New York
Upgrade! NY
October 2005
Demonstrated new work, and talked about the pleasures and perils of showing interactive work in a gallery space.
In front of a full house, Mark Napier discussed his exploration in the past two years including 3D graphics and hardware level rendering techniques, the value of standards like OpenGL, the use of virtual spaces in artwork and some of the pitfalls he found in interfaces and interactivity.
Upgrade! NY
August 2003
Dublin based artist Jonah Brucker-Cohen reviewed his work revolving around the theme of “Deconstructing Network” both physical and online.
Jonah Brucker-Cohen discussed some of his projects that attempt to challenge accepted notions of network interaction from networked software hacks and rule-based systems to translating virtual processes and conventions into the physical world.
Finally he talked about the Dublin Art and Technology Association (DATA Group), an informal group he co-founded in Ireland that has had over 12 monthly events in Dublin, a large symposium earlier this year, electronics for artists workshops, and aims to showcase art and technology projects from local and international artists, musicians, designers, students, academics, and more. Read On
Upgrade! NY
May 2003
Miltos Manetas is a renowned international artist who makes paintings, videoworks, prints and performance about video games, players and computer hardware. He also produces websites as artwork and initiates art actions, claiming that websites are today’s most radical art.
Maciej Wisniewski is the creator of Netomat software as well as founder and Chief Scientist for Netomat, Inc. He is an internationally respected digital artist and programmer whose work focuses on the underlying social impact of technology and networks.
Tamas Banovich is also a founder of Netomat, Inc. and is currently an advisor for the company. He is co-owner of Postmasters, the renowned contemporary art gallery in Manhattan and has been responsible for curating some of the world’s most high-profile digital and multi-media art.
Upgrade! NY
February 2003
This month turned into a lively Saturday brunch (to distract the group from the brutal February weather) reviewing past works and works-in-progress.
Scott Patterson talked about Your Show Here, a prototype for StaticVehicle, *-scope, and his most recent collaborative effort, PDPal. Marina Zurkow and Julian Bleecker joined Scott for the PDPal demonstration and discussion.
The discussion of the four projects highlighted the transition in his work from more traditional architecture to an investigation of information architecture. Scott sited the thread between his eccentric projects—each with diverse manifestations of the virtual and the real. The presentation of PDPal brought forth an important discussion regarding the difficulties and benefits of working in collaboration. Read On
Upgrade! NY
July 2002
Discussing his work against ideas about artificial intelligence, artificial sculpture, and art history with special emphasis on his hybrid virtual/physical practice.
Michael Rees began his fantastic talk with a review of his early work as a post-minimalist sculptor and his studies with Joseph Beuys as a Fulbright scholar.
He went on to describe work done in the early 90′ that crossed an interest between Pygmalion, in the context of the discourse of male construction of the feminine and dog shows. That eventually led to the engagement with rapid prototyping machines and the integration of digital media into his sculptural work.
Upgrade! NY
May 2002
Mark Tribe and Alex Galloway of Rhizome.org brought a round table discussion to this month’s Upgrade!
The team utilized the time to present Rhizome’s new site and ask for the feedback of their peers. Mark and Alex gave a tour of the website, and asked the audience for feedback.
The redesign of the site included many new feature, including:
• A new interface and new site structure, which usability and clarity for newcomers to the site.
• Posting capabilities for members so members can post text via the web site, respond to other posts, and thread discussion.
• A new Calendar of global new media art, exhibitions, performances, panels, festivals, etc.
Read On
Upgrade! NY
March 2002
Mark Napier made a second engaging appearance at this month’s Upgrade!
He discussed works from his virtual studio—potatoland.org, including RIOT, FEED, net.flag, and The Waiting Room.
Napier explained RIOT as an alternative browser with two goals in mind. One goal is for the browser to be a public domain; the other is to break down the notion of individual web territories. RIOT seeks to expose the myth of separate non-intrusive realms on the Internet by dismantling the software that separates them. The program is based on physical riots that similarly break down boundaries of privacy and ownership such as the Lower East side squatters’ riots in 1999. The piece is currently showing at the 2002 Whitney Biennial.
Upgrade! NY
July 2001
Alex Galloway began his presentation talking about his work as a programmer and senior editor for Rhizome.org and reviewed three collaborative projects he’s been involved with.
The award winning StarryNight, is a collaboration with Martin Wattenberg and Mark Tribe. The project provides an alternative interface to the Rhizome database linking database objects as constellations in a starry night sky. Every Image, is a screensaver that feeds off the Rhizome database to browse through text objects and icons associated with it. This work focuses on the visual effect as a network collage. The third piece was the Rhizome logo that was programmed to respond and alter to IP addresses of visitors to the site. Read On
Upgrade! NY
June 2001
Eric Zimmerman talks about his work as a game designer.
Eric Zimmerman started out his presentation with an impromptu game, engaging the audience with a few simple rules for interaction; no board, no props and/or tools. With this example, Eric demonstrated the simple constructs for game development, which one builds upon to create more complex interactivity and ultimately—”meaningful play.”
The first few examples of work Eric demonstrated were not digital, but rather an office card game called Suspicion as well as an interactive book entitled In the Garden. Both examples highlighted his strategy regarding the development of interactivity that is meaningful in terms of a game experience. Eric described creating moments of choice-and-outcome and decision-and-action for the participants of his games. This method for constructing a game with these moments of decision was likened to building with LEGO blocks, with the goal being meaningful play. Read On
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