Long before e-mail and the Internet permeated society, Roy Ascott, a British artist and theorist, coined the term 'telematic art' to describe the use of online computer networks as an artistic medium. This book explores Ascott's ideas on how networked communication has shaped behavior and consciousness within and beyond the realm of art.

Illustrations Preface and Acknowledgments From Cyberbetics to Telematics: The Art, Pedagogy, and Theory of Roy Ascott by Edward A. Shanken Selected Essays of Roy Ascott 1. The Construction of Change (1964) 2. Statement from Control (1966) 3. Behaviourist Art and the Cybernetic Vision (1966--67) 4. Behaviourables and Futuribles (1967) 5. The Psibernetic Arch (1970) 6. Table (1975) 7. Connective Criticism (1977) 8. Network as Artwork: The Future of Visual Arts Education (1978) 9. Towards a Field Theory for Postmodernist Art (1980) 10. Art and Telematics: Towards a Network Consciousness (1984) 11. Concerning Nets and Spurs: Meaning, Mind and Telematic Diffusion (1985) 12. Art and Education in the Telematic Culture (1988) 13. Gesamtdatenwerk: Connectivity, Transformation, and Transcendence (1989) 14. Beyond Time-Based Art: ESP, PDP, and PU (1990) 15. Is There Love in the Telematic Embrace? (1990) 16. Photography at Interface (1992) 17. Heavenly Bodies: Teleconstructing a Zodiac for the Twenty-First Century (1993) 18. Telenoia (1993) 19. From Appearance to Apparition: Communication and Culture in the Cybersphere (1993) 20. The Ars Electronica Center Datapool (1993) 21. The Planetary Collegium: Art and Education in the Post-Biological Era (1994) 22. The Architecture of Cyberception (1994) 23. Back to Nature II: Art and Technology in the Twenty-First Century (1995) 24. The Mind of the Museum (1996) 25. Weaving the Shamantic Web: Art and Techoetics in the Bio-Telematic Domain (1997) 26. Art @ the Edge of the Net (2000) 27. Technoetic Aesthetics: 100 Terms and Definitions for the Post-Biological Era (1996) Appendix I. Roy Ascott's Academic Appointments Appendix II. Roy Ascott's Publications Appendix III. Roy Ascott's Art Projects and Exhibitions Appendix IV. CAiiA-STAR Research Conferences References Index

"A vital addition to the literature on art of the later twentieth century, in which Roy Ascott has played central roles as a major pioneer of interactive, telematic art and as an innovative educator. Ascott’s visionary philosophy, grounded in science and technology as well as metaphysical thought, has profound implications for the digital era. Edward Shanken is the ideal guide through this material, and his lucid and insightful introductory essay will become the standard source on Ascott’s work and the larger history of telematic art."—Linda Dalrymple Henderson, David Bruton, Jr., Centennial Professor in Art History and Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Texas, Austin"Roy Ascott has unerringly been a step ahead of the cultural shifts of his times. If cybernetics, interactivity, network culture, and telematics have an artistic edge today, it is because Ascott has been there first. This collection, edited and with a brilliant introduction by Edward Shanken, charts the evolution of Ascott's ideas, pedagogy, and artmaking, which continue to be a potent source of ideas for the future of art."—Roger Malina, Executive Editor of Leonardo"An admirable survey of the telematic arts and of Roy Ascott's extraordinary contributions to this art form. Thoroughly researched, this readable text is a valuable resource for initiating students into the realm of contemporary electronic arts and sciences by bridging the gap between the visual and media arts."—Peter d'Agostino, Professor of Film and Media Arts and Director of the NewTechLab, Temple University"Roy Ascott is a leading artist and writer in the field of art and technology, and a collection of his writings is long overdue. Edward Shanken's introduction addresses many issues relevant to contemporary culture, elucidating historical, social, and theoretical aspects of Ascott's work."—Eduardo Kac, Associate Professor of Art and Technology, School of the Art Institute of Chicago