Detailed Program Prague
From Institute of Intermedia
Contents |
Physical Computing, Bending, Cooking, Talking, Installing and Performing
Thursday March 19 - Monday March 23rd
The Prague Hands-on-Bending-workshop-meeting intents to focuse on methods how to artistically transform low-tech [1] daily objects and gadgets into appropriated audio-visual instruments, ready to explore and misuse in the performing arts or beyond.
More or less it is all in the framework of terms as DIY [2], Physical computing, Circuit Bending, Hardware Hacking, or in the Czech language bastleni bastling. Really no special technical experience is expected. Actually.... a bit.. you should find out on the Internet if you are not familiar with those terms, skills and issues to be prepared.
After the Budapest initial COOP workshop hosted by the Gallery Labor, where we have been scrutinizing the city of Buda and Pest, and the ways how to learn each other and to cooperate with each other and the Banska Bystrica party, where we have been sitting talking and working inside the lecture room and exhibiting in the entrance hall of the Academy, the Prague setting will be slightly different.
The main location of the workshop is the Institute of Intermedia [3], hidden in the huge complex of the Technical University campus [4] in Prague 6. The complex is not far from the Prague Castle [5] and you can find it 5 minuted walk from the end of Metro A [6] in [7] Dejvice.
The style of the buildings of the Technical Unversity (CVUT) [8] is dated from the 50s and 60s and the IIM Medialab is burried deep the in the Heart of Darkness [9] of The Electro-Engineering Faculty [10]. It is in one of the former factory halls where the machines use to be and still are.
The space is recently open and not completely and fully equipped as you will see. The partners who are using and managing are Academy of Performing Arts [11] and ČVUT. The volume of the medialab offers the possibility to host between 40 and 50 people working. Since the air-condition is still in development, it could be necessary to make regular breaks with breathwork or smoking sessions.
The other locations in the Prague itinerary are Communication space Skolska 28 [12], where the thursday meeting and saturday social cooking take place, the restaurant Therapy [13] next door and flea market in Praha Vysocany [14].
More links, locations and places via The Coop Prg Google Map
General note on workshops
Each workshop is designed for app.10 attendants. The workshops are organized mostly parallel, so actually everyone has to choose, what group to join and stick with a group for the whole time. The total capacity is 30 people. Of course, IIM studio is open to work on independet projects as well.
The workshops are scheduled for two different levels of attendats: basic-mid and mid-high. Please consider what branch you want to choose, also according to other people's experience, your knownledge does not need to be as low as you expect.
Basic level workshops are lead by Hannes Hoelzl, who is giving Arduino basics (day 1), analog hacking and connection between analog instrument and Arduino controller (day 2). You can also join this workshop only for analog instrument hacking, so you do not need to go through computer connections with Arduino.
Mid/High level workshop is run by Milan Gustar, both saturday and sunday sessions are dedicated to use of Arduino with sensors and interactive componets.
In both cases it is very much recommended to go through all stages of the workshop, it is going to be difficult to start with other group if you began with another.
It seems to be highly technically oriented workshop, however, please do not forget, that technical issues are not the only and there is still much to do on reasonable use of all technical toys. Music/video performing is mainly fun!
Thursday March 19
- Arrival to Prague
- Evening: 18:00 opening of the interactive installation Sonicsense by Jennifer Parker and Barney Haynes, and guests the Skolska28 Gallery.
- Artist talk with Parker and Haynes,
- Evening group dinner: Terapie Restaurant next to the gallery.
Friday March 20
- 10:00 - 12:00 Opening meeting at Institute of Intermedia .
- 13:00 - 16:00 Jennifer Parker and Barney Haynes (USA) - presentation
- 16:30 - 20:00 Workshop: Arduino Basics, pt.1 with Hannes Hoelzl (de). A step-by-step guide to Arduino board, from installing to blinking lights... for very beginners. Standalone use of Arduino as a tool independent from computer.
- 16:30 - 20.00 Workshop: Arduino Advanced, pt.1 [15] with Milan Guštar. Use of Arduino controller with MIDI, basic interfaces (opticals, knobs, faders) building of a simple controller using MIDI and Arduino. Capactiy: 6 attendants, high/mid level. Part 2 on saturday.
Saturday March 21
- 10:00 - 20:00 IIM studio available for individual work
- 10:00 - 12:00 Market exploration with Hannes Hoelzl. Vysočany flea market as a great source of outdated equipment and found objects. See Coop map for navigation.
- 14:00 - 16:00 Custom sound instrument pt.1 based on Tesla hack with Hannes Hoelzl, bending the circuits to turn them into your own instrument. Capacity: app. 10 attendants, mid level.
- 17:00 - 19:00 Custom sound instrument pt.2 + Arduino Basics, pt.2 - applying the Arduino outputs to control the bent instrument. Capacity: app. 10 attendants, mid level.
- 15:00 - 17:00: Arduino Advanced, pt.2 with Milan Guštar. Further development of instruments started with Arduino Advanced workshop, pt.1.
- 19:30 - Coop Cooking Performance at Skolska 28 gallery [16], Nikdo se nemá u stolu hněvat, nýbrž má pustit starosti z hlavy./ Nobody should sulk at the table, but let your worries leave your head. (Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová)
Coop cooking using local and brought supplies, sounds, and metaphors.
Sunday March 22
- 10:00 - 18:00 IIM studio available
- 18:00 - 20:00 Final jam session
Monday March 23
Departure to Krakow from the Main Station at 14:09 or 21:09. Discounts available for group of 2+ or 6+, only for ticked obtained in Prague. Map
Lecturers
- Hannes Hoelz is Cologne based media artist and experimental musician, member of Earweego duo (with Echo Ho), GSLI and toplap. His research and artistic work is spread between DIY music instruments, algoritmic art (SuperCollider, Pd), installations and live performing. [17]
- Milan Guštar is Czech artist and engeneer, he made a large research on electronic and electroacoustic instruments [18]. His technical work is oriented on complex multimedia systems, sound/video effects and interactivity in multimedia arts. [19]
- Jennifer Parker - http://arts.ucsc.edu/faculty/jparker
- Barney Haynes - http://www.ultrafuzz.net
Equipment
Equipment to be available for Coop workshop at IIM:
Additional equipment including sensors, cables, interfaces and more... you can buy till Sat 1pm in GM electronics [20] (Sesors, tools, elect.materials), Tesco [21] or Jungmannovo namesti Music shop (MIDI) [22].
- Large 8 channel soundsystem, 8ch + 2x subbas, stagebox 8 ins
- Small stereo soundsystem, simple mixer 6 ins
- 3 video projectors
- 2x video camera, miniDV + tripod
- 3x small CCD cam (optics only + RCA out)
- Arduino microcontroller, 4x
- I-cubeX microcontroller, 1x
- Miditron microcontroller, 2x
- Multiadaptor 220V-3-12V
- Controllers and sensors: Tap, Turn, Lightcell, Photoresistor, + more.
- Various piezo microphones
- Overhead projector
- Basic soldering kit: 6x
- USB midi controller Behringer B-Control BCR 2000, 2x
- MOTU 8 channel external USB soundcard
- 4x stereo DI
- MK multikonverter, PAL/NTSC-VGA
- Wireless microphone Behringer W-135
- Wireless microport Behringer W-112
- Edirol USB midi controller/keyboard
- Edirol V4 video mixer
- 3x laptop Apple MacBook with various software, including Pd, MaxMSP, Modul8, VDMX5, Adobe AfterFX, Photoshop, FinalCut, Soundtrack Pro, etc.
- 1x Apple MacMini with Arduino software.
- Wifi
What we do NOT have:
- microphones
- 9V adaptors
- more solders
- more Arduinos
Accommodation
- AMU, Tržište 18, 118 00 Praha 1, www. Rooms has to be free on Mon 10am, all luggage can be stored at place till departure.
- Bubenečská kolej, Terronská 28, 160 00 Praha 6 www. Rooms has to be free on Mon 10am INCLUDING LUGGAGE. Plese use Školská gallery or other location to keep the stuff until departure.
- All rooms has to be paid at place individually. Keep reciepts.
Transportation
- Public transport - best way to find orientation via www.mapy.cz, including timetables, trams, buses, etc. Any public transport max 26 CZK (app 1 EUR).
- Both places (Skolska 28 and IIM) reachable by Metro - station Můstek and Dejvická.
- Taxi +420 224 234 234, Speed Taxi
Basic orientation
- From The Main trainstation to Školská 28 Gallery: (A) Walk via Růžová, Jindřišská and Vodičkova street. (B) By tram to Vodičkova tramstop. Also near to Metro Muzeum or Mustek.
- To AMU appartments: Metro station Malostranská, any tram to Malostranské náměstí + 3 min walk.
- To Bubeneč hostel: Metro station Dejvická + 10min walk.
- To Institute of intermedia: Metro station Dejvická + 10min walk.
- To Vysočany flea market: Metro station Kolbenova.
- See map for more.
Logistic
- Organizers: Miloš Vojtěchovský, Martin Blažíček, Lenka Dolanová, Roman Berka, Michal Kindernay, Magdalena Kobzová, technical assistance: Zdeněk Trávníček
- Lecturers: Milan Guštar, Barney Haynes, Jennifer Parker, Hannes Hoelzl
- Concept: Miloš Vojtěchovský
- Production and continuos updates: Martin Blažíček
- Catering: Lenka Dolanová
- Financial supervising: Magdalena Kobzová
- General supervising: Roman Berka
- Spiritual supervising: John Cage and David Tudor
Support
- International Visegrad Fund, www.visegradfund.org
- Film Academy of Performing Arts
- Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy
- České vysoké učení technické
John Cage and David Tudor in Japan 1962, godfathers of the Art of Hardware Hacking
