Pixxelpoint 2014: Igor Štromajer's Para-Curatorial Manifesto of Non-Art

The 14th edition of Pixxelpoint, a Slovenian new media art festival, took place from December 5 to 12, 2014, in Nova Gorica. Curated by artist Igor Štromajer, who dubbed himself a 'para-curator,' the festival rejected traditional artistic production in favor of 'non-art' works. Štromajer's manifesto invited artists to submit projects that were not artistic and communicated no precise message. He argued that new media art has become 'old, slow, empty, and recklessly tense' in a post-Internet, post-digital era. The festival featured works by invited artists including Vlado G. Repnik and Andrej Tisma, alongside student projects. Štromajer emphasized that the most radical artwork is one that remains unrealized or abandoned. He personally invited all participants, stating that love, not art, was the driving force. The festival aimed to present the best selection of non-artistic works by media artists, encouraging visitors to 'Bring Your Own Art' (BYOA). Štromajer's approach was influenced by figures like John Cage and Andy Warhol, and he cited a recent net.art exhibition in Ljubljana curated by Vuk Ćosić and Alenka Gregorič as an example of interesting developments in Slovenia.