- Bridging the gap between Linz and ARS -
I've already introduced the O.K. Center and Bookner House, but I mustn't forget one more building that's fundamental to our discussion of ARS - namely, the ARS Electronica Center, a.k.a. the "ARS Center" that was built in 1996 in the new area of the city along the banks of the Danube. As I mentioned in AAL01, this is a museum that symbolizes Linz and ARS' status as a place where media art can be enjoyed year-round.

... Kiyoshi's eye AAL006

- The Roppongi Drifter-
Taking the baton from Toshi and Kiida in the final leg of the ARS Festival is Masahiro "Joey" Kondoh, the owner of a bar located opposite Roppongi Hills. Joey also works as a model, and became acquainted with Toshi and Kiida after appearing in one of their artworks. Having the deep-voiced, dandy Joey talk in a dimly-lit bar, GRINGO, the atmosphere of the interview was very chic. By the way, the word "GRINGO" apparently means "drifter". To read more about it, check out the guest page!

This is the second time we're featuring a navigator from Linz since Anna, who guided us in AAL01. His name is Andreas Kolb, 35 years old. He was born and raised in Linz, and is currently working as an assistant professor of chemistry at Johannes Kepler University. And he's single.

Mr. Kolb is highly respected by the ARS staff, and he sells them photographs taken with his digital camera during the exhibition if they are especially good. This is probably why ARS introduced us to Mr. Kolb when we said we were looking for an ARS fan. That said, he's somehow a bit uncool. Like, the T-shirts he wears...

it's like, where does he get them? Apparently he records some of the events at the festival, but the sound quality is horrible because his microphone is too small! He seems well prepared, yet also quite random. Quite a mystery, this guy.

Enjoy this art work.

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An assortment of rubber sticks and wind-up toys are placed on a rectangular table, and a light beam runs along the surface of the objects. With the moving light comes sound... Basically, an infra-red camera reacts to objects placed on the table, and when the light beam comes in contact with an object, it makes a noise. Objects on the lower end of the table create low sounds, and vice versa.

The sound rings non-stop while the beam is in contact with an object, which means that you can compose your own "music" by rearranging the thick and thin objects on the table. This is an entertainment-oriented exhibit in line with the ARS Center's wide demographic. But maybe it's a tad too childish??

Enjoy this artwork.

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Believe it or not, this is the first Japanese artist that's appeared since we started AAL. Come to think of it, there weren't many Japanese artists exhibited at this year's ARS. I'd like to discuss this a little more if I have the chance to some time.

A monitor is imbedded in the surface of a table, and a really lame CG character swims by with a plate on its back. On the plate are natto (fermented soy beans), shaved ice, eggs, a hookah, as well as other food and drinks. Placed on the tabletop/monitor is a cup-like thing with a straw.

When you move the cup above the moving character, it suddenly stops moving and fidgets around on the spot. Then, as you suck on the straw, the sucking sensation is as if you're sucking up whatever is on the plate. You can't taste anything, but the pressure in the straw and the vibrations that you feel on your lips is uncannily similar to what you'd imagine sucking up food with a straw to feel like.

Apparently the creators of this gadget actually sucked up real food in order to replicate the sensation. Feeling as if you really sucked up food with a straw... I guess you could call this a virtual reality of sorts? Which means that the viewers of this clip will have to experience this virtual reality within a virtual reality of the video...

Personally, playing with this gadget was really interesting and it's a unique idea that nobody has tried yet, but the lame, cheap-looking digital character brought it down a notch. Maybe the lameness is intentional, or maybe they just don't have any sense of style. It's too hard to tell.

And another thing - this should probably be categorized as technical research rather than "art". Seeing work that exudes social critiques, or the creator's intention and so on, provokes you to think reflectively about your position as the audience. But I think that these works are better (and more easily) appreciated when considered as a result of technical breakthroughs or great discoveries, rather than as art. This piece was a fresh reminder of the ambiguity of the term "media art", and the difficulty of curating such festivals as ARS.

Enjoy this artwork.

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Beginning in 2003, this event has gained popularity and is now held every year. During the event, a series of electronic music performances are held from early evening to late into the night, both in Bookner House, and the new Lentos Museum that opened in 2004. Rather than having all the performances run simultaneously like many music festivals, here the audience moves from one venue to the next, following the order of the performances.

The concept of the performances is to reflect on the history of electronic music. Starting with the modern music of John Cage and Philip Glass, the performances gradually move into noise and laptop music. The audience physically experience the evolution of electronic music as they stroll to the next venue, from past to future. The presentation is fantastic, and so very ARS.

Enjoy this arteork.

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My first recommendation. This is the thing I wanted to show you all the most. It was a giant dinosaur-skeleton-like thing that appeared in Haupt Square, which is in the center of town and features a huge statue of the Holy Trinity. Just when you think it's standing still, it suddenly starts moving with this whooshing noise! When you look at it closely you can see that it's made of countless yellow plastic tubes connected together. There isn't a single nail in the whole thing, and the joints are fastened together using wooden poles and stuff. What powers it isn't electricity, but air... When it moves its wings, an air compressor made out of plastic bottles draws in air, and when that air is released, the joints move. Basically, the wings are its gills and the plastic bottles are its lungs. It was seriously well made. And the size of it was astounding.

The artist who made it was a cool-looking older guy. Theo Jansen was born and raised on the coast of Holland, and spent fourteen years making Strandbeest. This is definitely what you'd call a "life work." With this and Marnix's "Run Motherfucker Run," it seems like I tend to be drawn to things made by Dutch artists. Same goes for soccer and architecture...

Strandbeest's Site
http://www.strandbeest.com/

Enjoy this artwork.