2-DAY "OPEN FIELDS" CONFERENCE, 6 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, 80 PRESENTATIONS, 3 EXHIBITIONS, PERFORMANCES, AND JUST 140 AVAILABLE SEATS
Moderator: Ellena Pearlman
Orr MENIROM. Clinton and Sanders Looking at the World and Naming Things for the First Time
Take a look at today’s newspaper. The front page features a photo, and this photo is covered with headlines and captions. As images and text are becoming increasingly merged together into a single syntax, it’s impossible to differentiate between text and image, virtual and real.Does language still contain meaning? This video seeks to find out not what, but how the meaning is. The visuals of a political debate have been removed and replaced with a series of dreamlike images. The debate becomes a Rorschach test, maintaining an associative connection to the politicians’ speeches. This test is inspired by “Deep-Dream”, a machine-learning technology trained to recognize visual patterns. The programmer trains“Deep-Dream”by presenting it with images(for example—of dogs) and naming them (“dog”). However, after numerous iterations, a side effect occurs: “Deep-Dream”starts imagining dog faces everywhere (pareidolia, a psychological phenomenon of the mind perceiving familiar patterns where they don’t exist).The idea that “Deep Dream” generates images out of its own imagination or subconscious is called“Machine-Dreaming”. Trump’s election took many by surprise.Are we, like“Deep Dream”,trapped in mind patterns that prevent us from perceiving reality as it is? The brain’s tendency to look for meaning and patterns is stronger when there is a feeling of a lack of control—for example, at times of political change and uncertainty. Which comes first— seeing a pattern, or imagining it in the mind?
Biography. Orr Menirom’s videos explore the border between what is real and what is barely or beyond perceptible. She is a recipient of a Jan Van Eyck Academy Research Fellowship (2017) and a Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture residency (2016). She holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA from Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem. Exhibition venues include: Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, Des Moines Art Center, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Expo Chicago.
Karen LANCEL. E.E.G. KISS – Kissing the intimate uncanny
Technologies change our reality of embodied cognition; and social proximity and ecology. While extending our bodies in space and time they prevent us from reciprocal touching. Data-traces of emerging haptical, quantifying ‘extimate’ technologies, intimate and external, familiar and unfamiliar, beneficial yet intrusive, feed our fears and desires. (J. Brenninkmeijer; H. Zwart, 2016). This paper discusses an experimental design for critical reflection on our co-existence as interdependent bodies in symbiosis with technologies (M. Hansen, 2006). Artistic social lab ‘E.E.G. KISS’, a human-robotic system for collective, intimate and embodied relationality, is designed and internationally presented. Visitors act as co-researchers in a reflective, electric ritual for kissing and datafication. They kiss with E.E.G. headsets measuring their brainwaves activity. Their bio-metric data are translated to immersive data visualization, algorithm and music score. In a public participatory neuro-feedback system they feel, see, hear and touch a COMMUNAL KISS. In this paper, the experimental synaesthetic synthesis design is analyzed and the visitors performativity, agency and ‘reflection through interaction’ is explored (K. Kwastek, 2013). From both an artistic and scientific perspective, this research calls for articulating trans-human desire, sharing imagination on embodied cognition: How does your kiss feel in E.E.G. data?
Biography. LANCEL is artistic PhD candidate at Technical University of Delft Participatory Systems Initiative (promotores Prof. dr. Frances Brazier, Dr. Caroline Nevejan); and art commitee advisor for Mondriaan Fund (2014-2017) and for Amsterdam City Public Art (Stadsdeel Zuid) (2013-2017). She was member of the Amsterdam School of the Arts (AHK) research group ‘ARTI’ (Artistic research, Theory & Interpretation) (Dr. M. Hoogenboom, Prof. H. Borgdorff) 2008-2011; and headed the MFA interactive media art department (IME/ MADtech, core lecturer) at Frank Mohr Institute Groningen 2005-2008.
Chris HALES. Interactive Stories for the Brain: Interaction and Response in Brainwave-Influenced Non-linear Films
Eisenstein was one of the first filmmakers to consider the psychological aspects of film montage and the possibility now exists by means of inexpensive EEG (electroencephalography) devices to obtain a measurable analysis of the psychological impact of film watching, and therefore to create non-linear film structures navigable by the received brainwave data. This paper will discuss filmmaking techniques and narratological strategies by which interactive films can be designed so as to respond to such a hardware interface—in this case a low-cost consumer device called the Neurosky Mindwave which sends out numerical values representing the user’s attention and meditation. Unlike the typical situation whereby specific choices in a non-linear film can be consciously selected by a deliberate action, the EEG data cannot be accurately controlled by a user’s power of thought, and distraction readily occurs. A question that arises is: does it matter to the filmwatcher that the science involved is probably inaccurate and unreliable?
A variety of films designed for the Mindwave—some made by students in ‘workshops’—will be discussed and Janet Murray’s issues of immersion and agency will be used as theoretical reference points. Immersion is of particular interest because a recent trend in EEG headset manufacture is to combine them with Virtual Reality headsets. In 2017 the Myndplay company released its VR plug-and-play Myndband and made an open call for ideas for mind-controlled VR content, suggesting more research and experimentation is needed to find out the most engaging filmic strategies when 360-degree films are controllable by brainwaves.
Biography. Specialist of the interactive moving image, as artist-practitioner, educator and researcher. His 2006 PhD ‘Rethinking the Interactive Movie’ developed the concept of ‘movie as interface’. Visiting lecturer in a variety of educational institutions with over 150 workshops or courses delivered to date. Docent of the Liepāja University ‘New Media Art’ programme, teaching at Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral level (supervisor and organiser of triannual doctoral colloquium weeks). Exhibitions of interactive film installations date from ARTEC’95 in Japan, to ZKM’s Future Cinema (2003), the Prague Triennale of 2008, and the X111 Media Forum in Moscow in 2012.
Sean MONTGOMERY. Synergy in Art and Science: From Groundwater to Brainwaves / Hive Mind
HIVE MIND is a peek into the future of augmented cooperative cognition. Pulses of light and sound, synchronized to the brain rhythms of two performers, create an immersive environment that transports the audience to altered states of consciousness. Based on neuroscientific research showing that rhythmic stimuli can entrain neuronal oscillations to alter perception, memory formation, and mood, HIVE MIND uses the performers’ live EEG and data processing to directly convey the performers’ brain states. As one performer’s brainwaves become the stimuli that entrains the other performer’s brain patterns, a public brainwave-driven conversation unfolds between the performers. Together the performers and audience go on a journey through different induced brain states and altered perceptions, ultimately considering broad implications for the future of human cognition and communication.
Biography. Produce Consume Robot (Sean Montgomery) is a technologist, educator and new-media artist in New York City. Using research methodologies combined with emerging technologies, Sean takes a trans-disciplinary look at the human condition to examine the changing relationship between the physical and metaphysical world. Since finishing his Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Sean has created numerous installation art works that raise questions about the relationship between technology and the human experience, showing at venues around the world including ISEA, Istanbul Biennal, Science Gallery Dublin, Harvestworks (New York), National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Daejeon Museum of Art, and many others.
Jukka HAUTAMAKI. Interfacing in live electronics performances.
Finnish sound artist Jukka Hautamäki (b. 1971) will be talking about how he makes live electronics sound performances with his diy instruments.
Hautamäki’s sound performances are microscopic studies into electronic sound. By reconnecting electric circuits he creates possibilities for unexplainable sonic phenomena, to which he reacts by improvising with sound. He is curious to study methods for creating sonic narration in relation to magic and hauntology, and turning trash- aesthetics into instruments of live electronics.
Hautamäki works with elements such as underhood work lights, electromagnetic sources, coil mics, diy amps and radio waves. He is interested in how the design of the interfaces of his sound devices affect the artistic process of performing with live electronics. What is the relationship between art, craft, electronics and lo-fi aesthetics in his sound art practice?
In his live electronics performances he experiments with interfacing, by integrating bodily performance with media technology. Hautamäki will adress the concept of “forced” improvisation: his intentional challenge of using difficult interfaces, and using chaos for inventiveness.
Biography. Sound and media artist Jukka Hautamäki (b. 1971 Oulu) lives and works in Helsinki, Finland. Hautamäki works with found materials, electronics, sound, light and video. His music style could be described as abstract noise with a rhythmic twist. Hautamäki has performed live in Europe and North America. Performance venues include La-bas Biennale, Lal lal lal and AAVE festival in Helsinki, Ges21 in St. Petersburg, Mengi in Reykjavik, Avatar Centre in Quebec City, Electric Knife in London, Madame Claude in Berlin, CT-SWaM at Fridman Gallery, Harvestworks and Trans-Pecos in New York. Hautamäki has kept numerous interactive sound art and electronics workshops, courses and lectures in Finland (Kiasma, Aalto University, Art & Craft School Robotti, MUU), Europe and North America. More information: jukkahautamaki.com