ICON at REMOTE presents X|FEST 2003
http://www.x-fest-digital.com
3 Saturdays of Experimental Video, Animation and Sound at New York
City's REMOTE Lounge
Each night will feature selected screenings, based on a particular
theme, from 6PM to 9PM followed by performances by artists mixing
video live. All events take place at REMOTE Lounge, located at 327
Bowery between 2nd and 3rd Sts
X|AniMate: February 22nd
X|ProCess: March 1st
X|IteRate: March 8th
February 22nd, 2003
6PM-9PM Animation Screenings
9PM-3AM Showcase of VJ Artists and DJs
The X|Animate event will present animations by 20 artists that go
beyond the traditional: works that are experimental, in which artists
have explored and pushed the medium into new areas of meaning both
visual and conceptual. All types of animation will be shown from
hand-drawn to programmatic to 3d Rendered.
March 1st, 2003
6PM-9PM Video Screenings
9PM-3AM Showcase of VJ Artists and DJs
X|ProCess presents works by video artists that have been highly
processed using programming, manipulation of film, and/or digital
software effects programs. X|ProCess also showcases works that have
been highly (or possibly obsessively) edited.
March 8th, 2003
6PM-9PM Animation Screenings
9PM-3AM Showcase of VJ Artists and DJs
X|IteRate will showcase works that use loops, repetitive imagery and
sounds. In these works repetition, permutation, and variation are
used to explore and reveal relations between context and content.
CURATORIAL STATEMENT-X|AniMate 2/22/03
X-FEST - an event that combines "traditional" screening of
experimental video works exemplifies several crossover trends in
film, video and music. First and foremost is the venue. Until
recently, one expected to see "serious" video and film in galleries
and museums and be entertained with audio/visual "eye candy" in
clubs. Over time, and as a result of mutual appreciation of one
another's work, both experimental video artists and vj artists have
found their respective venues (and audiences) to be confining. With
interesting results, experimental video artists have begun to explore
the world of Nato and Max live video mixing and perform their work in
real time in both galleries and clubs. VJ's are showing documentation
of their live video mixing performances in experimental video
festivals. X-Fest is an attempt to showcase the work of video artists
and live vj's into one festival. X-FEST celebrates this crossover
trend which has resulted in dynamic audio/visual works. REMOTE serves
as ideal venue for this event as it can be used as both a screening
venue and club simultaneously where audiences can view work in a more
participatory manner.
In the screening section of X/AniMate, the works of Solu and
Mordka are results of live video mixing sessions. (Both of these
artists come to X-FEST compliments of Form Records and the Reline
Collective.) Solu's piece "Alien Fury" is a clip taken directly from
"a continuous stream of hours of non-stop play with video loops.
There was no editing or cutting after the realtime session". Mordka's
piece "Niosumed" was performed live by controlling an image
synthesizing mixer. After recording the mixer animation, Mordka
tweaked the resolution and layering to create the video that is being
screened at this event. Chiaki Watanabe's work "Metaforms" will be
shown at the X|AniMate screening and she will perform a live video
mixing session on March 1st. Golan Levin is performing live at REMOTE
on March 8th and is concurrently performing at the American Museum of
the Moving Image.
Other animations that are included in X/AniMate are examples of
other crossover trends in narrative, process and sound.
Several artists are using animation to explore new narrative trends.
Joanna Sakellion's piece "Calling" is a translation of a short story
by Russian writer Sergey Lukyanenko. She considers her translation
"as an additional link in a complex chain of a larger construction."
She uses animation, video and sound to explore language and cultural
metaphors. CrankBunny (Norma Toraya) was inspired by a recent
newspaper article to create an allegorical nonlinear narrative.
Eunjung Hwang's and Raul Vincent Enriquez's works are whimsical yet
dark autobiographical snippets. In Hwang's work, the juxtaposition of
the naivete of her animation style with the often violent imagery is
startling. Enriquez describes his piece "Chupa Lupa" as an
"autobiographical search for identity" where humor masks darker
conflicts. Erik Loyer's "CHROMA" is a 12 chapter linear epic created
for the web. The viewer listens to the linear narrative as he/she
explores the abstract visuals.
Kirby Conn, and Jon Young use appropriation and notions of gaming to
create meaning and suggest narrative. In "Sintendo", Conn takes
imagery from Nintendo and creates a sexually suggestive narrative
within the game's structure and Young appropriates from film and
print to create a fictitous corporation.
Works such as those by Matthew Schlanger and Casey Reas are process
oriented and exemplify the crossover between artists and programmers.
Creating and using software is the driving force behind the
animations. Schlanger's pieces "Bad Knees", "Lumpy Banger", and
"Black Dog Dreams" are produced with custom-built analog and digital
processors. "Each section is a synthesized real-time recording where
sound and image are parallel electronic structures which are mutually
controlled by predetermined waveshapes". Reas-an artist and java
programmer writes code that programmatically generates systems that
produce behavior. His animations illustrate these generative
behaviors.
Whereas in traditional animation, sound is often illustrative of the
imagery and is used to propell a story, in these works the artists
have dynamically integrated sound and image. At times the complexity
and rhythm of the audio stands in contrast and adds depth to the
simple imagery. We see this in Franciska Lamprecht's "Push Button
Now", Chiaki Watanabe's "Metaforms" and the works of Lane Last.
Please join us for all three events - X|AniMate, X|ProCess,X|IteRate.
Sandra McLean.
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X/FEST 2003 -3 weeks of Video,Animation and Sound
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Type: discussion