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Ukiyo 2 (Moveable Word) installation performnce

p r e s s r e l e s e

UKIYO 2

A mixed reality installation fusing dance, sound, design and digital projections European premire:

Friday, June 8, 2o:oo

Media Art Center / Maribor, Slovenia

presenting dap-lab / dans sans joux

Conceived and directed by Johannes Birringer, the installation features audiophonic fashion design concepts and wearables by Michle Danjoux, and choreography by Katsura Isobe, Helenna Ren, Anne-Laure Misme, Yiorgos Bakalos and Olu Taiwo; choreography on screen by Biyo Kikuchi, Kayoko Tokumitsu, Yumi Sagara, and Jun Makime;

photography and digital designs by Paul Verity Smith and Doros Polydorou; original music composed by Oded Ben-Tal, with live music composed and performed by Caroline Wilkins and digital sound and sensor interfaces by Sandy Finlayson.

Scenography & lighting by Johannes Birringer.

"Ukiyo" explores the layers of perceptions in an audiovisual world that constantly shifts and fragments; the audience is invited to move in and around the space which features five hanamichi (runways) and several projection screens for the virtual world graphics.

The dancers perform simultaneously with digital objects that are projected. Live sound, music and visual choreography for "Ukiyo" are designed for real-time gestural interaction to animate feedback systems and generative algorithms through with virtual space and performer movements are intertwined.

"Ukiyo" is performed by an international ensemble of performers from the DAP-Lab whose work developed in collaboration with digital artists in Tokyo as part of a cross-cultural research venture in virtual environments directed by Birringer (director of DAP-Lab, and Center for Digital Performance, Brunel University, School of Arts) and co-coordinated by Yukihiko Yoshida (Keio University, Tokyo). The Second Life graphical interface was designed and developed by Takeshi Kabata, Yukihito Obara and Ruby Rumiko Bessho. Additional engineering by Eng Tat Khoo (Keio-NUS CUTE Center & Mixed Reality Lab).

Johannes Birringer, artistic director, DAP

This research project is funded by a PM12 Connect/British Council Grant, a RDF (Brunel University) grant, and is further supported by an award from The Japan Foundation.

Special thanks to Christian Kracht, author of "Ich werde hier sein im Sonnenschein und im Schatten" and Siegfried Zielinski's media archaeology.

dance tech network site of Ukiyo project

All photos (c) DAP-Lab

Design And Performance Lab