I was lucky enough to meet Matt Kenyon through CoLab in Auckland - Matt's part of a group called SWAMP (Studies of Work, Atmospheres and Mass Production) and has 10 years of experience in bringing technology and art together in interesting ways. I was blown away by the creativity of SWAMP's project and in particular the 'Coke is It' bot which seeks out Coca Cola and proceeds to spray it over itself until it eventually erodes and self destructs.
So, the great news is that CoLab have set up three events where Matt will show off some of his teams goodies at an exhibition, be part of an artists talk and lastly take a workshop combining GPS, cameras and HP IPaq's and you're invited to all of them!
Seats are limited so if you're interested you'll need to act very quickly.
But in the mean time, here's a pic of one of their projects...bonus points if you can guess what happens.
Tim
MindKits Chief Ninja
CoLab is pleased to announce a one-day workshop -
Creating Agency through Telepresence:
Workshop on using interactive tools and technology.
Places are limited so please enroll asap as this is a once-off workshop, on a first come basis.
Cost (incl GST): $ 50 student (discounted price), $ 80 regular
Registration: contact dawn.hutchesson@aut.ac.nz or phone 09 - 921 9566
Attn: All creative people working with objects, images, spaces and technology
This is an opportunity to learn and explore the possibilities of
creating exciting interactive installations and new media environments
using DIY electronics, open source software and ubiquitous technology.
This is an intensive hands-on workshop with artist and new-media
practitioner Matthew Kenyon. A group of 15 motivated participants
shall learn by working over one day 10am-4pm.
The workshop will be held at IDU Laboratory room WT 030, AUT, corner of
Rutland and Wakefield streets, Auckland city, on Saturday 1st August.
This workshop will look at 4 technologies. Together, they will combine
to create a distributed telepresence based artwork inspired by the
local environment of Auckland city. The 4 technologies are: (1) digital
photography, (2) rapid prototyping and digital fabrication, (3)
programming and physical computing
via Arduino and (4) ubiquitous computing.
A basic description of the artwork:
An electronically controlled lightbox will contain a rear-lit
photograph taken by participants from around the surrounding areas of
the IDU Lab. An
Arduino microcontroller running Processing software
will be connected to the lightbox, which will allow for experimental
interaction design techniques for turning it on and off again. One
technique will use PDA devices with pre-made code for detecting certain
GPS coordinate zones around the IDU Lab, which in turn will send data
to Arduino/lightbox combos to turn them on and off. Put more simply,
user movement about the city of Auckland will in turn illuminate
lightboxes in the IDU Lab. Artistically captured photographs of the
city will be illuminated by pedestrian activity in real-time, via
carefully designed telepresence, physical computing and ubiquitous
computing techniques.
All materials will be provided on the day but you will need to bring a digital still camera.
CoLab is pleased to present AGAINST FREEDOM - A Discussion Panel
Tuesday, July 28th, 6pm-9pm at Galatos
Student Fee: $ 5.00
Regular Fee: $ 10.00
(Includes a complimentary wine or beer)
For more info see attached flyer and click here to register for this event.
Technologies have emerged that radically enhance contemporary governments/corporations ability to collect and manage individual citizen/consumer's images and data. These developments have taken place in a landscape of increasing anxiety regarding corporate profits and national security. In conjunction with the residency of Matt Kenyon with AUT's Co-Lab and the concurrent exhibition of his collaborative work with the SWAMP collective at MIC Tio Rerehiko, we are staging a panel discussion aimed at extending a critical engagement with some of the key concerns exhibited by SWAMP and keenly articulated by Matt. This discussion invites scholars and artists from widely different disciplines to explore this theme and its continued implications for our lives today.
SWAMP (an acronym for Studies of Work Atmospheres and Mass Production) attempts to redirect the configuration of contemporary culture, and in the process reveal flaws and contradictions prevalent in its systems. A recurring concern for the collective is the corruption of popular culture at the hands of sensationalism, mass media and corporate entities like fast-food chains and big box retail; things which themselves construct the very foundations of everyday culture.
For the panel discussion, Swamp artist's Matt Kenyon and Doug Easterly will explore notions of 'consumer freedom' by presenting a series of the collective's guerrilla new media artworks.
AgainstFreedom.pdf
CoLab is pleased to present an artist talk by the digital media collective SWAMP.
Thursday, 23 July, 4pm at MIC Toi Rerehiko,
1st Floor, 321 Karangahape (K) Road.
Currently in Auckland as a resident at AUT University's CoLab creative technology centre, Kenyon is a mixed media artist who as half of the collective known as SWAMP (Studies of Work, Atmospheres and Mass Production) stages witty and satirical interventions to critique global corporations, consumerism, mass production and political domination.
As part of his residency he will be giving an artist's talk in conjunction with an exhibition of SWAMP work running at MIC Toi Rerehiko until August 22.
MKArtistTalk.pdf
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