Tags: Interact Labs
Esther Rolinson - Splinter, Melt and Thread
Posted: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 14:13
Visual artist Esther Rolinson is currently working with Dave Everitt (DMU) and Sean Clark (Interact Labs) to implement three new artworks - Splinter, Melt and Thread. All three pieces combine intricate physical structures with computer controlled lighting. The artworks will be exhibited at Phoenix in the Cube Gallery later in the year.
Paul Granjon - Robots and Humans
Posted: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 18:30
Paul Granjon is a performance and visual artist whose interest lies in the co-evolution of humans and machines, a subject he explores with self-made machines for live performance or exhibition. Granjon has produced since the late 1990s a collection of robots that include a set of Robotic Ears and Tail, several Automated Forests, a kicking automaton, a disco-dancing humanoid… His best-known creations to date are the Sexed Robots, a male and a female wheeled platforms that performed their cybernetic romance in the Welsh Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2005.
Paul will be coming to Phoenix on Tuesday 6:30pm 11th March 2014 to give a talk about his work and process. Entry is free, but you are encouraged to book in advance as places are limited. You can do so here on the Phoenix site. You can find out more about Paul's work on his website at www.zprod.org.
Alice Tuppen - Point. forty
Posted: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 14:14
DMU Masters student Alice Tuppen worked with Interact Labs to produced the technology needed to support her Point. forty show that was exhibited in the Phoenix Cube gallery at the end of January 2014. Sean Clark helped her to design electrical switches and Arduino circuits that could be used to trigger sixteen different video clips when various objects were moved by the exhibition visitors. Micro- and tilt-switches were used to send information to a pair of Mac mini's via an Arduino and a Max/MSP patch. This in turn played the video clips on four screens in the gallery space.
The Computer Artwork of Desmond Henry
Posted: Mon, 20 Jan 2014 19:00
We have a great Computer Arts Society talk coming up in February. Elaine O'Hanrahan will be speaking at Phoenix on the 11th February at 6:30 about the artwork of her father Desmond Henry.
Henry was a computer arts pioneer who worked in the 1960s. Unusually, he made use of mechanical - or analogue - computing devices from decomissioned WWII and 1950s bombers. He adapted these machines by adding pens to capture their motions, resulting in a large body of complex and intricate images.
Elaine will be showing examples of her father's work and talking about how he developed his unique machines and ideas. The talk is free to attend and their will be time for questions. Book a free place here.
Digital Making in Leicester
Posted: Sun, 12 Jan 2014 23:58
Interact Labs has only been going for two and a bit months and we've already managed to generate a lot of interest in "Digital Making" in Leicester. In fact, there have been over 400 visits to the lab since we opened on October 26th 2013.
The 3D printer has been particularly well-used, with local artists, technologists and workshops attendees all creating and printing their own 3D objects (often for the first time). We've also helped bring together a group of people interested in setting up a hackspace in Leicester. If all goes to plan, we will actually be opening "Leicester Hackspace" at the Makers Yard (just two streets away from Phoenix) in February.
Our plans for 2014 are to do more of the same. We will continue to hold Digital Makers Group meetings monthly, support groups such as Creative Manifesto and Leicester Hackspace, organise talks and workshops, and run a few live events. There will also undoubtedly be a few surprises too. Remember, everything we do is about encouraging people to be creative with technology. There will be plenty of opportunities for you to get involved, whatever your level of expertise (or not!).
To keep in up-to-date with what is happening make sure that visit the interactlabs.co.uk website regularly and join our email list, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
St Georges App Launch - Cultural Quarter Trail
Posted: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 17:17
The new St Georges App and Cultural Quarter Trail was launched on Friday to an audience of over 70 people. The iPhone and Android app - produced in collaboration with Cuttlefish, Phoenix and the University of Leicester - provides historical information about the St Georges aka Cultural Quarter area of Leicester. It contains pictures, text and audio interviews and is a free download from http://www.leicestercultureapp.co.uk. A video about the project can also be found here. The St Georges App is the first output from our Locative Media Hub area of work.
Steven Mills
Posted: Fri, 29 Nov 2013 14:15
As part of his residency at Two Queens gallery in Leicester, graduate artist Steven Mills experimented with 3D printing at Interact Labs. Using a Kinect-based 3D scanner he produced 3D images of his workspace and then printed these on our FlashForge 3D printer in PLA plastic.
Leicester Hackspace Progress
Posted: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 15:20
Leicester Hackspace meets fortnightly at Interact Labs. At Tuesday's meeting we went to look at a potential space of our own in the Makers Yard - just a couple of minutes from Phoenix Square. The general feedback on the potential space was very positive generated a fair amount of excitement. If you want to feed in to the discussion about the space please visit the Leicester Digital Makers Google Group. At the next meeting (on the 3rd of December) we will discuss all submitted responses. A couple of panoramas of the proposed space are now available.
Creative Manifesto "Lights the Night" in Leicester
Posted: Sun, 17 Nov 2013 23:22
Tonight was the culmination of many months of work by Leicester arts group Creative Manifesto. "Light The Night" saw projection mapped video projections, specially produced lighting and the amazing "Pixel Pyros" show in the Cultural Quarter in Leicester. A huge crowd oo-ed and ahh-ed as they were treated to a truly spectacular evening. See our event page for pictures and a video of the Pixel Pyros show. Pixel Pyros was created by Seb Lee-Delisle. The CQBA and Phoenix were co-producers of the event.
Light the Night - Next Weekend!
Posted: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 22:00
The Creative Manifesto group (who meet every other Tuesday at Interact Labs) have been beavering away over the past few months on a great live multimedia project. "Light the Night" happens on 17th November in Leicester's Cultural Quarter. The event starts at 3:30pm with the highlight being projection mapped visuals designed by Creative Manifesto along Halford Street from 5pm. From what we've seen this is going to look amazing. There will also be a "virtual" pyrotechnics display from 5:30pm called "PixelPyros" as well as live music and specially produced lighting around the area. Follow the link for more information.
