UKIYO Laboratory with INETDANCE Japan, DAP-Lab, Michael Takeo Magruder, Elegant Child, Keiko Courdy & Danielle Wilde :: May 2 – May 8, 2009 :: Antonin Artaud Building, Studio 101, Brunel University, Science Park off Cleveland Road, West London.

The project involves collaborative exploration, research and experimentation conjoining artistic, technological and scientific disciplines. Based on a design libretto for the composition of a choreographic installation – “Ukiyo” (Moveable World) – the workshop develops performance ideas for linking physical performance spaces with virtual spaces/ Second Life, and a diverse range of innovative wearable design and programming concepts, including:

– choreographic movement decomposition
– interactional design, audio processing and polyphonic wearables
– photographic/videographic image composition for interactional performance
– scenographic concepts for interactional choreography in networked virtual environments (telematic and Second Life) – avatar performance and animation/anime – programming of mixed reality environments – analysis of sensory processing, polyphonics, and multimodal perception

The workshop takes place every day from 14:00 to 22:00 in the Artaud Studios. Interested observers are welcome. On Friday May 8, 14:00 – 22:00, 0the team conducts open rehearsals presenting key principles and organizational methods of the workshop.

The UKIYO project will be conducted in 2009- 2010, resulting in several public exhibitions, a second workshop to be held in Tokyo (November 2009) possibly featuring a conference ccordinated by Prof. Miki Wakamatsu and Yukihiko Yoshida, and the creation of an online research archive. In 2010 the UKIYO installation will tour in Europe and Japan.

We invite other institutions and art centers to get in touch with us about potential residencies and research partnerships.

This project is supported by the PMI2 Connect /British Council Research Cooperation Awards and a grant from The Japan Foundation.