eSeL is an art platform in Vienna, Austria. Founded 1998 by Lorenz Seidler, it provides a weekly newsletter "eSeL Mehl", various mailing lists, a photo-archive and an event-database. The label "eSeL" is also serving as a nickname for the artist Lorenz Seidler, who also is initiating, curating and conducting various art projects. eSeL's offices are located at Museumsquartier in Vienna.
About eSeL
The label eSeL represents the crossover of the roles of artist, curator, online medium and infrastructure-provider in contemporary artistic practice in the new media genres. "Esel" means "donkey" in German. The label originates in the phonetic pronunciation of its founder's initials and soon became a standalone brand, expanding its animal analogies into a multitude of animals-participants. Qualities attributed to the eponymous animal are consciously matching with the initiative's characteristics: stubbornness, grey fur, long ears, asininity. eSeL aims at revealing and changing conventions and coherence in the art field, putting a special focus on structural implications and representation in the media sphere. "Kunst kommt von Kommunizieren" is eSeL's slogan - Contributions of the term "art" are shown as a constant process of quality agreements. The eSeL-initiative grew from an independent online medium for of art information and event listings to an institutional carrier and server for art activities in Vienna, combined with focused interventions through projects, performances, and exhibitions. Reaching a young audience beyond the art circles, eSeL's information services deliberately feature upcoming initiatives next to well-established art positions from all fields of artistic practice in Vienna.
Website
The website offers a selected database/calendar covering art events in Vienna and surrounding areas, a weekly newsletter as well as a photo archive.. The calendar eSeL.at is divided into daily overviews by date and into the categories "eSeL Neugierde", "hAmSteR Events", „Maultier Kunst", "Uhu Diskurs" , "Ameisen Urbanismus", "Nerz Techleben", "Flimmer Ratte", "Kanari Klangwelten", "Tauben Loge", "Pudel Design", "Public Access", "Eselchen Kinderprogramm" and „nicht in Wien“. The addition of Social Media functionality to the eSeL-Website was awarded the second prize at the "IG Kultur Wien Innovation Award 2010".
The newsletter „eSeL Mehl“ is sent out every Thursday and offers an excerpt from the eSeL.at event database for the next seven days. The newsletter reaches over 10,000 subscribers weekly. Each issue contains a photo selection compiled by Lorenz "eSeL" Seidler from the photographic documentation of current exhibitions and art events.
The "eSeL RECEPTION" at Q21 at the MuseumsQuartier supplements esel.at since 2011 as an "open office" with an "analogue" information portal and with an exhibition and workshop area. It offers, among other things, a library with exhibition catalogs as well as a moderated flyer box. The eSeL reception serves as a low-threshold mediation of art-happenings for the visitors of the MuseumsQuartier and as a venue for events such as the series .
2005 "UPDATE. Kunstrukturenutzen & schaffen", Künstlerhaus Wien
Group exhibitions:
at , Vienna
Performances:
22.6. &6.7 2018 "eSeL ABC" - Show, in the context of and
Infrastructure projects:
2010–2011 . Galerie für öffentliche Räume
2004 - Festival der Netzkulturen
2002–2003 e-basis-wien_MQ
1999–2002 "Radio eSeL. Die Sendung mit dem Schaf" auf Radio Orange 94.0
since 1999
Audio projects
2006 "Ich bin sh". eSeL remixed statements by Austrian net artists, activists and technicians to research, create and perform the projection of the role, issues and problems of a typical Austrian net culture artist.
2005 "Update LeitFragen". Interactive Audio-Guide: Exhibition visitors could call via their mobile phones and answer questions to each exhibit of the UPDATE-exhibition. with Team Teichenberg and T-Systems Austria.
2005 "Add on Audio". Phrases from interviews were broadcast during the evening program of the art-in-public-space project “ADD ON. 20 Höhenmeter”. The final remix was documenting emerging issues of a six-week residence of artists, architects and visitors in a scaffolding tower in a public square in Vienna.
2005 "Be a reporter". Interactive audience participation via mobile phone and broadcast via radio in the science event “:de:Lange Nacht der Forschung|Lange Nacht der Forschung”. with and .
2004 "Radio Republic". Daily radioshow and interventions as “State Secretary for Media Embedment” in the artists´ republic "State of the Arts" during the |
2004 "Radio Re Vu". Audiotour and various audio-interventions in public spaces in Kortrijk during the “Maison Folie” of the European Cultural Capitol 2004: Lille
2004 "UPDATE. The Album". Collaborative Music project. Musicians had to share audio samples and use them for songs about the exhibition. with :de:Roger Stein|Roger Stein and all participating artists.
2003 "Hör Schau Schau". Audiocatalogue. Interviews and songs to the exhibition. with :de:Roger Stein|Roger Stein.
1999–2003 "Radio eSeL: Die Sendung mit dem Schaf". Biweekly radio show with guests and Call-Ins on Viennese radio station :de:Orange 94.0|Radio Orange 94,0. Co-host: Sarah Pichler
