We learnt about this collective of multimedia artists based in Osaka, Japan when we saw them taking part in the Athens Digital Arts Festival (ADAF 2020) last year.

We were amazed by their fearless attitude to mix tradition, modern underground culture and technology, as we highlighted when we wrote about some art works of their audiovisual portfolio.


Here’s more about their past, present and future…

(Japanese below　日本語下記)

Audiovisual City: We would love to start the interview with you telling us a bit about Cosmic Lab and its origin…

Cosmic Lab: Cosmic Lab is a laboratory that pursues the expansion of cognition through unknown audio-visual experiences. It is a project that I (VJ Colo Muller) started, rooted in the activities within the underground culture scene of Osaka. While focusing on the live visuals system that we continue to develop independently and the content and live performances that are born from it, we are also engaged in artwork production, branding of companies and regions, and projects related to the live entertainment industry.

Especially recently, we are speeding up the development of the COSMIC LAB XR Live System to try to create a new live experience for this era.

AVC: The project Quasar really caught our attention. We are very interested in this innovative tool to produce audiovisual in a very intuitive way.
Can you share the creative process behind the development and design of the QUASAR machine?

CL: I have been wanting to play “video/visuals” in a musical and improvised way since those days where I started VJing using VHS and LaserDisc. I was amazed by the incredibly innovative live A/V performance of EBN (Emergency Broadcasting Network) I encountered in New York around 1998. Then a few years later in Japan, I went to a A/V live show of COLD CUT (Timber may be a referential song), who were strongly influenced by EBN, and this experience was crucial for the project. I think they (COLD CUT) were the first ones to extend hiphop’s sampling methods to AV.

Finally, meeting Hifana and Kireek, who had been evolving their AV performances in Japan in an original manner, was a decisive fact for QUASAR to be born. More specifically, Hifana’s “Skipless Loop” song with Locked Groove as a concept, and the marking tapes used by turntablists were a great inspiration in terms of logic. With Locked Groove, the loop length for 133 BPM will be 4 beats, that is, one round will be one bar (in the case of 33rpm). I wondered what kind of world we could get to create if we used this mechanism when composing a sequence with sampled one-shot and loop images. This is how QUASAR’s prototyping began and how it lead to today.

Regarding the creativity of Quasar, there is the word “chanpuruu” in the dialect of the Okinawa region of Japan, and the word “chanpuuru” which has a similar sound in Indonesian. They both mean the same: “to mix, blend in”. 

This example suggests that there can be similarities in things that seem unrelated and completely unconnected at first, but when you put them side by side, you may be able to see the bigger picture and discover a better outline that you couldn’t quite appreciate until then. By intuitively and visually mixing in various sound and image fragments using Quasar, new grooves can arise unexpectedly, or a mysterious ritual space might be created. I think that this is a futuristic and primitive sensation brought about by the high degree of freedom unique to the digital world.

AVC: We feel there is a connection with the Reactable machine. Did you get inspired by the machine developed in Barcelona back in 2003?

CL: I got to make great use of my knowledge of “reacTIVision” through the device created for the installation “Space Echo” that Cosmic Lab worked on before Quasar. The installation was a 360-degree omnidirectional projection mapping on a circular ancient tomb created nearly 1300 years ago. We made the device to continuously change sound and images, creating a reminiscent effect of the ancient world.

AVC: What is the future of Quasar in terms of applications and creative outputs?

CL: I would love to visit diverse cultural areas, record and film local sounds and dances of the people living there, do some field recordings of the natural and environmental sounds, and build on collaborations with local artists. We want to continue the audio-visual cross-breeding sessions within the world of QUASAR, and create an AV ritual space that evolves independently.

There are only two devices at the moment, but I think it would be interesting to release a design that allows an environment where everyone can play or to use it as a game.



AVC: Your artwork features limitless experimentation and fusion among different cultures. In “Magnetic” we can see a fusion with the hip-hop culture while in the Koyasan’s 1200th Anniversary, audiovisual meets the tradition of Japanese Buddhism.

How do you achieve a cohesive project narrative when approaching such different art forms?

CL: During my career as a VJ, I had the chance to come across different youth cultures and communities. As an artist expressing oneself as an outsider in a sense, I kept seeking the feelings and expressions on the spot where personal interests and the committing core converged. I believe pursuing your own personal interests without being trapped by common sense is important in the process of integrating different concepts in new ways.

LivePaintShowcase “MAGNETIC”

AVC: In “Magnetic”, what is the main artistic concept behind the implementation of projection mapping as an artistic layer for the live graffiti?

CL: Together with live paint duo Doppel, we have been aiming to establish a highly improvised showcase combining real-time video expression, live paint, and DJ / turntablist, all three as one. With the use of projection mapping we control the timescale and sequence until the mural painting is completed, and this way the process itself was constructed as a musical performance.

高野山1200年の光  | Koyasan 1200 Year Anniversary

AVC: In the Koyasan 1200th Anniversary, how did you orchestrate the entire performance involving buddhist chants, Japanese drums and Audiovisual?

CL: The mission given to COSMIC LAB for this project was just a visualization of the chanting, but I tried to imagine over and over what sorts of phenomena would happen in that space, and what kind of experiences the present people (audience) would share. When it actually happened, the amazing reality that I had in front of my eyes was beyond my imagination. 

We achieved to recreate a meditative and profound dance floor that I had not encountered too many times in my life before. 

Moreover, there was not a limited number of generations, but a wide variety of people, from the elderly likely to be over 80 years old to small children, who gathered and shared their experiences. After the performance, an old couple came up to us and told us: “Thank you, that was a good meido no miyage (literally: “a souvenir of the darkness*).
*something that makes you feel you can die in peace, such as a very pleasant memory to take to the afterlife.

That was the best compliment ever. 

It was incredibly respectful to see the monks’ ability to invite the thousands of women and men of all ages who were gathered there to a different dimension, and to return to reality and land their bodies and minds firmly at the end of the performance. The chanting has the meaning of a requiescat, and it is a prayer for the repose of a dead person. It was an experience that allowed us to feel closer to that afterlife world. I also believe it was a stage set to expand human cognition. You could get a glimpse of the boundary between this world and the other world, melting together at times, which would make you feel a bit strange. However, it was a spatial art that made you feel humble and positive after all.

Technically speaking, this performance was about 30 minutes long, but it was impossible to follow the fixed scale every time, and we presented improvisational fragments at key points. Therefore, we implemented some necessary functions in the VJ system built with a real-time rendering engine as the basis, such as 3D projection mapping, live operation on the timeline, or interaction with the lasers.

Although we had a few months to produce the performance, we only had one rehearsal at the place. The total number of monks who participated was about 100, and the pre-rehearsal with them was also only once, which was a hard condition. 

In order to make it happen even under such restrictions, we started visualising it with our own simulator at an early stage, and repeated the virtual run-through many times to make the necessary adjustments in advance.

I would say this project was a big step for COSMIC LAB towards establishing a live visual system.

Audiovisual City: When I met you online and we had our first chat regarding your work you mentioned you would like to keep growing internationally, too. How would you say you get inspired by other cultures, and how would you like to integrate it in your work?

Cosmic Lab: I am interested in sharing experiences that are born beyond the language barrier. COSMICLAB also has members with a cultural background that isn’t rooted in Japan, making it difficult to communicate with each other at times but we are enjoying this situation. The process of sharing concepts and images using non verbal means is dynamic. In fact, the Buddhist chanting at the Koyasan Anniversary was uttered in Sanskrit, and it was extremely mesmerizing despite the fact that many of us as modern Japanese could not understand the language at all.

It is actually very fresh to see that the reaction to our work varies from culture to culture. Quasar was presented in Kazakhstan and Reunion Island, but in the end, a scene that went beyond the image and concept of the creator appeared. I think the scale of QUASAR’s potential was expanded especially in Reunion Island, where there is a Creole culture.

We participated in Greek ADAF, which was an online event, so we would like to go there someday. I think Quasar is a piece of work that changes and grows with the reaction of the land and people that it interacts with.

AVC: What are you working on at the moment? Can you give us a preview of what we will see from you this year?

CL: Under the influence of the COVID-19 situation, at COSMIC LAB we are speeding up the process of developing the XR (Expanded Reality) Live System “Anti Matter” in order to explore how communities in this era should be. We aim to represent the area where the visible and invisible worlds are mixed.

COSMIC LAB will host a XR audiovisual showcase event on 7th February 2021 using this XR Live system, with the support of the grant we have received from the Agency of Cultural Affairs*. There will be a live stream from the augmented reality space that will be generated in the underground sanctuary of Osaka. The lineup includes QUASAR’s new XR performance, Japan’s leading artist EYE (BOREDOMS), and BackSpace Tokyo’s audiovisual showcase.
*a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology set up to promote Japanese arts and culture.

On the 22nd of January, we will be presenting an evolved version of the live paint showcase with DOPPEL at an art festival in Okinawa. It will be a virtual production and the platform that will be used for the online streaming has not been confirmed yet but please do check it out!

One of the orientations that COSMIC LAB’s works share is accessing and deciphering the memories and deep layers hidden in a particular place / land, and rebooting and revealing it by the fusion of art and technology.

We have two projects that we are currently working on following this idea:

One of them is a light and sound installation at a mysterious shrine where the torii gates* meet the stunning views of the Sea of Japan, in Yamaguchi/Motonosumi. It is planned to be open to the public in April.
*A traditional Japanese gate that is usually found at the entrance of a Shinto shrine.

The second one is a project set in Daishoin in Hiroshima / Miyajima, a temple whose deity is the Misen mountain (the sacred place of Shugendo), and keeps protecting the “fire that never goes out” that has been burning continuously for 1200 years. It will be a session with a musician who works with the inaudible, and we are planning an exhibition and online presentation around February.

Thank you! Finally, COSMIC LAB have a message to all readers of audiovisual culture… 

Please feel free to contact us if you are interested, let’s exchange information and chat! There are many experimental VJs and a big AV culture in Japan as well. Check out the activities of COSMIC LAB!

Thank you very much.

All images are courtesy of Cosmic Lab
Translation from Japanese to English by Sumire Moncholi

Original in Japanese 日本語

Audiovisual City: お時間ありがとうございます！

まずはCosmic Labの始まり、最近の活躍など自己紹介をお願いします。

Cosmic Lab: 僕（VJ Colo Muller）が発起人となって立ち上げた、未知なるオーディオ・ヴィジュアルの体験を通じて、認知の拡張を追及するラボラトリーです。源流には大阪のアンダーグラウンドカルチャーでの活動が存在します。

独自に開発を続けているライブヴィジュアルシステムとそれを駆使したコンテンツやライブパフォーマンスをコアにしながら、アート作品の制作や、企業・地域などのブランディング、ライブエンターテイメント業界に関わるプロジェクトを手掛けています。

特に最近は、COSMIC LAB XR Live Systemの開発を加速させて、この時代の新たなライブ体験の創出を試みています。

AVC:「映像」と「音」を同時に奏でる次世代の楽器、QUASAR。直感的にクリエイティブなオーディオビジュアルが生み出せると言う可能性にとても興味を持ちました。QUASAR のアイディアはどのようにして生まれ、デザインや創作を考える時の創造性について聞きたいです。

CL: VHSやLaserDiscを用いてVJを始めた時代からずっと「映像」を音楽的かつ即興的にプレイしたいという願望があります。９８年頃にN.Yで遭遇したEBN（Emergency Broadcasting Network）の斬新過ぎるA/Vライブに衝撃を受け、その数年後、EBNの影響を色濃く受けた COLD CUT（Timberなどが代表曲）のA/Vライブを日本で体験したのが決定打でした。彼らは、HIPHOPのサンプリング手法をいち早くA/Vまで拡張させたように思います。

その流れに呼応する形で、日本で独自にA/Vパフォーマンスを進化させたHifanaやKireekたちとの邂逅は、QUASAR誕生の大きなきっかけとなりました。特に、Locked GrooveをコンセプトにしたHifanaの「SkiplessLoop」という楽曲や、ターンテーブリストが使うマーキングテープはロジック面でも大いなるインスピレーションになりました。Locked Grooveだとループの長さは、33rpmの場合、BPM133で4拍、つまり一周が一小節になります。その仕組みを使って、サンプリングしたワンショットやループの映像でシーケンスを構成していけば、どんな世界が生まれるんだろうと。そこからQUASARのプロトタイピングが始まり、今に至ります。

<Quasar映像リンク>

次に、Quasarの持つ創造性についてですが、日本の沖縄地方の方言で「ちゃんぷるー」という言葉があり、インドネシアの言葉でも似た響きを持つ「チャンプール」という言葉があります。意味は同じ「混ぜ合わす」というものです。これが何の話かというと、全く別々で一見繋がりが無いような事柄にも相似律が存在し、それらを並べてみると、それまで見えてこなった輪郭や全体像を発見できることがあります。Quasarを使って様々な音とイメージの断片を、直感的かつ視覚的に異種交配していくことで、偶然新たなグルーブが誕生したり、得体の知れない祝祭空間が訪れることがあります。それはデジタルワールドならではの自由度の高さがもたらす、未来的でプリミティブな感覚だと思います。

AVC: 2003年、バルセロナで発表されたReactable machineとは何か関係してますか？インスピレーションを得たのでしょうか？ 

CL: Quasar以前にCosmicLabが取り組んだ「SpaceEcho」というインスタレーションで制作したデバイスでは「reacTIVision」の知見を大いに活用させて貰いました。

そのインスタレーションは、１３００年近く前に創られた円形古墳に３６０度全方位プロジェクションマッピングをして、そのデバイスで音と映像を変化させ続け、古の世界に想いを馳せるというものでした。

AVC: 今後QUASARはどのようにして使われて創造性を伸ばして行けると思っていますか？

CL: 様々な文化圏を訪れ、そこに住む人々特有の音や踊り、その場所の自然・環境音等のフィールドレコーディングをして、現地のアーティストとのコラボレーションも重ねていきたいです。QUASARの世界の中で異種交配のセッションは続けられ、独自に進化するA/V祝祭空間を創造したいです。

今は２台しか存在しないのですが、デザイン次第では、誰もが遊べるような環境やゲーム的なものとしてリリースしても面白いだろうなと思います。

AVC: COSMIC LABのプロジェクトには様々な文化の混ざりや実験的な遊び心があるような気がします。たとえば、Magnetic ではヒップホップカルチャーの影響。高野山の1200年の光では現代オーディオビジュアルが日本伝統文化・仏教と混じり合わせてあります。

これだけ幅広く違うカルチャーやアートを使いながら、うまく統一したプロジェクトを創り出す方法は？

CL: VJとしてのキャリアの中で、異なるユースカルチャーやコミュニティを横断する機会に恵まれました。ある意味で部外者である表現者として、その場でコミットすべきコアと個人的関心が重なる感覚や表現はどこにあるのか、というのを瞬間的に探り当てる作業の連続でした。個人的関心を究めることは、常識に囚われずに、異なるコンセプトを新たに統合していくプロセスで大事なことだと思います。

AVC: Magnetic ではどう言った目的でプロジェクションマッピングをライブグラフィティに重ねたのでしょうか？その芸術概念とは？

CL:ライブペイントデュオのDoppelとは、以前から、リアルタイムな映像表現とライブペイント、そして、DJ・ターンテーブリストが三位一体となった即興性の高いショウケースの確立を目指してきました。壁画の完成までのタイムスケールやシーケンスをプロジェクションマッピングで制御することで、そのプロセス自体を音楽的なパフォーマンスとして構築しました。

AVC: 高野山1200年の光ではどのようにして声明・映像・光をうまく取り入れたパフォーマンスを創り上げる事ができましたか？

CL: このプロジェクトでCOSMIC LABが与えられたミッションは声明の視覚化に他ならないのですが、その空間でどのような現象が起きて、居合わせた人々がどのような体験を共有するのかを何度もイメージしました。

本番は想像を遥かに超えたアメージングな現実が目の前に現れました。人生の中でもそう何度も遭遇したことのない、瞑想的で深遠なダンスフロアを彷彿させました。尚且つそこでは、限られた世代だけではなく、80歳は超えてそうなお年寄りから小さな子供まで、非常に多種多様な人々が集まり体験を共有出来ました。日本語に「冥途の土産」という言葉があるのですが、公演後に老夫婦が近づいてきて「ありがとう、いい冥途の土産になったわ。」と言って貰えたのは史上最高の賛辞でした。

そこに集まった何千人もの老若男女を異次元へと誘い、そして公演の最後には現実に帰還させてしっかりと身も心も着地させる僧侶の力量には脱帽ものでした。声明は鎮魂の意味を持ち、この世を去った存在に祈りを捧げるものであり、ぐっとその世界の気配を身近に感じることが出来る体験でした。人間の認知を拡張させる為の舞台装置だったとも思います。ある意味、この世とあの世の境界線がグニャグニャに溶けた際どい瞬間も垣間見ましたけれども、最終的には、謙虚でポジティブな気持ちになれる空間芸術でした。

技術的な話に移ると、このパフォーマンスは約３０分の尺でしたが、毎回決まった尺通りに進行するのは不可能で、要所要所に即興的な演出を散りばめていました。その為、リアルタイムレンダリングエンジンをベースに構築したVJシステムに、３Dプロジェクションマッピング、タイムラインでのライブオペレーション、レーザーとのインタラクションなどの必要な機能を実装しました。

また、制作期間は数か月あったのですが、現地でのリハーサルは１回のみ、参加した僧侶の総勢は約１００名で、事前リハーサルも１回のみという厳しい条件下でした。

そういった制約においても実現可能にする為に、自作シュミレーターでいち早くヴィジュアライズし、何度もヴァーチャルランスルーを繰り返しながら想定される調整を事前に重ねました。

<高野山リンク>

このプロジェクトはCOSMIC LABのライブヴィジュアルシステム確立の大きな一歩となったと思います。

AVC: これから海外にも広めていきたいとお話ししましたが、海外の文化からどのようにインスピレーションをもらえてどのように取り入れたり混じり合っていきたいと思いますか？

CL: 言葉の壁を超えたところで生まれる体験の共有に興味があります。COSMICLABにも、日本とは違う文化的背景を持つメンバーが在籍していて、コミュニケーションに苦労することもありますが、その状況を楽しんでいます。非言語的にコンセプトやイメージを共有するプロセスはダイナミックです。実際、高野山での声明も全てサンスクリット語で唱えられて、現代の日本人である我々の多くは言語を理解出来ませんでしたが、物凄く揺さぶられるものがありました。

また、作品への反応が文化によって違うのもフレッシュです。Quasarはカザフスタンやリユニオン島で発表しましたが、最終的には作り手側のイメージやコンセプトを飛び越えた光景が現れました。特に、クレオール文化を持つリユニオン島ではQuasarの持つポテンシャルのスケールを拡げられたように思います。

ギリシャのADAFはOnlineでの発表でしたので、いずれは現地に行ってみたいですね。Quasarは訪れる土地や人々の反応と共に変化し成長する作品だと思っています。

AVC: 他に今までの活躍・これからの活動について聞かせていただけるお話しがありましたらお願いします。

CL: COVID-19の影響下、COSMIC LABは可視と不可視の世界が混ざる領域を表現し、この時代のコミュニティの在り方を模索する為に、 XR（エクスパンデッド・リアリティー） Live System “Anti Matter” の開発を加速させています。

最近のヴァーチャルプロダクション(映像)

2021年2月7日、文化庁の助成を受けて、COSMIC LABのXR Live Systemを駆使したXR オーディオ・ヴィジュアルのショウケースイベントを主催します。大阪のアンダーグラウンドの聖地で生成される拡張現実空間からライブストリーミングします。

QUASARの新作XRパフォーマンスや、日本を代表するアーティスト、EYE ( BOREDOMS ) 、BackSpaceTokyoのオーディオヴィジュアルショーケースというラインアップです。

1月22日には沖縄のアートフェスで、DOPPELとのライブペイントショーケースの進化版を行います。配信を前提としたヴァーチャルプロダクションになります。プラットフォーム等はまだ未定ですが是非ご覧下さい。

また、COSMIC LAB作品の特徴のひとつに、ある場所/土地に潜む記憶や深層にアクセスして解読し、アートとテクノロジーを融合した手法で、それをリブートし顕現させるという指向性があります。

その流れを汲む現在進行中のプロジェクトを2つご紹介します。

一つは、日本海の絶景に鳥居が立ち並ぶ神秘的な神社（山口・元乃隅）での光と音のインスタレーションです。来年4月には一般公開される予定です。

もう一つは、1200年間絶やすことなく燃え続ける「消えずの火」を守り、修験道の聖地・弥山を御神体とするお寺・大聖院（広島・宮島）を舞台としたプロジェクトです。不可聴領域を扱う音楽家とのセッションになります。来年2月頃に現地でのエキシビションとオンラインでの発表を予定しています。

世界のA/Vカルチャー読者へのメッセージがありましたらどうぞ！

もし興味持ってくれたら気軽に連絡ください。色々と情報交換などしましょう！

日本にもエクスペリメンタルなA/VカルチャーやVJが多く存在します。

COSMIC LABの活動も是非チェックしてみてください！

ありがとうございました。

The post COSMIC LAB interview appeared first on Audiovisualcity.

We asked a few questions to Elwira Wojtunik and Popesz Csaba Láng, respectively director and program manager of the audiovisual event based in Krakow.

The organizers pulled off an interesting hybrid edition, fully leveraging the latest generation digital tools. And here goes our interview to Patchlab Festival!

1. PATCHLAB FESTIVAL HAS BEEN FOUNDED BACK IN 2012. IT IS NOW A REFERENCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL GENERATIVE ARTS PANORAMA. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE CONCEPTS AND GOALS THAT DROVE YOU TO THE INCEPTION OF THE FESTIVAL?

E.W.: Indeed, Patchlab Festival has happened annually since 2012, after 2 years of organising Share:Krakow – a local unit of a global organisation dedicated to supporting collaboration and knowledge exchange in new media communities.

Those were crazy times full of passion! Organising space for experimenting with digital tools, gathering with people experimenting with digital instruments, plugging in and playing.

Then we organised the 1st and 2nd edition of the festival that happened under the name of Patch: audio_visual_lab with a great support of our partners from the AVnode network.

Back then, new technologies and digital art were quite underground issues in Poland, compared to now, so it wasn’t easy to convince institutions and partners to support such a unique, niche event.

But we made it happen! During these 9 years we managed to build an internationally recognised platform. We showcase and research on one of the most rapidly developing areas of contemporary art: digital art based on the latest technologies and creative coding.

Patchlab festival is a space for meetings and discussions with the creators, experts and public. We have focused on the roles and impact that digital technology has on our everyday lives.

We explored its future developments, its multi-dimensionality, its interrelations with the artistic processes. They change rapidly and bring new possibilities and challenges, as the technology evolves.

2. THIS YEAR YOU DECIDED TO PROPOSE A HYBRID EDITION AS A RESPONSE TO THE CURRENT PANDEMIC CRISIS. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CHALLENGES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES OF UTILIZING DIGITAL TOOLS TO ALLOW THE AUDIENCE TO VIRTUALLY PARTICIPATE?

E.W.: Due to the pandemic we had to find an alternative format compared to the past festival years. Most of the cultural events moved to the internet. But after some time people got tired of the meetings and events provided online. Mostly via Zoom.

Moreover this form of social connection became so overwhelming in every aspect of our life. Therefore attracting the attention of the public online became quite a challenge.

We have decided to experiment and diversify the program to provide the festival content in hybrid form. The digital world of the internet is a natural environment for digital art. Hence it was obvious for us that it was an opportunity to use alternative ways to reach the public internationally.

We had the chance to bring art to the users at the time they chose. We incorporated the program in a different digital format. Anyone was able to participate live online simply by entering the webpage, but also in Augmented and Virtual Reality. Via mobile phones or VR goggles at any chosen time and space.

The festival webpage was specially designed for this purpose – the exhibition of over 28 artworks was (and still is until the end of 2020!) presented online in 5 virtual rooms.

Among them, the Salon AR hosted audiovisual artworks created by e.g. Ryoichi Kurokawa or Monocolor that could be experienced in Augmented Reality.

In the Salon Virtual Ambient you could experience interactive online installations, 360° animations and immerse in surreal VR video collages.

arc/sec Lab exhibition room, built in Mozilla Hub, allows you to choose your own avatar to explore four kinetic light installations in 1:1 scale created at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

We allocated two studios for the multimedia artworks created by students from the Multimedia Studio of the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology in Warsaw and the Intermedia Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow.

This edition aimed at connecting with artists in different places around the globe. That is why we presented a 2 hours live set from Berlin by German duo INSTANT, and a round-table discussion about the roles of the new technologies during the pandemic, and its impact on our everyday lives.

The audience participated also in a virtual narrative performance: Operation Jane Walk, a dystopian video game space, carried out live straight from Vienna.

Performers from the Total Refusal collective hijacked the digital wargame environment, exploring the possibilities (and impossibilities) of new media technologies, while walking around a digital representation of New York.

We also developed something out of the box to create art projects as mobile applications: the app SOL.AR.IS, inspired by the great sci-fi novel written by Stanislaw Lem and Krakow ARtour.

SOL.AR.IS is an extraordinary project that offers an interaction in real time through AR technology with ephemeral animated 3D objects. Those are inspired by the fantastic phenomena described in the book: creations of the cytoplasmic, intelligent ocean that covers the planet Solaris – mimoids, symmetries or asymmetries.

The project was created in cooperation with CGI artists from Japan, Hungary, New Zealand, Germany and Iran. It’s still accessible for everyone, despite the place and time – downloadable for free from the App Store and Google Play.

During the pandemic, walking has become the most popular physical activity. Thus we designed the mobile application Krakow ARtour for people in Krakow, using Augmented Reality technology.

The application turns a regular walk into a multi-layered journey following the trail of the 20th century architecture of the Krakow Old Town. It allows you to discover unknown stories set in the context of a sustainable future.

P.C.L. For these two applications we used the SDK – newest set of tools offered by Google and Apple – AR Core and AR Kit accordingly, which are compatible with the latest smartphones.

There are still more than 300 types of phones available, but hopefully sooner or later these technological gaps will disappear and these new solutions will be achievable for all spectators without limits.

AR is still a relatively new technology. Surprisingly, most of the artists we invited have never had any experience with it. Therefore they were all very satisfied to get acquainted with a new possibility of presenting their artworks.

In order to showcase AR artworks at the Salon AR we designed the third application – PatchlabAR, available for all phones and tablets. We wanted to create it as simple as possible, so everybody could present their artworks at the Salon AR and augment their reality.

E.W.: The pandemic showed the great potential of digital tools. The internet and technology pushed the digital revolution further.

The new situation also showed that Patchlab program might be available for a much wider audience around the world. And not only during the time of the festival, but for much longer.

That’s why we decided to give access to the online content until the end of 2020. This is one of the aspects that wouldn’t be possible to accomplish while organising it in a regular form, physically in Krakow.

3. NOWADAYS DATA HAS OVERWHELMINGLY PERMEATED EVERY ASPECTS OF OUR DAILY LIFE. IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF CREATIVE CODING AND GENERATIVE AUDIOVISUAL ARTS IN THIS HYPER-DIGITALIZED SOCIETY WE LIVE IN?

E.W.: Creative coding translates the world of computers and code into everyday experience. It is one of the most comprehensive and dynamically developing disciplines of contemporary art.

Thus it results in a wide spectrum of artistic activities. The community of artists using code as their medium is constantly growing, expanding our sense of what is possible with digital tools.

That’s why creative coding has an amazing role in creativity that cannot be underestimate. It opens extraordinary possibilities of artistic expression.

Open source philosophy plays a very important role. The open source platforms encourage growth and experimentation. They support a rich community of creators that share their strategies and work with unprecedented openness.

That demonstrates how artists use technology in new ways, originating innovations and new experiences that actually influence the future, changing many aspects of our world. That fosters a greater awareness of the fast changing world that we live in, also regarding the means and directions of these changes.

P.C.L.: Nowadays big corporations continuously push their products to the global market. These hardware quite often have pre-installed software and firmware but usually producers do not have time to create something ad-hoc for them.

And here come the digital artists. They hack and crack these tools using their own codes to achieve something meaningful and eye glowing, out of the mass production.

Comparing the early 2000s, today these products are accessible almost to everyone. The only limit is often just our imagination. Two perfect examples are Raspberry Pi and Arduino.

Hardware are getting stronger and faster, while the price is getting lower. Both use open source systems as codes are shared online. I dare to say that’s the best way to start your experience with expressing yourself by code.

4. THE 9TH EDITION FEATURES THE THEME “CONNECTED”. CONNECTED BY THE INTERNET AND BY THE PANDEMIC. CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHTS ON THE DECISIONAL PROCESS YOU UNDERTOOK TO SELECT THIS PARTICULAR THEME?

E.W.: The theme CONNECTED refers mainly to two global aspects. The replacement of social contacts through the internet and the impulse to think about the common public spaces, cultural events and everyday life with and after the virus.

Due to the pandemic the world is undergoing an accelerated digital revolution. it is happening in front of our eyes. The Internet has become our primary channels of communication as never before.

Imagine the pandemic hit us 20 years ago. There wouldn’t have been such global access to the Internet or even no Internet at all! That situation would have been much more difficult for everybody. The pandemic appeared as a an external impulse. It made us develop pre-existing solutions and raise the digital competences, within the contemporary society.

There is also another aspect of this topic. The reliable connection we have with our partners, who we share common values with.

We joined forces with Athens Digital Art Festival, arc/sec Lab of the Auckland University in New Zealand or Digital Cultures among others, to create an intensive program, supporting each other in these difficult times for art and culture.

P.C.L.: A nice and positive example of how pandemic connected people is the Folding movement, which resulted in the creation of the most powerful supercomputer on the planet.

After installing the software you can share the free capacity of your computer’s processors to speed up the mapping process of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 DNA, causing COVID-19 illness.

Hundreds of thousands people around the world gave access to their computer processors. They connected and raised computing capacity, letting the researchers work faster towards the common goal, through this super globally connected power.

5. IN 2018 THE THEME WAS “ARTBOTS”, WHERE YOU REFLECTED ABOUT CREATIVITY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. IN 2019 YOU CHOSE “REALITIES” AND YOU REFLECTED UPON THE DIGITAL WORLDS PARALLELY GROWING TO OUR ENDANGERED PLANET.


WHAT IS THE CONCEPTUAL LINK THAT CONNECTS THE LAST THREE YEARS EDITIONS? HOW DID THE SOCIETY AND ARTS SCENE EVOLVED ACCORDINGLY?

E.W.: Each edition focused on a certain topic of the wide spectrum of the artistic activities that explore the creative potential of machines, algorithms, programming. Therefore each edition of Patchlab festival incorporated key phenomena in contemporary culture and art, including VR, AR, AI, hacking and digital identities.

Artificial intelligence algorithms, reality and simulations, AR, VR, interaction and collaboration between human and machine, the technologies that have a strong impact on our lives and the world we live in now and in the near future. These have always been urging topics for us, since the beginning of the festival.

The world is changing very fast in front of our eyes. Every year there are new improvements, new fascinating technologies that are instantly taken over by creatives and artists.

New technologies play also important roles in enhancing productivity and raising sustainability, such as the efforts to use AI and carbon removal technologies to fight climate change.

Raising awareness of urgent climate issues and acting for significant prompt change should be highly important to every human being. Hence it’s natural for us to implement these topics into the program. We show that digital art as well can make us think about the complexity of the ecology and how to act in alternative ways.

6. THE AUDIOVISUAL EVENT REACHED ITS 9TH EDITION THIS YEAR. TO WRAP UP OUR INTERVIEW TO PATCHLAB FESTIVAL WE WOULD LIKE TO ASK:

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE 10TH EDITION NEXT YEAR? AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEAREST TECHNOLOGICAL FUTURE?

P.C.L. So many aspects can change the future, that we can easily fantasize about the future of digital technologies. The forthcoming 5G and Elan Musk’s StarLink will change the internet in the next few years. In the same ways as it has evolved from the 70s until today.

The Internet of Things will create a better global network, expanding the playground for the digital artists. Big Data, Bioart, AI will become more common. Art as well will become more accessible to the audience.

We are going to leave our beloved friends, the smart phones, forever. We will be using HoloLens or similar Mixed Reality devices, where all the calculations will be made in cloud systems, on a supercomputer. The rest will be just displays and terminals to access the network.

E.W. The pandemic year showed enormous growth in the video games industry among others. In the previous editions we already considered some aspects of the valuable creations developed in this significant discipline of digital culture.

Next year we prepare for the 10th edition and we plan to dedicate part of the festival program to creative video games and the interventions in the virtual space. In 2021 Poland will celebrate the 100th birthday of the great sci-fi writer, Stanislaw Lem.

We would like to grace this year by continuing the development of the SOL.AR.IS art mobile app with new content inspired by the creatures of the intelligent ocean described in the Solaris novel. Additionally for this great occasion, we are preparing an interactive AR city game that will be designed together with invited artists.

In the hope that next year the restrictions will be lifted, we are also planning an on-line strategy. It worked great this year as it allowed us to reach a wide audience and to give access to the program for a much longer time.

I would like to emphasize that the Patchlab Festival remains CONNECTED until the end of the year. There is still time to dive into digital art programs online for those who missed it!

We hoped you enjoyed our interview to Patchlab Festival. We are definitely looking forward to the next year edition. As always, Stay Tuned!

Stay connected with Digital Arts Festival

Learn more about the 9th edition of the Patchlab Digital Art Festival

Read our interview to Athens Digital Arts Festival

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George Berlin is leading the design and the construction in collaboration with Tashan native villagers.

What a story! When George Berlin got in touch with us we couldn’t quite grasp the impact of this social-artistic sculpture.

A 6 weeks trip to Taiwan to send a powerful, selfless and reconciliating artistic message. During the pandemic of course. Why not!

Let’s give some background to this (crazy) artistic trip. Typhoon Morakot (The August 8th Flood) hit Taiwan from August 6th to August 10th, 2009.

The typhoon destroyed some people’s home and lands, but spared others. The hearts of the villagers were hit and wounded, and mistrust between people gradually appeared due to many practical factors.

In Laiji Village the pace of reconstruction is slowly progressing. Nevertheless finding a sustainable natural way of development without losing the cultural heritage of Tashan is crucial.

Lighting up the Tashan Tree of Light and a Heart of Love belonging to the Cou tribe will let a bright light shine at the foot of Tashan. Remembering the importance of love and sharing.

In this difficult year of 2020, the Tashan Tree of Light will illuminate the seven corners of the world from the top of Alishan Mountain, warming each heart, and letting the light of love bring peace and blessings to all.

So that’s the story folks. George Berlin is currently in Taiwan, working with villagers of all ages to decorate, assemble and install the 10 meters high Tashan Tree of Light in the mountain of Taiwan. Together with the companion sculpture Heart of Love in a nearby village.

Well the sculpture is in progress! And you can follow the adventures and mis-adventures of audiovisual artist George Berlin on his blog.

We are going to keep ourselves tuned in to see the final result of the Tashan Tree of Light! In the meantime we send all our affection and solidarity to the people affected by the Typhoon.

George Berlin Blog – Follow the adventure

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A special online edition offering an alternative way of enjoying the numerous audiovisual artists involved from all over the world.

The festival is organised by the same ensemble that has been delivering the massive audiovisual artists meeting LPM, since 2004. Flyer SRL, Linux Club and FLxER.net are also behind Live Cinema Festival, the boutique event we attended (physically!) back in September.

Fotonica features a wide focus on the audiovisual arts, embracing the many features and different expressions within the new media.

Not just performances and VJ sets but also installations, lectures and workshops. In each edition, Fotonica offers a space for both artistic networking and outreach of new audiences.

This year, the organizers have created a virtual environment and live streaming channel where it is possible to discover and to participate in a safe, interactive and innovative way.

The team behind Fotonica is very conscious of the importance of international partnerships. This year the festival is collaborating with Athens Digital Art Festival , Lunchmeat Festival, Cerrado Mapping Festival, Live Cinema Festival, Cairotronica, Bright Festival and System11.

Therefore the event does not offer simple entertainment. Fotonica is a valuable hub for all audiovisual artists to keep inspiring and being inspired. Even from their own studios.

Arte19VVR VR Rooms will host the digital exhibitions, VR Mapping, lecture and live AV performances through VJTelevision and Twitch. Workshops, lectures and talks will take place on Meet and Zoom.

A full array of digital and virtual platforms to maintain the audiovisual event alive, despite the second wave Covid restrictions.

Hence the organizers are sending an important message to the audience: arts have to adapt to any arising scenario leveraging the full creative potential of the latest technologies.

Read our report about Live Cinema Festival

Contact

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VJ Television | Twitch | Facebook | Instagram

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B39 has transformed what once used to be a garbage incinerator plant into an experimental creativity hub in Seoul’s satellite city Bucheon.

 

They offer a playful and unique cultural programme, with media art exhibitions and performances happening in different parts of the building.

39 meters tall – an impressive figure after which this cultural space was named indeed -, the Bunker carries the symbolic and historical meaning of B39. They have created a MMH (multimedia hall) and an Air Gallery too, for artists and creatives to present their work.

PRECTXE introduce themselves as “Art, Installation, Audiovisual, Electronic, Experimental, in Korea”. Straightforward tags.

This year’s edition started just a month ago under the theme “duplicate your dream”, inviting us to question and explore whether technological means allow the artist’s dreams (images) and feelings to be duplicated and reproduced by other human beings.

It offers a fairly large programme with an installation/exhibition “Xplo-” an electronic/experimental music live showcase “Electro Flow” and an audiovisual performance showcase “1001 Odyssey”. 

The artworks curated for PRECTXE2020’s exhibition include a good amount of 3D animation, VR and AR. National and international artists share their personal experiences and reflections on very diverse subjects. For example, we find the self-explanatory VR piece with interactive 3D CGI “AYAHUASCA Kosmic Journey”. Why not.

Their live performance line up include an attractive variety of visual and sound artists and collectives. Following the space’s interest in the interdisciplinarity of art and science, the audiovisual content of the festival also deals with topics related to nature, humans and the planetary. This gives us the chance to get to know the exciting Korean audiovisual art scene.

Great news! All the performances will be available to watch online for 10 days from tomorrow (December 4th – 13th that is). I am positively surprised to find out some of the artists we have recently covered are part of the line up, such as Amelie Duchow, Marco Monfardini or Junichi Akagawa.

Don’t miss Korean artist groups COR3A, Artexte and KnovCompile, whose appearance in MUTEK 21 as part of MUTEK Connect B39 last September can be described as mind blowing. And just cool.

AV artists who have taken part of previous PRECTXE editions include Ryoichi Kurokawa or Julien Bayle.

On top of their art programme, educational activities such as workshops are running throughout the year, promoting creative thinking and encouraging visitors to discover their individual artistic potential.

The industrial legacy of the building might not quite be what makes this space unique. There are plenty of examples of “industrial building turns into an art space”, such as Kraftwerk in Berlin (former power station) where Atonal festival takes place, or de Electriciteitsfabriek in the Hague (former electricity plant) which has hosted TodaysArt festival.

Do let us know of any other buildings and spaces you may want to share!


Find out more about B39.space and PRECTXE festival (and bless Google Translate if you are not familiar to the language! :).

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Some curious facts for those curious minds

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DJ Wallizz and DJ Nomi are both from Berlin. They have run monthly parties such as “The Afro House Experience”, “Bantu’s Diary” or “Black Paper”.

Hence they created a nightlife audiovisual experience that fusions rhythms of African clubs with sounds from the Berlin clubbing scene.

Expanding their vision, Wallizz and Cambel decided to start their own project called Freak de l’Afrique (The Monster of Africa). Recently the collective has started to incorporate audiovisual in their shows and performances.

Their aim is to bring the modern side of African music to the clubbing scene.

Through music, events and fashion they continuously spread a lifestyle inspired by Africa. It is forward-thinking, unexpected, sometimes provocative but above all positive!

Among their project we find “Wena – Jame”: A Journey through Afropolitan Musical Encounters. Wena translates into the pronoun “you”. It comes from the Zulu, one of many languages in South Africa. “Wena” is often used to ask someone to do something.

The project is the result of the combined effort among Freak de l’Afrique sound system, six dancers and a team of creative light and projection artist.

They all invite you (WENA!) to join them on a journey through the modern musical landscape of Africa and its diaspora.

This trip unravels as a 90-minute stage show with DJs, dancers and visual art with music from Ghana, Congo, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Angola, South Africa and many other places.

The collective wants to develop audiovisual content and projection mapping to make the experience more immersive.

They aim to connect the dancers, the music and the audiovisual content with an urban, modern and futuristic style rather than the traditional cliché one.

I think the concept is very powerful, not only for the magical moment they bring but also because of its originality.

I definitely look forward to seeing how it evolves! We will definitely keep an eye on them, as we always follow closely any type of audiovisual innovation.

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EXTRAsync is an inter-disciplinary platform that develops innovative projects and devices within the Audiovisual culture.

Of course when we found out about this new device we asked the developers Marco Monfardini, Gianluca Sibaldi and Amelie Duchow for an interview. And here you got it!

1. We were truly excited when you first showed us this new audiovisual projection tool you have developed. Can you tell us how you came up with the idea of the EXTRAscan?

Marco: My initial idea dates back to a few years ago, when I wanted to create an instrument that could generate sounds and visuals by using video projection on any given surface.

I wanted to experiment a new way of both visual and sound composition. After a long time of fruitless research I was almost on the verge of giving up.

However I told Gianluca about my idea, knowing him as a soundtrack composer and ever since a “computer alchemist”. Combining these two types of experiences, we began to transform our imagination into reality.

The first steps were exhilarating and pushed us to completely immerse ourselves in creating this new “device”.

2. Technically speaking, how does the audiovisual scan work? What kind of technological set up does it require?

Gianluca: this is a “slow” version of a structured light projection, a technique commonly used to perform 3D scans. We project lines on the scanned object by using a video projector. It then detects shapes and colors through 4 specially modified cameras.

The collected data information is processed in real time via a network of 5 computers. We use a mix of standard visualization algorithms and others we developed ourselves. Each computer has a specific task and contributes to the final audio and video output.

3. This cutting-edge tool is designed for live performances. Can you describe how the live manipulation works, once receiving the data parameters from the projector scanner?

We designed this tool to be independent, playing sound and generate images based on what it “reads”.

During a live performance we use a basic structure created ad hoc for the hosting venue. We modify the parameters according to the evolution of the performance while also modifying the structure itself in real-time. Both the audio and the video elements undergo a continuous elaboration.

4. In terms of artistic expression, what are the creative possibilities you discovered by utilizing this tool as audiovisual artists?

It is a tool for exploring and reading reality. It extracts features that are usually undetectable through a cross-contamination between visual elements that generate sound and sound elements that have visual correspondences.

This transports us into an additional dimension that becomes itself an object of stimulation and creation.

5. Could you share with us the audiovisual projects you have been working on thanks to this technology, both in the artistic and corporate world?

We have developed several projects with EXTRAscan in collaboration with both corporate and artistic entities.

Porsche recently commissioned us a live scanning for the launch of the new electric Taycan 4S. We presented a performance at the Scuola Holden in Torino in collaboration with Garofalo & Idee Associate.

For the Bonotto Foundation we developed a study for an audiovisual installation. For the LEV Festival 2019 we have developed the site specific live performance SCANAUDIENCE.

6. You have showcased the EXTRAscan at LEV festival 2019, by delivering an audiovisual representation of the audience called SCANAUDIENCE. Can you tell us about this remarkable performance?

SCANAUDIENCE was born from the study of the human figure and the idea of reversing the roles of a common performance. The audience itself is the protagonist of the performance. They are the subject of the scan and thus directly determining the audio and video result.

In order to develop SCANAUDIENCE at LEV Festival we built a scale model of the Laboral theater. The model included an audience made of small paper dolls that we used to fine-tune the performance.

The technical realization of SCANAUDIENCE is a fairly complex operation. Therefore we had to foresee the characteristics of both the venue and the array of the people to optimize timings for the sound check.

The result greatly exceeded our expectations, thanks to a large number of visitors and excellent technical support from the LEV organization.

Before our premiere set at LEV we did not have the opportunity to do a rehearsal with about 1000 people at the same time.

We had a rough idea of the outcome thanks to our model construction, but actually the real result was far more exciting and surprising for both us and the audience.

SCANAUDIENCE at the Laboral theater revealed a further dimension in addition to the sound generation and video output represented on the screen.

The scan lines projected onto the audience became themselves an additional spectacle inside the main show: an evocative feedback of the action of the “machine”.

7. Can you give us some insights about any further developments you are planning for the EXTRAscan?

We are currently studying the development for large scale scanning of buildings, monuments and architectural elements. We have worked on a draft of “innerVoices”. It is project that “gives voice” to historic buildings and other elements within the context of urban development.

Another area of development is the contemporary design. We aim to carry out the scanning of design objects in a more “chamber music” dimension, as they were generative elements of a small ensemble of voices and instruments.

From a technical standpoint, we are designing a new software that is even more advanced and offers a more immediate way of work.

We have recently started the development of new cameras for EXTRAscan. By integrating many functions directly into the camera software, we are automating many delicate calibration operations that had to be done manually.

We are also designing a new device that will use some of the EXTRAscan technology. The device will allow other artists, performers, VJ’s, DJ’s, etc. to have a customizable graphics engine. It will be driven directly by the sound and programmable through a touch interface.

Contact

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SCANAudience

LEV Festival

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System 11 launched an Online VJing Competition open to all audiovisual artists.

As lockdown is swaying back to numerous countries audiovisual artists are getting creative (again) to keep the show going.

The System 11 VJing Competition is a very good opportunity for emerging Vjs to get their AV art in front of selected jurors, while also aiming for some juicy prizes.

Resolume and Imimot Software are in fact sponsoring the event offering their licensed audiovisual software to both winners and finalists: Resolume Arena & Avenue, CoGe VJ and VEZÉR.

System 11 VJing Competition will unravel as follows:

The team will preselect around ten candidates from a video demo of at least 30 seconds. Registrations are made using the form on System 11 website before November 24.

Then, a compilation will be put together with extracts from the preselected demo videos. The video compilation will be shared publicly, with links to full demo videos and artist information. The audience will be able to vote on the website from Friday November 27 to Monday November 30.

On Monday, November 30 the three finalists will be announced. The finalists will invited to do a live performance of around 7 minutes, streamed publicly, on Saturday, December 5. A jury then decides on the winner of the S.V.C. 2020 Sunday December 6.

System 11 Vjing Competition features a nice and interactive format that we are sure will get quite a few interesting audiovisual artists involved!

System11 is the center of gravity of a great nebula of friends, enthusiasts, artists and technicians.

Originally from the Drôme Provençale, longtime friends started to organize festivals and cultural events in 2014.

Over time they have forged their reputation on a balance of conviviality and quality. System11 is today a network of cultural organization and technical services.

Register to the Competition

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Her profound influence and involvement in the early German Techno scene can be felt throughout her career as an artist.

She left Munich in 2003 and landed in Florence where she joined the Italian label Suite inc. Since then, she would present her slow, atmospheric electronic music through many DJ sets and live mixes at local festivals and venues. 

The minimal, immersive sounds of her music have filled contemporary art spaces such as Casa Masaccio in Rome or Nottingham Contemporary. 

Amelie has been collaborating with Marco Monfardini through the artistic Italian/German exchange project SCHNITT, born in 2007 as a result of their common interest for experimental minimal sound and visuals.

The duo have presented their audiovisual work in various formats, from artwork installations in museums and art centres to live performances in digital arts festivals and events.

Some of the exhibited artworks include Airloop 1.0 and MemoryCam, using original unreleased film material from the 40s up to the 80s as visuals. 

SCHNITT’s referential A/V project TONSTICH first appeared in 2013. It has been presented as a live performance across various festivals and venues such as Palazzo Strozzi in Firenze, Munich Fabric Start or lab 30 in Augsburg. We had the chance to enjoy the performance at Live Cinema Festival this year.  

As we have noted in our Live Cinema Festival 2020 report, Amelie’s A/V performance takes us through an abstract journey through of a textile making process her background in fashion and minimal techno.

The sharp sounds of scissors tearing off pieces of thick fabric and the mechanical stitching noises that follow in the dress creation process serve as the sewing pattern of her LP TONSTICH. The heavy atmospheric sounds, spatial vocals and rhythmic beeping are blended in seamlessly. 

During my research on Amelie’s work, I was happy to find out she was featured on the platform female:pressure.

It is a growing international network for women+ trans and non-binary artists in the fields of electronic music and digital arts, founded by Electric Indigo back in 1998. 

Wondering why this (slightly) random fact is concluding this article? I guess after learning about Amelie’s timeless precious work, I was inspired to share the importance of highlighting the strong presence of female artists and other underrepresented minorities contributing to the (digital arts) world.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AUDIOVISUAL ARTIST

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT SCHNITT

Cover photo credits Rachele Salvioli

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The project kicked off in 2019 in Rome with a spectacular showcase of mapping projections on the Facade of the Palazzo della Farnesina.

The Italian studios selected by The Farnesina Digital Art Experience are: Antaless Visual Design, Antica Proietteria, Apparati Effimeri, FLxER, Kanaka Studio, Luca Agnani Studio, Michele Pusceddu, Monogrid, Mou Factory, Olo Creative Farm, OOOPStudio, Pixel Shapes, The Fake Factory e WöA Creative Company.

During this difficult year for all arts, the organizers set a new phase for the audiovisual arts project, turning it into an itinerant showcase of the best in the Italian audiovisual arts.

The audiovisual exhibition is the result of a collaboration between the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and the Bright Festival Connect.

Against all pandemic odds the world premiere of the expo took place in Leipzig on the 23rd of October during the Bright Festival Connect.

The exhibition in Leipzig is promoted by the Italian Cultural Institute in Berlin and will be open to the public until the 9th of May 2021.

There wasn’t a better venue to host the event than the Kunstkraftwerk in Leipzig, former power plant from the early 1900s then turned into the first digital arts German museum.

The audiovisual artists didn’t waste the creative opportunities offered by the industrial surroundings.

In fact, The Farnesina Digital Art Experience delivers a dramatic multimedia experience to the audience. A true sensorial bath featuring a 360° immersive audiovisual projection breaking all boundaries between artwork and user.

The Kunstkraftwerk will also host other immersive art pieces, interactive installations, mix-media sculptures, live performances and light art shows. The main goal is to encourage visitors to interact with new technologies and discover cutting-edge and futuristic artistic expressions .

The The Farnesina Digital Art Experience proves once more the possibilities of audience engagement offered by the audiovisual arts installations.

It also restresses how we can rethink our way of experiencing arts, while also respecting the COVID related health regulations.

Experiencing immersive arts can be done in total safety when planning has been done thoroughly and followed to the letter.

Shutting down museums and art galleries is possibly the easiest solution, but not so viable when we look at museum sustainability and cultural enrichment for the citizens.

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The post FARNESINA DIGITAL ART EXPERIENCE: Leipzig, 23 October 2020 – 9 May 2021 appeared first on Audiovisualcity.