If you mix art, technology, mechanics, electronics, imagination and loads of energy into one fair, you get something like the Kinetica Art Fair.
An amazing event that brings together an amazing array of artist and tinkerers.
Last year I was amazed not only by the great amount of pieces presented, but the wide range of pieces too, from old (1960's pioneering computer art /kinetic art works) to new, from analog to digital, from mechanic to electronic.
This year Kinetica certainly kept going up with the trend.
I've seen singing glasses, projection mapping, gigantic radiolarias, capoeira moves frozen into 3d prints, mechanical love, signing machines, blooming walls and much more.
Projection mapping is something I would like to try in the near future, and it was inspiring to see a few examples at Kinetica. The most interesting example was a sphere reactive to touch. I got lost in space trying to think how they achieved projection on a sphere from the inside.
After seeing an amazing documentary called Proteus about radiolarians,Ernst Haeckel and his struggle to find reconciliation between his artistic and his scientific sides, it felt like a puzzle falling into place, when I saw David Ancheleddu's 3D prints.
Using 3D printing, there was another project that caught my attention. The moves of a Capoeira fighter were motion captured and data was used to overlay all the different states that made a move into one 3D form. It was interesting to see time collapsed into on static object. Makes me wonder what Boccioni's "Unique Forms of Continuity" would have looked like if he had the 3D technology of today at his disposal.
This year was a different for me, because I had the opportunity to participate, not just view the Art Fair this year. Daniel Hirscmann invited me to join Technology Will Save Us for the weekend to assist the workshop. There were multiple workshops including an awesome one on DMX Lighting with Arduino. DMX is a protocol somewhat similar to MIDI used in theatre/performances to control lights/smoke machines/etc. but can be used for light based responsive art installations or similar projects. The I helped with was a bit more basics: a soldering workshop, which allowed to people to learn how to solder, buy building one of these fun little toys Daniel and Mike designed, called the Lumiphone. The workshops were packed with people, young and old.
For more images from the workshops, check out Daniel's flickr set.
Overall, Kinetica was a great experience.
It did make want to do more works like these and less rich media experiences, which
disturb have been successfully been delivering for years.
Shameless plug:
Me and Max already know to use the Arduino microcontrollers, thanks to the Physical Computing labs, part of the Creative Computing program at Goldsmiths.
Jace is doing great progress, so if you're interested in some innovative experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds, do get in touch.
