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Virtual
Migrants: Imperialism as Deportation, Art as Ideology -
a contextual framework for creativity.
Kuljit Chuhan
'Virtual
Migrants' focuses on globalisation, barriers to migration, state
ideology and the paradox between the shrinking world with freedom
for information to travel, and yet the increasing tightening
of immigration laws and ever-increasing gaps between the 'first'
and 'third' world. Art along with media is a form of ideological
production - consciously or unconsciously it reinforces, re-presents,
questions, or attacks various views we hold about our world,
hence it always has an educative component, positive or negative.
Furthermore, in effecting change, art and ideological production
is most powerful when linked to progressive struggles. As Angela
Davis says, "Progressive and revolutionary art is inconceivable
outside of the context of political movements for radical change."
It is as important for campaigns to use arts/media as required
to meet their objectives as it is for arts/media to raise awareness
and generate discussion around those campaigns and the relevant
issues. It is also the social use of a new technology which
finally determines its future. But, to take the relationship
between art and ideology a step further - how can a work of
art consciously and purposefully describe and express an ideology,
and thereby develop the tangibility and currency of the concept
itself? If an ideology is a set of related beliefs, attitudes
and opinions, then old linear narratives poor vehicles for developing
their understanding. The non-linear nature of the CD-ROM lends
itself well to the artistic exploration of such abstract social
concepts which are not normally described easily using such
narratives as in films and books.
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Kuljit 'Kooj'
Chuhan ::
biography in
brief - Video and Digital Media Artist -
Kooj originally worked as a musician and community music worker and
also completed a postgraduate dissertation on 'Popular Music, Technology
and the Community'. Born in Punjab, India, he has lived in Britain
most of his life and is particularly interested in fusion culture
rooted in an Asian consciousness. He is always politically active
particularly with race issues; he co-founded the Black Arts Alliance
and also chaired the organising committee for a national anti-racist
campaign and demonstration.
Kooj moved into video work through a number of community-based productions
and a variety of formal training. For ten years he was the creator
and manager of the innovative BICA project (Black Issues in Community
Arts), which undertook a range of community-based issue-led black
arts and media projects. He has also regularly freelanced in a variety
of settings plus his own projects, including a recent Arts Council
Award for his short film 'Raag, Glitter and Chips' which has been
screened at festivals in Manchester, Bradford and London. Under his
direction various BICA productions have been screened at international
festivals, shown on Channel 4 television, or won national awards.
Having gained a range of production skills Kooj now specialises in
directing and writing. More recently he devised, scripted and managed,
and also produced the video and soundtrack material, for BICA's interactive
art CD-ROM "Nach-ural Struggle" which has widely toured mainstream
art and community venues. He has since undertaken training in various
multimedia and website design/production. Having left BICA he is now
a freelance artist in film/video and digital multimedia. Recent and
current work includes the acclaimed "Resonance" digital multimedia/video
installations; a digital multimedia art installation around mental
health at the Royal Bolton Hospital; a website about the history of
Irish music in Manchester; and a digital video project around cultural
diversity and football in Old Trafford.
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