About ASPECT

ASPECT Magazine meets a unique need in current arts publications by publishing in a multimedia format that allows artists’ original works to be seen by other students and artists working in new media art around the world. The audio commentary accompanying each track heightens the magazine’s educational value by providing a catalyst for discussion and interaction with the works. In this way, ASPECT provides those working in media art with access to their contemporaries’work and a critical take on the work to help contextualize it within the art world as a whole.

Each issue highlights 5-10 artists working in new or experimental media, whose works are best documented in video or sound. The works can be viewed with or without an additional commentator audio track.

Public Display RIghts

All videos published by ASPECT include the use in classrooms and other educational venues with purchase. The only restriction on public display rights is use within a gallery setting. If you wish to use a work published in ASPECT within a gallery, please contact us and we will get you in touch with the artist or their representation.

Institutional Purchases

Institutions wishing to purchase ASPECT, or purchasing agents wishing to purchase on behalf of an institution are requested to contact our institutional distributor: Old City Publishing. Their catalog is available online at OldCityPublishing.com [1]

How to submit

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the format of ASPECT?

ASPECT is a DVD publication, released twice a year. Each issue includes videos from 5-10 artists and a second commentary audio track for each video. The videos can be viewed with the original sound or with the commentary.

Who can submit to ASPECT?

Any artist may submit their work at any time to ASPECT Magazine. Additionally, we put out regular open calls for work on specific topics. If your work fits with an upcoming issue, you will be contacted for potential inclusion in that issue.

What type of work is ASPECT looking for?

We are looking for work of any genre, material or topic. ASPECT publishes in DVD format, so the work should be better represented in video documentation than in still images. The documentation must be a video or audio, but the original work can be in any format.

What do you need for a complete submission?

For a submission to be considered complete it must include:

A video (DVD, VHS or miniDV)
The artist’s name
The artist’s contact information (phone, mail and email)
The artist’s resume
The commentator’s name
The commentator’s contact information (phone, mail and email)
A brief description of the potential commentary

Who can provide commentary?

Anyone familiar with the artist’s work and related work in the genre can provide commentary. The artist cannot, however, provide commentary on their own work. The goal of the commentary track is to provide another layer of content.

How long should the video be?

There are no hard rules about video length. The commentator should be able to comfortably talk over the length of the video, however. Since the commentary is a second audio track over the video, the commentary length will match the video length. Videos that are longer than 15 minutes may be too long for the commentary to fill, and those shorter than 4 minutes do not offer enough time to discuss the work.

What happens if I am selected?

If your work is selected for inclusion you will need to provide the following:

A miniDV tape with your video
A short artist’s bio
A short artist’s statement about that work
A photo of the artist
A short commentator’s bio
A photo of the commentator

ASPECT will then arrange for a recording session with the commentator. The recording will take place in a location that is easily accessible to the commentator. In most cases we find a studio in their same town. The recording and follow-up materials are usually required within a month of notification of inclusion.

Will you return my materials?

ASPECT will return materials if you provide a self-addressed stamped envelope. However, we often find that submissions are of good quality but not necessarily appropriate for that issue. If possible we try to keep all submissions in an archive for future reference and possible inclusion. We suggest that if the postage is more than the cost of producing the materials, you let us keep them for possible future use.

Who reads ASPECT?

ASPECT is available in university libraries in North America, Europe, and Asia. Museum bookstores such as MoMA in New York, SFMoMA, the ICA in London, and the Pompidou in Paris sell ASPECT. It is also available in the US to subscribers to Netflix, a DVD rental service.

The Story

ASPECT began in 2003 when founder Michael Mittelman became frustrated with the lack of teaching materials for new media art. As an educator and an artist working in time-based media, he felt there had to be a way to get video art into the hands of artists, educators, and students at an affordable price.

Conversations with leading curators such as George Fifield, Director of the Boston Cyberarts Festival, and Bill Arning, Curator at the List Visual Arts Center, led Michael to the conclusion that curators and artists would gladly participate in a DVD publication of their work. The first issue, Artists of the Boston Cyberarts Festival, was released just 3 months later.

Since our first volume, ASPECT has grown substantially, creating six more issues as of early 2006, each featuring 5-10 artists working in new or experimental media. Each issue has taken a unique artistic theme as its subject, from location and space in "On Location" to joy and light-heartedness in "Joie de Vivre." ASPECT opens these subjects to discussion and reflection through artists’ interpretations of the themes in unconventional and often fascinating ways.

The Team

ASPECT is run by a team of staff, volunteers, and contributors who are dedicated to creating a substantial new venue for media art.

Michael Mittelman, Founder and Publisher

Michael Mittelman is the founder, editor, and publisher of ASPECT and ASPECT Presents. Mittelman earned his MFA from the Studio for Interrelated Media department at Massachusetts College of Art, and has exhibited his work broadly.

Liz Nofziger, Managing Editor

Liz was the first hire at ASPECT, but only after her work had been included in Volume 5: Joie de Vivre. With print, video, design, and extensive new media art experience, she was a natural choice to take ASPECT to the next level of accomplishment. In addition to her role at ASPECT leading the development of new issues and working with artists and curators, Liz is a highly accomplished artist with an international exhibition record.

Mariya Nikiforova, Production

Jen Hall, Education Director

Internship Opportunities

Internships

ASPECT interships are available year round for students, graduates, and volunteers interested in helping create and promote the premier publication of contemporary new media art. For questions or applications, contact:

Internships

Aspect Arts, Inc.

46 Waltham St.

Suite 103 Boston, MA 02118

interns@aspectmag.com

Production Intern

ASPECT seeks a skilled and inquisitive multimedia intern to be integrally involved in the production of a broadly published DVD magazine. You will create DVD menus, prepare image files, edit audio commentary, edit video, and much more. You should be well acquainted with Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, After Effects, and DVD Studio Pro. You must have good problem-solving skills, be intuitive, and able to work independently and as part of a team. Strong attention to details is required, and familiarity and interest in new media art forms is a bonus.

This is an un-paid internship, but ASPECT will work with educational institutions to provide credit.

Arts Administration Intern

As the arts administration intern, you will be integrally involved with all elements of orchestrating an international DVD magazine, from the call for submissions to the promotion and distribution of the final product. You will be in direct contact with artists and curators, gathering information and coordinating recording sessions. You will also assist in structuring future issues of the publication. You must have good writing and organizational skills, computer/word processing knowledge, and be able to do internet and library research. You must have good problem-solving skills, be intuitive, and able to work independently and as part of a team. Strong attention to details is required, and familiarity and interest in new media art forms is a bonus.

This is an un-paid internship, but ASPECT will work with educational institutions to provide credit.

PR/Marketing Intern

As the marketing intern, you will work on all aspects of publicizing the DVD magazine, including writing press releases, preparing press packets, approaching new venues and researching new forums for publicity and distribution. You must have good writing and organizational skills, computer/word processing knowledge, and be able to do internet and library research. You must have good problem-solving skills, be intuitive, and able to work independently and as part of a team. Strong attention to details is required, and familiarity and interest in new media art forms is a bonus.

This is an un-paid internship, but ASPECT will work with educational institutions to provide credit.