At the Sydney Opera House a unique experience occurs throughout the course of a day and a night. An event with no beginning and no end, no division between stage and public, no specified path to take – it is a theatre liberated from rules. From the stalls to the circles to the stage, a forest of trees has grown and spread throughout the entire Concert Hall. The light of dawn barely shines on this valley obscured by clouds. This is an in-between reality, an image of an environment, a fact that appears for a brief moment just before vanishing.

Someone walking between the trees tells a story. As the voice draws the audience into the forest, the lyrics of the song tell how to find a way out; out of the Concert Hall and into the reality of a place elsewhere.

The Concert Hall presents a geographical displacement. This image is a diversion, an extension towards another world and yet it is the same. The song is a map for a journey towards what constitutes the image. It is a line following a chain of events in the life of an environment.

The cloud of narratives obscures the necessity to find an ecology between the image and its environment.

Huyghe has been creating a variety of artworks and collaborative projects since the early 1990s. Interested in the exhibition as a moment where potential new realities can emerge, in the freedom of non-productive actions, in the layering of interpretations, both factual and fictional, and in experience as a territory of infinite possible narratives, Huyghe’s practice has earned him a reputation as one of the most experimental artists of his generation. Evident in his works is a recurring desire to introduce a space of speculation and play into art, and the impulse to consider art as a landscape in which to make manifest the way people can, and do, react to the homogenising attempts embedded in consumer culture by encouraging the dynamic reconstruction of their everyday lives.

Made possible through the generous support of The Ellipse Foundation – Contemporary Art Collection, Portugal and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York and Paris. Presented by the Biennale of Sydney (2008) in association with the Sydney Opera House.

A Forest of Lines has been produced with assistance from CULTURESFRANCE, the Embassy of France in Australia, Lumens Arte, Rent-A-Garden (Terrey Hills) and the Technical Direction Company of Aust (TDC). Poster M/M (Paris)

The 16th Biennale of Sydney continues until Sunday, 7 September 2008 in venues across Sydney and online.
Artistic Director, Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev

Born from the fusion of works by two experimental electronic musicians — Matteo Milani and Federico Placidi — U.S.O.’s sound spans highly abstract digital music, to electroacoustic music. U.S.O. develops through the exploration of elementary particles arranged and organized in clouds of discrete and punctiform events, until they compose structures of extensive polymorphic and spatial complexity.

The Aural Streaming of the Performance defines a bi-directional vector where space and time become elastic variables subjected to generative and structural contingencies of every single “Event”, where every phenomenon re-arranges itself through a form of algorithmic interdependence “ab originem”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrzJNHfLtyY
U.S.O. Project @ Giardino Sonoro, Florence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm-ZiF5CSzg
U.S.O. Project - Prelude Of Noises

By exploring U.S.O., listeners will have the chance to submerge themselves in a real-time generative course, where the contingency of the experience will dynamically vary from infinitesimal to immense. Travelling through the reference Vector, they will observe both simple and complex phenomena, which consequently define wider portions of known and unknown perceptible universe. U.S.O. is undergoing a continuous evolution. More here [PDF]

Galata Perform, an artist-run interdisciplinary performance venue in Istanbul, is organizing an event exploring new fields and approaches in performance. The aim is to bring together local and foreign artists from a number of disciplines, such as, performance art, experimental theatre, dance, music; all, which can be associated with the art of performance.

Artists interested in presenting their performances in Performance Time 08, are invited to email galataperform [at] gmail.com. Galata Perform will provide accommodation during the event for elected artists, in the houses of local artists and give technical support for performances. Artists will cover their traveling expenses and provide their material.

The STRP Festival is one of the largest art & technology festivals in Europe, presenting a four-day multidisciplinary programme with more than 120 artworks, performances, and artists. Thursday November 22 the festival kicks of with a Chemical Brothers opening concert. The extensive expo of robotics and interactive art challenges the visitors to undertake their own explorations.

The works range from small, subtle, and poetic to awesome and overwhelming. The interactive nature of the works in particular investigates the increasingly vague boundary between technology, humankind, and art, and often leads to confrontational experiences!

Music: The STRP Festival opens on 22 November with a concert by one of the world’s most celebrated electronic bands: The Chemical Brothers. The music programmes of Friday and Saturday start at 20.00 and continue until six o’clock in the morning. The extensive music programme presents alongside big names also superb high-tech experiments in the field of electronic music. The performance by 5MM (DJ Akufen and VJ Coutu-Dumont), for instance, is a true audiovisual gem of deep soundscapes and alienating projections. A world apart from the French Aufgang, which consists of two grand pianos and electronics: Jeff Mills meets Keith Jarrett!

Visuals: The visuals programme comprises video art/video clips, live cinema, animation, and documentaries. The live cinema performances are a once in a lifetime experience in which image and sound are in perfect harmony with one another, almost creating a new dimension.

Feed by the Austrian Kurt Hentschläger, for instance, is a mind-blowing experience in which all senses seem to crash. Starting at a calm pace, the performance soon enough literally builds up steam, immersing the audience in a dark space full of smoke, stroboscopes, projections of androgynous creatures and ear-deafening sound. Feed was developed for ‘Theatre Biennial Venice 2005’.

Other: Theatre and performances, workshops and lectures; there is so much to do at STRP that can’t be classified under one of the main categories. Premiering at STRP is the performance IM-agined by the world-famous Belgian ballet group Joji Inc. In this performance, the dancers wear light-emitting garments made of high-tech Philips Lumalive fabrics, which function as a theatrical means of communication.

For full programme, see STRP Festival.

Air Rights! Making Music Out of Thin Air is a theatrical, multimedia performance series premiering four new works for maverick pianist Kathleen Supové. By operating over, under, around and through the piano, each new piece discovers the instrument’s “air rights” by using electronics, vocal rants, lights, videos, Disklavier, staging, and even ping-pong balls. The works Supové will be performing are:

Michael Gatonska: A Shaking of the Pumpkin
Phil Kline: (Not A Sonata)
Miya Masaoka: Balls
Missy Mazzoli: Isabelle Eberhardt Dreams of Pianos

Kathleen Supové is one of the most acclaimed and versatile contemporary music pianists of our time, known for continually redefining what it means to be a pianist / keyboardist / performance artist in today’s world. In addition to her compelling virtuosity, she is also known for her boundary-breaking ways of bringing down the wall between performer and audience. After winning top prizes in the Gaudeamus International Competition for Interpretation of Contemporary Music, she began her career as a guest artist at the prestigious Darmstadt Festival in Germany. Since then, she has presented solo concerts entitled The Exploding Piano, in which she has championed the music of countless contemporary composers—minimalists, postminimalists, and experimentalists.

Don’t miss her!

Institute of Contemporary Arts - ICA - London :: October 31 - November 3, 2007 (every day) :: Daily 6:30 pm and 8 pm - also late night performance at 10:30 pm.

Ear Cinema is a multi-faceted installation using rarely heard ambisonic techniques and combining animation, film, sound and live performance within a four-screen cube. A narration accompanied by spooky interjections of music and sound effects tells the story of a little girl named Mary who makes a mysterious appearance in a hospital. The 3D sound environment - ambisonics - allows the projection of sound in every part of the cube, creating a complete aural picture and a truly immersive experience for the audience.

Only 30 people can attend each performance; early booking is advised.

Running time 25 minutes approx.
No latecomers will be admitted.

The set is open as an installation free with Admission Ticket during the day from 1-3 Nov 2007, 12pm – 5pm

Advance booking advised
ICA Box Office opening hours: 12pm-9pm tel: 020 79303647
http://www.ica.org.uk/Ear%20Cinema+15044.twl
Regions: London,
Artforms: Performance, Experimental Theatre, Installation, Interdisciplinary, Experimental Film, Sound /Sonic art, Experimental music, Other,
Contact: Maria Agiomyrgiannaki (livearts@ica.org.uk)
Website: www.ica.org.uk/Ear%20Cinema+15044.twl

FAMOUS ACTORS is a performance / installation that applies the logic of experimental music to everyday human behavior. The actor is re-defined in a clinical context as someone who: 1) alters another’s state of consciousness through scientific means; 2) monitors something or someone closely; and 3) maintains calm in a complex situation. What results is an intricate arrangement of very familiar things. Featuring rhythmically notated gestures and conversations, field recordings and live vocal sampling / processing.

written and directed by Kara Feely
music and sound by Travis Just
production design by Hannah Dougherty
lighting design by Miranda Hardy
with: Ross Beschler, Avi Glickstein, Annie Kunjappy, Daniel Allen Nelson, Jessica Grace Pagan, Zuzanna Szadkowski
assistant director: Kyra Settle
assistant designers: Amelia Freeman-Lynde, Peiyi Wong

John Cage’s “Song Books”, which he wrote in 1970, consist of 90 solos. Cage uses a wide variety of vocal styles: Imitations of classical opera arias by Mozart, Satie-like chansons, folk singing, pop singing, Indian raga style, breath sounds, cheerleader shouting, Cage’s special technique of “falsetto and grunts”, or Cage’s own type of Aria or Arioso: a virtuoso performance will include a wide variety of styles of singing and vocal production.

A performance may be done by any number of singers/performers, each of them making an independent program filling an agreed-upon time length. Any superimposition or silence may occur by chance. The texts which are used are by two of John Cage’s favorites: French composer Erik Satie and the American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, both known for their anarchic spirit. Cage’s notion of “theatre” does not imply expressive, psychological acting, but merely an impassive performance of simple actions. The order of actions is determined by means of chance operations. The outcome is an exuberant potpourri of vocal production, superimposed by a theatre of absurd actions, a partly non-foreseeable music theatre, entertaining in its anarchic spirit, opening ears and eyes!

Kara Feely is a director/writer/designer for experimental theater and co-founder of Object Collection. Her upcoming project, FAMOUS ACTORS, will premiere at the Ontological Theater in June.

Jessica Feldman is a New York-based intermedia artist working with sound, sculpture, installation, interactivity and technology. Pieces often occur in extremely public or extremely private spaces and have been performed, installed and exhibited internationally at art galleries, concert halls, public parks, city streets, tiny closets and the internet. Her work has received grants/awards from the LMCC, the Max Kade Foundation and Columbia University, among others.

Gisburg is a singer and composer who composes cinematographic music and melody minimalism. She performed and toured Classical New Music extensively with Dieter Schnebel’s “maulwerker” ensemble from Berlin. She recorded several CDs for Tzadik and an experimental trip-hop soundtrack for “High Life”. She sings chinese Pop Music of the 30’s and 50’s and is a member of the Hai-Tien Choir with Mrs. Pi-Chu Hsiao. As a sound and music editor for film she has worked with Abigail Child, Ethan Coen, Robert Duvall and Rob Marshall (a.m.o.). Currently she is working on the film music for Hounddog by Debra Kampmeier.

Since her European debut 25 years ago with Mauricio Kagel’s solo theater piece Phonophonie, Beth Griffith has performed at festivals across Europe and America (Warsaw Autumn, Cologne Triennale, Wien Modern, Numus Festival, RIAC, Donaueschingen Musiktage, Darmstadt Summer Courses ,Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik , ISCM and New Music America a.o.) Recent New York performances: “Rhythm inthe Kitchen” festival, the Stone, Roulette, Medicine Show Theatre, PS 122.

Travis Just is a composer and performer of experimental music and co-founder of the New York-based performance group Object Collection. His work has recently been seen at the Ontological Incubator, Experimental Intermedia, Chez Bushwick/AMBUSH, Brooklyn College, Columbia University, Merce Cunningham Studio, CalArts, Kenyon College, TESLA/Podewil (Berlin), Galerie Mark Müller (Zürich), Kunst-Station Sankt Peter (Cologne), and Kunstraum (Düsseldorf).

Christian Kesten lives in Berlin, Germany and works as composer, stage director, performance artist and vocalist; performances worldwide. He is member of the ensemble “Maulwerker” and has been performing Cage’s Song Books throughout Europe for the past 17 years; he co-directed and performed in a complete version at Theater Bielefeld in 2001. Recently composers like Chico Mello, Iris ter Schiphorst, Alessandro Bosetti and Makiko Nishikaze wrote operas, music theatre pieces or vocal solos for him.

Dafna Naphtali is a sound-artist and improviser-composer from an eclectic background of music-making, including rock, folk/gospel, contemporary classical. A singer/guitarist/electronic-musician, she performs and composes using custom computer programs she has been writing since 1992. Besides composing and improvised projects, she co-leads the digital chamber punk ensemble, What is it Like to be a Bat? with Kitty Brazelton (Tzadik) and has collaborated / performed with many fine musicians and travels widely to perform. She’s received commissions and awards from NY Foundation for the Arts, NY State Council on the Arts, Brecht Forum, Meet the Composer, Experimental TV Center, American Composers Forum, and a residency at STEIM (Holland).

Craig Shepard is a member of the Wandelweiser Composers Ensemble. His compositions have been performed at the Akademie der Künste Berlin, Moments Musicaux Aarau, Real Art Ways in Hartford and throughout Europe and the United States. One of his most successful projects was On Foot, a 350 mile trek across Switzerland in which he composed a piece every day, wrote it down, and performed it in a public space. Mr. Shepard was awarded a Bachelor of Music, magna cum laude, from Northwestern University, where he studied trombone with Frank Crisafulli and composition with Michael Pisaro. He received a Master’s in Music Education from the Hochschule Musik und Theater Zürich, where he served as a Lecturer and Researcher. His research into listening has been published in the Schweizerische Muzikzeitung .

Harris Wulfson is a composer and multi-instrumentalist from New York City.He is currently pursuing a PhD in composition at the City University of New York Graduate Center and studying with Morton Subotnick.