Very nervous system

Technische Beschreibung

Particular skills and resources to realise/organise the project:
programming, specialized computer design and fabrication, computer language development, plus constant reflection on the real-world ramifications, philosophical and psychological aspects of the interaction.
The piece created and intentional direct encounter between a virtual behaviour and real bodies in real space.
Updates or follow up projects:
The project has evolved into a set of video-based interactive tools which are used by many other artists.

Hardware / Software

Vielfältige Medien (Hardware) (stets Computer, Videokamera, Digitizer, Synthesizer)
anfangs: selbstgebaute Videokameras, Apple Computer, selbst hergestellte Digitizer, Apple-basierter digital sound Synthesizer (Mountain Hardware Digital Synthesizer)
Zuletzt: Macintosh Computer, Custom DSP Prozessor, Videokamera, MIDI Synthesizer

Statement

The goal was to create an environment in which physical actions generated visceral sonic responses that drew participants into an intense real-time feedback loop. Another goal was to create an environment where I as the artist could present a structure of possibilities rather than fixed events, sounds and images.
Reactions to and evaluation of the project:
The reaction was very positive. For many, it was the first non-encumbering interactive artwork that they had seen, and its ease of use and strong sense of bodily involvement meant that interest in it spread beyond the art and technology sphere to the dance, theatre, and music communities as well as the community of researchers developing technologies for the physically disabled.

VNS was innovative in 1983 when I presented the first results. At this time, there had been little visceral human/computer interaction. Others like Myron Kruger had done some similar things before. Very Nervous System was probably most remarkable for the intense directness of the interaction while using a diffuse interface that had no visual markers.

(David Rokeby)

Ausstellungen / Präsentationen

• Approximately 75 exhibitions (mostly art galleries and museums, perhaps 10% in Science Museum contexts, some music and dance festivals) About 20 performances (telematic, dance, music, theatrical, etc) Perhaps another 50 public presentations at Festivals, conferences, etc.

Veröffentlichungen

• Catalogs: "Twitch", Ace Art. Winnipeg, 2003 “S.O.S.: Scenes of Sound”, Tang Museum, Saratoga Springs, 2000 “Media Time”, Bolzano, 1999 “David Rokeby: Giver of Names”, MacDonald-Stewart Arts Centre, Guelph, 1998 “Tempozan Conterporary Museum”, Osaka, 1997 “Biennale di Firenze”, Florence, Italy, 1996 “Shätze & Visionen”, Verein für Kulturvisionen, Graz, Austria, 1996 “The Presence of Touch”, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, U.S.A., 1996 “Oltre il Villagio Globale”, Triennale di Milano, Milan, Italy 1995 “The Interaction ‘95”, International Academy of Media Arts and Sciences, Ogaki City, Japan, 1995 “Arte Tecnologia”, Arte No Século XXI: A Humanização das Tecnologias, São Paulo, Brazil, 1995 “Sound Art ‘95”, Sound + Art, Hannover, Germany 1995 “In Light of Our Reflections”, Tuft’s University Art Gallery, Medford, U.S.A. 1995 “TechnoArt”, Ontario Science Center, Toronto, Canada 1994 “Corps et Machines”, Deuxième Biennale International de Charleroi/Danses, Charleroi, Belgium 1994 “Il Corpo”, Futuro Remoto, Naple, Italy 1993 “European Media Arts Festival 1990”, Osnabrück, Germany 1990 “Technologies et Imaginaires”, Art Cinema/Art Video/Art Ordinateur, Paris, France 1990 “Machinations”, La Société d'esthétique du Québec, Montréal, Canada 1989 “Wonderland of Science Art - Invitiation to Interactive Art”, Kawasaki-shi, Japan 1989 “Transinteractivity”, Ontario Science Center / McLuhan Program, Toronto, Canada 1988 “Image du Futur ‘88”, La Cité des Arts et des Nouvelles Technologies de Montréal, Montréal, Canada 1988 “Festival des Arts Electroniques”, Rennes, France 1988 “XLII Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte La Biennale di Venezia”, Venice, Italy 1986 “Strategic Arts Initiative”, McLuhan Program, Toronto, Canada 1986 “ArtMedia II”, Istituto di Filosofia, Salerno, Italy 1986 Texts (By Rokeby with reference to Very Nervous System) “Constructing Experience”, “Digital Illusions” (ed: Clark Dodsworth), Addison-Wesley, New York 1998 “Transforming Mirrors”, in “Critical Issues in Electronic Media” (ed: Simon Penny), SUNY, New York 1995 “Very Nervous System”, in The Virtual Reality Casebook (ed: Carl Loeffler), Van Nostrand Reinhold 1994 “Very Nervous System”, article in Der Prix Ars Electronica Edition ’91, VERITAS-Verlag, Linz 1991 “Tanz in der Feedback-Schleife” in Erstes European Software Festival, Vogel-Verlag, Würzburg 1991 “The Harmonics of Interaction”, MusicWorks, Spring 1990 “Predicting the Weather”, MusicWorks 32, Winter 1985/86 “Dreams of an Instrument Maker', MusicWorks 30, Winter 1985 “Reflexions”, Ear Magazine Technology Issue May/June 1984

Sekundärliteratur

• Press: “Dances With Machines”, Technology Review, May/June 1999 “Very Nervous System”, WiReD Magazine, March 1995 “The Machine in the Garden”, Parallelogramme, Volume 18 No. 4 1993 “Nervöse Systeme”, Tanz Aktuell, Feb 1992 “Marshall McLuhan meets Super Mario”, Saturday Night Magazine, Nov 1992 “Communications Arts for a New Spatial Sensibility”, Leonardo, Vol. 24, No. 2, 1991 “Interactivity: From Sound to Motion to Narrative”, Art Papers vol.15 no. 5, Sept/Oct. 1991 “Video og edb giver musik”, Ingeniøren, May 18, 1990 “The Importance of Being Technological”, Border Crossings, 1989 “Moving Music”, Electronic Musician, October 1989 Leonardo, Volume 23, No. 1, 1988 “L’esthetique de la communication: Dossier”, ArtPress 122, February 1988 “Le Virtuel, Imaginaire Téchnologique”, Traverse 44-45, September 1988 “Body Language explored movement’s relation to sound”, Regina Leader-Post, October 1988 “High-tech works take their cue from computers”, Toronto Globe and Mail, June 25, 1987 “Biennale: Uncertain Meld of Art and Technology”, International Herald Tribune, June 28-29, 1986 “Body Language”, TO Magazine, April 1985 Substantial representation in Books: Pioniere Interactiver Kunst (Sönke Dinkla) Edition ZKM, Cantz Verlag 1997

Referenzen

• Myron Kreuger's VideoPlace Very Vivid's Mandala System Simon Vietch's interactive sound system, (Australia) and many interactive sound projects in the last 10 years...