Mediamatic is a hard institution to pin down. At first, it seems like a media art incubator, one that attracted a broader public than the typical media-art initiative with popular interactive exhibits and other public events; but a closer look at the variety of its projects makes it clear that Mediamatic is also equal parts social network, art and tech community, and sustainability advocate.
If that's quite a lot to boast, have a look at the Mediamatic site for a record of their past, current and future events to see the variety and sophistication of their exhibits, workshops and symposia.
I was first introduced to Mediamatic via their popular Arcade exhibit, where workers assembled a collection of video arcade cabinets, 1980's and 1990's consoles like Atari and Vectrex, primitive PCs and more, the likes of which I haven't seen since their respective decades. The interactive exhibit wasn't content to be a mere time capsule, but also filled the exhibit space with innovative new media projects, some based on the RFID chip cards that each visitor was handed at the door - such as a tea cup that would cull personal information about the cardholder from the Internet. Novelty and surprise, I learned, were hallmarks of Mediamatic events.
In recent years, sustainability has become a common theme in Mediamatic projects, and the team is able to translate conservationist mores and scientific research into popular, accessible events. The "'Expired' Dinner Club" (Overdatum Eetclub), for example, shows the public how to curb waste with meals prepared from past-date foods that - by all accounts, save for the date on the label - are still edible; workshops on edible mushroom cultivation and home aquaponics - a symbiotic system in which fish and plants support each other's survival - teach participants about sustainable food production.
The topics are firmly in the spirit of the times, but at the same time a few steps ahead.
Mediamatic Visitor Information:
Mediamatic Bank Location
Vijzelstraat 68
Directions: From Amsterdam Central Station, take tram 16, 24 or 25 to the Keizersgracht stop.
Mediamatic Fabriek Location
Van Gendthallen
VOC-kade 10-12
Directions: Detailed directions are available on the Mediamatic web site.
Opening Times
Admission Fee: Varies per exhibit.
More Information
Call +31 (0)20 427 4137 or visit the Mediamatic web site.
If that's quite a lot to boast, have a look at the Mediamatic site for a record of their past, current and future events to see the variety and sophistication of their exhibits, workshops and symposia.
I was first introduced to Mediamatic via their popular Arcade exhibit, where workers assembled a collection of video arcade cabinets, 1980's and 1990's consoles like Atari and Vectrex, primitive PCs and more, the likes of which I haven't seen since their respective decades. The interactive exhibit wasn't content to be a mere time capsule, but also filled the exhibit space with innovative new media projects, some based on the RFID chip cards that each visitor was handed at the door - such as a tea cup that would cull personal information about the cardholder from the Internet. Novelty and surprise, I learned, were hallmarks of Mediamatic events.
In recent years, sustainability has become a common theme in Mediamatic projects, and the team is able to translate conservationist mores and scientific research into popular, accessible events. The "'Expired' Dinner Club" (Overdatum Eetclub), for example, shows the public how to curb waste with meals prepared from past-date foods that - by all accounts, save for the date on the label - are still edible; workshops on edible mushroom cultivation and home aquaponics - a symbiotic system in which fish and plants support each other's survival - teach participants about sustainable food production.
The topics are firmly in the spirit of the times, but at the same time a few steps ahead.
Mediamatic Visitor Information:
Mediamatic Bank Location
Vijzelstraat 68
Directions: From Amsterdam Central Station, take tram 16, 24 or 25 to the Keizersgracht stop.
Mediamatic Fabriek Location
Van Gendthallen
VOC-kade 10-12
Directions: Detailed directions are available on the Mediamatic web site.
Opening Times
- The exhibit space at Mediamatic Bank is open Mon - Fri, 1 - 7 p.m.; Sat - Sun, 1 - 6 p.m. Check the web site for hours of specific events.
Admission Fee: Varies per exhibit.
More Information
Call +31 (0)20 427 4137 or visit the Mediamatic web site.