Towards an Ecosophical Praxis of New Media Space design

Abstract

This study is an investigation in and through media arts practice. It set out to
develop a novel type of new media artistic praxis built upon concepts drawn from
the disciplines of scientific and cultural ecology. The rationale for this research was
based upon my observation as a practising new media artist that existing praxis in
the new media domain appeared to operate largely without awareness of the
ecological implications of those practices.

The thesis begins by explaining key concepts of ecology, spanning the arts and the
sciences. It then outlines the thinking of contemporary theorists who propose that
the problem of ecology is a critical issue for the 21st century, suggesting that our
well-documented ecological crisis is indicative of a more general crisis of human
subjectivity. It then records an investigation into particular strategies for artistic
praxis which might instigate an active engagement with this problem of ecology.
The study employed a methodology based in action research to focus upon the
development and analysis of three new artistic works, '#14', 'Public Relations' and
'transit_lounge'. These were used to explore diverse theories of ecology and to
hone a series of pointers towards Ecosophical arts/new media praxis. This journey
constitutes an emergent theory for new media space design.

The thesis concludes with a toolkit of tactics and approaches that other arts/new
media practitioners might employ to begin working on the problem of ecology.