An Interview with Chico MacMurtrie by Suzan Sherman, NYFA Current:

Chico MacMurtie’s Red Hook studio, otherwise known as Amorphic Robot Works, was formerly a church used by Norwegian sailors at the turn of the century, when this section of South Brooklyn was a vital fishing industry. Filled now with plywood boxes, plastic coils, various machines, works in progress, and the remnants of his previous projects, MacMurtries’ studio initially appears to be the messy, albeit inspired, interior of a garage monkey. Since founding Amorphic Robot Works in 1992, MacMurtrie has collaborated with over 20 artists and scientists in making over 100 robots to populate his elaborate performances and interactive environments. Most recently his work has shifted away from literal robotic depictions for which he became known into more abstract sculptures which when inflated with air directly interact with humans. While giving me a tour of the space he showed me the makings of Inflatable Architectural Growth, comprised of various plastic tubes suggesting intestines, which he was prepping to be shown at the San Francisco Art Fair.

TIMESSQUAREARTS :: Request for Letters of Interest :: Art Projects and Art Events in 2010-2012 :: Deadline: July 15, 2010

The Times Square Alliance seeks letters of interest from arts organizations and artists across disciplines to present contemporary art projects and art events in the public spaces in and around Times Square. In a one-page letter, applicants can propose a single project or series for anytime between September 2010 and December 2012. Artists and arts organizations are encouraged to propose projects that address the unique nature and rich history of Times Square. Projects should be able to have an impact in a space defined by dynamic activity and continuous, competing visual stimuli. Organizations, curators and artists are encouraged to consider how their projects will change or effect the space during the presentation and how the 350,000 people here every day (as well millions of virtual viewers) will interact with the presentation. Continue reading

Sculpture International Rotterdam is proud to present: GRRR JAMMING SQUEAK by Paola Pivi :: Opening: April 23, 2010; 5.00 pm :: Coolsingel 63 @ Stadhuisplein, Rotterdam + GRRR JAMMING SQUEAK may also be experienced on a daily basis at www.grrr.nu :: Free concert by Spinvis at 7.30 p.m.

GRRR JAMMING SQUEAK is a new public artwork by the Italian artist Paola Pivi (1971, Milan) created for the city of Rotterdam. Located at the Coolsingel-the city’s heart and most important street, GRRR JAMMING SQUEAK is a fully functional music recording studio, attended by sound engineers, available to everyone, for free, to play music along with the sounds of animals. This new work by Pivi is not only a joyous and generous gift to the city, its inhabitants and its visitors; it is also an engaging, publicly operating machine that redefines the idea of public art. Continue reading

Syzygryd Software Preview from nicole aptekar on Vimeo.

Syzygryd is a town square for the collaborative creation of music. It’s a public space, it’s a sculpture, and it’s a professional musical instrument. It’s the most beautiful expression we can imagine of the joy we take in community, music, technology, fire, sculpture and architecture.

Three large custom hardware grid sequencers. Each controls a single instrument and they share a clock, so they’re all synchronized. By controlling time, pitch, and harmony, these devices make it easy for people with no musical training or talent to create melodious compositions. Continue reading

IHME 2010: Susan Philipsz’s, When Day Closes — a sound installation at the Helsinki Central Railway Station :: March 12 – April 11, 2010.

IHME is an annual Contemporary Art Festival in three parts: the IHME Project, a new, commissioned work in a public space; the IHME Days discussion forum; and the IHME Editions.

The IHME Project 2010 is a sound installation in Helsinki designed by Scottish sculptor Susan Philipsz. She creates sculptures using sound, and is interested in the values associated with space and in how sound can define architecture. Among the key elements of Philipsz’s approach are the psychological effects of songs and the way that songs can evoke immediate emotions and memories. Continue reading

Carrie Bodle: Sewing Sonifications Performance :: October 10, 2009; 2:00 – 6:00 pm :: Westlake Park, Seattle, WA.

Visual and sound artist Carrie Bodle will create a five-channel sound installation and sewing performance sonifying data from an ecosystem model developed by UW oceanographic scientist Dr. Neil Banas. Sound is translated from data, then visualized and made tactile by the artist embroidering the combined waveform into a continuous sound wave.

This computer model simulates the growth and consumption of plankton in the ocean ecosystem along the Washington coast during summer 2005. The five sound channels broadcast five dimensions in this data: Continue reading

Sonic Playground with Eric Leonardson — an interactive music performance using the new Lake Crescent playground :: August 25. 2009; 6:00 – 8:00 pm :: Lake Crescent #532, 1061 E. 41st Street, Chicago, IL.

Join Eric Leonardson in sonically activating the Lake Crescent Playground. This event is a part of the Park District’s “Concerts in the Parks” series, offering Chicago families a fun, affordable way to spend an evening in their own community. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, but prepare to play and listen to the playground in a totally different way. Curated by Inferno Mobile Recording Studio.

How to Make Music With Police Cars and Get away with It — An Artist’s Talk by Lázaro Valiente :: August 26, 2009; 8:00 p.m. :: Flux Factory, 39-31 29th St., Queens, NY ( Directions).

The Police Car Quartet was the first of nine public happenings by acclaimed Mexican artist, Lázaro Valiente, including the Tamal-Car Orchestra, muchos Mexican barrel organs, visual concerts at red lights, public radio Interventions, and many others. Each is a suggestion on how to control traffic in public spaces. Please join us to hear Lázaro speak, perform, and distribute works of art. Continue reading

VisualContainerTV presents Philipp Geist – Monography — an overview of live performances, multimedia installations, festivals … :: July 30 – September 15, 2009.

A self-taught artist based in Berlin since 1999, Philipp Geist (VIDEOGEIST) works internationally through the media of video, performance, photography, and painting. In 2008, he projected his video installation Time Fades across the Piazzetta open space of the Kulturforum in Berlin. In 2007, he screened his video installation Time Lines on the facade of the museum for contemporary art Palazzo delle Esposizioni in the center of Rome. Continue reading

paidContent.org is running an interesting “article” on Public Radio in which it says that Public Radio is Dangerously Close To Making Public Radio Obsolete:

The Public Radio Exchange has just released the 2.0 version of its iPhone app, which aggregates almost all the public radio stations in the U.S. This tuner is a collaboration by some of the biggies in the public-radio space: NPR, Public Interactive, American Public Media, and Public Radio International (PRI). The 1.0 version of app has already gotten some rave reviews, but the 2.0 version, released this weekend, goes a lot further: besides streams, it has started showing what’s on right now on those stations, a seemingly small but game-changing move.

Read more about this, the addition of podcasts/downloads and various search and directory listing options to 2.0 here
and learn why the authors thinks the 2.0 app is one major step to making public radio listening on radio obsolete.