Survival Research Labs

2008: SRL Turns 30!

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:49:48 PST

30 years ago today, I started Survival Research Laboratories. I had come up with the idea of machine performances a few weeks earlier, and when the owner of a local free magazine, "Boulevards Magazine" heard my spiel, and learned that I was thinking of forming SRL as a company, he offered me, a free, full page ad space in his November issue. Click to see bigger image I started working on the

We've Moved!

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:53:17 PDT

Finally after 25.5 years at the San Bruno Ave shop in SF, we've moved. Thankfully, to a shop that's twice the size of the previous one and does not leak. It also features a large flat paved lot for testing machines. The new SRL shop in located at 839 North Petaluma Blvd in Petaluma Calif. 32 miles north of the Golden gate Bridge. This is the third move for SRL. (The first SRL shop was the

The Todd Blair Wall Unveiled and For Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:07:16 PDT

A new mechanical, kinetic sculpture made by SRL and several among the growing Todd Blair community was unveiled last Sunday at Rhythmix Culture Works in Alameda. It's a 7x9 steel wall with 25 movable aluminum gears built with love by Todd's friends and family to raise funds for his continued rehabilitation. Todd suffered a traumatic brain injury at the SRL show in Amsterdam September 2007.

Image Section of the Amsterdam Show Updated

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:12:41 PDT

Some new images of the SRL show at Robodock (A Complete Mastery of Sinister Forces: Employed With Callous Disregard to Produce Catastrophic Changes in the Natural Order of Events) have been posted by the following photographers: Nina Alter Jon Alloway Jurgen Barel in addition to the ones from Jessica Hobbes, John Mathieu, and Steve Double. Also there is another event: the Todd Blair Gear Wall

The Todd Blair Wall Project

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:41:59 PDT

A kinetic sculpture will be erected on July 20, 2008 in honor of Todd Blair and also to raise funds for his ongoing rehabilitation and recovery. As many know, Todd was in a serious accident at the SRL Robodock performance last September. The wall is being designed and built by Mark Pauline, Kevin Binkert, and Greg Jones and will be made up of 25 gears that can be purchased and customized by

RE/Search Pranksfest at the Roxie Apr 3rd 2008

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:17:04 PDT

Save the dates for the RE/Search Pranksfest on Thurs. April 3rd 2008 at 9pm. Screenings of SRL videos, the Mark Pauline Pranks! segment, QA with SRL crew members. Admission is $10 benefitting Todd Blair

Another Benefit for Todd Blair March 5 2008

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 06:34:54 PST

Todd is much loved, if you missed the other benefits as seen on the Todd Blair Recovery Blog or would like to attend another event of Todd friends and family, please come to a special , limited seating screening of Electrum and LA <3 SRL on March 5th 2008 at the McBean Theater at the Exploratorium. More details here.

Feb 25 - ATC Benefit for Todd Blair

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 04:14:20 PST

This special ATC event is a benefit for the continued recovery of Todd Blair who was injured in Amsterdam after an SRL show. Suggested donation at the door is $10-100. toddblair.wordpress.com The Art, Technology, and Culture Colloquium of the Berkeley Center for New Media announces: Attention Depiction Disorders Naut Humon, Recombinant Media Labs, SF V. Vale, REsearch

Blue and Green Ball - A Benefit for SRL's Own Todd Blair

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 04:05:10 PST

As you all may know, crew member Todd Blair suffered major head injury in Amsterdam in September. His communities have joined forces to help raise funds for his ongoing medical and living expenses by presenting an evening of entertainment, holiday shopping bazaar, and an art as well as talent and collectibles auction. This is your chance to purchase art at a bargain, including your very own

Your Very Own Sneaky Soldier

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:31:57 PST

On December 1, SRL along with other Todd Blair communities is putting on the Blue + Green Ball a benefit for Todd's continuing medical, living, and rehabilitation expenses. Aside from entertainment, food, shopping bazaar, cash bar, kinetic sculpture, fire art, and more, there will also be an art auction of art from artists such as Stelarc, Lynn Hershman, Eduardo Kac and many others... One of

SRL Brisbane House for Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 16:08:41 PDT

Mark, Amy, and Jake Eddie are moving and their wonderful Brisbane home is for sale. The house was designed by Mark and Amy, built by Neal Pauline, and note that metal work (pictured here) was designed and created by Mark Pauline! Great opportunity to own a piece of machine art history! For more information check http://www.rondavis.com/300visit/

Mark Pauline on Todd Blair (at dorkbotSF fundraiser)

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:59:59 PDT

A good background on Todd's involvment and numerous contributions to SRL from Mark Pauline, from the special dorkbotSF fundraiser for Todd Blair. Video taken by James Young: Todd continues to make good progress and is out of ICU! But recovering from head injury is a long process. There are a few fundraisers in the works including a dinner on November 9th and a big Blue and Green Ball on

Show Images, Todd Blair Fundraisers

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:00:03 PDT

The previous post was premature, Todd did seem to be waking up but doctors had to sedate him until a re-occuring fever subsides. He remains in a stable holding pattern and his father has arrived in Amsterdam, while Mark, Amy, and Jake Eddie return to San Francisco. There are several events planned for the coming months to address the very real and serious medical and financial condition Todd

Todd Blair is Waking Up

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:15:53 PDT

From Mark Pauline: "Good news. Todd is with Alex and Amy and is responding to Alex's voice with hand pressure. Eyes open a bit. Resting again now. See the blog for details!" Photo of Todd from John Behrens Thanks everyone for the prayers, healing and loving thoughts! Keep them going toward Mr. Todd! But Alex and Todd still need our help, please check here for what you can do. A PayPal

Todd Blair Injured in Amsterdam

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:41:45 PDT

In a freak accident veteran crew member Todd Blair was knocked to the ground sustaining critical head injuries after the show on Saturday. The doctors in Amsterdam are keeping him in an induced coma and won't have a complete prognosis for awhile. In deference to Todd, Alex (Todd's girlfriend) and the families we had been keeping the information about this tragic occurence within the family. Amy

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 00:29:40 PDT

A Complete Mastery of Sinister Forces Employed With Callous Disregard To Produce Catastrophic Changes In The Natural Order of Events September 22, 2007 NDSM Wharf, North Amsterdam for Robodock 2007 Track show preparations on the Official SRL Robodock Show page

SRL Show at Robodock Sept 22 2007

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 08:34:39 PDT

SRL has just shipped a little over 45,000 lbs of 'obnoxious cargo' to the Netherlands last week (August 1st). The crew will meet the machines in Amsterdam next month and begin preparing for the finale of the Robodock Festival on 22 Sept 2007. To keep up to date with crew activities pre and post show, check the SRL Robodock page periodically. Pulse jet staging. Image from Karen Marcelo

SRL Patrons Wanted

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 07:13:16 PDT

We need $2M please! SRL is at a crossroads. The Shop, SRL HQ for 25 some odd years, must move, change and/or cease to exist. SRL has created mayhem for the world to enjoy and now SRL needs real help. Mark and Amy have been on a real-estate hunt for the past couple of years up and down the Bay Area and beyond.. looking arduously for the right home for both The Shop and their family. There

Preperations under way for next show

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 16:28:53 PDT

Original image of Greg Leyh's Tesla Coil from Ghostly Scenes of Infernal Desecration Show by Lilia Ahner This week the crew has started clearing out the shop and taking machines apart for repairs in preparation for Robodock in September. Check here for on-going pre-show prep shenanigans

Maker Faire Makers Day

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Wed, 23 May 2007 09:54:48 PDT

David Pescovitz interviews Mark Pauline and John Law kicking off the 2nd Makers Faire yesterday. The rest of SRL at Maker Day 2007 set here SRL Maker Faire 2007 Images from Karen Marcelo

SRL at Maker Faire (May 19-20 2007)

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Fri, 18 May 2007 11:36:49 PDT

SRL will be exhibiting a few machines at this month's Maker Faire at the San Mateo fairgrounds. Come meet Mark Pauline and other crew members and see some of the machines in action up close. It will also be the debut of the NEW and IMPROVED MR SATAN! Image of the Inchworm and ScrewMachine from Ghostly Scenes of Infernal Desecration by Neil Girling Track best of the SRL Yard and pre-show

A Bit of SRL History...

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Sat, 05 May 2007 19:29:31 PDT

This is a piece of the rocket motor casing that blew up Mark's hand last century. The blast was enough to deeply embed this piece deep into the telephone pole. Luckily, shrapnel didn't hit Mark! More details on Mark Pauline's unfortunate rocket motor accident here

Stay Tuned for Premiere of SRL Video

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 08:30:24 PDT

Last year's Ghostly Scenes of Infernal Desecration: An SRL End of Days Production was filmed by a stellar crew of film makers and videographers and the result is an amazing edit by Ian Williamson and Babalou where the audience is immersed within a 16 channel audio recording, putting them into the middle of the performance, while 10 10' screens surround them with a multi-camera, multi-screen

Mark Pauline Speaks at CCA

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 14:21:37 PST

Mark Pauline: Survival Research Laboratories Media Arts lecture Thursday, March 15, 7:30 pm Nahl Hall, Oakland campus Info: 510.594.3656 Survival Research Laboratories (SRL) was conceived of and founded by Mark Pauline in November 1978. Since then, SRL has operated as an organization of creative technicians dedicated to redirecting the techniques, tools, and tenets of industry, science, and the

Limited edition large prints available

noreply@blogger.com (srl) — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 10:47:31 PST

for sale through Fringe Exhibitions who have been curating the last 3 LA shows. The images can be browsed online here: Photo of from the LA <3 SRL show taken by Scott Beale. Prices are available upon request. For more information and to place an order, please contact Susan Joyce.