May 02, 2006
Electromagnetic Bodies:
Aether, Desire and Resonance in Art and Technology
Opening Thursday May 4th, 2006, 20.30 at TENT.CBK and 22.30 at V2_Rotterdam--V2_Institute for the Unstable Media in collaboration with TENT. Center for Contemporary Art Rotterdam present Electromagnetic Bodies: Aether, Desire and Resonance in Art and Technology. Referring to the pioneering work of Nikola Tesla (1856 – 1943), the exhibition explores the notions of being and desire in a society determined by our bodily immersion within an ubiquitous and omnipresent electromagnetic realm. This is the zone where the physical boundaries between what may be called "organic", or bodily sensors, and technological constructs intermingle.
Considering the now lengthy history of the cyborg, the electron beam and the warp engine as a cultural concepts, one may wonder whether the distinctions between the natural world and globalised technologies are still valid. These issues were topics of Tesla's investigations a century ago as he sought to create a new utopian ‘World Society’ fueled by free energy created by the earth’s own natural electromagnetic sphere. The contemporary implications of these observations and predictions in today’s world of wireless detachment and unlimited mobility still present enigmatic research material to both scientists and artists alike.
Electromagnetic Bodies features electronic, interactive and acoustic artworks by Ælab, Jean-Pierre Aubé, Craig Baldwin, Matheusz Herczka, Simone Jones, Marie-Jeanne Musiol, Carsten Nicolai, Paulette Phillips, Catherine Richards, Jocelyn Robert, Daan Roosegaarde David Tomas, Edwin van der Heideand Norman T. White, with commissioned works premiering by Michiel van Bakel with Bill Spinhoven,and Marnix de Nijs. Exhibition runs daily except Mondays May 4th - June 4th 11.00 - 18.00 at TENT.CBK and V2_Institute for the Unstable Media Guided tours are available through vera[at]v2.nl by advance reservation.
The Electromagnetic Bride Conference, accompanying the exhibition, hosted by the Goethe-Institut Rotterdam, will take place on Saturday May 6th from 10.00 to 17.00.
The project is supported financially by the Mondriaan Foundation, the Stichting CBK Rotterdam, The Canada Council for the Arts, The Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec, TheFilmfonds Amsterdam, and the Canadian Dept. of Foreign Affaires. Electromagnetic Bodies: Aether, Desire and Resonance in Art and Technologyis based on the Resonance: Electromagnetic Bodies international touring exhibition initiated and curated by Nina Czegledy and Louise Provencher in Canada, and co-curated by Stephen Kovats and Willie Stehouwen in Rotterdam.
Venues:
TENT. Centrum Beeldende Kunst
Witte de Withstraat 50
3012 BR Rotterdam
tel **31 (0)10 413 5498
V2_ Institute for the Unstable Media
Eendrachtsstraat 10
3012 XL Rotterdam
**31 (0)10 206 7272
Goethe-Institut Rotterdam
Westersingel 9
3014 GM Rotterdam
**31 (0)10 209 2090
Posted by jo at May 2, 2006 09:17 AM
