On June 19 Mediakunst.net was launched at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in the presence of a diverse public of artists, students and professionals during a public program. Short presentations by Gaby Wijers, Pier Taylor, Sacha Bronwasser, David Garcia and Julika Rudelius were followed by a panel conversation led by moderator Katja Kwastek. Kwastek, professor of modern and contemporary art at the Free University in Amsterdam focuses on media art and media aesthetics in her research and writing. Therefore she has been working with media art archives from both the inside and as a user. Researchers, especially those who research media art, are often depending on physical resources such as libraries, museums, festivals and archives. Not being able to see the works at festivals or in museums, Kwastek indicates to often use platforms like Vimeo, Youtube, artists websites or Google to search for information and documentation. The presence of media art online will most certainly influence the future and position of media art within institutions. Where is it that we can access media art nowadays? and what does it mean for an artwork or for the artists that their works are disseminated online, finding their digital place in different contexts? What is it like for the institution and curators to have media art available online? Is it a blessing or is it problematic in terms of exclusivity for example?

Read the entire report on the launch of Mediakunst.net here.