Story Box /// 1996 - 2007 /// Net Installation
/// Michael Mangold und Julie D. Woletz

The narration of stories is an anthropological form of expression and, at the same time, a fundamental mode of mediating knowledge which, among others, undergoes a process of continual change by the development of media technology.
The contemporary innovations in digital media, as these are summarized by the term Web 2.0, are characterized by user participation and also open new dimensions of narrativity. With the documentation of the history of digital story telling, in the installation Story Box an important developmental line of narrativity in the age of the internet is presented by means of selected examples: from autobiographical narrations in Derek Powazek’s magazine Fray (1996-2005), illustrated community history in BBC workshops to Capture Wales (2001-) as well as the multi-perspectival narration of historical events in the online museum exhibition Raid on Deerfield. The Many Stories of 1704 (2004-).
The fact that not only the narration of one’s own stories is a theme on Web 2.0 but also discussion about stories, is also shown by Virtuelle Bibliothek readme.cc (2005-).
(Text: Michael Mangold, Julie D. Woletz)

Michael Mangold (*1962 in Sindelfingen) studies in sociology and political science at Heidelberg and Mannheim. After working as scientific instructor at the Institute for Applied Economic Research Tübingen (IAW), he founded and directed the Institute for Media, Education and Economics at the ZKM | Karlsruhe. Founding of the “Federal Initiative on Integration Television”. Present areas of thematic research include, in particular, media and migrants as well as that of new concepts of low threshold education via electronic screen media.

Julie D. Woletz (*1971 in Simbach on the Inn) studies in German language and literature, philosophy and education in Cologne, presently studying for her doctorate in field of media, at the Institute of Cultural Anthropology, and European Ethnology at the University of Frankfurt/Main. Fields of research: digital media (cultures), man-machine-communication and interaction, computer interfaces, usability. Founding member at the research network anthropology of media, FAMe Frankfurt. Freelance assistant at the Institute for Media, Education and Economics ZKM | Karlsruhe. Lecturer at the Universities of Frankfurt/Main and Cologne. Worked for several years on design, editing and usability tests in the IT sector.

The curators Michael Mangold and Julie D. Woletz would like to thank the artists:
Fray: Derek Powazek (1996-2005)
Capture Wales: BBC / Daniel Meadows (2001-)
Raid on Deerfield. The Many Stories of 1704: Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association (PVMA) / Memorial Hall Museum (2005-)
Virtuelle Bibliothek readme.cc: Walter Grond, Andreas Kohli, Beat Matzenauer (2005-)

Michael Mangold/Julie D. Woletz (Project curators), Story Box, 1996–2007, net installation, loaned by the artists