No words needed. http://www.zimoun.net/

Temporary Immersive Environment Experiments’ is a research on audio/visual installations by using the state called immersion which is the state of consciousness where an immersant’s awareness of physical self is transformed by being surrounded in an engrossing environment; often artificial, creating a perception of presence in a non-physical world.

In this particular edition, the poetics of light bending is explored. Inspired by Issac Newton’s experiments with light, this installation bends laser light in unpredictable angles to create a architectural light + sound scape. ‘Liminality’ is chosen as a concept in this project,a radical effort to deconstruct the framework of this illusory space and transgress the normal boundaries of the viewing experience to set out to transform the conventional flat cinema projection screen into a three dimensional kinetic and architectonic space of visualisation.

Liminality is a collaboration between my friend Refik Anadol and myself.

super mario spacetime organ (illucia & soundplane) from paperkettle on Vimeo.

Ok We all love Super Mario but this is taking it way beyond. Audio, visual, data all being hacked and manipulated in real time. Loving it.

A simple poetic piece by Wow Inc . Nothing much needs to be said.

Ryf Zaini belongs to an emerging breed of artists in Singapore who works with technology in surprising ways (see previous post). Having known him for a number of years since my undergraduate days, I have witnessed his journey from stagnation to the successful artist he is today. I managed to get him share his thoughts about media artists working in Singapore.

 

Bin // Tell us about yourself and your practise

Im very curious on how things work. And how they function. Could these functions become something else other than within its designated design.
Could it be manipulated in such a way where the same function does other things when placed in differing context. I tend to look things at its macro level and try to understand how it works.
I think that my background in engineering as well as the arts, provided a balance in both the practical and the imagination.

I tinker with things that i have, and see if there are potentials that serve beyond its intended purpose. And i tend to over think too many times on too many occasions. Thats mainly the reason why i endup with a series of works. But my main reason for making works is to highlight my concerns about our social standing. How i would like to portray my thoughts about things, in particular, my direction is towards the notion that technology is severing our social physical ties. It makes us less aware the more we use them. We replace our natural abilities with technological functions, which we have come to believe are more reliable and efficient then we are. Im not disregarding the fact that social achievements are because of advancements of technology, but to actually make society more aware that our dependency should be reduced.

Bin // What are your views on art and technology?

I think that embedding technology only makes the work more contemporary. Because we allow these technology within our lifestyle, that we begin to accept these foreign influences.
But there are some limitations. One of them is that these form of advancements leave behind older versions of themselves that would render obsolete. What happens to the artwork when the technology becomes too primitive that it needs a newer model to drive it? The aesthetic and characteristic appeal of the old technology cannot match the new ones. At times these form of character could only be achieved using that particular technology.

Take for example Nam Jun Paik’s series of works that utilizes television as its main medium. An LCD or LED panel could never match the characteristic of the traditional cathode tv. It has become too pristine and clinical that perhaps does not match the intended outcome of the work. Thus could the work not fulfill in delivering its message across as its originally intended? Unlike paintings and sculptures that prevail in time, technology unfortunately gets eroded away, overwhelmed by new technologies.

However, technology in art pushes the boundaries of the evolution of art. We now create new forms of artwork that can only be created with NEW technology. And this constant change and advancement of technology, seek only to become the ingredients to what artists can conjure them to be. Technologies that peak new possibilities, only drives the artwork to greater heights. One that is yet to be discovered and uncovered. We can only imagine how artistic direction will begin to change with these new found technologies. its an ever-growing industry, so will art.

Bin // How do you situate your practice between the media art and fine arts spectrum?

Understanding that media arts are relatively new, as compared to the age old fine arts, i believe that introduction to this new field of art has to be practiced with caution. When technology gets too overwhelming, the work tend to become more mechanical, and less human. And what we are left with is simply looking at the washing machine at work. Audience needs to know that the artwork reacts with the social spectrum. That its not only relavant, but at the same time relatable.

With that in mind, the direction that im headed is simple. The objective of the work is to realize a dialogue of social discourse. But at the same time, I use technology, on the underlining means to better deliver the message. The technology, (media arts aspect), is to support and push the message thru. Never to take center stage. Because if it does supersedes the objective of the work, viewers will be more engaged with the marvels and mechanics of the technology, never its content. With this, it enables the viewers to better accept the work, because the package is consistant with fine arts, but when opened, its lure is assisted by the magic of technology.

But i always make it a point to deliver the message. Because even when you dabble in fine arts, the message may still be lost. Thus its good to have a very clear direction on where you are headed, and from there start branching out on ideas that would assist in remodeling your work.

Bin // Do you think there is a positive market for media artist in Singapore? What are your recommendations for young artists in Singapore?

I think theres always an interest in new ways of presenting artworks. And technology serve as a good catalystic ingredient in this formula. Because it keeps on expanding, evolving and miniaturizing at the same time, it definitely has true potential. But at times its how susceptible the audience is to a new media work. Understanding that these forms of technologies are easily replicated, degrades the work, when compared to masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa or the The Arnolfini Marriage.

The best advise i can give is to be true to your beliefs. For artists, i believe, its their passion and drive that propels them to perform, to be creative, to be sensitive to things around them.
Artworks are like books in a library. Its a form of expression in which artists are authors, use books as a means for them to convey their opinions and beliefs. A good book is one that is rendered plain, without much illustrations and uses very simple language. It instigates its readers to conjure images in their minds, using their own imagination. Because ultimately, the success of the artwork is how well the viewer reads the work.

” Knowledge is a critical part of the human evolution. Survival would not have been possible and progress would have never been invented. At each level of our knowledge, we layer upon the other, more and more information that formulates our character and defines our personality. We develop our own set of interests by selectively choosing our likes and dislikes. It does not involve simply the familiarity of things, but a complex cognitive process of perception, communication, association and reasoning.

What we emanate is a glow of compounded knowledge that has been imbued in the form of education at a very early stage. As we grow older, we learn to choose what we find interesting, bringing focus to the ones that we like, realigning them from the ones we dislike. Knowledge looms will illuminating properties that seek to enlighten the many. It unravels itself only to the inquisitive, with a keen sense of curiosity, imagination and exploration.

Opportunity lies beyond closed doors. One does not simply walk in, but step into an experience, for knowledge will not acquire you; you must acquire it, and only the curious have something to find. ”

An interview and more information to follow up soon.

About time someone did this.

Hello World! Processing is a documentary on creative coding that explores the role that ideas such as process, experimentation and algorithm play in this creative field featuring artists, designers and code enthusiasts. Based on a series of interviews to some of the leading figures of the Processing open programming platform community, the documentary is built itself as a continuous stream of archived references, projects and concepts shared by this community.

It is the first chapter of a documentary series on three programming languages -Processing, Open Frameworks and Pure data- that have increased the role of coding in the practice of artists, designers and creators around the world. The series explores the creative possibilities expanded by these open source tools and the importance of their growing online communities.

A sandstone block built from lego, blending real objects with 3d prints from Greg Petchkovsky on Vimeo.

Could this be the future of street art?

LIVING POD by Ying Gao comprises of 2 interactive coats. Leather, super organza and electronic devicesLight, shape variations and mimicry meet in Living Pod. In front of the false twin pieces, the user can slowly set garment A in motion using a light source. Garment B then imitates piece A in an exaggerated and unbalanced fashion, changing structure through miniature electric motors activated by light sensors that are sown through the garment. Using flat-pattern cutting techniques, Ying Gao was able to give the process fluidity and flexibility. In addition to the mechanical movements of the garments, Living Pods underlines two fundamental aspects of today’s fashion system: confrontation and imitation. The garment plays a mediating role between man and his environment. By using light, Living Pod is similar to project Walking City, which uses air to make the pieces look like they are breathing.