“I use these video excerpts from Hole in Space in teaching. I end with a short public-policy rant.”" - “lpress” on YouTube, March 15, 2008

See this for more on the event.

fauxlographic is a performative installation that takes place within an ethno-dysphoric cloning lab, where one can clone themselves in order to analyze their diasporic anxiety. The fauxlographic clones enact sonic rituals in Farsi, English and Perz-ish, based on multiple sources of information including embodied memories, wikileaks cables, and textual references concerning Iran and Persia. The ethno-dysphoric scientist performs a daily computing ritual wearing a neuro-headset, (pars)ing the (fars)e of the clones’ information. When high levels of CO2 are detected by the lab’s sensors, the pixelated flesh of the clones degrade and multiply, reciprocating the affective presence of other bodies. The use of organic sensors transforms the lab into a spatial interface, confusing the somatic architecture of the performance.

Invisible Fields brings together over a dozen internationally known artists, designers and scientists to explore the radio spectrum - the invisible environment that underpins contemporary technology. Co-curated by José Luis de Vicente and Honor Harger, the show includes Timo Arnall (BERG), Thomas Ashcraft, Matthew Biederman, Anthony DeVincenzi (MIT Media Lab), Diego Diaz and Clara Boj, Joyce Hinterding, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Trevor Paglen, Job Ramos, Semiconductor, Luthiers Drapaires, and Rasa Smite & Raitis Smits (RIXC).

Invisible Fields explores how our understanding of our world and our cosmos has been transformed by the study of radio waves. With the invention of telecommunication technology at the end of the 19th century, the radio spectrum became a tool for rethinking the world we live in. Radio collapsed geographical distance, crossed borders and cultures, became a powerful catalyst for commerce and enabled scientists to study the cosmos in entirely new ways. Yet whilst the radio spectrum is the invisible infrastructure that enables the technologies of information and communication, most people are unaware of the way it works, how it is managed, and how it is has shaped our understanding of our lived environment.

Invisible Fields aims to shine a light on this enigmatic landscape. The exhibition differs from past explorations of these topics, in that it is conceived as an interdisciplinary blend of social-cultural analysis, science communication, and artistic practice.

More than a linear, historical narration of the evolution of spectrum technologies, Invisible Fields can best be understood as an “observatory”, which enables visitors to perceive the radio spectrum. It sets out the spectrum as a physical space, invisible but present, a terrain that can be studied, mapped, surveyed and explored. It is an environment made of signals and waves from nature, and from us. Its topography is formed of waves of different scales, from tiny emissions given off by domestic objects to vast emissions made by distant astronomical phenomena. It’s made up of signals that are very familiar, such as television and radio, and signals which are esoteric and enigmatic. It is an ecology that has public spaces – wireless internet and amateur radio – and secret spaces – coded military transmissions and clandestine signals.

Following on from pioneers such as John Cage, Alvin Lucier and Pauline Oliveros, contemporary artists such as Thomas Ashcraft, Semiconductor and Joyce Hinterding create powerful works that allow us to understand the radio spectrum as an extension of the natural world.

Sitting alongside their almost Emersonian understanding of radio as nature, is recent work in the field of architecture, design and urbanism, which expands the notion of urban space into the invisible realm of the spectrum. “Hertzian space”, a term coined by designers, Anthony Dunne & Fiona Raby, is defined by our transmissions of radio, television, wireless internet, GPS data and mobile phone signals. It is a space interrogated by artists and designers such as Timo Arnall from the BERG group in London, and Clara Boj and Diego Diaz who create clever visualisations of the presence of waves in our daily life.
Elsewhere in the show, artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s monumental tribute to the radio dial, enables us to physically move through radio transmissions, giving us a visceral encounter with our ethereal cultural surroundings. And experimental geographer and artist, Trevor Paglen and artist-activists, RIXC, shed light on the dark zones of the spectral landscape.

Invisible Fields is not only concerned with the topology of the radio landscape, but rather the socio-political activities that take place within it. Alongside the artworks in the show are operational workshops, which remind us that our position with the architecture of the spectrum is far from being that of a passive observer. As such, the exhibition space hosts intensive activity for a wide variety of audiences, with workshops on Sunday mornings, and a complete education programme offered to schools.

Taken together the works in Invisible Fields make the intangible materiality of the electromagnetic spectrum visible and audible. They open up the Hertzian space around us, and above us, to our senses. The visions of artists, the solutions of designers, and the experiments of scientists give us the tools we need to create our own mental maps of this profoundly influential terrain.

Credits

Organized by Arts Santa Mònica
Curated by: Honor Harger and José Luis de Vicente
Assisted by: Irma Vilà
Produced by Arts Santa Mònica, in association with Lighthouse.

In conjunction with:

British Council
Bureau du Quebec, Barcelone | Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Quebec
Laboral Centro de Arte y Creación, Gijon
Bòlit, Centre d’Art Contemporani, Girona

We acknowledge the support of: Proyecto PARTNeR Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Departament d’Astronomia I Meteorologia-Universitat de Barcelona, Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de Telecomunicació de Barcelona-Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya.

This paper looks at the impact of social media platforms on collective action. In particular, it focuses on spheres of activism where personal risk (bodily or otherwise) is the condition of participation. For this analysis, I discuss interviews conducted with Egyptian activists around the events of Tahrir Square. Issues of copresence, witness, and visibility are central to my discussion. This talk is based on a research paper developed with my coauthor Dr. Mike Ananny.

Coleman’s book Hello Avatar: Rise of the Networked Generation will be published by the MIT Press in November.

Hello Avatar! Or, {llSay(0, “Hello, Avatar!”); is a tiny piece of user-friendly code that allows us to program our virtual selves. Hello Avatar examines a crucial aspect of our cultural shift from analog to digital: the continuum between online and off-, what she calls the “x-reality” that crosses between the virtual and the real. She looks at the emergence of a world that is neither virtual nor real but encompasses a multiplicity of network combinations. And she argues that it is the role of the avatar to help us express our new agency — our new power to customize our networked life. By avatar, Coleman means not just the animated figures that populate our screens but the gestalt of images, text, and multimedia that make up our online identities — in virtual worlds like Second Life and in the form of email, video chat, and other digital artifacts. Exploring such network activities as embodiment, extreme (virtual) violence, and the work in virtual reality labs, and offering sidebar interviews with designers and practitioners, she argues that what is new is real-time collaboration and copresence, the way we make connections using networked media and the cultures we have created around this. The star of this drama of expanded horizons is the networked subject — all of us who represent aspects of ourselves and our work across the mediascape.

Dr. Beth Coleman’s work focuses on the role of human agency in the context of media and data engagement. She is currently a Harvard University Faculty Fellow at Berkman Center for Internet and Society and a visiting professor at the Institute of Network Cultures, Hogeschool van Amsterdam. From 2005-2011, Coleman has been an assistant professor of comparative media studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she is the primary investigator of the Pervasive Media/City as Platform research and design lab. She received her B.A. in literature from Yale University and her Ph.D in comparative literature from New York University.

[via Network Research] Tele-Present Water — by David Bowen — draws information from the intensity and movement of the water in a remote location. Wave data is being collected in real-time from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data buoy station 46075 Shumagin Islands Alaska (53°54’39″ N 160°48’21″ W). The wave intensity and frequency is scaled and transferred to the mechanical grid structure resulting in a simulation of the physical effects caused by the movement of water from this distant location.

Also see Tele-Present Wind.

[via Network Research] Urban Echo — by LUSTlab — brings some of (the physicality of our interaction) back to real locations, connecting public places and therefore people, cities and cultures. It extends space beyond our once concrete parameters. Webcams allow you to see into another space, mirrors allow you to see your own space. Using billboard screens and cameras, Urban Echo creates a hybrid of these two things, allowing not only see into another city but maybe see yourself transported into another city or culture. A mid point between transparency and reflection, introspection and extrospection. Placed in public areas, the screens have a variety of modes. Sometimes they create a recursive loop allowing interaction between people in multiple cities and sometimes they are just a window to another place, that might intrigue a passer by. They can connect regardless of distance, folding locations together and rearranging our perspective of public space.

Robots and Avatars is an intercultural, intergenerational and interdisciplinary exploration of a near future world consisting of collaborations between robots, avatars, virtual worlds, telepresence and real time presence within creative places, work spaces, cultural environments, interactive entertainment and play space.

Robots and Avatars will present two Development Commissions and additionally a minimum of six existing works as an Exhibition in 2012. Lead producer and concept developer of this EU Culture project is body>data>space and the partner for the commissions is National Theatre in London.

The exhibition will tour to FACT, Liverpool (UK) where it will premiere in March-May 2012; AltArt, Cluj-Napoca (Romania) in June-July 2012 and KIBLA (Slovenia- as part of Maribor 2012, European Capital of Culture) in October/November 2012. The Exhibition will tour to other European and Asian venues (tbc) across 2013-15. The Exhibition is part of a wider programme of activities, a project supported by the European Union Culture Programme (2007-13).

Who can apply?

Artists/designers and others from any background can apply. The type of work is open – we welcome applications from installations, performances, performance / installations, telepresence, sound art, software, kinetic art, architecture, AV based work, hung work, gaming, models, robotics, virtual worlds etc – your vision will lead us!

Networked/ telematic/ telepresence performance/ presentation & real time media mixing laboratory exploring & testing the online venue, TAP. Scores/ parameters/ mini-scripts on the theme of water, interaction between webcams & body movements/ voice & media, mixing & layering media (also with webcams), interaction text/ voice/ sound/ chat, interaction online/ onsite spaces with or without projections.

Documentation of previous laboratories on the blog.

AIMS OF THE LAB:

• exploring & testing TAP: what works, what doesn’t, what can be improved, wish list
• make your own performances/ presentations on the TAP
• meeting future possible collaborators
• possible participation in various events (launch on 22 August, installation performance Oct & Dec, water science symposium, etc… to be discussed at the lab)

SCHEDULE

July 4-8: 2 sessions a day to choose from - you need to take part in 3 sessions min (2 hours per session)

July 12-15: Online- 1 session a day :: Onsite in residence at iMAL from 13-21h

Please select your sessions on doodle.

PARTICIPANTS PROFILE: Open-minded, interested in collaboration across disciplines (in arts, sciences, activism, environmentalism, education), curious to experiment and share skills.

PRE-REQUISITE: There is no particular computer skill necessary for the workshop, however it could be useful to have some knowledge of these applications: photoshop, flash, video & sound editing.

PRACTICALLY: Bring your computer, in-built or/ and external webcam, headset, media related to water (stills, videos, flash animations, sound & music files, text, spreadsheets). Be ready to move in comfortable clothes.

NO FEE AS IT IS BASED ON EXPLORATIVE PERSONAL INTEREST OF EACH PARTICIPANT.

Suzon Fuks is a media artist, choreographer and director exploring the integration and interaction of dance & moving image through performance, screen, installation & online work. She is currently an Australia Council for the Arts Fellowship recipient.

You are invited to share a meal with New Yorkers connected by mobile technology. The goal is to create a co-present experience where two remote groups will share a meal mediated by sonified objects embedded with smartphones. We aim to create a satisfying remote experience through a dinner party. As food is the greatest mediator.

The event is limited to 4 diners! If you would like to be a telematic dinner guest, contact Pollie Barden at pollie.barden [at] gmail.com.

The Schedule:

4pm - 5pm - “Get you know you” Workshop - you will be creating sonified object using smartphones with Skype to connect with your London counterpart.

5:00 pm - 5:30pm - Preparation - heat up food and prepare for the dinner

5:30 pm - 6:30pm - Collaborative Dining - you will be sharing a meal and hosting your remote guest through the object your built for them conversely you will be hosted by your London counterpart.

6:30pm - 7:00pm - After dinner drinks and interviews - Marco and Giana will interview you about your experience during the workshop and the dinner.

Full Details of the Workshop/Dinner Party:

London Facilitators: Pollie Barden and Brittany Lind
NYC Facilitators: Marco Castro and Giana Gonzalez Workshop Supplies

What you will need to bring

Technology

• Smartphone: You will need to bring you smartphone with Skype installed.
• Laptop: Bring your laptop with Skype installed. You will need it to communicate with your London partner during the workshop part of the session. (Let me know if need a webcam for your laptop.)

Craft Supplies

While we will have basic supplies and building materials on hand, here are somethings to consider bringing.

• a container that will hold the phone to be the foundation for your object. The container can be plastic, cardboard, etc…
• your favorite x-acto knife, or cutting device
• any fun items you have laying around that you haven’t found a use for yet, might be used: feathers, beads, decorative paper, cardboard, magazines, etc…

The Dinner Party

The dinner party will be formatted in the style of Latitudinal Cuisine (LatiCui). LatiCui cooks food from the longitude corresponding to the day of the year. For June 18th the longitude is 169th day of the year and therefore the 169 longitude. We will be eating from Russia or New Zealand.

There will be three courses: Start, Main, Dessert:

• 1 guest brings a Starter
• 2 guests brings a Main
• 1 guest brings Dessert.

Each participant will choose which type of dish they will bring. Make (or buy) enough for the four people you with whom you will be dining.

At the start of each course, the dinner guest presents their dish and tells why they choose to make/buy it and any other stories.

Research and Documentation

This session is one of a series of telematic dinners that I am running as part of PhD research project. The session will be video documented for data analysis of how the interactions happens among the diners in the co-present and remote spaces.

I am looking forward to meeting all the diners and spectators remotely.

If you would like to be a telematic dinner guest, contact Pollie Barden at pollie.barden[at]gmail.com

You can follow the other dinners and research process on The Telematic Dinner Party Blog.

See the ITP Camp Post and see your potential NYC guests.

The Telematic Dinner Party is research project by Pollie Barden, a PhD researcher in Media & Arts Technology at Queen Mary University of London. It is a project created in collabortion with Furtherfield and Latitudial Cuisine.

WalkSpace: Beirut-Venice invites the participant on a drift through Venice guided from Beirut and in Beirut guided from Venice. The work involves two simultaneous dérives through the historic cities of Beirut and Venice, connected in real time to each other and to the world. Two interconnected groups of participants will walk in each city, each receiving instruction and guidance from the other as they wander, get lost and explore …the psychogeographical ambiance of the city. The progress of each group will be broadcast as a live video stream via Bambuser, tracked in realtime on a map with Google latitude and tweeted, with followers having the option of giving instructions via Twitter.

The object is not to create a finite discrete work but to create a peripatetic relational space which can evolve and respond to the situation, the desires of its participants and serendipity, with the work being created through the actions of its participants. The space is furthermore overlaid with a hybrid, networked space connecting both cities and augmenting each space with the absent presence of the other.

Working from a changing set of basic instructions such as ’describe what you see’, ‘follow that person’, ‘take the next left and then thefirst right’ or the more loaded ‘take me to the heart of the city’ the two groups will walk in tandem each guiding the other, walking in Beirut as if in Venice and Venice as if in Beirut.

The project draws on early dérives carried out by the Situationists in Amsterdam and Strasbourg which connected groups in different parts ofthe cities with walkie talkies and Ralph Rumney’s 1957 Psychogeographical Map of Venice.

About the artist

Conor McGarrigle is a Dublin based new media artist and researcher working at the intersection of digital networks and real space. His work is concerned with the the integration of digital technologies into the everyday and the spatial implications of location aware mobile devices. His work involves urban interventions mediated through digital technologies such as smartphones and GPS and projects have involved, mapping, iPhone apps, augmented reality and guerilla video projection. Recent projects include; NAMAland (2010), WalkSpace (2010) and JoyceWalks (2008-).He has exhibited widely internationally and was an invited participant in the Documenta 12 Magazine project.

He received a Bsc from University College Dublin, an MFA from the National College of Art & Design and is currently a PhD candidate at GradCAM Dublin. He has spoken internationally at conferences including Digital Art & Culture 2009, DRHA 2010 & 2011, ISEA 2009 & 2011, Art of Research Chelsea (2008), 5th Symposium on Multimedia Caixa Forum (2005), SIGGRAPH (1999, 2000).

His work has been widely exhibited internationally including the Unrealised Potential touring exhibition, St. Etienne Biennale, FILE Sao Paolo, SIGGRAPH, Fundacio ‘La Caixa‚Äô Barcelona, Fundacio Miro Mallorca, Media Art Friesland, the Seoul Net Festival, Art on the Net Tokyo, The Werkleitz Biennale, Stuttgart Filmwinter, D/Art Sydney, CyNet Art Dresden, The National Museum of Contemporary Art Bucharest, The Boston Cyber Arts Festival, the Thailand New Media Arts Festival, Lightwave at the Science Gallery Dublin, EV+A Limerick, Arthouse Dublin, The City Arts Centre Dublin and the Project. He was an invited participant in the Documenta 12 Magazine project.