Date posted: August 12, 2016
My collaborations are very much related to what I learned from being in a band ages ago. Most of the time I am working with a group taking on different roles and see myself as the lead singer. I compose the songs and think of ways to create environments that amplify the experience for the audience who I want to completely immerse as a performer. BIRD SONG DIAMOND at the Large Space in Tsukuba was a whole different level — so many people were involved that it felt more like I was a conductor and it was a truly magnificent experience. Looking back, from the point when Chuck approached me to participate in his research on Mapping the Acoustic Network of Birds to five years later working with an amazing team from so many disciplines — I learned so much. Most of all, I understand the importance of LISTENING to our environment — from all different perspectives, with all our senses and extending out to the animal world.
http://www.emp.tsukuba.ac.jp/english/wp/archives/554
Date posted: July 1, 2016
This book is a result of a decade long project by George Quasha asking creatives “What is Art?”. In his preface, he states: “this is not a book about what art is. It’s a book saying what it is by those who make it — a portrait of emergent discourse.”
Date posted: June 25, 2016
June 25th, Chuck Taylor, Joel Ong and I led a workshop at Governor’s Island that was well attended and received. We started outside on the grass with Joel leading a “tuning in” exersice and then went inside for a short lecture / background of the project from each of our perspectives, to finally give everybody an opportunity to play with the Bird Song Mimic. Now preparing for the next workshop / hands-on demo in New York city at Harvestworks on July 19th.
“Tuning in” – Joel Ong leading the sound meditation
Workshop, Governor’s Island, June 25, 2016
More pics on flikr
Date posted: June 23, 2016
How auspicious that I arrived the dat before Ellen and Patricia Olynyk were hosting their monthly LASER. This gave me an opportunity to introduce the Bird Song Mimic workshop a couple of days later at Governor’s Island. Many good friends showed up including Kathy Brew, Christiane Paul and Linda Weintraub. Carol Parkinson from Harvestworks was there to introduce her program and it was also lucky I was presenting last as Chuck Taylor and his daughter Amy just made it from the airport. He walked in as I was mentioning him and went straight up to talk about our collaboration.
Describing Bird Song Diamond installation in Tsukuba.
Here is the original illustration of the Bird Song Mimic evolving. We stayed pretty true to the vision.
Chuck graciously introducing his experience as a scientist working with an artist.
More pics from the evening on flikr.
Date posted: June 15, 2016
This is becoming a tradition at the end of the academic year — to say thank you to the staff that is invisible but makes things happen and certainly helps the Art Sci center! We have a great showing from the Fowler and the Arts but no one from CNSI so we have to throw another one. Jaya was on her way but got lost 🙁 Roland helped us book the room in the beautiful IPAM (Institute for Applied Mathematics) designed by Gehry. He works there and many do not know that he is a chef on the side and goes to Japan every summer to learn!
Flan by Dawn and a original curry balls by Roland (horse).
Brenda with her offering 🙂
More pics on flikr.
Date posted: June 2, 2016
OK, this one is a record — the exhibition was in 2012 and it was finally in print this year! David Familian and I would make changes / edits and then both get swamped with our respective chaos. This was repeated many times and the designer basically gave up after a certain point. So, we did what everyone should do in order to finalize a project — set a hard deadline — we announced a book launch / signing at CNSI and — voila — here it is!
You can read the e-book on this site or buy a hard copy on amazon — really inexpensive ($11.69)!
Click on the image of cover for the flipbook or go to amazon to buy a copy (pays only for cost – no one is making a profit on this one!)
Date posted: April 5, 2016
At the invitation of Professor Ruth Schnell, I worked with a small group of students from the Digital Arts and Art & Science program to create a performative event. Here is the invitation!
HOX ZODIAC Empfang
Die zur Zeit in Wien gastierende Künstlerin Victoria Vesta (Schwein), UCLA Art Sci center, gemeinsam mit Denise Schellmann (Affe), Juno Matsumoto (Affe), Julia Tazreiter (Tiger), Magdalena Friedl (Ochse) und Special Guest Lucie Strecker
HOX ZODIAC reception
Visiting Artist Victoria Vesna (PIG), UCLA Art Sci center, together with Denise Schellmann (MONKEY), Junko Matsumoto (MONKEY), Julia Tazreiter (TIGER) and Magdalena Friedl (OX), Nikita Zhukovskiy (DOG) with special guest Lucie Strecker (SNAKE) invite you to join us for a
TODAY, April 5, 2016 — 16:00 – 18:00 — Sterngasse 13, 2nd floor
Performing the Animal Self / Ingesting Cultural Hybridity: Hox Zodiac reception
Chance is the only true source of novelty. Life Itself is chance. Crick, F. The Origin and Nature, pg 58 (1982 )
Our perception and experience of the world around us is limited by an anthropocentric viewpoint – in part a physical limitation of our senses – but largely because we forget that as animals we share a common inheritance both genetically and ecologically with the myriad of species around us.
Genetic information is the ultimate game of chance – a success of evolution thatis based on heritability, mutations, and variations that promise of survival, species propagation, and enhancement. Responding to the emergent nature of the game-like environment of the ancient Book of Changes, the I Ching, and the related work of John Cage serves as a base for the conceptual framework of the project. Similar to Cage’s ideas of chance and indeterminacy, this work looks to the ancient Eastern philosophies along with the scientific research, seeking the balance between rational and irrational, conscious and unconscious – in relation to our interconnectivity with the animal kingdom.
The students were asked to familiarize themselves with their given animal from the Chinese zodiac and explore the relationship to itself and the other animals in the room. The emerging hybridity is not only in relation to the genetic but also to cultural mutations. Through this interface, we specifically focus on the influence of Chinese culture in Western daily lives through consumerism.
We end the workshop with a tasting session that includes offering and ingesting food by participants as a cultural gesture. …………
Keywords: Hox gene • Chinese zodiac • I Ching • Neuroscience and art • Animal-human relationship • Biotech and art
http://hoxzodiac.com
Date posted: March 13, 2016
The Essential Challenge of Interactive Art
What does interactive actually mean? We touch something and then experience the upshot of that act? Or does interactivity already come about when we view an image? READ
