Medium is the Message

The renowned Marshall McLuhan’s phrase from his well-known book Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man shaped the main trajectory of new media creative practices in the 1960s. These ideas have been interpreted by artists in many ways ever since, including the famous work The Medium Is the Medium by video art pioneer Nam June Paik.

These concepts also generated numerous creative strategies within the field, ranging from early one-channel “boring videos” and evolving into many other forms, such as glitch art. This vivid interest in the practice led to the emergence of professional festivals, which allow practicing artists not only to showcase their work but also to connect with colleagues globally.

The agenda of our festival is to explore how the complex visual landscape of contemporary new media practitioners, including emerging and mid-career artists, functions in terms of visual narratives.

We invite video artists worldwide to submit their work through our open call for presentation at the Grad Gallery of Cultural Center Grad in Belgrade. This project aims to present practitioners whose oeuvre is based on research spanning a wide range of academic disciplines. Our aim is to create a space where viewers can engage with artistic interpretations of diverse scientific theories.

The selection for the festival will be curated by Alexandra Orlova, an independent curator, art historian, and PhD researcher in art studies. Her work focuses on video art, memory, trauma, and social narratives, and she has curated numerous international exhibitions and screening programs in both institutional and festival contexts, including projects presented within The Wrong Biennale and Irish Week Festival Video Art program.