RIXC (The Centre for New Media Culture)

Acoustic Space Research Lab and Program

(Riga, Latvia)

The project Acoustic Space Research Lab and Program consists of two parts: establishing the media lab in two locations (Riga and Karosta); and developing an Acoustic Space Research Program to investigate the field of streaming media, to coordinate projects in sound art, audio, radio and streaming media, and to organize international events on sound and acoustics. Born out of the magazine Acoustic.Space  (1) published by E-Lab and the Xchange network, this research program is part of the infrastructure development of RIXC.

The funds from the Foundation were used to buy equipment for the RIXC media lab and to support the international symposium Acoustic.Space.Lab on radio wave and satellite technologies held from August 4 to 12, 2001, at the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center (2) in Irbene, located in the forests of western Latvia.

"Here, radio astronomers have undergone the process of restoring a 32-metre dish radio telescope left by the Soviet Army in 1994. Participants in this symposium will investigate both the receiving and transmitting capabilities of this short-wave radio antenna, and will conduct workshops in related artistic, social and technological issues." (3)

Participants included Honor Harger from radioqualia, artist Heath Bunting of Irational.org, Kate Rich from Fallout in London, England, and Marko Peljhan from Projekt Atol in Ljubljana. Organizers Rasa Smite, Raitis Smits and Derek Holzer plan to maintain discussions concerning the symposium on the Xchange listserv before, during and after the event.

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(1) Copies of the journal are available for consultation at the Foundation's CR+D.

(2) For more information concerning the Irbene radio telescope, please see Steven C. Johnson, "Astronomical Mission: Scientist Seeks to Revive Powerful, But Neglected, Radio Telescope," ABCNews.com (February 15, 2000), or the Latvian Academy of Science’s Web site at : http://www.lza.lv/

(3) "Acoustic.Space.Lab, Latvia, August 4-12.2001," (accessed June 22, 2001): http://acoustic.space.re-lab.net/lab/