CONTEMPORARY MEDIA

Program leader to develop a new degree, BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Practice at Arts University Plymouth in the UK, “a new cutting-edge degree set as a hands-on program with focus on creativity and production, ranging from film, television and new media to the performing and visual arts.“

Arts University Plymouth, UK

2016-2017 BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Practice

Pedro Valiente is selected through an international open call and relocated from Spain to the UK to develop the new program BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Practice at Arts University Plymouth, former Plymouth College or Art, UK. “AUP is an independent university-sector art school run by artists and designers for artists and designers, widely regarded as a dynamic catalyst for creative learning and social justice.” —AUP

Work involved shaping the new degree,  lecturing, and managing (staff, facilities, resources) as well as research, scholarship, and practice. Selected projects: Media Lab innovation, MIXarts workshops, and Ulysses international artists.

Principal/Chief Executive: Andrew Brewerton I Vice-Principal: Barbara Jones I Vice-Principal Academic: Tim Bolton I Head of Media: Tony Smith I BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Practice Program Leader: Pedro Valiente

© 2016-2017 AUP I Photo: Penelope is Waiting opening BA CMP at AUP

VISUAL ESSAY I The Invention of The Real: Capturing Contemporary Media I Visual essay in the frame of the new BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Practice published on ARTS Magazine by ARTSevilla, Spain; and Critical Transmedia 12: Proscethics of the Late Anthropocene, digital book by artist/professor Phillip Baldwin, Stony Brook University, NY. I Photo/Art: PV I The Invention of the Real Behance

MEDIA LAB I Focus on innovation and technology starting with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, National Marine Aquarium, The Science Assembly, The Ocean Corner, and Argans Satellite Sensoring, Pedro Valiente created the Media Lab for the course Professional Practice and Development at BA CMP: "A creative space for contemporary media and technology. An initiative open to students, scholars, artists, professionals, companies and institutions. Fall 2016, Britain’s Ocean City, and Spring 2017, social programs." I Design: PV

MIXarts I Workshop series featuring photographer/video artist Mohini Chandra (Australia), designer/artist Frederique Santune (France), artist/innovator Lee Nutbean, filmmaker Andrew James, and textile designer Ildiko Hurley (Hungary). Pedro Valiente created MIXarts for the BA CMP course Research and Production: "A series of hands-on workshops and professional talks to nurture a culture of innovation and interdisciplinary arts." Fall session focused on Video Art.

ULYSSES I The third outreach activity for the new degree was named Ulysses to promote work with international visiting artists and professionals. The first guest workshop by artist/musician Javier Aparicio (Spain). I Design: PV

CONTEMPORARY MEDIA I “It’s the destruction of the real. It’s a perfect crime that involves the destruction of the real. In words of Jean Baudrillard, guru of French postmodern theory, who claims that it happens for denying a transcendent reality in contemporary media and technological society.

Denying affirming other realities –digital reality, virtual reality. Current media integrating traditional (radio, television, film) and new (online). A technological society “witnessing the evolution of a universal interconnected network of audio, video, and electronic text communications that will blur the distinction between interpersonal and mass communication and between public and private communication."

Today, news come mostly from the website and television. We send messages to friends instead of calling them. And forget about table games with the family, now it’s time to hunt monsters in an interactive game. The thought-provoking side for media makers is that people receive a variety of inputs with more audiovisual information than ever before in history. A shift from a vocal society to a textual society to a visual society. […]

Picasso said that art is the elimination of the unnecessary. By the contrary, in global times people are bombarded by bits of data –from messages to images– that seem to be essential for any type of living. It builds a fragmented perception of reality that has an impact on reality itself. Present-day men and women are not one world/planet in themselves. We’re satellites floating around other satellites floating around other satellites.” —Pedro Valiente I Photo: AUP students work on public screen in Plymouth: PV

D&CFILM MAGAZINE I  “Plymouth College of Art appoints award-winning international filmmaker” I AUP, former Plymouth College of Art I Article by D&CFilm on the Program Leader selected through an international open call and relocated from Spain to the UK to develop the new BA (Hons) Contemporary Media Practice completing the offer including BA (Hons) Film and BA (Hons) Animation & Videogames. The Program leader was invited to join the upcoming PhD faculty including lecturing, research, and active participation in academic boards. I D&CFilm

CROSSING STAGES I European Project coordinated by Universidad Carlos III de Madrid produced Penelope is Waiting video installation, that opened BA CMP, was featured on UC3M social media. I Photo: Penelope is Waiting site. I UC3M Press Release

RTS I Royal Television Society Devon and Cornwall invited BA CMP program leader Pedro Valiente to join as active member who participated in regular meetings and activities including Student Television Awards and Breaking into Media. “RTS is an educational charity promoting the art and science of television. From glamorous award ceremonies to lively debates, the RTS embraces all aspects of television.” —RTS. I Principal Patrons: BBC, Channel4, ITV, Sky. I Photo: Logo/Site © RTS

ARTSevilla International Contemporary Art Encounter & Exhibition, Spain invited Pedro Valiente, BA CMP program leader, to join its Scientific Committee. Penelope is Waiting video installation screened at ARTSevilla, and The Invention of the Real visual essay was published by ARTSevilla Magazine. I Photo: Logo/Site © ARTSevilla 

FILM STUDIES I BA (Hons) Photography students studied film work by Pedro Valiente, BA CMP program leader. I Photo: Academic work by Harriet Williams and Zoe Friedrich

Projects I Selected Projects I University