Posted on

This week: ELO 2014 Hold the Light

Logo for ELO14 conferenceThis week we preempt our Summer eReading series to bring you a host of works featured in the 2014 ELO Conference: Hold the Light June 18-21 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  And conference organizers Stuart Moulthrop, Marjorie Luesebrink, Sandy Baldwin, and Kathi Inman Berens have brewed up a lake of Milwaukee’s finest.  You can download the full program.

The conference features three electronic galleries.  The first is on-site, featuring a wide variety of works by new and established authors. The second is online, the Media Arts Gallery, featuring a virtual exhibition of the works from the juried show.  The third is the Gallery of E-Lit 1st Encounters, which feature first time e-lit authors – or at least those new to ELO.

Organized by Kathi Inman Berens and vetted by the gallery jurors, the various exhibition halls have much to dig into even if you can’t make it to Milwaukee. If you can make it, you are in for a wonderful set of panels, roundtables, keynotes, and evening performances.  See the full schedule here.

And stay tuned.  On Friday, at the banquet, the winners of the N. Katherine Hayles and Robert Coover prizes will be announced.  You’ll find out who won if you follow the #elo14 hashtag or the @eliterature Twitter account.

You’ll also find updates in the Facebook group as well.

Posted on

Summer eReading: This Is

Link to the "This is"Our Summer eReading series continues with a creative work, this time by e-lit author Alan Bigelow, whose works can be found at webyarns.  Bigelow’s piece “This is” includes one of the many divergent adaptations of Jeremy Hight’s ‘missing’ short story “Ethan has nowhere to go.” You can read more about that project in Potomac Review and see more permutations in Unlikely Stories, which includes versions by  Aaron Avila, Scott Davis, Keith Higginbotham, Alexandra Naughton, Jason Nelson, Vera Lucia Pinto, Johansen Quijano, Anastasia Salter, Matthew Sherling, and Brian Vann.
The transformation of Hight’s work from one artist to the next in the electronic literature community demonstrates the collaborative interplay of artists as they re-imagine each other’s works and draw inspiration from each other’s innovations.  Meanwhile, Bigelow says he’s developing another webyarn for later this summer (called “Life of Fly”), which, fortunately for us, means even more Summer eReading!
Medium: Internet-based HTML5/CSS3/JavaScript work for laptop, desktop, or portable devices.

Project Description: Read more Summer eReading: This Is

Posted on

Summer eReading: Digital Modernism

A continuation of our weekly Summer eReading series, highlighting new works of e-lit and scholarship.

Digital Modernism coverA certain self-referentiality and playful experimentation in works of electronic literature has won it the affection of those with an appetite for the Post-Modern.  But in Jessica Pressman‘s new book, she situates these literary works in a category she calls “Digital Modernism.”  Throughout the monograph, Pressman performs detailed interpretations of Young-hae Chang Heavy Industries’ Dakota and William Poundstone’s Project for Tachistoscope {Bottomless Pit}, and other works of digital literature in the context of print-based, canonical Modernist texts such as Ezra Pound’s Cantos.  In what Rita Raley calls “wonderfully elegant close readings,” Pressman demonstrates how critical reading practices evolve with developments in technologies.

In the midst of these close readings,  Pressman presents her exploration of the media archaeology of older forms of “new media,” epitomized by her analysis of Bob Brown’s Readies, in which she sees anticipation of the fast-flashing words that flicker through so much electronic literature.

Jessica Pressman is currently serving on the Board of Directors of ELO, but has a much longer history of service with the organization, beginning with its time at UCLA.  She will be presenting her recent research at the upcoming ELO 2014 conference in Milwaukee.

Read more Summer eReading: Digital Modernism

Posted on

Summer eReading: Writing Under

Our Summer eReading series continues with a selection from Alan Sondheim’s collected works “The Internet Text” published by West Virginia University under the title Writing Under. Chris Funkhouser says of the collection: “Writing Under offers up generous statements of process, from a self- and other- aware master who is codework’s godcyborg, a limner of psychedelic landscapes in Second Life, and an inveterate graphophile. This volume radiates foresight, stabilizing, if only for a moment, the fragility of ‘tenuously tethered bits and bytes’ that exist in a vast field.” While Sondheim’s total work of over 25,000 pages of writing would take a lifetime to peruse, this collection offers a summer-sized sampling. The volume was published in the Computing Literature series, edited by ELO Vice President Sandy Baldwin and Board Member Philippe Bootz.

From the publisher:

Writing Under Book CoverAlan Sondheim’s Writing Under explores and examines what happens to writing as it takes place on and through the networked computer. Sondheim began experimenting with artistic and philosophical writing using computers in the early 1970s. Since 1994, he has explored the possibilities of writing on the Internet, whether using blogs, web pages, e–mails, virtual worlds, or other tools. The sum total of Sondheim’s writing online is entitled “The Internet Text.” Writing Under selects from this work to provide insight into how writing takes place today and into the unique practices of a writer. The selections range from philosophical musings, to technical explorations of writing practice, to poetic meditations on the writer online. This work expands our understanding of writing today and charts a path for writing’s future.

The Summer eReading series will continue each week delivering creative and critical texts of and on electronic literature created by ELO members.

Posted on

Remembering Randy Adams

runran

The Electronic Literature Organization wishes to commemorate the life of Canadian e-lit artist and writer Randy Adams (aka runran) who passed away on April 25, 2014. To best honor his life and work, we have asked two of his closest collaborators and friends, Chris Joseph and Christine Wilks to write brief statements about him. We conclude with an autobiographical statement from Randy Adams recently published in his Facebook account. See also, Sue Thomas’ statement.

Statement by Chris Joseph

I first met Randy in 2004 at the trAce Incubation Conference, and was immediately struck by his warmth and sincerity, and this impression did not diminish over the ten years that I knew him. As with many in the field of electronic art and literature he was an autodidact, and perhaps this contributed to his constant interest in experimenting with new ways of working and collaborating with others in the field.

Read more Remembering Randy Adams

Posted in
Posted on

Summer eReading: Phantasmal Media

As the semesters wrap up and the summer months begin in the Northern Hemisphere, you might find yourself with a little more time to catch up on your digital lit reading. Today we begin a weekly reading series featuring recent critical and creative works in electronic literature by ELO members.

Phantasmal Media cover
Phantasmal Media by D. Fox Harrell

The first scholarly book is Phantasmal Media: An Approach to Imagination, Computation, and Expression by D. Fox Harrell.  Published in 2013, Harrell’s conceit of the phantasm offers him a framework for exploring the unseen figures (of speech, self, and thought) moving within within computational media.  Among the many featured texts in the book, Fox presents two of his works Living Liberia Fabric and The Girl with Skin of Haints and Seraphs, as he discusses aspects of GRIOT, his narrative generation system.

In addition to serving on ELO’s Board of Directors (currently on temporary leave), Harrell is an Associate Professor of Digital Media at MIT where he directs the Imagination, Computation, and Expression Laboratory.

From the publisher: Read more Summer eReading: Phantasmal Media

Posted on

Announcing ELO Prizes for Best Literary and Critical Works

The ELO is proud to announce the “The N. Katherine Hayles Award for Criticism of Electronic Literature” and “The Robert Coover Award for a Work of Electronic Literature.” Below is information including guidelines for submissions for each.

“The N. Katherine Hayles Award for Criticism of Electronic Literature”

“The N. Katherine Hayles Award for Criticism of Electronic Literature” is an award given for the best work of criticism, of any length, on the topic of electronic literature. Bestowed by the Electronic Literature Organization and funded through a generous donation from N. Katherine Hayles and others, this $1000 annual prize aims to recognize excellence in the field. The prize comes with a plaque showing the name of the winner and an acknowledgement of the achievement, and a one-year membership in the Electronic Literature Organization at the Associate Level.

We invite critical works of any length. Submissions must follow these guidelines:

1. This is an open submission. Self nominations and nominations are both welcome. Membership in the Electronic Literature Organization is not required.
2. There is no cost involved in nominations. This is a free and open award aimed at rewarding excellence.
3. ELO Board Members serving their term of office on the Board are ineligible for nomination for the award. Members of the Jury are also not allowed to be nominated for the award.
4. Three finalists for the award will be selected by a jury of specialists in electronic literature; N. Katherine Hayles will choose the winner from among the finalists.
5. Because of the nature of online publishing, it is not possible to conduct a blind review of the submissions; the jury will be responsible for fair assessment of the work.
6. Those nominated may only have one work considered for the prize. In the event that several works are identified for a nominee, the nominee will choose the work that he or she wishes to be juried.
7. All works must have already been published or made available to the public within 18 months, no earlier than December 2012.
8. All print articles must be submitted in .pdf format. Books can be sent either in .pdf format or in print format. Online articles should be submitted as a link to an online site.
9. Nominations by self or others must include a 250-word explanation of the work’s impact in the field. The winner selected for the prize must also include a professional bio and a headshot or avatar.
10. All digital materials should be emailed to elo.hayles.award@gmail.com by May 15, 2014; three copies of the book should be mailed to Dr. Dene Grigar, Creative Media & Digital Culture, Washington State University Vancouver, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave., Vancouver, WA 98686 by May 15, 2014. Those making the nomination or the nominees themselves are responsible for mailing materials for jurying. Print materials will be returned via a self-addressed mailer.
11. Nominees and the winner retain all rights to their works. If copyright allows, ELO will be given permission to share the work or portions of it on the award webpage. Journals and presses that have published the winning work will be acknowledged on the award webpage.
12. The winner is not expected to attend the ELO conference banquet. The award will be mailed to the winner.

Timeline
Call for Nominations: April 15-May 10
Jury Deliberations: May 15-June 10
Award Announcement: ELO Conference Banquet

For more information, contact Dr. Dene Grigar, President, Electronic Literature Organization.

“The Robert Coover Award for a Work of Electronic Literature”

“The Robert Coover Award for a Work of Electronic Literature” is an award given for the best work of electronic literature of any length or genre. Bestowed by the Electronic Literature Organization and funded through a generous donation from supporters and members of the ELO, this $1000 annual prize aims to recognize creative excellence. The prize comes with a plaque showing the name of the winner and an acknowledgement of the achievement, and a one-year membership in the Electronic Literature Organization at the Associate Level.

We invite creative works of any length and genre. Submissions must follow these guidelines:

1. This is an open submission. Self nominations and nominations are both welcome. Membership in the Electronic Literature Organization is not required.
2. There is no cost involved in nominations. This is a free and open award aimed at rewarding excellence.
3. ELO Board Members serving their term of office on the Board are ineligible for nomination for the award. Members of the Jury are also not allowed to be nominated for the award.
4. Three finalists for the award will be selected by a jury of specialists in electronic literature; Robert Coover or a representative of his will choose the winner from among the finalists.
5. Because of the nature of online publishing, it is not possible to conduct a blind review of the submissions; the jury will be responsible for fair assessment of the work.
6. Those nominated may only have one work considered for the prize. In the event that several works are identified for a nominee, the nominee will choose the work that he or she wishes to be juried.
7. All works must have already been published or made available to the public within 18 months, no earlier than December 2012.
8. Works should be submitted either as a link to an online site or in the case of non-web work, available via Dropbox or sent as a CD/DVD or flash drive.
9. Nominations by self or others must include a 250-word explanation of the work’s impact in the field. The winner selected for the prize must also include a professional bio and a headshot or avatar.
10. Links to the digital materials or to Dropbox should be emailed to elo.coover.award@gmail.com by May 15, 2014; three copies of the CD/DVDs and flash drives should be mailed to Dr. Dene Grigar, Creative Media & Digital Culture, Washington State University Vancouver, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Ave., Vancouver, WA 98686 by May 15, 2014. Those making the nomination or the nominees themselves are responsible for mailing materials for jurying. Physical materials will be returned via a self-addressed mailer.
11. Nominees and the winner retain all rights to their works. If copyright allows, ELO will be given permission to share the work or portions of it on the award webpage. Journals and presses that have published the winning work will be acknowledged on the award webpage.
12. The winner is not expected to attend the ELO conference banquet. The award will be mailed to the winner.

Timeline
Call for Nominations: April 19-May 10
Jury Deliberations: May 15-June 10
Award Announcement: ELO Conference Banquet

For more information, contact Dr. Dene Grigar, President, Electronic Literature Organization.

Posted in
Posted on

ELO Hold the Light Conference Registration

Registration is now open for ELO’s 2014 international conference Hold the Light (June 19-21) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Early registration continues until April 15. After that, prices increase by $25. There is also an early registration discount for the Workshop Pass, which offers full access to the pre-conference workshops.

The scholarly papers and artistic works have been selected by the international jury, so we can assure you this will be another remarkable event, full of cutting-edge works and the insightful discussions on the past, present, and future of electronic literature.

Posted on

ELO Welcomes 3 New Board Members

ELO is pleased to announce the addition of 3 new members to its Board of Directors:  Philippe Bootz, Leonardo Flores, and Rui Torres.  These three scholar-artists bring a level of artistic and scholarly achievement and expertise that will help ELO grow and develop.  In addition to their deep knowledge of the field, they bring to the board literary expertise in three language spheres (Spanish, Portuguese, and French), so ELO can help build networks of scholars and artists in those literary cultures.

Bios for these three excellent new members follow:

Read more ELO Welcomes 3 New Board Members