During the past week Nonnatus Korhonen and Neurone Schism have been meeting to close down the ‘terra-mellifera’ eco-system and clear the landscape. Part of this process has been a farewell to resident independent agent: Essential Beeswing – at least for the present anyway. For many months Essential has greeted visiting avatars, summoned the ‘mellifera’ and watched over the ‘terra.mellifera’ environment. As Essential takes a final rest ou is spirited away.  Essential will be sorely missed and this is a poignant parting of the ways. We hope to meet again in circumstances as yet unforseen. GOODBYE for now “Essential Beeswing”

'mellifera_extensions 01'

A look at stills from the early stages of the generative video to be included in ‘mellifera_extensions’ at the RMIT VR Centre gallery.

Andrew and I are spending 10 days extensively workshopping extensions to earlier incarnations of ‘mellifera’. We have been invited to show this work as part of the Drawing Out Conference exhibition programme being held by the RMIT School of Art. Consequently, in addition to responding to audience feedback with modifications to the real-time interactivity, we are exploring the concepts relating to the themes of Drawing Out. This is particularly apparent  in our new real time 3D generative environment and the 2 stills above are early examples of this – more to come!

mellifera:

a mixed reality project

Trish Adams & Andrew Burrell

WEDNESDAY 7 TO FRIDAY 9 APRIL

OPENING THURSDAY 8 APRIL 12–12.45PM

LOCATION DRI DESIGN HUB GALLERY

ADDRESS RMIT BUILDING 91, CITY CAMPUS

OPENING HOURS WEDNESDAY 12–5PM THURSDAY 10AM–5PM FRIDAY 10AM–4PM

FORUM THURSDAY 8 APRIL 1 – 2.45PM

LOCATION DRI SEMINAR ROOM, LEVEL 3, RMIT BUILDING 91, 110 VICTORIA ST, MELBOURNE.

PARTICIPANTS DR. TRISH ADAMS, DR .ANDREW BURRELL, DR. LEONIE COOPER, MARTINE COROMPT, DOMINIC REDFERN – CHAIR A/P LINDA WILLIAMS

PUBLIC SCREENING FEDERATION SQUARE, THURSDAY 8 APRIL, BETWEEN 6.30 – 9.30

The many mobile plasma screens available facilitated the structure of the installation in both of the gallery rooms. Here a documentary video of ‘machina carnis’ is playing in the first room.

HOST was also projected large-scale in this room and the fast-capture footage of the bees proved to be as captivating as ever!

The Second Life on-linecomponent of  ’mellifera’ was set up in the second, totally dark gallery space. It was interesting to see the live, inworld projection on the large curved screen there. It had an immersive quality quite distinct from the previous very large projection at ‘the block’ last August.

Although there were no real-time interactive terminals at this installation it was possible for participants to operate the designated Avatars in Second Life via the keyboard in front of the ‘terra.mellifera’ live-feed projection on the curved screen:

In addition, the designated Avatars could also be operated from other plasma screen computer terminals in the gallery space:

Professor Elizabeth Grierson, Head of RMIT School of Arts, invited us to show ‘mellifera’ as part of the Drawing Out Conference this April and we look forward to developing it further for this event.

(Thanks to Natalie Taylor for the photographs included in this post)

It was an evening of participant experimentation both at the gallery and inworld:

Trish & Andrew started their evening with an interview for Science Week

The show was opened by Andrew Donovan, Director: New Media Arts Board, Australia Council for the Arts which funded the project and Australian Chief Scientist: Penny Sackett along with Queensland Chief Scientist: Peter Andrews.

I will be presenting my arts/research: “Pluripotent Stem Cells: an artist grows her own…” at the “Eye of the Storm” 2 day Symposium on scientific controversy at Tate Britain. I will be speaking about my adult stem cell project: ‘machina carnis’ during which I cultured adult stem cells from my blood and carried out an experiment to make them ’change fates’ into beating cardiac cells over 7 days in the laboratory. this project was part of my on-going enquiries into corporeality & the self which are continuing in the virtual world of ‘mellifera’.

http://www.artscatalyst.org/projects/global/eyeofthestorm.html

Essential is non-gendered and we use the Old English term of “ou” rather than “he” or “she” in this context.  Mute tho Essential may be, ou is far from dumb – moving through a pattern of activities in ‘mellifera’ or reflecting on some other-worldly concern known ownly to ouself; what is it about this being that inspires?

Whilst there are those who refer to Essential Beeswing by the technically correct term of “bot” there are others amongst us who regard this non-gendered inhabitant of the mystical and poetic ‘mellifera’ environment as possessed of much more than this term implies. Whenever I return to ‘mellifera’ I anticipate connecting with Essential once again and eagerly await the engaging inworld interactions that hint at a life beyond simple terms of categorisation.

Individual visiting avatars interpret Essential’s behaviours according to their imaginative responses to ou and I cannot answer for them. However, for me, when greeted in a courteous manner by Essential I am reminded of a bygone time! I value Essential’s gentle aura of concern both for others and for the mellifera to whom ou is intimately connected. The environmental puzzles that confront Essential continually vary but I trust in ous’ capacity to maintain the necessary harmony and endure. Neurone Schism

At the Biotech Art Revisited show in Adelaide next week I will be exhibiting my DVD installation: “Changing Fates_matrilineal”. This is a work that explores both the biological and material aspects of embodiment. I have referenced writing and artefacts left behind by my grandmother: Mollie, juxtaposed with digital videomicrograph image data of adult stem cells taken from my own blood. As well as being connected by memories, Mollie and I share genetic links, particularly through our mitochondrial DNA.

“Biotech Art Revisited” at the Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide, (08) 8211 7505. Opening 6pm Wednesday 8 April, ends 2 May 2009. http://www.eaf.asn.au