“Public Netbase” (from the English - “Public Network Base”) is a now defunct Austrian company, a non-profit Internet provider that also provided hosting services and was a supporter of the development of electronic art. The continued support of avant-garde, sometimes controversial art and digital culture, led the company into conflict with Austrian political circles in the 1990s. Despite awards and recognition by UNESCO , political disagreements led to the cessation of funding, as a result of which the project was closed in 2006.
| Public netbase | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Base | 1994 |
| Abolished | 2006 |
| Reason for Abolition | termination of financing |
| Location | Vienna , Austria |
| Key figures | Conrad Becker |
| Industry | internet service provider |
Content
Early Development
Although Public Netbase itself was founded in Vienna by Conrad Becker and Francisco de Sauce Webber in 1995, the parent organization, the Institute for New Cultural Technologies, was established in 1994 in the Vienna Museum Quarter . After 1995, most of the institute’s active actions took place through Public Netbase and was disdainful of figures from political circles and their meetings, which was reflected even in the official materials of the organization. The organization’s web server name, t0, was often added to the name of both organizations.
Art and Culture
Public Netbase has focused on helping develop electronic art and impact the nascent world wide web culture. Her own online presence earned the Prix Ars Electronica Award in 1995. Most of the web space provided by Public Netbase was supported by Austrian artists, although some projects, such as the Transformation Story Archive , were more widely recognized. The physical location in the Museum Quarter was also used to organize sponsorship events, ranging from art symposia to an Autonomous Astronaut Association conference to “lectures / performances / events” from the Critical Art Ensemble dedicated to biotechnology.
Political participation
When the politically right Austrian Freedom Party and its leader, Jörg Haider, began to gain strength in Austria, Public Netbase took on the role of political activist in the fight against ever-increasing pressure from the government. Hyder, in his parliamentary speech, accused Public Netbase of supporting child pornography and equated Christina Goestl's erotic art with commercial porn sites in the British Virgin Islands. Meanwhile, Public Netbase sponsored a “virtual alternative to the far-right Austrian parliament,” which earned it an Austrian Web Resistance award for a site dedicated to opposing Haider’s parliament.
The actions of Public Netbase have earned worthy authority. The Institute for Applied Autonomy , award-winning in interactive art at the Prix Ars Electronica 2000, dedicated its victory to Public Netbase for its political accomplishments. Another Public Netbase project launched during this period, World-information.org, presented as “an ongoing attempt to critically review and research new technologies in a social, economic and artistic context” led to the participation in the UNESCO Dig-Arts program and a series of agreements throughout Europe.
However, the success of the organization was not enough to prevent problems. In 2000, after a period of reconstruction of the Museum Quarter, which caused controversy, Public Netbase did not extend the lease and it underwent a series of audits and faced other bureaucratic obstacles. Financial difficulties and the lack of a secure permanent location have never been resolved. Despite significant public support and reorganization attempts, during which the name was changed to shortened Netbase, the municipality of Vienna on January 11, 2006 actually stopped funding, which led to the immediate termination of the organization.