Art Practice, Exhibitions, Gaming and Beyond — jonCates interviewed by Eduardo Navas for Riksutstallningar (2010)

“Jon Cates is an artist and educator who makes, organizes and teaches experimental New Media Art. Cates is a professor in the New Media path of study of the Film, Video & New Media Department at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago; his projects have been presented internationally at various events. I contacted Cates for an interview during the frenzy of the 2010 College of Art Association Conference, which took place during February in Chicago. He generously agreed to respond to questions about his own art practice as well as his views on how new media extends in culture at large through the exhibition as a proper medium of communication. Cates also shares his views on gaming as an important paradigm in the development of networked culture.

Eduardo Navas: Could you briefly comment how you developed your interdisciplinary background: how did you become involved in research and new media projects, as well as coordination of events?

Jon Cates: I was born in the Late Analog Era. My first computer was my family’s Commodore 64. I immediately responded to the computer as a syncretic device/environment and context for creativity. I also learned that the computational space was social, networked and that I could interface with…