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Firebirds, which uses propane gas flames, which are fed with high voltage electric currents, which then creates a magnetic flame allowing for the flames to act as a speaker. In the instillation four such flames are arrayed all in cages that resemble oversized pet-bird cages. Each of the four goes off at diffrent times, each playing a speach by Rosevelt, Hitler, Stalin, & Churchill respectivly. The affect of exprencing this piece, especially in a city who's history is so tied up with the second world war, is quite intense. Not to mention that the specticle of it, arrayed in a large open hallway, filling the space with fire and sound.

I am right now in a lecture on hybridization and its affects on politics globally. Quite intresting in some aspects but really the best comments came from an African academic who laid it out quite plainly that the hybridization of cultures for Africa means only a continuation of the ecconomic rape of that area (and the rest of the southern hemisphere) which we have seen since the opening of the post-colonial era. For her people, hybridization means only that they are used for their resources, mostly by the G-8 nations, without any real exchange of material or cultural wealth.

very neckfaceesque, right outside the O.K. Centrum

Yesterday after the set up they hosted a party for all the artists and the staff that has been assisting them. I ran into many familiar faces from the Ars show that we did at Eyebeam last year, including some big head honcho types that I schmoozed with.

Afterwards I hung out with some of the artists and checked out their pieces. I spent a good deal of time with Marnix de Nijis who is the force behind Run Motherfucker Run It is a neat piece where you run on a fullsized treadmill and via this move about a dark, scary city at night (Rotterdam) which has been beautifully photographed. The highlight is that as you move faster the screen moves faster, slower and the screen moves slower. It is scary and fun. I am not sure if there is much beyond it ideologically, but I think there may be I just need to ferret it out. You can see info on it here

I have also been spending a lot of time with Amit Pitaru, an Israeli artist who lives in NYC an teaches at ITP and who has a really great piece in the cyber arts section of Ars (the section where I am working) . Sonic Wire Sculpture grew out of a custom piece of electronics and software which Amit created for his live musical performances. By drawing shapes on a screen, in a 3D enviorment, sound is created (in a 6 channel set-up). Because so many people wanted to play with his toy, he decided to modify as an art instillation. It is fairly addictive.

Also with those listed above where the Canadian Artist Steve Heimbecker the creator of a href="http://www.aec.at/en/festival2005/programm/project.asp?iProjectID=13086">POD Wind Array Cascade Machine which represents weather from far off lands via a huge LED farm. Wind from one location is represented in his LED field as waves of light. His girlfriend, who’s name I am blanking on, is a wonderful curator and writer, also based out of Montreal.

Also in attendence was Dirk Eijsbouts , a fun young artist along with his girlfriend who’s name, I am likewise also flaking on even thought she was funny, smart, and great company. Dirk’s project looks like a lot of fun and I can’t wait to try it out later today. Two people play tennis with computer monitors. Does that make any sense? No, but go to the link for Interface #4 and perhaps it will. If not he has a really funny video of people using it that he is going to send to me later today to post here.

Anyway, drinks were had, and then dinner was had (for me, a potato dumpling with chanterell mushrooms. A bit bland but not bad for 7 euro) and then more beir’s were had. It went late and there was much talk, both serious and gossip oriented, but it was nice to be out amongst a bunch of people, all from different parts of the world. There is more I should write, about the art and the people, but for now pictures will have to do.

stencils too...

and stickers...