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MFRU

Trends in the world have evolved in various directions under the broad umbrella of technological and scientific art. The term "computing" hasn't gained much traction in our art world; we've minimized its usage and added other labels. However, a film remains a film, even when created using a different medium. It's incredibly challenging to create this type of art without a computer, so the term is still fitting. The name has persisted as a foundation, as a material, and that remains unchanged. Apparently, nobody has been bothered enough about it (laughs).

The story is far from over. Three books, spanning up to 2024, have shed light on crucial aspects of cyberfeminism, the prosthetic body, and women's roles in the realm of technology and gender. This series reached its pinnacle with "The Future of Computer Arts & the History of The International Festival of Computer Arts, Maribor 1995-2004," which I edited and published in 2004.

Following this, there was a surge in discussions on race and concepts related to decoloniality, leading to a collaboration with Graz and the creation of the publication "Prologue: New Feminism for a New Europe," which I edited and published in 2005.

Subsequently, there was mounting pressure on Slaček, resulting in its isolation and diminished significance. Over a decade, the narrative of the nation-state was solidified, with a focus on erasing non-Slovenes as the primary mode of coexistence. Institutions became the driving force behind this erasure, while the alternative scene only served to perpetuate this dynamic.

In this context, the Referendum on the technical law on the erased, held on 4 April 2004, was a pivotal event. Voters decided whether to support the government's proposals to restore the rights of ethnic minority members who had been erased from the register in 1992. A significant majority, 96.05% of the electorate, voted against the enactment of the law, with a turnout of 31.55%. The referendum was backed by the opposition Slovenian Democratic Party. Understanding this context is crucial for comprehending the events of this period.

The festival's name carries a very retro connotation, sounding quite old-fashioned. Yet, it holds a special place in my heart. Its significance has somewhat diminished over time because nearly all art processes involve some form of computation. However, I wouldn't advocate for renaming it. While I haven't closely followed every edition of the festival, I don't see any issue with its computerized nature.
In the past, we interpreted the festival's name quite literally; the computer served as a vital tool to distinguish our art from other forms. We were deeply intrigued by internet protocols and web chatbots. These tools were strictly computer and internet-based, leaving analogue art out of the loop. It presented a wonderful opportunity to carve out our own space in the artistic landscape. The so-called "technikalia" had a contextual significance; they weren't just a gimmick but were integral to the content.
Today, the scenario has shifted. Computers have become everyday tools with a significant role in content creation. In the past, these technical aspects played a crucial role. We were even thrilled if we could include works in the festival that weren't strictly computer-based, perhaps more performative or musical but still utilized computers. Nowadays, such criteria are impractical, necessitating the search for new ones.

In the early days of the MFRU, computing heralded the boom that would come a few years later. Therefore, the name related to computing seemed the most logical designation, and we did not consider that it might become time-stamped. Meanwhile, the Kiblix festival was initially named after Linux, but after 2008, we began to focus more on the art itself. Still, through open source, this remained a condition of participation in our festival.

In 2009, we reconnected Kiblix and the MFRU, involving diverse selectors and curators. For a few years, we worked closely with the MFRU, advancing the open source story. This collaboration continued until around 2015.

There was extensive discussion about whether the inclusion of "computer" in the festival's name remains relevant to the current state of its field, or if it now appears archaic and out of touch. We deliberated over the names MFRU and IFCA and ultimately decided to retain the first one as the English abbreviation as well. Despite the legitimacy of embracing concepts like the virtual and intermedia today, I believe the festival, owing to its pioneering role, maintains this terminology and position.

While the landscape has shifted and more festivals in Slovenia now showcase this type of art, I personally delved into the terminology of the digital and virtual realms, finding that the computer serves as the foundation for both. It acts as a tool and mediator of content, making the concept tangible and relevant.

Changing your name is difficult; I wouldn't do it. The MFRU was unique in its time and boasts the longest history. Each contributor and each edition has its own interpretation of the MFRU, and every contributor holds their own view on technology. That's why it's crucial to ask as many questions and conduct as many experiments as possible. Sometimes there's more emphasis on computer art, while other times the focus shifts to AI, AR, and the like. Let it evolve, fluctuate, circulate—any of that.

The more data-processing units are minimized and integrated into everyday life, the more crucial it becomes to analyze the role they play in the world and in people's lives. While the acceptance of new technologies often requires their invisibility (using them without conscious awareness), people's ignorance of how computers function today is genuinely dangerous. This increasingly renders decision-making power inaccessible to citizens.

The term "computers," precisely because it raises doubts about whether it accurately and fully describes these units, in a sense, alienates them, turning them into objects of contemplation, which is alright.

Referring to it as a computer art festival doesn't strike me as limiting, although computer art (formerly known as electronic art) was associated with the early stage of new media art until around the year 2000. However, the term "new media art" is also inadequate because every medium was once new.