Waves, Body, and Disturbing Overtones
DATES

20-29 JULY 2022

LOCATION

Thinker Maker Space & Theatro Polis

Thinker Maker Space (TMS) of CYENS Center of Excellence, with the opportunity of the residency completion of the artist Nicolina Stylianou, presents Waves, Body and Disturbing Overtones. 

The event will be held at the TMS premises and NIMAC – Theatro Polis OPAP from the 20th until the 29th of July 2022, and it will include invited artist talks, workshops, live performances as well as the exhibition of Inflated Liquidity, a body-sculpture instrument developed during Nicolina Stylianou’s residency which will be showcased at the exhibition area of TMS.

The event is organised by Thinker Maker Space in collaboration with Nicolina Stylianou.

READ MORE HERE

Waves, Body and Disturbing Overtonesfocuses on the relationship between one’s sensory stimuli and the indeterminate that co-exists in the co-dependency of the body and the technological instruments. Often, the nuances of sound exist in places where they shouldn’t and thus educe bodily enhancements or disturbances in one’s body, hosting unfamiliar experiential references. Derek Holzer explores vintage audiovisual synthesis technology used by schools, electronic music studios, television, radio, and various composers in Swedenduring the 1960s and 1970s. Mihalis Shammas explores the intricacies in movement and sound through instrument building and performance. Shammas’ Lyraei instrument manifests tensions with electromagnetic pulses that set the strings into continuous oscillation, concluding on the in-betweenness of chaos and order. Nicolina Stylianou’s Inflated Liquidity instrument, explores the infra-structures of sound as an extension of one’s body and movement. Stylianou’s body-sculptures are conceived by negotiating the state where objects are pre-identified and by capturing the machine as a supplement that extends the body’s anatomy, movement and sensations.

Waves, Body, and Disturbing Overtoneschallenges the artists to think how the nuances of sound can become an organism that modifies its environment and itself so as to synthesise unfamiliar ontological and “re-embodied” spatial-boundaries and states of experiencing sound, movement, and the visual.

REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

Participation to all event activities is free. Registration is required to attend all talks, workshops and the performance since limited seats are available. The exhibition is open to the public and no registration is required.

PERFORMANCE

EVENT CALENDAR

Click on the calendar slots to see the full information about each activity during the event.

MON

No activities

 

 

 

 

TUE

No activities

 

 

 

 

WED 20.07

2-DAY WORKSHOP
by Derek Holzer
11:00-15:00

PERFORMANCE
by Nicolina Stylianou
20:00-21:00

  
  
  

THU 21.07

2-DAY WORKSHOP
by Derek Holzer
11:00-15:00

SERIES OF TALKS
by various artists
16:30-19:30

EXHIBITION OPENING
by Nicolina Stylianou
16:30-20:00

FRI 22.07

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

  
  
  

 

SAT/SUN

No activities

 

 

 

 

MON 25.07

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

  
  
  

 

TUE 26.07

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

2-DAY WORKSHOP
by Nicolina Stylianou
15:00-19:00

  
  
  

WED 27.07

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

2-DAY WORKSHOP
by Nicolina Stylianou
15:00-19:00

  
  
  

THU 28.07

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

  
  
  

 

FRI 29.07

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

  
  
  

 

SAT/SUN

No activities

 

 

 

 

MON 01.08

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

TUE 02.08

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

WED 03.08

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

THU 04.08

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

FRI 05.08

EXHIBITION OPEN
by Nicolina Stylianou
10:00-16:00

SAT/SUN

No activities

 

ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE

PERFORMANCE

Inflated Liquidity performance

20 JULY 2022

Inflated Liquidity

Project Conceptualisation by Nicolina StylianouPerformed by Melissa Garcia Carro, Ioli Kaskani and Nicolina Stylianou

20:00-21:00

Inflated Liquidity is a body-sculpture instrument in its prototyping form developed during Nicolina Stylianou’s artistic residency at Thinker Maker Space of CYENS Centre of Excellence.

Inflated Liquidity – prototype 01, consists an air-generator, a body-sculpture, a soundbox and eight flue pipes. The body-sculpture hosts the air from the air-generator and through movement and pressure the performer sends the air to the soundbox. The flue pipes let the wind pass through a slit and hit the upper lip and further causes the wind to oscillate. The oscillation is produced by an in-out repetitive movement.

The sounds of Inflated Liquidity are equally dependent on the performers’ body movements, strength and synergy that actively interact with the vibrating sound waves of the sculpture. Creating a performative loop between the body, the movement and the sound through and within the body-sculpture. Inflated Liquidity is a co-inhabitant of multiple spaces (body, structure, rules and play, space) and a process to explore relational communication between bodies in space.  The instrument’s rhetorics discuss the social, intimacy, play and pleasure, humour, the act of consent and the negotiation of space and agency. The work traces the mechanics of Hydraulis, Pipe Organ, Accordion, bagpipe, and the 19th c. Suspension machines for musculoskeletal therapy, treatment and strength.

With the completion of the performance an Exhibition will follow on the 21th of July 2022, at the TMS Exhibition Area. More information on the relevant section.

 

20 JULY 2022

Inflated Liquidity

by Nicolina Stylianou

20:00-21:00

Read the description here

Inflated Liquidity is a body-sculpture instrument in its prototyping form developed during Nicolina Stylianou’s artistic residency at Thinker Maker Space of CYENS Centre of Excellence.

Inflated Liquidity – prototype 01, consists an air-generator, a body-sculpture, a soundbox and eight flue pipes. The body-sculpture hosts the air from the air-generator and through movement and pressure the performer sends the air to the soundbox. The flue pipes let the wind pass through a slit and hit the upper lip and further causes the wind to oscillate. The oscillation is produced by an in-out repetitive movement.

The sounds of Inflated Liquidity are equally dependent on the performers’ body movements, strength and synergy that actively interact with the vibrating sound waves of the sculpture. Creating a performative loop between the body, the movement and the sound through and within the body-sculpture. Inflated Liquidity is a co-inhabitant of multiple spaces (body, structure, rules and play, space) and a process to explore relational communication between bodies in space.  The instrument’s rhetorics discuss the social, intimacy, play and pleasure, humour, the act of consent and the negotiation of space and agency. The work traces the mechanics of Hydraulis, Pipe Organ, Accordion, bagpipe, and the 19th c. Suspension machines for musculoskeletal therapy, treatment and strength.

With the completion of the performance an Exhibition will follow on the 21th of July 2022, at the TMS Exhibition Area. More information on the relevant section.

 

EXHIBITION

Inflated Liquidity Exhibition

21 JULY - 5 AUGUST 2022

Inflated Liquidity

by Nicolina Stylianou

EXHIBITION OPENING & DISCUSSION
21 JULY 2022 | 16:30-20:00

EXHIBITION DURATION
22 JULY – 5 AUGUST 2022 | 10:00-16:00
Monday-Friday (closed on weekends)

In continuation to Nicolina’s performance at Theatro Polis, an exhibition will be hosted at the Thinker Maker Space Exhibition Area to showcase Inflated Liquidity. The Exhibition opening will take place on the 21 July 2022, 16:30-20:00, and it will remain open Monday to Friday, 10:00-16:00 until the 29th of July.

SERIES OF TALKS

Inflated Liquidities: Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables
Inflated Liquidities:
Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables
16:30-17:30

by Nicolina Stylianou

The talk will focus on Nicolina’s artistic work and the process of making the first prototype of Inflated Liquidities as part of her artistic residency at CYENS – Thinker Maker Space.

Making the Lyraei
Making the Lyraei
17:30-18:30

by Mihalis Shammas

In this talk, I will be presenting the story of the Lyraei instrument. The Lyraei is an electromagnetic string instrument for drone music, created for the purposes of my own artistic practice. We will go through a few of my previous projects to follow how this idea was shaped, and afterwards explain the details behind designing and engineering the instrument.

Historically Informed Audiovisual Synthesis
Historically Informed Audiovisual Synthesis
18:30-19:30

by Derek Holzer

How can we use audiovisual instruments from the past to help us imagine instruments of the future? My name is Derek Holzer, and I am a Media and Interaction Design researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. My work explores vintage audiovisual synthesis technology used by schools, electronic music studios, television, radio, and various composers in Sweden during the 1960s and 1970s. A number of these instruments are unique specimens which represent visionary, idiosyncratic, and often commercially unsuccessful attempts to reinvent creative production methods according to specific visions of the future. During this talk we will see and hear some of these instruments, think about what sort of utopias they represented during their time, and consider how those correspond to the dreams and possibly fears of today.

Inflated Liquidities: Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables
Inflated Liquidities:
Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables
16:30-17:30

by Nicolina Stylianou

Read the description here

The talk will focus on Nicolina’s artistic work and the process of making the first prototype of Inflated Liquidities as part of her artistic residency at CYENS – Thinker Maker Space.

Making the Lyraei
Making the Lyraei
17:30-18:30

by Mihalis Shammas

Read the description here

In this talk, I will be presenting the story of the Lyraei instrument. The Lyraei is an electromagnetic string instrument for drone music, created for the purposes of my own artistic practice. We will go through a few of my previous projects to follow how this idea was shaped, and afterwards explain the details behind designing and engineering the instrument.

Historically Informed Audiovisual Synthesis
Historically Informed Audiovisual Synthesis
18:30-19:30

by Derek Holzer

Read the description here

How can we use audiovisual instruments from the past to help us imagine instruments of the future? My name is Derek Holzer, and I am a Media and Interaction Design researcher at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. My work explores vintage audiovisual synthesis technology used by schools, electronic music studios, television, radio, and various composers in Sweden during the 1960s and 1970s. A number of these instruments are unique specimens which represent visionary, idiosyncratic, and often commercially unsuccessful attempts to reinvent creative production methods according to specific visions of the future. During this talk we will see and hear some of these instruments, think about what sort of utopias they represented during their time, and consider how those correspond to the dreams and possibly fears of today.

WORKSHOPS

20-21 JULY 2022

Sounds of Futures Passed: Media Archaeology, Design Fiction, and Electronic Instruments
Sounds of Futures Passed:
Media Archaeology, Design Fiction, and Electronic Instruments

by Derek Holzer

11:00-15:00

This cooperative learning workshop invites creative minds from any field to investigate the utopian promises of media technologies. Using a series of historic electronic sound instruments as our case study, we look backwards in time to trace the hidden histories of technological artifacts. Then, each team of participants will design, test, and present the prototype of a speculative sound instrument of the future which has been inspired by one from the past. Since these prototypes are non-functioning, no technical skill are required for their design. Objects will be constructed using CAD (Cardboard Aided Design). No technological limitations apply to the objects themselves either, so use your imagination! Instruments may be presented as text, image, video, sound, performance, sculpture, or some combination of these practices. Use your instrument design to tell us about the hopes, dreams, and fears of the future. This workshop mixes lecture, discussion, and collaborative work in two half-day sessions with an informal presentation at the end of the second day. The workshop will be held in English.

26-27 JULY 2022

Inflated Liquidities: Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables
Inflated Liquidities:
Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables

by Nicolina Stylianou

15:00-19:00

Inflated Liquidities: Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables is a workshop on how to think with the body so as to build inflatables prototypes with silicone often used in soft robotics. According to Kirk M. Besmer, “in re-embodiment, one’s body is both here and there”, also meaning that their presence is in two spaces simultaneously (Besmer 2015). Given that, “Inflated Liquidities: Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables” is an artistic attempt to synthesise new forms of sensing the space, site and body, like a probing cane that extends one’s senses and desire to navigate through simultaneous spaces(body, space, and perception) when in motion. When one’s body is within a body-sculpture, they are stimulated to unravel their psycho-spatial indeterminatere-embodiment that shifts from one (i.e., the intimate) space to the other (i.e., social).

The workshop will assist participants to think with the body so as to build inflatables prototypes with silicone often used in soft robotics.

20-21 JULY 2022

Sounds of Futures Passed: Media Archaeology, Design Fiction, and Electronic Instruments
Sounds of Futures Passed:
Media Archaeology, Design Fiction, and Electronic Instruments

by Derek Holzer

11:00-15:00

Read the description here

This cooperative learning workshop invites creative minds from any field to investigate the utopian promises of media technologies. Using a series of historic electronic sound instruments as our case study, we look backwards in time to trace the hidden histories of technological artifacts. Then, each team of participants will design, test, and present the prototype of a speculative sound instrument of the future which has been inspired by one from the past. Since these prototypes are non-functioning, no technical skill are required for their design. Objects will be constructed using CAD (Cardboard Aided Design). No technological limitations apply to the objects themselves either, so use your imagination! Instruments may be presented as text, image, video, sound, performance, sculpture, or some combination of these practices. Use your instrument design to tell us about the hopes, dreams, and fears of the future. This workshop mixes lecture, discussion, and collaborative work in two half-day sessions with an informal presentation at the end of the second day. The workshop will be held in English.

26-27 JULY 2022

Inflated Liquidities: Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables
Inflated Liquidities:
Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables

by Nicolina Stylianou

15:00-19:00

Read the description here

Inflated Liquidities: Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables is a workshop on how to think with the body so as to build inflatables prototypes with silicone often used in soft robotics. According to Kirk M. Besmer, “in re-embodiment, one’s body is both here and there”, also meaning that their presence is in two spaces simultaneously (Besmer 2015). Given that, “Inflated Liquidities: Prosthetics, Body-sculptures and Inflatables” is an artistic attempt to synthesise new forms of sensing the space, site and body, like a probing cane that extends one’s senses and desire to navigate through simultaneous spaces(body, space, and perception) when in motion. When one’s body is within a body-sculpture, they are stimulated to unravel their psycho-spatial indeterminatere-embodiment that shifts from one (i.e., the intimate) space to the other (i.e., social).

The workshop will assist participants to think with the body so as to build inflatables prototypes with silicone often used in soft robotics.

ARTISTS BIOS

Nicolina Stylianou
NICOLINA STYLIANOU
Resident Artist

Nicolina Stylianou is a visual artist who mainly works with performance, sound, and sculpture. In her artistic work she turns objects into vital things by re-situating the mythical within contemporary settings, and performs with them live. Stylianou holds a Masters in Arts (Theatre and Drama) from the Theatre Academy – University of the Arts Helsinki (FI), and a BA (hons) in Art & Design from Kingston University London (UK).  Her work was exhibited in performance festivals, exhibitions, museums, and artistic residencies in the United States of America, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, France, Finland, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In 2016, she founded “sensorium space” a mobile art platform dedicated to engage with the art of living exhibits.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA   |   instagram/aetherlinna 

WEBSITE   |   nicolinastylianou.com

MIHALIS SHAMMAS
Invited Guest

Mihalis Shammas is a Cypriot (born 1988) designer and sound artist. He holds a Diploma in Architecture (AUTH, Greece) and a Master’s degree of Music in Sonology (KonCon, the Hague). He has been an active member of the Instrument Inventors Initiative in the Hague, the Netherlands, since 2020. His work is driven by an urge to create narrative objects and tools for musical expression. It spans over instrument making, performance, sound sculpture and installation work. In all these areas, he explores intricacies in movement and sound by animating simple materials, manifesting tensions between the mechanical and the chaotic. Mihalis has performed and exhibited work in various occasions in Cyprus, Greece, Finland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA   |   instagram/mihalisshammas   |   bandcamp/mihalisshammas

WEBSITE   |   mihalisshammas.com

Derek Holzer
DEREK HOLZER
Invited Guest

Derek Holzer (USA 1972) is an audiovisual artist, researcher, lecturer, and electronic instrument creator based in Stockholm. He has performed live, taught workshops and created scores of unique instruments and installations since 2002 across Europe, North and South America, and New Zealand. He is currently a PhD researcher in Media & Interaction Design at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, focusing on historically informed audiovisual synthesis.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA   |   instagram/macumbista   |   vimeo/macumbista   |   github/macumbista

WEBSITE   |   macumbista.net