“Dig where you stand” : hands on basic electronic and mechanical art works

Dig where you stand is a quick and intensive course with the goal to use simple material to do complex electromechanical artworks, kinetic sculptures and installations.

As an artist one might get frustrated when it is difficult to get access to material to realize a project. A specific part might be too expensive, a piece of software might be hard to learn or one might just not know what to use to solve a problem. A practical problem can evolve into general frustration. In the worst case scenario the result is that ideas are being abandoned even before the process of realization has begun.

The course “dig where you stand” will be a week where the participants are making art from “off the shelf products” and material that can be found in you local or home environment. We will use stuff like electrical motors from the junkyard and rubber belts from Clas Ohlson. Your work might be really complex or plain and simple. The main goal is to experiment and get hands on experience and knowledge that can inspire and facilitate.

The relation between art and technology has a reputation of being complex and expensive. This course will prove this wrong and it will inspire you to try out new stuff on your own and give you the basic knowledge to be able to do so without being frustrated. As a bonus you will hopefully be able to focus more on the ideas instead of the problems in you creative work.

During the week there will also be an ongoing discussion on several topics concerning the artistic sides of working with electricity, mechanics and movement.

The course will be given by Lars Brunström an artist with long experience from working with kinetic sculptures, mechanical and model based art installations. Lars Brunström is frequently working with the “language of movement” and is interested in both human and animal movement translated into physical works and installations. Lars Brunström graduated form the Malmö Art Academy 2002 in 2006 he received the Maria Bonnier Dahlin Grant.

The course will start with a presentation of Lars Brunströms past and current works.

During the week a number of topics will be covered, like: “Things that are moving and why”, “Different kind of electrical motors”, “Basic safety working with electricity”, “What is what?” “Connect and test”, “Wheels and belts” etc. etc.

GEIGER (Gothenburg Electroacoustic Institute for Grants, Events and Research) festival 2008

“Gothenburg’s only annual festival of contemporary art music in all its exciting range, from chamber music to recorded ljudkonst, improvisation, free folk, electronica, noise. Two passionate party nights in Brew House packed with curious and experimental music.

Two days of experimental music and sounds. 10th and 11th of October. It was a really interesting event. what really caught my attention (except from all the people crating strange sounds on both the scenes) were Jorg Piringer, Ernst Reiter Maier from IFTAF (Institute For Trans-Acoustic Research). You can purchase their stuff from their web-shop. It has been a real challenge for me not to mess around with all of the things connected to each other on their table until they started their performance. If you take a look at my photos you will understand what I mean… Really nice! Will definitely attend the festival next year and I recomend it to everyone interested in experimental things.

]]> http://sentouki.gr/2008/11/11/geiger-festival-2008/feed/ 0 http://sentouki.gr/2008/10/21/steim-foundation-netherlands/ http://sentouki.gr/2008/10/21/steim-foundation-netherlands/#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:09:43 +0000 Anastasia Melekou http://sentouki.gr/?p=68 Through a collaboration with Interaction Design at IT University of Gothenburg, Sweden, the C:Art:Media Master program students had access to a lecture/workshop with Taku Lippit. In this lecture Taku talked about STEIM foundation. He also showed his own work and an approach on designing instruments, that is some basic stuff about making and using interfaces and also about personalising controllers.

STEIM (the studio for electro-instrumental music) is the only independent live electronic music centre in the world that is exclusively dedicated to the performing arts. The foundation’s artistic and technical departments supports an international community of performers and musicians, and a growing group of visual artists, to develop unique instruments for their work. You will fid many useful information about the foundation at the STEIM website.

Take a closer look at all of the interesting things STEIM has to offer in their site. Their page is a little messy but it has lots of information for those interested. Here are some points I found very interesting and that I think are worth taking a closer look:

• Tools and instruments created, like the crackle box and crackle synth
• Software created for very specific uses which you can download, like JunXion utility and Lisa sampler
• Artists in Residency (for one or two weeks) at the foundation and how to apply
• Concert Series (one or two concerts per month)
• Sound Lectures
• Hardware and Software workshops (hacking and reusing) and introduction to STEIM tools

Electrohype 2008

2008/11/14 Electrohype Opening

The fifth biennial for computer based and technological art.

Malmö Konsthall November 15th 2008 – January 25th 2009, Opening Friday November 14th 2008.

The Electrohype biennial 2008 will give an updated view of the scene for contemporary electronic art and will introduce 14 artworks from 10 different artists, all presented in a 1200 squaremeter space at Malmö konsthall.

For more information visit the Electrohype 2008 website.

Visit the FSCONS website for more information.

FSCONS is the first of many Free Society conferences, bringing different cultural movements and activists together in the name of digital freedom.

As three of the biggest names in community organisations, Free Software Foundation Europe, Creative Commons and Wikimedia Sverige are joining forces under the banner of Free Society at this years FSCONS. With the help of many different organisations like Debian GNU/linux, KDE, Postgres, OpenStreetMap, Midgard, CCMixter, Magnatune and the Icelandic Fab Labs, FSCONS will be a truly unique experience.

The lectures and events at the conference will range from hardware hacking and embedded programming to citizen journalism and the future of the music industry. FSCONS will allow the participants to reach across the borders of their individual communities and by nourishing cross topic discussion stimulate the creation of joint projects.

More than a series of presentations, FSCONS will be a meeting place for the digital revolution, providing discussion areas, workshops and showrooms, as well as social events in the evenings. With a flexible schedule we hope to ensure that everyone will have the opportunity to engage in social activities without missing out on their favourite speakers.

Despite its setting in northern Europe, FSCONS is certainly not an event limited to this region. Bringing speakers and visitors from several corners of the world together, FSCONS is a chance to engage in shaping the movements of tomorrow in a city where tradition meets innovation and art meets technology.