automate utopia / release the deamons

RIXC flyer for the show, image by unknown artist / the internet

durational performance / 48hr robot rave
materials: robot arm, modular synthesizers, hangout and conversation
dimensions: variable
year: 2019

during a 48 hour rave we release our inner daemons and feed them to the robots.

bring synths and patch cords. bring soup and sketchpads. get weird. just bring you. this is an open invitation.

central to this project is robots playing electronic music, as well as thoughts and discussions on automation, productivity and loss of control.

standing in the middle of the room, is a robot arm playing modular synthesizers. the robot never stops playing music, but it is sometimes turned down slightly, so it is possible for the humans in the room to share their thoughts on automation, music, and a world without work: if the robot plays our music, what do we do?

robot setup with modular synthesizers

this project was the result of my residency at RIXC in 2019. i spent the production budget of this show on flight tickets for my friends to come join. a wonderful array of musicians, artists, thinkers and activists joined: henrik chulu, halfdan mouritzen, maria nadia, lotte løvholm, dviid gauthiier, jakob bak, sidsel christensen, anders carlsson / goto80, benjamin busch / tier.space, louise / meter space, line falk, jan gloeckner, kodek, reinis nalivaiko, arturs kalvans, maija demitere and more.

you can listen to the full 51 hour recording of the robot here. this is a recording of the robot output only, without human conversations.

thanks to RIXC and thanks to everyone for making this a very special weekend in riga! thanks to kodek and erica synths for getting me and the robot hooked on eurorack!

...

program:

thursday february 7: opening 18:00 (and ongoing for 48 hours): robot music

friday february 8: 12:00-16:00 - presentation by jacob remin followed up by a conversation with jacob remin, ilva skulte, normunds kozlovs, and rasa smite

friday february 8: 19:00-21:00 - erica synths garage: BR laser, jacob remin, kodek and goto80 live performances

saturday february 9: 14:00-16:00: workshop: sonic spaces of care

saturday february 9: 20:00 closing, afterparty at bolderāja with performances by halfdan mouritzen, dviid gauthier, and void_ft_deelis.

the images below are snippets from the weekend, taken by the participants.

lotte løvholm, sidsel christensen, anders carlsson in conversation, photo by benjamin busch
conversation between jacob remin, normunds kozlovs and rasa smite, photo by benjamin busch
RIXC gallery, photo by maija demitere
reinis nalivaiko and the robot, photo by benjamin busch
robot playing music, photo by maija demitere
workshop: sonic spaces of care, photo by benjamin busch
performance by sidsel christensen, photo by maija demitere
reading by dviid gauthier, photo by maija demitere
halfdan muritzen cooking soup, photo by maija demitere
panoramic glitch by henrik chulu
photo and drawing by halfdan mouritzen
henrik chulu taking picture of tuna the cat, photo by sidsel christensen
jacob remin live at erica garage, photo by sidsel christensen
goto80 and kodek live at erica garage, photo by benjamin busch
halfdan mouritzen, jacob remin, jan gloeckner, maija demitere, and henrik chulu: good times, photo by benjamin busch
jam with anders carlsson / goto80, jakob bak, kodek, the robot, and jacob remin, photo by aturs kalvans
custom software controlling the robot, photo by arturs kalvans
screenshot of the custom made software controlling the robot

for pictures from the opening event at RIXC by kristīne madjare click here

for more picture from RIXC by arturs kalvans and maija demitere click here

for more pictures by benjamin busch click here

this project was kindly supported by the danish arts council, nordic council of ministers, erica synths and RIXC.