilde Salhus Røed
Thanks to Gaby Wijers and Sanneke Huisman (Digital Canon), Anky Heidenreich and Filippo Gianetta (transmediale), Jon Ippolitto (The Variable Media Network), Per Platou (Videokunstarkivet), Amanda Stegell, Ellen Røed, HC Gilje and Piotr Pachjel (in interviews with Marieke Verbiesen), and Jana Vinderen, Maia Urstad and Jørgen Træen (in conversation with Sissel Lillebostad about motlyd).
With many thanks to all the artists and contributors to this first version of BEK Archive!
BEK Archive has been created with support from Norwegian Arts Council, Bergen municipality and Vestland county.