Archive for the ‘Special’ Category

Ocean Revolution Benefit: Support Work in the Gulf

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

What: Ocean Revolution Benefit
Where: Gray Area Foundation for the Arts
55 Taylor St. San Francisco, CA 94102
When: Thursday, July 29th, 6:30-9:30PM
How: Tax Deductible Donations are requested $20-$10,000 http://bit.ly/TORF2010

6:30 – Drinks, Registration
7:00 – Presentations begin with never before seen footage taken by J (and team) from The Gulf
7:15 – J presents on his travels & new programs created by Ocean Revolution

While the cap is now in place, and the flow may be under control, the work for the ocean remains.

Earlier this month Dr. Wallace “J” Nichols traveled to the Gulf of Mexico oil catastrophe to understand first-hand the horrific conditions facing sea turtles during and after the devastation that recently occurred in the gulf. As part of a response team focused on sea turtle rescue and rehab efforts, J is now learning what can and should be done to help save the turtles. In one month he is returning from his trip and he needs our help.

To celebrate J’s efforts and raise money for future research trips we invite you to join us at the Ocean Revolution Benefit on Thursday, July 29th here at the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts. In addition to supporting J’s remarkable work in the Gulf, you’ll be learning about positive changes we can make in the gulf with your help.

Presentations begin with never before seen footage taken by J (and team) from The Gulf. This will be followed by J presenting on what he saw, talking about new programs created by Ocean Revolution, and describing how Ocean Revolution will address oil, toxins, and plastics in the Gulf.

All are welcome to attend the event but we’re asking for a donation (anywhere from $20.00 -$1,000 payable at the door of the event). To attend the event, please R.S.V.P. Sarah at whatsarahsees@gmail.com; make sure the subject line reads ‘I support the Ocean Revolution.’ In addition to hearing J speak at the event, you can earn more about J’s efforts check his blog at http://wallacejnichols.org/ or follow him on twitter @wallacejnichols.

Can’t attend the benefit but still want to contribute to the cause? Online tax-deductible contributions are being accepted here via the Ocean Foundation (http://bit.ly/TORF2010)

SYZYGRYD NEEDS YOU!

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Have you ever wanted to create interactive art? Or perhaps you’ve thought about making some new friends? Or maybe perhaps learn some new skills? Well, if you’re lucky you’d do all three AND you’d enjoy the incredible sense of accomplishment that comes from collaborating on a large-scale art project.

Syzygryd Proposal Imagery

Syzygryd Proposal Imagery Set via nicoletbn on Flickr

Well. If you happen to be seeking any or all of the above mentioned things we suggest that you consider becoming a Syzygryd volunteer!

Currently Syzygryds “all hands” build days take place on Tuesday nights (You know..the day AFTER Monday but BEFORE Wednesday) and all day on Saturdays and Sundays. Just in case none of the above days work for you, work also occurs throughout the week. In fact why don’t you go ahead and join the http://lists.syzygryd.com/listinfo.cgi/build-syzygryd.com”>mailing list to keep up on their full schedule and other build information?

If and when you decide to join this group of fantastic creative people you should know that their build days are held at NIMBY, a DIY industrial arts space located at 8410 Amelia Street in Oakland. Additionally, these clever folks can be found working in any number of satellite locations throughout the area everywhere from Menlo Park’s TechShop to San Francisco’s Ardent West.

Worried about not having the chops to throw down? Don’t fret my friends! No prior experience is necessary! Syzygryd is happy to train their volunteers in a variety of fabrication tasks; they are happy to teach everything from sheet-metal bending to riveting to wiring and carpentry.
Syzygryd aims to offer something for everyone, regardless of skill level though, of course, experienced builders are always welcome. Just in case you were wondering it’s NOT necessary to attend, or have attended Burning Man to volunteer for Syzygryd. While the Syzygryds’ sculptures will debut at this year’s Burning Man event, the work is designed for audiences worldwide and it’s created by a similarly diverse group of volunteers.

Speaking of Burning Man…The group is also seeking volunteers to help with assembly at Burning Man, as well as the subsequent operation, disassembly and load-out. As many of you well know, pre- and post-event is a very special time at Burning Man and if your schedule permits either, the experience is highly recommended. Apparently they are especially in need of post-event support. Wink Wink. Nudge Nudge. If you’re interested, why don’t you go ahead and contact them to let them know?

Tiny Vipers, Svarte Greiner, Lissom, & Crystal Hell Pool

Monday, May 10th, 2010

RML SF presents an intimate evening of live performances by Tiny Vipers (Sub-Pop), Svarte Greiner (Type, Miasmah), Lissom (Dragon’s Eye), and Crystal Hell Pool (Dead Accents)

Start Time:
Sunday, May 30, 2010 at 8:00pm
Location:
Gray Area, 55 Taylor St. San Francisco, CA

Sliding Scale $10 – $15 advanced tickets.

Featured Artists:

Tiny Vipers

Svarte Greiner

Lissom

Crystal Hell Pool

ViceVerse “Graphisms” Exhibition Opening

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

“Graphisms” exhibition opening, Pictoplasma screening & Color Me! wall, with Live A/V performances by wo0 & Invisible Bob.

When: Wed. April 28th | 7pm -11pm
Location: Gray Area 55 Taylor St. SF 94102
Cost: $5-$10 suggested donation, no one turned away for lack of funds.

The Collaborative Design Expo will feature work on display from Dis-Patch and Communikey resident designers Nebojsa Cvetkovic and Marshall Demeranville III.

The Pictoplasma screening installation will showcase a selection of short animation films from the previous Pictoplasma Animation festivals. Clips and films feature a staggering list prominent studios and designers from all over the world, and are mostly pop music videos or short animated films. Find out why the entire world of graphic or character design and animation is gravitating towards this focal point in Berlin, Germany!

WoO is a Guitar & synth player from Belgrade. Interested in sounds transmitted from various devices people use everyday (mobile phones, remote controls, radio…), and with them he creates shimmering, highly detailed, frequency rich ambient music with organic/analogue feel. Two official solo albums: Mobi Rock (rx: tx, 2007) Come Blue (a.star recordings, 2008), as well as many other compilations, free web releases and live recordings. On an live show often collaborates with visual artist Incredible Bob, and has played throughout Europe, including many improv meetings with other musicians. A blissful journey in spacey sound… A/V concerts with Bob, improv meetings with local musicians.

As part of the ViceVerse collaborative tour – San Francisco! April 28th, 29th, and 30th – Full Schedule here
Presented by Gray Area, RML SF, Communikey & Dis-patch

ViceVerse: Communikey + Dis-patch Collaboration Tour

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Gray Area, RML SF, Communikey & Dis-patch present the ViceVerse collaborative tour!

Representing the broad spectrum of this cultural exchange, we will present the full program, including a graphic design exhibition, Ableton Live, and A/V feedback workshops, Pictoplasma animation screening, and music by wo0, Piece of Shh, Moodswinger (DJ), and Pigeon Funk (DJ Sets).

The tour will take place over the course of 3 days: Wed. April 28th, Thursday April 29th, and Friday April 30th.

Exhibition opening, Pictoplasma screening & Color Me! wall, with Live A/V performances by wo0 & Invisible Bob.

When: Wed. April 28th | 7pm -11pm
Location: Gray Area 55 Taylor St. SF 94102
Cost: $5-$10 suggested donation, no one turned away for lack of funds.

Full details

2 Hands-On workshops: Intro to Ableton Live, and A/V Feedback

When: Thurs. April 29th | 7pm -10pm
Location: Gray Area 55 Taylor St. SF 94102
Cost: $40 , each workshop limited to 15 students.

Full details

Register for Ableton workshop:

Register for A/V feedback workshop:



Kids-Patch Workshop & Orchestra, Sonic Chop Shop, and ViceVerse Tour showcase!

When: Friday April 30th | 7:30pm -2:00 am
Location: Gray Area 55 Taylor St. SF 94102
Cost: $10-$15 sliding scale

Sliding Scale $10 – $20

Schedule:
Kids-patch: 4 – 7pm
Kids-patch Orchestra: 7:30 – 8pm
Sonic Chop Shop: 8pm – 9pm
Tour showcase feat. D Numbers, Piece of Shh…, Moodswinger (DJ), and Pigeon Funk DJ Sets: 9pm – 2am

Full details.

False Profit LLC’s Alchemy

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Gray Area is thrilled to host False Profit LLC on May 1st, 2010 for Alchemy!

Alchemy is an annual San Francisco event, packed with interactive art installations built to connect and amaze you. Participation highly encouraged — but we know you won’t be able to resist picking up that joystick, paintbrush, or microphone. See the flyer and press release below for more information.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC — Officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today announced that no regulations will be placed on the so-called Outlandish Ideas (OI) market. This move is seen as a victory for both capitalists and artists preparing for False Profit, LLC’s fourth annual Alchemy event on May 1.

“We’re pleased that the commission sees the wisdom in letting us take our batshit-crazy ideas as far as possible,” said False Profit staff economist Rosco Petracula, speaking through a prismatic tube from a tiny sacred galaxy unfolding inside the mind of an obscure minor deity. “After all, hasn’t this sort of reasoning driven every major economic advancement in history?”

Two years ago, the public learned an acronym previously only known to quantitative financial analysts: CDS (Credit Default Swap). These financial instruments, built on bets around subprime mortgages, led to the massive collapse of credit markets and sent the global economy into a tailspin. In hindsight, the way these types of investments pretended to do away with risk seem absurd.

Today, we know that risk is unavoidable and absurdity inevitable. False Profit’s Alchemy event, now cleared by the SEC, is expected to further provoke wild creativity in the OI markets. No idea is too outlandish to be unleashed. While some fear increases in spontaneous interaction and artistic expression, many are welcoming the preposterous unpredictability.

Reacting to the SEC statement, Mary Pranckster, Director of the Gonzo Tactics Institute said, “The primary reason we saw a meltdown in ‘08 was actually low insanity levels. Sure, at the time everyone thought things were crazy, but let me tell you: You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

For investors, some of the more visible outbursts of imagination will come on May 1 at Gray Area Foundation For The Arts (GAFFTA), where Alchemy will take place. Activities from zoetrope-building to ice cream making will take place alongside an interactive hyphae video floor, puppet theater, an immersive diorama, strobe flowers, and demonstrations from a wide range of experts in exotic disciplines.

http://false-profit.com/alchemy

dorkbotSF at Gray Area

Sunday, April 4th, 2010

About dorkbotSF
dorkbot-sf is a spinoff of dorkbot-nyc which is
“a monthly meeting of artists (sound/image/movement/whatever), designers, engineers, students and other interested parties from the new york area who are involved in the creation of electronic art (in the broadest sense of the term.)”
The purpose of dorkbot is to:
give artists/programmers/engineers an opportunity for informal peer review
establish a forum for the presentation of new art works/technology/software/hardware
help establish relationships and foster collaboration between people with various backgrounds and interests
give us all a chance to see the cool things that our neighbors are working on

Wednesday, April 21 2010
7:30pm

Location:
Gray Area Foundation for the Arts
55 Taylor Street

Friday, March 26th 7pm – 9pm
Recommended $5-20 donation, however no-one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Presenters

Tim Hunkin - Tim Hunkin’s Recent Arcade Machines
http://www.timhunkin.com

Includes Fly Drive (a simulator where you are a fly, trying to eat as much as possible without getting swotted). Also Whack a Banker (an enhanced version of wackamole) and the coin operated nuclear reactor he is building at the moment.
Tim Hunkin trained as an engineer, but then became a cartoonist (drawing a strip for a UK sunday paper called The Rudiments of Wisdom for 15 years). His next career was in television (writing and presenting three series called The Secret Life of Machines for Channel 4). For the next ten years he worked for museums, building interactive exhibits and curating and designing exhibitions. He is currently obsessed with his amusement arcade on Southwold pier.

Eric Gradman – The Cloud Mirror: Your Virtual Self is Leaking
http://monkeysandrobots.com/

You gaze into the Cloud Mirror, and it gazes deep into you. It will violate your privacy, especially if you carelessly litter the Internet with sensitive personal details. The Cloud Mirror is an art piece which temporarily merges visitors’ online identities with their physical selves. It uses augmented reality, computer vision, accesses many Internet web services in parallel using cloud computing resources to identify visitors by name; mine the Internet for photographs and facts (dirt) about them; and superimpose that data in an on-screen comic book thought bubble that follows them onscreen.
Eric will talk a little about the interactive art that’s been coming out of SyynLabs in Los Angeles, and the games that have been coming out of the Virsix Game Lab.

Eric Gradman is an interactive artist in Los Angeles, CA. His work often features computer vision, large-scale projections, unusual sensors, and custom electronics to produce fun environments that compel people to interact.

He is a frequent speaker on robotics and interactive systems. He is co-founder of Virsix, an immersive entertainment company in Los Angeles; SyynLabs, a Los Angeles-based tech-art collective; and a founding member of Crashspace LA, Los Angeles’ first hackerspace.

Eric’s work has been seen at various conferences and events, including Sundance Film Festival, Los Angeles Brewery ArtWalk, TEDxUSC, TEDxBerkeley, Opportunity Green Conference, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), BIL, TEDActive, and the Los Angeles Hammer Museum.

Annalee Newitz – Revenge of the Meatsack, Or Four Arguments Against Immortality
http://io9.com
http://techsploitation.com

A lot of science fiction promises us a future where we are immortal, enhanced posthumans. And scientists are trying to make that happen. But immortality isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. In this presentation I’ll offer four arguments against immortality, both as a scientific/technical phenomenon and a social goal.
Annalee Newitz writes about science, technology, and pop culture. Currently she’s the editor in chief of io9.com, a blog about science fiction and the future. She’s published articles in Wired, 2600, The Washington Post, New Scientist, Popular Science, and the San Francisco Bay Guardian. She’s the author of Pretend We’re Dead: Capitalist Monsters In American Pop Culture, and the co-editor of the essay collection She’s Such A Geek. Formerly, she was the policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and a lecturer in American Studies at UC Berkeley. She was the recipient of a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship at MIT.

Hacks/Hackers: An evening with Stamen Design

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Hacks/Hackers is proud to present an evening with Stamen Design, a design and technology studio that has earned international renown for its projects that transform data into art.

Stamen’s recent journalism-related work included a project with NBC to visualize Twitter for the Olympics, historical hurricane maps for MSNBC, and also SF Crimespotting and Oakland Crimespotting, projects to display police data. They are also looking to push the boundaries of presenting data in print.

Stamen founder and creative director Eric Rodenbeck will present a selection of the firm’s recent projects and talk about their process. Before founding Stamen in 2001, Eric led the interactive storytelling and data-driven narrative effort at Quokka Sports, illustrated and designed at Wired Magazine and Wired Books, and was a co-founder of the design collective Umwow.

The Gray Area Foundation for the Arts is a nonprofit dedicated to building social consciousness through digital culture. We are suggesting donations of $5-$20 for their generosity in providing the space, and drinks will also be available for suggested donations.

April 8th, 2010
Schedule:
7-730p: Arrive, drinks and chat
730-830p: Eric’s presentation, Q&A
830p-9: More drinks and networking
9p-whenever: Head to a nearby bar TBD for more talk with good company

About Hacks/Hackers:
Journalists call themselves “hacks,” someone who can churn out words in any situation. Hackers use the digital equivalent of duct tape to whip out code. Hacker-journalists try and bridge the two worlds.

This group is to bring all these people together — those who are working to help people make sense of their world. It’s for hackers exploring technologies to filter and visualize information, and for journalists who use technology to find and tell stories. In the age of information overload, all their work has become even more crucial.

This meetup aims to help members find inspiration and think in new directions, bringing together potential collaborators for projects and new ventures.

Avant Mutek tour: Akufen, Stephen Beaupre, Sutekh

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

MutekSF

RML SF, Gray Area, and Mutek present the Avant_Mutek Tour!
Friday, April 16th 2010 | 10pm
Location: Gray Area 55 Taylor St. SF
Advanced tickets – are closed. $20 at the door before 11pm, $25 after 11pm.

Featuring:
Akufen (Musique Risquée, Perlon, Mutek, Force Inc | Montreal)
Stephen Beaupré (Musique Risquée, Circus Company | Montreal) LIVE
Sutekh (Context, Soul Jazz | San Francisco) LIVE

Join us as we start the countdown to the 11th edition of the Mutek festival!
Mutek is an international festival of electronic music and digital creativity. Known for showcasing a broad spectrum of boundary-pushing culture, Mutek has undoubtedly had tremendous positive impact on all participants since its inception. Join us as we start the countdown to the 11th edition of the Mutek festival!

Akufen is the musical pseudonym of Montreal, Canada based artist, Marc Leclair. Leclair makes electronic music that is often described as minimal house, minimal techno, glitch, click hop, or microhouse. Leclair’s pseudonym comes from the french word for tinnitus (ringing of the ears), acouphène. His 2002 album “My Way” introduced his concept of “microsampling”, which was essentially a way of using extremely small and short clips of samples he had randomly recorded off of F.M. radio broadcasts as a key musical element. Leclair has also gone under the pseudonyms Horror Inc., David Scott, Nefuka, and Anna Kaufen.

Stephen Beaupré
More than 10 years of active participation on the Montreal scene has converted Stephen Beaupré into an uncontestable dj/ artist in the world of Canadian music. Attracting attention with his Crackhaus project, for which he collaborates with his friend and fellow artist Deadbeat, Steve has managed to gain recognition as a solo artist with his EP Dirty Lipreading on the upstart Montreal label Musique Risquée, launched by Akufen and Vincent Lemieux. 2006 brings the release release of his first solo album, the masterful Foe Destroyer, released on both Musique Risquée and MUTEK_REC . His particular approach to music manifests itself in decomposed and syncopated rhythms, which he develops with an incredible spontaneity. Animated ambiances based upon abstract and organic textures abound in his productions, where an equal measure of house and techno interplay with elements of funk, guided by a strong artistic sensitivity. Diverse vocals and instrumentation, reworked with humor, intermingle with intense beats, delivering both a relaxed and agitated tone to his pieces.

Sutekh
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1991, Sutekh, has released music on dozens of record labels, including Mille Plateaux (Germany), Soul Jazz (UK), The Leaf Label (UK), Orthlorng Musork (USA), and his own Context Free Media. While identified most often as a techno artist, Sutekh is well known for his innovative and irreverent approach, incorporating a range of influences from pigeon funk, dub, and free jazz to experimental noise, musique concrète, and classical minimalism.

One Button Objects: Kokoromi + Create Digital Motion

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

Gray Area Foundation, Kokoromi, createdigitalmusic.com, and createdigitalmotion.com present One Button Objects, a collection of playful interactive circuit-based creations.

Friday, March 12th
ONE NIGHT ONLY
6PM-9PM
(cash bar available, donations accepted)

In an age of sophisticated multi-touch, augmented reality, and sensors, what can be done with a single, lowly button? Inspired by a one-button challenge to game designers for the Gamma game competition, a group of artists, working with sound, interaction, light, and gaming, answers that question. From a plush, beating heart to a drinking game to one-button musical instruments, these handmade circuit objects push the envelope of what a single button can do.

One Button Objects is co-curated by Heather Kelley from Kokoromi and Peter Kirn from createdigitalmusic.com and createdigitalmotion.com

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