Nate sent me a list of some good pictures and videos of Crude Awakening / BLEVE. If you have more, please send them to me and I will forward them to Nate.
I’m not there [slight pout] but Lynn has taken a terrific set of photos chronicling her trip to Amsterdam, Robodock and setting up the Serpent Mother. A mini vacation.
The two members of Lulacruza are in residency at the Red Poppy Art House for the fall. They are having a myriad of musical workshops and whatnot. I’ll be at at least one and Charlotte another. Find out about the workshops, open laboratory, film screenings on Lulacruza’s Residency site.
What I’ll likely be attending:
Nov 6, 13, 20, 27 Mirroring Nature with Music: Sound Composition using Ableton Live
This 4-week workshop will use loop-based software music sequencer “Ableton Live” to understand the connection of nature and music. We will learn a series of audio manipulation techniques to create sonic landscapes. We will start with acoustic sound and learn ways in which electronic processing can be used to expand, change, and re-create sound. We will listen to and process field recordings to explore the places they are able to evoke. We will be introduced to computer-generated rhythmic and textural material to broaden our sound world. We will explore and discuss naturally occurring acoustic phenomena and its applications in music. We will listen to bird songs, listen to music, and read about nature & technology.
Participants will gain basic knowledge of “Ableton Live”, as well as expand their concepts of sound, music, space, place, silence and nature. Bring some sonic material to create your own personal sonic landscape. All levels welcome.
Instructed by: Luis Maurette
Cost: $80 / 4 classes ($20 each)
Nov 6, 13, 20, 27
Class size limited to 10 students.
Length: 2 hours
What Charlotte will likely be attending:
Oct 3, 10, 17, 24
Joyful singing: A Voice Workshop for the whole body
This 4-week singing workshop will work with breathing and singing exercises to free and strengthen the voice. By grounding ourselves and connecting to the whole body, we will explore the vocal timbre and range, undo hindering vocal habits, and develop a loving non-judgmental singing practice.
Based on the practices of yoga and tai-chi, we will experience mind/body awareness and breath control techniques. We will also discuss the body mechanics of voice production and learn tools for a more aligned posture and present mind. Participants will work with toning and visualization to expand the resonance, color, and flexibility of each individual voice. We will use “sound showers”, collective improvisations and other fun tools to cultivate self-confidence, free the voice and rediscover the joy of singing. Ultimately, we will deepen our connection to ourselves and our community through sounding.
Beginners, amateurs and professional singers are equally welcome.
Instructed by: Alejandra Ortiz
Cost: $100 / 4 classes ($25 each)
Oct 3, 10, 17, 24
Class size limited to 6 students.
Length: 2 hours
Richard Hart and his camera man came by a few weeks ago to do a story on us. Alan Wang of ABC7News.com introduced
Here’s a transcript of the video:
Richard Hart narrating:
This is a robot. Well, actually a roll-bot. It doesn’t even have wheels. It just sort of rolls along. But then it’s not supposed to do much. This robot was born to dance.
Michael Prados – “I think a lot of it came from brainstorming about kinetic art. And a lot of the discussion is centered around dance as an inspiration. And so by thinking about dancers and the way they move, we started to think about how we could have machines that had some of those same aspects.”
At the bottom of the sphere you will see something swinging back and forth. That’s a very heavy battery. By shifting it backward or forward like a pendulum you can force the cage to roll backward or forward, even change direction. On top is a black radome connected to an inexpensive wireless network called Zigbee, connected to a laptop which is connected to a common video game controller. But wait, there’s more. Michael Prados, Lee Sonko and a small team developed this for the art festival in the desert, Burning Man 2007. They are busy fashioning aluminum ribs and electronics for five more robots which will all become dance partners; because the black dome atop the robot contains a GPS unit in addition to wifi. So a half dozen robots will be able to talk to each other and synchronize their dance without needing the remote control. At least that’s the plan.
Michael Prados – “We hope that we can impart at least some small bit of it and suprise and delight people with a new kind of machine behavior.”
With the next roll in bots, Richard Hart, ABC Seven News.
Aug. 19, 2007 – The Burning Man festival is only one week away, and, in warehouses throughout the Bay Area, artists are rushing to finish performance projects in time for the annual desert event. One of those groups is building a GPS ballet.
This is a robot. Well, actually, a roll bot. It doesn’t even have wheels. It just sort of rolls along. But, then, it’s not supposed to do much. This robot was born to dance. Michael Prados of the Swarmbot Project: “I think a lot of it came from brainstorming about kinetic art. And a lot of the discussion has centered around dance as an inspiration. And, so, by thinking about dancers and the way they move, we started to think about how we could have machines that had some of those same aspects.”
Look closely at the bottom of the sphere, and you will see something swinging back and forth. That’s a very heavy battery. By shifting it backward or forward like a pendulum, you can force the cage to roll backward or forward, even change direction. On top is a black radome connected to an inexpensive wireless network called Zigbee, connected to a laptop, which is connected to a common videogame controller. But wait. There’s more.
Michael Prados, Lee Sonko, and a small team developed this for the art festival in the desert, Burning Man 2007. They are busy fashioning aluminum ribs and electronics for 5 more robots, which will all become dance partners. The black dome atop the robot contains a GPS unit in addition to wi-fi.
So, a half-dozen robots will be able to synchronize their own dance without needing the remote control. At least, that’s the plan.
Michael Prados: “We hope we can impart at least some small bit of it, and surprise and delight people with a new kind of machine behavior.”
Burning Man officially kicks off on August 27, 2007.
——- Links ——-
The Swarmbots project is funded by
The Black Rock Arts Foundation, a part of Burning Man. www.blackrockarts.org
I’ll be on my way to Burning Man on August 22nd or 23rd. I’ll be in the desert on August 23rd or 24th. I’ll be leaving on Monday Sept 3rd or Tuesday the 4th. Back in San Francisco by the 5th for sure.
If you need to reach me in a dire emergency, you should send an email to: 911@burningman.com
It will probably take hours for the message to reach me.
To get the message to me, they will need to know where I’m staying. Tell them I am with the “Swarm” art project and those folks can probably find me. The people at “Illumination Village” also know me. I’m camping in “Low Key Peep Flambe Camp”, an unregistered camp. It has 2 3′ tall peeps in front of it and the address is probably on Coral Reef somewhere between 4 o’clock and 5:30.
Yeah, it probably all sounds like gibberish to you. But that’s where I’m staying. And loving it (if only I could get some sleep before going to the playa. I’ve been out til midnight every night welding and making battery packs and helping and managing others… managing is no fun and keeping the books. Sleep when you’re dead, right?)
