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MFRU
Three decades of worrying about technologies
Q2/10
The computer globalized the world in the sense that a creator and a viewer can be anywhere, anytime – and yet the essence of the International Computer Arts Festival is about physical bodies and physical objects. What did the space of Maribor at the centre of intermedia art turn out to be like?
Q2/10
The computer globalized the world in the sense that a creator and a viewer can be anywhere, anytime – and yet the essence of the International Computer Arts Festival is about physical bodies and physical objects. What did the space of Maribor at the centre of intermedia art turn out to be like?
The shortage of space for our activities was why the events overflowed into the city. Our vision of computer art occupied many unexpected and, some might argue, inappropriate spaces, none of them glamorous. Nevertheless, we worked with them relatively well.
The shortage of space for our activities was why the events overflowed into the city. Our vision of computer art occupied many unexpected and, some might argue, inappropriate spaces, none of them glamorous. Nevertheless, we worked with them relatively well. Example: Slovenia had a program for primary schools called "Computing to Primary Schools" Young people up to the fifth grade were already starting to learn about computer graphics! As a result, we placed our computer graphics exhibition right in the children's gallery, which was in the Bus Station building at the time.
Moments of inventiveness were key – we found solutions that seemed difficult or unsolvable. Apple and Microsoft didn't share files at the time (a phenomenon that still exists today, but is solvable with well-established interfaces), so we developed special disks that were readable by both operating systems. We delegated the publications to Maska Publishing House, which had a strong network that we did not happen to have ourselves. We wouldn't have been able to access foreign channels; Maska sold out. Exceptional. The first festival was also pioneering from a communication point of view.
We were among the first locally to introduce public relations, known as PR, press conferences, and daily announcements. Most of the materials were sent by fax, and if one of the elements in the chain did not have access to a fax, they were informed in person, by telephone. We reported this way every day to STA and we were lucky – I could say we won. STA sent the news on to all the media players; the amount of publishing was guaranteed.

1/5
Where are we now? We are here, and we have a strong, very strong history.
Marina Gržinić
A2/8
The answer to the question can only be assessed by the specific documentation I am constantly referring to and by acknowledging that we are conducting an interview. I can say many things, but what truly matters in history are the facts, such as books, symposia, and records of when events occurred. Everything else amounts to mere rhetorical discourse or delusions. The names of the individuals recorded at the time of the events are crucial because they form the basis for verifying credibility. Without this information, or if it is forgotten (intentionally or unintentionally), one ends up perpetuating provincialism, which is always aligned with impotent positions that appropriate the work of others.

1/4
When we began producing net art in Slovenia in the mid-1990s, one of the key reasons was our deliberate avoidance of the hierarchical, even pyramidal structure of art, along with its systems of evaluation, exhibition, and curation.
There's a big paradox here, let me explain. When we began producing net art in Slovenia in the mid-1990s, one of our main motivations was to deliberately avoid the hierarchical, even pyramidal structures of art—systems of evaluation, exhibition, and curation. Whether I was creating in Maribor or Ljubljana, the difference between the two cities was insignificant on a global scale. Someone in South America could consume what we created the very next moment. And we, a group of local net artists, managed to achieve that to a certain extent; the wave of net art at that time had a very broad resonance. What ensued was an expansion of the festival culture, which focused our production in a specific point of space and time. Some festivals remained small, while others already flourished, like Transmediale, Osnabruck, and Impact. During the second half of the 1990s, up to 2000, festivals and gatherings in Europe and beyond played such an important role, and that's paradoxical. We were the same creators frequenting the open-source centers that organized them. Locally, we stayed on the margins, while internationally moving like a caravan from city to city. But the caravan had its purpose, and we drew encouragement from it. Parties, dinners, conversations—these formats took us out of our individual shells and built a scene. There, opinions clashed in a different way than in a series of emails on the Net Time website.
Locally, we stayed on the margins, while internationally moving like a caravan from city to city. But the caravan had its purpose, and we drew encouragement from it. Parties, dinners, conversations—these formats took us out of our individual shells and built a scene. There, opinions clashed in a different way than in a series of emails on the Net Time website.
From the outset, I perceived MFRU as a gathering point. It wasn't just about exhibitions. In my contributions, sometimes the artwork wasn't intended to be seen outside the digital realm itself, beyond the internet – but I still presented it to engage in discussions. It was about popularizing this domain: showing my mother how my work functions and looks (laughs). Conversations and mingling may seem peripheral, but they're crucial for the scene's growth and development, for building connections; that was the essence. By 1995, the Maribor Festival had all the necessary resources to host a concrete event. Jože Slaček excelled in video works, the Mladinski Kulturni Center (MKC) with Gallery 88 offered a platform for video art, various contemporary marginal fanzines, and concerts by punk bands like the Centre for Dehumanisation group. That was the foundation on which the festival was established. We introduced computers into the mix - why? Perhaps because we were familiar with them and because it was a way to rebel against the art establishment, offering a completely different approach to curating and presenting contemporary art. Sadly, it didn't last long. Slovenian mainstream contemporary art largely overlooked new media and computer art, moving towards new terms, toward intermedia. However, that atmosphere was undeniably the zeitgeist of the first years of MFRU.

1/4
The fact that the story of MFRU has endured and remains vibrant here is particularly striking to me. Its retro name has endured, yet the paradigms of virtuality... everything has evolved in the interim. Improbable resolutions and remarkable developments have unfolded, evolving into a global network, of which Maribor is a part.
The first edition of the trilogy I curated, took place across twenty-three locations. There were galleries, but there were also lobbies and cafés. While it may not be apt to compare our festival with Ars Electronica in this regard, it's still worth comparing it on other levels. Spatially, in terms of production, and quantitatively, the quality there is undoubtedly distinct. I'm reminded of a quote that describes MFRU as a boutique story, contrasting with the machinery of others. And it was the former that gave me a very good energy as a curator. However, we undeniably occupy a niche within this city as well. Further comparison reveals our marginality, particularly evident when considering the connection between Linz and Ars Electronica. The fact that the MFRU story has endured and thrived here is, to me, remarkable. The retro name has persisted, but the paradigms of virtuality... everything has since transformed. Impossible resolutions and incredible developments have transpired, evolving into a global network which Maribor is a part of.

1/4
Exploring the space of Maribor in the context of computer art, both “then” (around 2013 when I was curator) and “now” (in 2024) reveals the dynamics between the local and the global, and how Maribor has evolved into a hub for digital and technological art.
As the host of the International Festival of Computer Arts, Maribor plays a significant role in the field of computer art, both locally and internationally. Since 2013, Maribor's role in computer art has shifted from being a local hub to becoming an internationally recognized center for digital and technological art. It “now” serves not only as a venue for presenting and exploring digital art but also as a hub where future directions and discourses at the intersection of technology, art, and society are being shaped. This transformation reflects the broader dynamics between local and global influences that shape contemporary artistic practice and culture.
"Then" Maribor could be described as a developing center. During my curatorship of MFRU, Maribor held a prominent position in the realm of computer art, primarily because of this festival. MFRU emerged as a pivotal event that placed Maribor on the global map of computer and digital art.
The festival served as a platform for showcasing the works of both local and international artists, making Maribor a meeting point for artists from around the world to explore and exhibit new forms of digital art. During that period, the focus was on experimenting with emerging technologies and media, establishing Maribor as a hub for the development of innovative ideas and approaches.
For me, the consolidation of the dialogue between technology and art was particularly noteworthy. The festival fostered discussions and interactions among artists, theorists, scientists, and the broader community about the role of technology in art and society.
"Now" would mark Maribor as an established centre.
From “then”” to “now” – at least as I perceive it – Maribor has continued to evolve its role in the realm of computer art, evident in several aspects. Firstly, there's the ongoing hosting and growth of MFRU. The festival has retained its significance in the computer art calendar, drawing an expanding number of participants from across the region and Europe. MFRU has persistently delved into contemporary themes and technologies like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and interactive art, thus remaining relevant and pioneering in modern artistic practices.
Another aspect is community and infrastructure development. Maribor has cultivated a robust community of artists, researchers, and creators involved in digital and technological arts, supported by galleries, workspaces, and educational programs that foster innovation and collaboration. The city has also enhanced its international visibility and collaboration with other institutions, festivals, and artists, cementing its position as a key player in the global digital art network.

1/4
Marko Ornik and all of us in his curatorial team held the belief that Maribor is the innovation hub of Slovenia. The historical significance of Styria during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, when it served as the center of modernization for the empire, and Maribor's industrial legacy during the time of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, are integral parts of this tradition and honor all those who contributed to it. We have endeavored to uphold this legacy, as you mentioned, by acquiring new physical premises in Maribor, a feat largely attributable to Marko. However, it has been an extremely difficult pursuit.

1/4
It was intriguing for me to notice that, despite the fact that we practically carry a computer in our pocket nowadays, the public in Maribor still – not only finds it difficult to accept – does not even consider that what the festival addresses is at the core of their everyday life.
We encountered the duality in question precisely during the years of the epidemic situation. The festival holds significance for Maribor itself, particularly in the form that I have stressed to strengthen. It involves the occupation of spaces that are not institutional, such as shop windows, abandoned department stores, city facades, squares, and streets. It was intriguing for me to observe that, despite the fact that today we practically carry a computer in our pocket, the public in Maribor still – not only finds it difficult to accept – does not even consider that what the festival deals with is at the core of their everyday life. Hence, it's crucial that this happens in Maribor. Conversely, for the performance, Maribor is not that significant – it could be linked to any physical location, or, as Covid has shown, none at all. The MFRU can exist online, but we don't want it to.
Renowned figures from around the world were present, yet the festival persisted as a self-contained entity. This paradox fascinated me deeply, fueling my ambition to expand outward, to assert itself, to carve out space - to integrate the festival into commercial endeavors! That's where it finally intersects with people.
The scene has historically been much more closed within the context of the festival. It unfolded in relatively closed-off spaces, known only to those who were familiar with it. Initially, the festival created a sensation but didn't draw a wider audience. It primarily engaged those already involved in the field. While world-renowned figures were in attendance, the festival remained somewhat isolated. This paradox intrigued me, fueling my ambition to expand outward, to seize opportunities, and to claim space – to integrate the festival into commercial activities! That's where it can truly engage with people.

1/4
Even festivals comparable to the Maribor one, including European capitals of culture, lack a particularly robust infrastructure. It's regrettable that over the years, the festival hasn't facilitated the establishment of something more permanent in Maribor in relation to it. For example, something akin to Kseft in Vitanje, albeit in a successful rendition, or perhaps something more conceptual, like a large public screen in the main town square or an architecturally intriguing footbridge spanning the River Drava.

1/8