microscope session :: generator.x
venue: Festspielhaus Hellerau – Dresden, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 56
date: October 6th, 2007
start: 10 p.m.
artists:
Emi Maeda – Audio, Harfe und Elektronik + Lia – visuals (Japan/Austria)
Phonophani – audio + Marius Watz – visuals (Norway)
Frank Bretschneider – audio+visuals (Germany)
entry: 8 / 4 EUR
further informations: http://generatorx.no http://ds-x.org
press pictures: http://generatorx.no/gxtour/
GENERATOR.X: A PLATFORM FOR GENERATIVE ART & DESIGN
Generator.x is a curatorial platform for the exploration of generative systems and software as aesthetic objects. With a new generation of media artists turning to programming as an artistic tool, formal grammars and algorithmic systems have become fertile ground for new forms of visual abstraction. Realized as software and presented as realtime systems, the resulting works can still be seen in connection with art historical references like Conceptual Art, kinetic sculpture and Op Art. These movements may have produced artifacts of a different physical nature, but the conceptual frameworks and formal interests are still similar. But the recent works also show the influence of recent ideas from sciences, applying principles of emergence and complexity to create dynamic systems with organic qualities.
Generative systems have been equally important in electronic music, from 1960’s experimentation with aleatory music to the current batch of modular software synthesizers and patch-based sound tools. Glitch and minimalistic compositional strategies point an increased interest in sound as pure structure, disconnected from any “natural” sources. But the software revolution has been equally important in producing new forms of performance-oriented systems, giving laptop musicians the freedom to improvise and compose their music in realtime.
generator.x artists
Emi Maeda (jp)
is a classically trained harpist from Tokyo, currently based in Helsinki. She has developed an experimental playing style in which she samples sounds live from the harp using customized microphones, which are then processed through a laptop. The results are dreamy and playful, with elements from classical harp music, but can also turn into spitting noise and guitar-like feedback without warning.
http://webusers.siba.fi/~emaeda
Marius Watz
is a generative artist working with 2D and 3D animated forms in realtime, producing strong formal compositions with geometric shapes and spaces. His signature style is visual hedonism, with explosive, overflowing forms and bold colors making a more-is-more statement. For the collaboration with Phonophani he has created a series of visual systems that interpret the eclectic soundscape into form and color, growing and moving in response to the music.
http://www.unlekker.net/
see also:
KUNST AUS DEM COMPUTER – Malen nach Zahlen
SPIEGEL ONLINE – 04. September 2007, 11:37
Frank Bretschneider, audio und visuals
is one of the pioneers of contemporary Germany electronica, co-founding the important Raster.noton label in 1996 with Carsten Nicolai and Olaf Bender. His minimalistic soundscapes are micro-composed of clicks, beats and hums, occasionally giving rise to precise but quite danceable rhythm. Having a background in visual art, Bretschneider creates his own visual compositions for the music based on precise sound analysis.
http://www.frankbretschneider.de/
Lia, visuals
is a veteran of audiovisual collaborations, creating sound-responsive “visual synthesizers” for live improvisation. Her work is well-known for its hard-edged visual complexity, combining minimalist strategies with organic abstract forms.
http://lia.sil.at/
Phonophani
is the solo project of Espen Sommer Eide, known from the acclaimed electronic music duo Alog. Published on the prestigious Rune Grammophon label, Phonophani’s music has a warm analog sound of crackling machines and ethereal voices. Custom Max/MSP patches and experimental sound devices are used great effect.
http://alog.net/phonophani
supported by
Tags: 2007, av, dsx, microscope-session, music
