Category: Workshops

  @ 11:00 am

SelfHosted

by Critical Engineering Working Group

Decentralise! This 4 hours walks participants through the process of setting up their very own server on the Internet, complete with webmail, cloud, VPN, gallery and website services, scalable to hundreds or thousands of users.

Those interested in serving from home can bring in a PC to wipe and re-purpose as a low-bandwidth server on the Internet. Others wanting a high-traffic, media-rich solution will be encouraged to choose and register a geographically-local server package in class such that they can be guided through a complete install (typical monthly fees are 5 to 15 EUR).

Good server-side security practices are covered, from disk-encryption to password-management and firewalling. The basics of the UNIX command line are also taught such that participants can securely log into their server and administer it regardless of their physical location. It takes just one in a community to give the gift of high-quality, low-carbon Internet infrastructure – to free yourself and others from centralised and privacy-eroding services (like GMail, DropBox and Flickr).

No prior experience is necessary, although attention to detail and note-taking skills are important.

  @ 11:00 am

Workshop Hotglue

Danja Vasiliev and Sarah Grant

Building decentralized websites using Beaker and Dat is fun – and a great, hands-on way to learn about the otherwise hidden structures and exchanges that power the web. But to do so, one – more so than ever – needs proficiency in the language of the web (HTML, CSS and JavaScript) in order to participate.

In a workshop specifically for children and other “outsiders”, a modified version of “Hotglue” is used to build decentralized sites together and interlink them.

Hotglue is a FOSS “What you see is what you get” editor for the web. Created in 2010, it currently uses files on the server it is installed to hold the users’ data. A to-be-created modified branch of “Hotglue” would instead work on top of the Dat ecosystem – forgoing the need to be running a server altogether.

Type: workshop
Length: 2-3h
Language: English
Additional considerations: max. 12 participants
Session Objective
learn how Dat & Beaker are different from your regular website
build decentralized websites using Hotglue
interlink our decentralized websites

Material and Technical Requirements
Presenter materials: Projector, WiFi
Participant materials: Laptops

Danja Vasiliev (Russian: Даня Васильев, pronounced as: “Da-nya Vas-ile’-ev”) is a media artist, Critical Engineer and educator born in Saint-Petersburg, currently living and working in Berlin.

“..when a person gives self-control over to a computer and accepts
the default options without question, that person becomes a
cyborg..”

Vasiliev studies Systems and Networks through anti-disciplinary experimentation with hardware, firmware and software. Using computational platforms he engages in examination and exploitation of System and Network paradigms in both the physical and digital realms. Based on these findings, Vasiliev creates and exhibits works of Critical Engineering.

Since 1999 Vasiliev has been involved in computer-technology events, media-art exhibitions and seminars around the world. He has received a number of awards and mentions at Ars Electronica, Japan Media Art Festival, and Transmediale, among others.

In October 2011, together with his colleagues Julian Oliver and Gordan Savičić, Vasiliev coauthored The Critical Engineering Manifesto.

He gives public workshops and talks, as well as regularly teaching courses on topics of network insecurity, software/OS modification, hardware re-engineering, digital forensics and other technology related subjects.

In his work and daily computing, Vasiliev uses GNU/Linux software.
He propagandizes Open Source practices in all facets of life.

Sarah Grant is a Brooklyn-based media artist, educator and a recently licensed HAM Radio Operator. She is a former artist-in-residence of the Eyebeam Art and Technology Center and is currently a Research Fellow at the Tow Center for Journalism at Columbia and Adjunct Professor at NYU Polytechnic in Digital Media. Selected projects: subnodes, a portable offline web server and mesh point; You are here makes use of portable devices to deliver compelling, location-specific content to communities around New York; radical networks, a Conference featuring artists, engineers and researchers working in the alternative DIY networking space.

  @ 11:00 am

Piksel KidZ – STRØMFØRENDE TEKSTIL OG MYK ELEKTRONIKK

Oct 4th – 8thth – 10h-13h | 16-19h
Gratis verksted for barn/unge i alderen 8-18 år for påmelding: piksel21(at)piksel(dot)no

Vil du lage en t-skjorte med lys som blinker når noen gir deg et klapp på skulderen? Eller en veske som lyser opp når den blir for tung? Går det egentlig an å bygge elektroniske kretser med nål og tråd? Eller strikke en sensor?

Et introduksjonskurs for alle aldre i elektronisk tekstil og hvordan man kan designe egne enkle kretser.

Deltagerne får grunnleggende innføring i krets-tankegang, blir presentert for tekstile strømførende materialer og tekstile teknikker for å bygge enkle sensorer før de planlegger og lager en egen tekstil krets med LED-lys på t-skjorte eller veske.

1: Introduksjon

a) Hvorfor kalles det en “krets” og hvordan beveger strømmen seg i strømførende materialer

b) Bli kjent med materialene vi skal bruke, både tekstil og tradisjonell elektronikk

c) Hvordan kan man lage en tekstil sensor?

2: Eget design

a) Deltagerne tester materialene og prøver seg på å lage en sensor

b) Planlegging av eget design: tegne krets: både teknisk (hvilke komponenter hvor) og designmessig (hvilke materialer, broderi eller applikasjon, estetisk uttrykk på krets på t-skjorte)

3: Lage krets

4: Felles presentasjon av resultater

Hillevi Munthe

Hillevi Munthe er tekstilkunstner og lærer i grunnskolen. Hun har jobbet med elektronisk tekstil i eget kunstnerisk arbeid siden 2009 og som prosjektleder for det workshop-baserte prosjektet “Soft Technology” på Atelier Nord (2010-2013). I eget arbeid jobber hun med programmerbar bevegelse i tekstile materialer.

Elisabeth Schimana

Elisabeth Schimana has been working as a composer, performer and radio artist since 1983. She studied electro-acoustics and experimental music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, computermusic-composition at the IEM, Graz and musicology and ethnology at the University of Vienna. Her work concentrated for many years on space / body / electronic. She has ongoing cooperations with the Austrian Kunstradio. She also focus on research in the field of woman, art and technology. Elisabeth Schimana gives lectures and holds composition workshops all over the world.

Duration: 5 day – 3 hours/day
Age: 10-18 years old.
Exhibition: Bergen City

Piksel KidZ Lab is supported by the Norwegian Cultural Fund and Vestland Fylkeskommune.

2nd – 6th November – 10h-13h | 16-19h
Gratis verksted for barn/unge i alderen 8-18 år for påmelding: piksel20(at)piksel(dot)no

STRØMFØRENDE TEKSTIL OG MYK ELEKTRONIKK

Vil du lage en t-skjorte med lys som blinker når noen gir deg et klapp på skulderen? Eller en veske som lyser opp når den blir for tung? Går det egentlig an å bygge elektroniske kretser med nål og tråd? Eller strikke en sensor?

Et introduksjonskurs for alle aldre i elektronisk tekstil og hvordan man kan designe egne enkle kretser.

Deltagerne får grunnleggende innføring i krets-tankegang, blir presentert for tekstile strømførende materialer og tekstile teknikker for å bygge enkle sensorer før de planlegger og lager en egen tekstil krets med LED-lys på t-skjorte eller veske.

1: Introduksjon

a) Hvorfor kalles det en “krets” og hvordan beveger strømmen seg i strømførende materialer

b) Bli kjent med materialene vi skal bruke, både tekstil og tradisjonell elektronikk

c) Hvordan kan man lage en tekstil sensor?

2: Eget design

a) Deltagerne tester materialene og prøver seg på å lage en sensor

b) Planlegging av eget design: tegne krets: både teknisk (hvilke komponenter hvor) og designmessig (hvilke materialer, broderi eller applikasjon, estetisk uttrykk på krets på t-skjorte)

3: Lage krets

4: Felles presentasjon av resultater

Hillevi Munthe

Hillevi Munthe er tekstilkunstner og lærer i grunnskolen. Hun har jobbet med elektronisk tekstil i eget kunstnerisk arbeid siden 2009 og som prosjektleder for det workshop-baserte prosjektet “Soft Technology” på Atelier Nord (2010-2013). I eget arbeid jobber hun med programmerbar bevegelse i tekstile materialer.

Elisabeth Schimana

Elisabeth Schimana has been working as a composer, performer and radio artist since 1983. She studied electro-acoustics and experimental music at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, computermusic-composition at the IEM, Graz and musicology and ethnology at the University of Vienna. Her work concentrated for many years on space / body / electronic. She has ongoing cooperations with the Austrian Kunstradio. She also focus on research in the field of woman, art and technology. Elisabeth Schimana gives lectures and holds composition workshops all over the world.

Duration: 5 day – 3 hours/day
Age: 10-18 years old.
Exhibition: Bergen City

Piksel KidZ Lab is supported by the Norwegian Cultural Fund and Vestland Fylkeskommune.

  @ 12:30 pm

Jeu Videa

Exploring collectively, feministand intersectional possibilities of vide-a game by learning Godot Engine software

Since 2018 as a group we have organised workshops that toke place around 2 axes, a reflection on contemporary languages on contemporary video games from a feminist perspective, and the learning of video game programming by the free software Godot Engine.
https://ps.zoethical.org/t/jeu-vide-a-une-exploration-intersectionelle/2368/2

Since the episode of “Gamergate” a few years ago, and partly thanks to the work of feminist academics such as: Anita Sarkeesian (feminist frequency), among others, we now have a better understanding of gender relations in video games. Since then, a number of video games have paid attention to the staging of female characters: (“The last of us” or “Child of light” for example, others are transforming certain aspects of “game-play”, “Never alone” or “Gone home”, or modifying their graphic approach to include elements more familiar to women. There are also a number of attempts to build more collaborative environments, to experiment with other formats. So far there is still very few attempts to develop a video game format that captures feminist and collaborative principles, by transforming the modalities of video games.


Knowledge transmission and appropriation of technology and media production have been key to feminist strategy over history. These processes have often been hosted in the art world as it allowing to raise debate and transform aethetic relation to key production domains such as video games while bringing toguether different skills and view points. Video games are a very dynamic media production, in Flanders and Brussels, as elsewhere they keep the same monochromous eye on its nature. Vide-a game is proposing an important apropriation of animation free software and collaboration techniques and modes of production in the art field in Brussels and Flanders, that aims to open doors and question the modalities of production in this domain. The choice of the workshop based production model allows solidarity reinforcing complementarity of skills and approaches within the group allows to bring together and value people who would otherwise have dismissed the possibility of understanding programming and animation.

One of the results of the Jeu Videa Workshops is the currently in production HeLa vide-a game, based on the character of Henrietta Lacks, a black american women from the 50’swhose cells that have been taken out without her knowing have served as the main material for biological research until today helping to cure many diseases.
The story takes place on the asteroid HeLa, which is said in the game to be made up of the huge amount of Henrietta Lacks’ cells having been reproduced. You control two characters at a time, all characters present in the level can be played. All of them have cells as common resources and a personal health bar depending on these cells, so you can heal each other. In the second part of this first level we meet HeLa (who is the goddess of the place) for the first time, she explains us her story and then gives us access to a button to ask for her help. The game is more like a puzzle game, in each level you have to find the solution to a problem, but the characters can’t do everything alone. They have to ask for HeLa’s help to unblock situations, thus giving HeLa power over his cells. HeLa will be able to change the bodies of the characters, the environment or the type of his cells…

  @ 11:00 am

A Butterfly in an Analog Computer

by Wolfgang Spahn, 2021
A workshop for an Chua Circuit with in an analog computer to generate chaotic signals, noise and sound.

This circuit generates chaotic signals over a wide range of frequency therefore it is an interesting device for noise and sound art, performances and installations.
In the 1970th Edward Lorenz developed a mathematical model for the weather and climate prediction, the Lorenz Attractor, a strange attractor with chaotic and fractal behavior and sensible initials conditions, that in the end could lead for example to a tornado in Brazil – the so called Butterfly Effect.

At that time it was not possible to compute this module with in an analog computer, the chips for doing the multiplication were to noisy. That’s why in 1983 Leon O. Chua introduced a much simpler circuit (no multiplication) with the same chaotic behavior, the Chua Circuit.The Analog Computer Confetti is a modular system that makes it possible to perform all kind of computations and operations on base of electrical voltage. This stack able modular electronic analog computation system was and is still developed by Wolfgang Spahn since 2015.

In the workshop we will learn the basic functions of an analog computer. We also will build the two main components for an Chua Circuit as modules of the analog computer Confetti: a Gyrator and a Chua Diode. With these two modules we will create the Chua Circuit to listen to the butterfly in our tornado.

The Analog Computer Confetti and Chuas Circuit:
https://paperpcb.dernulleffekt.de/doku.php?id=analog_computer:analog_computer_main
https://dernulleffekt.de/doku.php?id=analogcomputation:01_chuascircuit

dernulleffekt.de

Wolfgang Spahn is an Austrian-German sound and visual artist based in Berlin. His work includes interactive installations, miniature-slide-paintings and performances of light & sound. His art explores the field of analogue and digital media and focusses on both their contradiction and their correlation. That’s why he is also specialized in re-appropriated and re-purposed electronic technologies.

Spahn’s immersive audio-visual performances merge the technically distinct production of images and sounds. In this respect the data stream of a digital projector becomes audible whereas the sound created by electromagnetic fields of coils and motors will be visualised. Spahn is facculty member of Sound Studies and Sonic Arts of Berlin University of the Arts. Spahn presented his work in national and international exhibitions, Biennales ad Festivals.

  @ 11:00 am

Mellite – an environment for creating experimental computer-based music and sound art

Mellite is an open source application that aims to be an environment both for the composition and creation as well as for the performance and exhibition of computer based music and sound art. It targets various scenarios, from real-time live improvisation to fixed media composition and sound installation, attempting to unite these through inter-connectible objects, which live inside workspaces. It is also a particular kind of development environment, where code fragments written in domain-specific dialects of the Scala language interface with the graphical user interface. Mellite runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, supporting either the desktop or embedded computers such as the Raspberry Pi. It uses SuperCollider as the sound synthesis engine. Recently, experimental support was added to run workspaces in a web browser as well. Depending on the interests of the workshop participants, after a general introduction to the environment, we can focus on particular practices and scenarios, such as live improvisation or creating sound installations.

Please visit the repository created for the workshop: https://github.com/Sciss/Mellite-piksel21

Rutz’ artistic work ranges from sound and installation art to digital art, intermedia and electronic music. In all of his work, the physicality of sound and its interaction with the development and research on software and algorithms plays an important role. He is interested in the materiality of writing processes—processes where the time in which a work is written by a human or the machine is interwoven with the performance / exhibition time—and trajectories of aesthetic objects as they travel and transform across different works and different artists.

  @ 10:00 am

Responsive Body | Responsive Tech

by Kenneth Flak and Külli Roosna (NO, EE)

Number of Participants: 10-15
Place: Bergen Dance Center, Georgernes Verft 12, 5011 Bergen
Time: Saturday 20th of November from 10-14h
Duration: 4 hours

This workshop is part of the Performing Arts Workshop program, electronics and free/libre technologies applied to the performing arts. It is a Piksel initiative in collaboration with PRODA-professional dance training/Bergen Dansesenter – resource centre for dance in Vestland.

To register please send an email to: piksel21@piksel.no with your name and the name of the workshop you want to attend.

https://www.roosnaflak.com/

Responsive Body is a dynamic system created by Roosna & Flak based on listening to yourself and the environment, training sensitivity and coordination as well as strength and stamina. Its purpose is to develop a strong, resilient and intelligent body that is open to internal and external impulses.

Roosna & Flak created the training from a need to prepare for a wide range of challenges. The system is under continuous evolution as a result of an ongoing movement practice and teaching.

The training starts with a gentle warm-up to access the breath and the joints, before bringing up the pulse and working through the major muscle groups. This is followed by a section focusing on more complex coordination and use of space, preparing for individual and partnering work, where the focus is on creating movement material based on listening to impulses from both outside and inside the body. This leads to more in-depth investigation into both creating and organizing material into choreographic structures.

Towards the end of the workshop sensor technology is brought into the game, enabling the research of a new set of connections between movement and sound. For this we use our own set of sensors.

Workshop leaders would offer a hands-on introduction to performing physically with movement sensors, developing the necessary sensibilities for producing sound and movement as an integrated whole.

About the dancers and choreographers:
https://www.roosnaflak.com/

Internationally active choreographers and dancers Külli Roosna (Estonia) and Kenneth Flak (Norway) have been collaborating since 2008. Whether they are creating their own choreographies or collaborating with others, their work deals with the narratives and technologies of the body. They have explored a wide range of themes, including deep ecology, Viking mythology, totalitarianism and internet culture. The core of their work is human experience in interconnected realities. This is often explored through the dancing body’s possibilities and limitations, in a constant dialogue with the digital technologies and discourses that extend and counterpoint it.

They have performed their works all over the world. Additionally, they teach Responsive Body movement technique, composition, and sensor programming at various universities and festivals, adapting their methodology and content to different contexts.

Their interactive music and dance performance Blood Music was nominated for the Estonian Dance Awards 2015; Stalking Paradise, a commission work for Lublin Dance Theater, was selected for the biannual Polish Dance Days. Prime Mover (2018) and Two Body Orchestra (2020) were nominated for the Estonian Dance Awards.

Külli Roosna (EE)

Born 1981, is an Estonian dancer, choreographer and teacher. She graduated Tallinn University in 2005 as a choreographer/dancer and continued her studies in Rotterdam Dance Academy in the Netherlands, obtaining her second bachelor degree in 2007.

In 2013 she obtained an MA of choreography at Tallinn University.

She has worked with international choreographers Stian Danielsen, Karen Foss, Kari Hoaas, Cid Perlman, Richard Siegal, Dylan Newcomb, Fine5 Dance Theater, and many others.

In 2010 her solo performance Circle Through was awarded the First Prize at the International Festival of Modern Choreography in Vitebsk, Belarus. She is the recipient of the 2017 Pärnu City Creative Stipendium.

Her teaching and performing has brought her to festivals, universities and theaters in Estonia, Norway, The Netherlands, Poland, Jordan, India, Japan, Ukraine, Hungary, Czech Republic, Sweden, Germany, France, Russia, Finland, Lithuania, Belarus, and South Korea. In 2014-15 she was board member of Estonian Dance Artist Union and head of its Stipendium commission.

Kenneth Flak (NO)

Born 1975, is a Norwegian dancer, choreographer, composer and teacher. He has performed in the works of André Gingras, Dansdesign, Richard Siegal, Kari Hoaas, Preeti Vasudevan and many others.

He is educated at the National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Norway and the Amsterdam Arts School in the Netherlands.

In 2007 he received a Bessie Performer’s Award in New York for his interpretation of Gingras’ solo CYP17. In 2010 he was nominated for the BNG Award in Amsterdam for his choreography Of Gods and Driftwood.

Flak has taught contemporary dance and sound design at universities and festivals around the world.

A self-taught composer and creative coder, he makes music and interactive tools for live choreographies and dance films.

He was chair of Norwegian Arts Council Commission for Dance 2018-2020.

Press
Kahe keha orkester, Anu Jurisson, Pärnu Postimees, 26 March 2021.
Post-dramaatiline tantsu-uurimus ja numbriballett, Heili Einasto, Postimees, 12 November 2020
Kehad tehnoloogia ja tantsu puutepunktis, Iiris Viirpalu, Sirp, 23 October 2020
Video: Sõltumatu Tantsu Laval kohtuvad kehad ja tehnoloogia, ERR kultuur, 6 Oktober 2020
Olemise protsess, Eline Selgis, STL, 29 September 2020

Media
11 January 2019: Elu pingeväljade liikumapanev jõud (Marie Pullerits, Sirp)
13 November 2018: [Külli Roosna rääkis tantsulavastusest “Prime Mover”](https://treraadio.bandcamp.com/track/1 November 018-k-lli-roosna-r-kis-tantsulavastusest-prime-mover) (Tre raadio)
12 November 2018: Külli Roosna lavastusest “Prime Mover”: see sündis meie endi elust (Ester Vilgats, ERR)
12 November 2018: Endlas esietendub pärnakate rahvusvaheline tantsulavastus (Anu Jürisson, Pärnu Postimees)
12 November 2018: Endla Teatris toimub tantsulavastuse “Prime Mover” Eesti esietendus (ERR)
5 November 2018: Video: katkend Külli Roosna ja Kenneth Flaki uuslavastusest “Prime Mover” (ERR)
2 November 2018: Tütrekese sünd ärgitas looma Endla Küünis tantsulavastust (Anu Jürisson, Pärnu Postimees)

  @ 10:00 am

Audiovisual creation in Pure Data/GEM using [ARRAST_VJ]

This workshop introduces the basic and creative uses of [ARRAST_VJ], a free software for audiovisual creation that enables real time manipulation of videoclips (with sound), images and cameras, and also the creation of interactive compositions, which may be stored, reproduced and exported. It includes an effects input module, mixing resources (MIX mode) and 2D mapping (MAP mode), besides an OSC communication interface able to articulate with other software and hardware, everything in an open source platform. It is developed with Pure Data (Pd) and oriented towards GNU/Linux users, although installation on other operating systems is possible. The workshop also aims to let people know what’s going on under the hood, showing the internals of software implementation and discussing possible improvements and collaborations.

Official Repository: https://github.com/brunorohde/ARRAST_VJ

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKTfHZQvi5fbaJ92-OBo6Jw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arrast_vj/

Patchstorage: https://patchstorage.com/arrast_vj/

Copyleft 2015-2021 Bruno Rohde | GPLV3 License | [ARRAST_VJ] is free software: you may redistribute it and/or modify it in accordance with the terms of the GNU General Public License, as published by the Free Software Foundation, whether version 3 of the License or any later version.

Requirements:
    – Pd Vanilla (0.50 or latter);
    – GEM library (0.93.3 or latter) with video support:
        — You can test if video playback is working going to Help > Browser > Gem > examples > 04.pix > 05.film.pd;
        — Alternatively, you can load GEM in a new patch with [declare -lib Gem], than create [pix_film] and open its help file with right click on the object;
    – The workshop is oriented to GNU/Linux users. Other OS (Mac OS, Windows) might work if the user can install the GEM library and test playback video content with [pix_film] helpfile.


Audience:
    The expected audience is Gnu/Linux users, with some basic understanding on digital image and video, notions on vj / video mapping techniques, and preferably some Pure Data background, but everyone is welcome to try and follow the workshop.

Notes for participants:
    – Participants are expected to install Pd Vanilla and GEM library beforehand, so we can make the most of the workshop time;
        — On debian / ubuntu and derivatives: sudo apt install puredata gem
    – Also, please clone or download the ARRAST_VJ repository:
        — https://github.com/brunorohde/ARRAST_VJ
    – You are all also invited to send me some audiovisual material that we can use in the presentation examples:
        — brunorohde@gmail.com
        — subject: My videos! (or something like that)
    – If you want to prepare content for personal use, please check the User Manual about naming files, codecs and formats suggested.
    – I’ll prepare some audio and video content in the right format and share it before the workshop, so everyone can follow the presentation easily. If someone shares their content on time (before 18/11), it might be included in the pack.

Bruno Rohde is a musician, visual artist, programmer and teacher from Brazil. He moves between electronic music, sound art and audiovisual performance (live visuals, live cinema). He researches and develops software and physical interfaces with free technologies for composition and interactivity on performances and installations. He also works as a professor in the area of contemporary arts and technologies in educational institutions and cultural projects.


Website: https://brunorohde.wordpress.com/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxtOFcdICmt0-oqYbWlzj7A
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_indizivel/

  @ 10:00 am

Ephemer(e)ality Capture: Glitching Photogrammetry

Ephemer(e)ality Capture is a practice-based workshop in which participants hack, disturb and glitched the parameters of photogrammetry. Participants use free or open-source 3D scanning apps and software (which they can access online) to scan reflective, invisible, specular, refractive, or ‘ephemeral’ objects and materials to create images that actively confused the imaging algorithm. The workshop involves discussion of the image-making algorithms of contemporary 3D imaging technologies and how they struggle to capture transient and ephemeral objects and environments . Participants would also learn technical skills in photogrammetry to create 3D models through methods of ‘play’ which counteract restrictive technical tools in order to promote creativity and plurality of practice.