Design And Performance Lab

 

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METABODY PROJECT ARCHIVE

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no. 1 - no. 2 - no. 3 - new kimospheres 2015-16 - Rehearsals 2016 - Metabody Forum London

Activity 6 INTERNATIONAL METABODY PLATFORM MADRID July 1 - 26, 2015

MediaLab Prado Madrid // // Casa Encendida // urban locations

"Metatopia Occupy 2.0" (short film document)

Particpants DAP-Lab: Johannes Birringer, Michèle Danjoux, Chris Bishop, Vanessa Michielon, Miri Lee, Azzie McCutcheon & Jonathan Reus.

With coordinator and coorganizers: Jaime del Val and Cristian Garcia (Reverso), Pablo Palacio, Muriel Romero, Daniel Bisig (Instituto Stocos), Eva Botella-Ordinas & José Luis Carles (UAM), Nimish Biloria, Jia Rey Chang (TUDelft) and three architect teams [6 students] for new building prototypes; Jean Marc Matos (K-Danse), Marije Baalman & Nicoló Merendino and 2 team members (STEIM); Antonio Camurri, Stefano Piana,Paolo Canepa (Infomus); Robert Wechsler, Delphine Lavau, Marcello Lussana (Palindrome). Eva Botella-Ordinas and Iris Alcaide (UAM);), José Luis Carles, Cristina Palmese and 6 students (UAM)

Associates, advisors, and collaborators in workshops and conference: Dieter Vandoren; Brisa MP, Isabel Valverde, Todd Cochrane, Salud Lopez, Cristina Palmese, Marta Leirado, Shu Lea Cheang, Roberta Bosco, Kevin LaGrandeur, Federica Frabetti, Beatriz Pichel, Yvonne Foerster, Stefan Lorenz Sorgner, Adrian Freed, Eleanor Freed, Peggy Reynolds.

Production week and workshops: Open process of production prior to the presentations.

7th july - Jose Luis Carles and Cristina and UAM students - workshop in AZCA, this is the 4th or 5th session outdoors exploring novel perceptual explorations of this particular urban space over the last months. then continue intensively involved durgin production week.

9th onwards: Muriel and Jaime with Marta start with dance students from conservatory and inscribed participants though the Medialab Prado Call- display of 50 metakinesphere structures in auditorium - exploration of microsexes techniques and other proposals by Reverso.

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AZCA Session 20th july - first big event outdoors sharing with all partners present the reflection on the city space done by Jose Luis Cristian, UAM students with reverso.

Big Data Conference 21st-22nd July

22-25 July: Metatopia 1.0 - Occupy 2.0 - first overarching metanarrative both abstract, political and ironic. First convergence of projects. Both indoors and outdoors. First proof of conecept of the main project outcome.

• Metakinespheres - Metaplaygrounds - Microsexes - Amorphogenesis - Errance - paradigm of a swarm of portable and foldable superlight structures (more than 50, some built by Reverso others recycled from industrial materials and used in unprecedented ways) that may endlessly interconnect + portability of mini-projectors worn on body with lenses-mirrors, portable small speakers of different kind for multilayered small sound ecologies + minimising electricity and number of computers - combination with live coding by Marije - variety of formats including 1to1 encounters, performative and installative, can coexist with other elements.

• TUdelft prototypes: 3 large-scale prototypes outlining innovative interactive skin systems for the pavilion were presented. These involved extensive research into smart textiles with electro-luminescent paint, integrated electronics and robotic elements (Textrinium); computationally generated origami pattern based surface with integrated lighting, motion capture and robotic actuation (Scaringami) and an outdoor interactive multi-affordance structure (Nervion). Scaringami displayed visual and tactile augmentation in relation with deciphering live gestures and postures of the participants. After working successfully for 4 days, the servomotors malfunctioned, suggesting that we would need high-powered motors to drive a structure of that scale. Textrinium worked perfectly and certain AI based learning properties together with localized generative sound (in collaboration with STEIM) elements were also integrated during the Madrid forum. The interaction scenarios were difficult to immediately understand and thus took some effort to relate to. However, interactions ranged from hugging, caressing, observing and performing with the installation. Nervion worked as was planned, the seating was deliberately made uncomfortable In order to avoid being occupied for too long a duration. It was positioned as a final interview point, where people would interact and sit on it for a limited duration of the interview. The skin systems developed in the Masters Studio of Hyperbody were meant to propagate local interaction ideas within the pavilion and can be taken over by consortium members for further customization.

TU Delft pavilion vision: Hyperbody’s proposal for the pavilion involved a Loop form as the global structural rib of the pavilion (AI enriched, robotically controlled variable 3-d movement), to which sub-structures (locally actuated) in the form of local tensile fragments and ultimately Interactive skins in the form of responsive systems, which respond to local stimuli would be developed. The experiment involved first and foremost developing the Loop and understanding the underlying building physics for a complex, continually actuated structure. This also included dealing with complex mathematics, specialized algorithms, setting up a parametric blue print outlining torque calculations per joint, strength of motors, details of the joint and material input. Of course any experiment of this scale and complexity will go through iterations. In Madrid the first iteration was showcased. The mathematics and simulations aspects worked the way they should, however, tolerance variations offered by different 3d printers, which were used to fabricate the joints of the Loop resulted in difficulties in assembling the physical scaled prototype with integrated electronics. However, this was seen as the very first iteration of the Loop and from September 2015 onwards a second iteration shall be worked upon.

• Strata - Urban Fluxus - process related to weeks of experience in the open air in AZCA - creative transposition of those experiences in AZCA to the metatents (deformed tents) provided by Reverso, as malleable spaces where sounds, projections tactility and spatiality recreate the urban lab of AZCA. This connects to an important aspect of the future architecture as living memory of bodies-spaces and elaborates on the methodology of work with the space. The robust team of students of UAM help a lot to deal with the overall situation.

• Illegible affects - works well as a frame for the introduction - doubts as to how to do that introduction, how much to frame the critique to Big data Brother - the software needs more development and the staging as well. Could be accompanied by texts. Life learning process and movement qualities could be connected to the living architecture's physical structure and sits sounds-projections, lights.

• Soft speakers and sounding textiles - transversal developments of Steim applied in different context, need further elaboration.

• Lampyridae - swarm paradigm of objects as companions for the journey works very well and merges (with) the whole environment, the fog adds depth and mystery to the space • Metainterview - good metaformative 1to1 format exploring the undoing of faciality, codified facial gestures. Needs to be adapted to the idea of a space in transformation.

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Metakimosphere performance, showing Vanessa Michielon [left] in front of Scaringami architecture, and three immersed performers [right]: Vanessa Michielon, Miri Lee and Azzie McCutcheon,next to audience/visitors, with new wearable design by Michele Danjoux, projection interaction design by Chris Bishop and sound design by Jonathan Reus and Johannes Birringer (c) DAP-Lab 2015

• Metakimospheres - DAP-Lab’s rehearsals and performances built dialogue with the TU Delft Scaringami architectural protoype (the origami skin) and created several new garments/wearables: “BeakHandSpeaker, 1 & 2,” “KaidagaraDress,” “OrigamiDress,” “Accordeon,” and “Kepler.” The Beakhand is in further development by Michèle Danjoux from the December 2014 STEIM lab where Miri Lee first performed the shamanic voice with the newly designed BeakHandSpeaker. Along with help from Nicoló Merendino, a much longer, elongated second BeakHandSpeaker is now developed, 3D-printed and lasercut. The last two portable objects emerged with Marije and STEIM team help, as DAP-Lab experienced the softspeakers/sounding textiles, while also implanting gauze and metal in the environment to test spider-web like extrusions from the Scaringami skins and topologies. The "Kepler" is the offspring of the "OrigamiDress" designed to offer out to the audience, and to test extending things outward from performer and audience and to provide intimate experience - vibration, tactility and small sound. Alternate object environment with suspended metals was tested on the last day, again for proximity sensing and aural narratives in the kinetic choreographies-in-action.

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Miri Lee with BeakHandSpeaker during early testing; Vanessa Michielon with large BeakHandspaker protopype, Michèle and Nicoló and during the building of the 3d laserprinted hand; "Kepler" offspring in rehearsal.(c) DAP-Lab 2015

The performance throws light on possible dialogues with space; it also may interrupt the freeflow of the space for longer periods demanding a more concentrated, quiet performative scenario with a more clear distinction with the audience. This worked well and focused attention at these moments of intra-action, quieting things down to a level of the organic breathing that can be subtly heard, before different voices (reco+rded, processed, and live), performed through BeakHandSpeakers and directional speakers (the new Acouspade) introduce a ritual-spatial dimension. A wireless smartphone was tested with Marcello Lussana's help, for the transmission of sound and liberation of Miri from being wired, so her use of the space could be very different as she approaches the audience from any point in the space and can move through them. An interesting dialogue on design across bodies - spaces could evolve, and the tonal subtleties worked well with Vandoren's Lampyridae. The proximity sensing sonic intra-actions were developed by Jonathan Reus for Vanessa Michielon (in OrigamiDress), while Azzie McCutcheon performs the kimosphere or bodyweather from within/under the larger gauzes stretching across the space: she remains largely invisible and is a felt, sensorial presence. The graphic particle-physics projection onto the floors below the performers were proggrammed by Christopher Bishop - the graphics respond to the motion in the environment via Kinect camera, just as the Scaringami prototype moves and reacts to proximal behaviors via its kinect sensig system. DAP-Lab acknowledges a fruitful collaboration with the TUdelft team present, Anisa Nachett, Alessandro Giacomelli, Giulio Mariano. Further work collaborations during the Metatopia week took place with Stocos and with Reverso (building a speakerfilm addition to one of the metakinespheres to be tested in performance). Johannes directed the scenography, some of the sound events (breath, motor sound echo, Shaman), and helped with the overall dramaturgy of the intra-actions in the kimospheres.

• Neural narratives 3- first tests with projections on metakinespheres from inside and outside, works potentially well, but not enough time to see developments and implementations, doesn't work in performance for technical reasons and absence of authors.

• Isabel Valverde as guest introduces her work on Senses Places and second life that becomes part of the parcour this time again merging with the Metatents

• Marcello elaborates on the smartphone website application for sound, still not clear how to introduce it but has potential.

Occupy 2.0 - each night different structures and combinations are explored - endless possibilities of structures, combinations of them, projections, sound, situations and places - proof of concept of final pavillion.

• Day 1: Plaza Reina Sofia - metakinesphere by Cristian, plus amorphogenesis and live coding from Marije

• Day 2: Atocha Square - Red metakinesphere - plus amorphogenesis

• Day 3: Plaza Reina Sofia - Swarm of 30 small metakinespheres plus amorphogenesis and live coding from Marije and Marcello

• Day 4: Plaza Reina Sofia - 3 larger Metatents - plus microsexes and live coding from Marije

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Outdoor night-time urban performances of the Metabody team with flexible mobile metakinespheres, near the Atocha train station and the square near Reina Sofia (c) Cristian Garcia

Meetings and discussions: The Partners conclude the need to potentially converge Reverso's tensile structures with Hyperbody/TUdelfts LOOP research as solution for the pavillion - Tudelft interviews the partners for feedback and will publish a summary of these interviews in early September.

The new Metabody Journal of MetaCultural Critique no. 1(first issue) was published and distributed at the Madrid Forum.

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Activity 7 INTERNATIONAL METABODY PLATFORM Paris October 6 - 9, 2015

METABODY FORUM

Seminaire artistique + Workshops + Performances: Du mardi 06 octobre 15 Au vendredi 09 octobre 15, Le Cube - Centre de création numérique

Projet culturel pluriannuel (2013-2018) soutenu par la Commission européenne, "Metabody" réunit 38 partenaires de 16 pays sous la coordination de Reverso (Espagne). "Metabody" cherche à élaborer une critique des tendances d’homogénéisation culturelle de la société de l’information et propose de développer des nouvelles technologies qui valorisent les différences corporelles dans l’expression et la communication, en réalisant des laboratoires d’interaction multi-sensorielle sur la perception et le mouvement. Ces résultats seront intégrés dans une structure architecturale interactive/intra-active expérimentale (le MetaLab), donnant corps à un réseau social proposant des performances, des installations, des ateliers, des séminaires, des résidences et une recherche en continu, avant de voyager dans 9 villes européennes.

Le Cube est particulièrement fier d’accueillir "Metabody" durant une semaine exceptionnelle où le public est invité à découvrir ce projet à travers workshops, tables-rondes, conférences, performances et démos.

Venus d’Espagne, des Pays-Bas et de France, les coordinateurs de "Metabody" présenteront le projet sous ses aspects philosophiques, artistiques et technologiques. Ils dévoileront des prototypes inédits en cours de réalisation, des performances et des surprises. Ils proposeront également un débat autour des questions de l’hyper contrôle, du formatage globalisé des corps et des esprits, du big data brother.

http://metabody.eu/

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Avec : Jaime del Val, coordinateur / Reverso, Nimish Biloria / Hyperbody, Marije Baalman / Steim, Jean-Marc Matos / K. Danse, Johannes Birringer et Michèle Danjoux / Dap_Lab Brunel University, Robert Wechsler, Delphine Lavaux and Marcello Lussana / Palindrome, Pablo Palacio / Stocos.

PROGRAMME

Toutes les manifestations de Metabody Forum sont en anglais.

PROGRAMME COMPLET EN ANGLAIS A TELECHARGER et disponible sur metabody.eu.

— MARDI 6 OCTOBRE

19H - 20H

Atelier tout public*

"Human Body Tracking - Motion and Touch"

Avec : Robert Wechsler and Delphine Lavau / Palindrome.

*Vetements amples conseilles.

20H - 22H

Atelier et démos

"Metatopia - embodied media as response to surveillance culture"

Avec : Jaime del Val, Jean-Marc Matos, Marije Baalman, Nicolo Merendino, Nimish Biloria, et partenaires de Metabody.

— MERCREDI 7 OCTOBRE

19H - 22H

Atelier et démos

"Metatopia - embodied media as response to surveillance culture"

Avec : Jaime del Val, Jean-Marc Matos, Marije Baalman, Nicolo Merendino, Nimish Biloria, et partenaires de Metabody.

— JEUDI 8 OCTOBRE

19H - 21H

Introduction METABODY par Jaime del Val puis table-ronde "Reversing cybernetics - Hacking Big Data Brother - Embodied media as response to surveillance culture."

Avec : Nimish Biloria, Marije Baalman, Nicoló Merendino, Jean-Marc Matos, Jaime del Val, Johannes Birringer, Michèle Danjoux, Pablo Palacio et partenaires de Metabody.

21H30 - 22H30

Performances (en extérieur) "Metakinesphere-Microsexes" par Reverso (Jaime del Val et Cristian García).

— VENDREDI 9 OCTOBRE

19H - 22H

Performances - installations - metaformances

Video "Errance" / K. Danse - Jean-Marc Matos.

"Illegible affects" / Reverso.

"Working with Interactive Sound" / Delphine Lavau.

"Hyperbody" / Nimish Biloria.

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DAP-Lab "Kimosphere" / Johannes Birringer et Michèle Danjoux.

For the film shown during this DAP presentation, GO HERE

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Steim Presentations par Marije Baalman et Nicolo Merendino.

- intermission -

Performance "Amorphogenesis-Errance" / Reverso - Jaime del Val et K. Danse - Jean-Marc Matos et Marianne Masson (danseuse-interprète).

Performance "Metakinesphere-Microsexes" / Reverso - Jaime del Val et Cristian García.

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D A P-lab directors: Johannes Birringer & Michèle Danjoux

(c) DAP-Lab 2015