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Army of Darkness. A Generative Sound Installation by Gullibloon :: December 16-18, 2010 :: Nivell Zero / Fundació Suñol, Rosselló, 240, Barcelona.

Army of Darkness is a generative sound installation, in which four custom-programmed minirobots act as instrumentalists, playing electric guitars and basses. The robots move freely in a room with a network of black lines laid out on the floor. They are programmed to follow the lines and to find their way back on course in case of going off track. On some special points of interest, guitars and basses are placed upside down so that the robots, prepared with a kind of plectrum, are able to play the instruments by driving underneath them. Sensors monitor these points and initiate a plucking algorithm. Each robot tries to play a guitar or bass for a certain amount of time and moves on afterwards. Continue reading

Todd Reynolds :: Still Life with Microphone Version 10.5 :: Saturday, November 6, 2010 from 8:00pm - 9:30pm :: Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, 1040 Mass MoCA WAY , North Adams, MA 01247 :: $12 in advance / $16 day of / $10 students / 10% members discount ::

Bang on a Can violinist and composer Todd Reynolds lands classical music on its head. Controlling laptops, video and even guitar and percussion robots, he creates magic with a simple 17th-century violin. Featuring video by Luke DuBois, the films of Bill Morrison, and music machines by the League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (LEMUR), Todd Reynolds’ Still Life with Microphone is a warm, human and passionate piece of concert theater, featuring music by him and for him by a host of New York music notables.

Gogbot Festival :: The Singularity is Near; Resistance is Futile :: September 9-12, 2010 :: Enschede, The Netherlands, different localities :: Free

More than 250 artists, performers, musicians and other creative spirits will show their talents at 10 locations of the free entrance expo’s. Four days you can be part of this art music and technology spectacle. Interactive installations, insect-robot-build-workshops, electric fish, bio-installations, nano-technology, film, Japanese bacteria machines, artificial intelligences, cyborgs, magnetic fields, Beauty Parlour of the Future, Revenge of the Killer-iPhone, The bad days of Britney-Spears and of course an extended music program! ( for music program, see: http://2010.gogbot.nl/en/program/music.html Continue reading

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.

Share Festival - Market Forces 2009 :: Performances :: Various Venues, Torino, Italy.

Share Prize: Orchestra Meccanica Marinette plays Nag Hammadi :: November 3 and 5, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. :: Regional Museum of Natural Science at via Giolitti 36, Torino.

The orchestra consists of robot drummers that play steel drums “live”, under the direction of a performer. The interactive rhythms of the OMM sound out the movement, work and machinery of Turin industry. The subtext moves along the lines of the “Nag Hammadi”, the third-century A.D. Gnostic text, before plunging into contemporary mythologies through pieces inspired by the works of Ballard and Burroughs, exploring the relationship between, and the fusion of, human and machine. Continue reading

ALMA ON DOBBIN presents: John Roach and Käthe Wenzel :: Robo-Improvisation Arena :: November 6 through November 15, 2009 :: Opening Reception: Friday Nov. 6th 6.30-9.30 p.m. :: 50-52 Dobbin Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11222

“Have you ever controlled a robot or conducted an orchestra? ” Artists John Roach and Käthe Wenzel say, “You can do both in one go!” Their “Robo-Improvisation Arena” at Space on Dobbin turns the gallery into a “collective art coliseum.” The audience activates five remote-controlled robots, or “artbots”, designed by Berlin artist Käthe Wenzel. Continue reading

[image: Leafcutter John]

Transfer — an evening of beautiful experiments in music from humans and computers as part of the knowledge futures conference :: microfolk, brainjazz, robotic theramin cabaret and livecoding :: October 16, 2009; 7:00 - 10:00 pm :: Goldsmiths Great Hall, New Cross, London.

Featuring: Leafcutter John :: Leafcutter John’s experimental approach to music, including handmade synthesis algorithms, contact microphones and handmade interfaces like his “electric breasts” beloved him to a crowd more used to industrial techno through his chaotic Planet Mu releases. Continue reading

STRP 2010: Call for Projects :: Deadline: October 1, 2009.

STRP is pleased to announce that the fourth edition of the STRP festival will take place in April 2010 at the Klokgebouw in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. STRP is searching for exceptional work for presentation at the STRP festival, an international festival of art and technology with approximately 20.000 visitors. Previous editions featured artworks from Granular Synthesis, Marnix de Nijs, Daan Roosegaarde, Ken Rinaldo and top acts like Aphex Twin, The Chemical Brothers, Laurie Anderson, Trentemøller and Laurent Garnier. Creators of interactive art, robotics, games, visual projects, light art, and great experiences are invited to submit their work for possible inclusion in the festival. Continue reading

Tweak Festival :: September 21-26, 2009 :: Limerick City :: Call for Proposals — Deadline July 20, 2009.

Tweak is two! Currently in its second edition, Tweak is an interactive art and live electronic music festival. Its aim is to promote understanding of the use of technology within our culture and to explore contemporary issues (social, economic, psychological, aesthetic and functional).

The festival will consist of a 5-day exhibition, (interactive artworks, robots and installations) comprising of artworks from international and local artists, 3 days of workshops and many evenings of live electronic performance. Continue reading