mellifera

TAXA @ the RMIT VR Centre

Trish — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 07:36:30 +0000

The TAXA opening was well attended and the VR centre proved to be an exciting venue to show in.

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)

documentary images from the ‘mellifera’ opening at ‘the block’

Trish — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:08:59 +0000

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

‘mellifera’ opening at ‘the block’

Trish — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:24:34 +0000

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.

mellifera youTube Channel

andrew — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:57:11 +0000

mellifera now has its own youTube channel. For video documentation of mellifera have a look at

http://www.youtube.com/user/melliferaProject

essential beeswing needs your help

andrew — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:00:00 +0000

the terra.mellifera eco-system is no longer stable due to the introduction of a virtual bacteria that has been introduced through the presence of avatars in the space.

essential is doing ous best to keep the balance, but, it is also possible for visiting avatars to help move the energy collected by the mellifera, and in turn help heal those that have become infected.

in fact it is now evident that the mellifera population is becoming more and more reliant on visiting avatars working along side of essential to keep the bacteria in check.

please join essential in-world to help where you can
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caerleon%20Isle/242/239/27

Eye of the Storm Symposium, Tate Britain

Trish — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:04:41 +0000

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 Beeswing, ‘mellifera’ resident

Trish — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 07:17:25 +0000

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

the metaverse and beyond_neurone reflects…

Trish — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 04:52:31 +0000

Such wonderment awaits the intrepid voyager both within and without the metaverse! For neurone schism gaffa gallery was the scene of much exploration and excitement in the company of her trusty collaborator nonnatus and other revellers on the night of 16th March. Supported by the worthy investigators from the Australia Council for the Arts new life-forms were released in her native “mellifera”. Returned home, she now enjoys the company of Essential Beeswing and a host of virtual “melliferas” in her Second Life.

gaffa opening night

andrew — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:10:51 +0000

some shots from the real world launch at gaffa gallery. The virtual bees or the mellifera were release by the push of an antique button, by Australia Council chairman James Strong AO. It was a busy night and the anticipation of the maiden flight could be felt in the air, followed by applause as a stream of mellifera flew free publicly for the first time.

looking at embodiment and connections

Trish — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:18:10 +0000

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