MUTEK_IMG 2
The second edition of MUTEK_IMG was presented in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Montréal and the Phi Centre. Its centrepiece was Virtual Reality with the first edition of the VR Salon, which was developed with Mediabiz International and presented in collaboration with RPM. The program also embraced other innovative formats of creation and intervention, like mapping, hacking, interactive art, and digital art in the public space. Additional activities focused on the topic of identity surveillance and alternative networks.
The 2015 edition’s content partners included Eastern Bloc, the Quartier des spectacles and the National Film Board of Canada.
VR SALON
The VR SALON is the centrepiece of the second edition of MUTEK_IMG. Developed with Mediabiz International and presented in collaboration with RPM, it offers several activities to professionals and those interested in a deeper and more comprehensive dive into Virtual Reality.
Thursday, October 1 | 5:00pm - 9:00pm
The KALEIDOSCOPE EVENT features artist talks and demonstrations from technology partners involved in the traveling Kaleidoscope showcase, which is a part of the VR exhibition taking place at the Phi Centre, as well as a special rendezvous with various Montréal VR startups. Exclusive access to the works included in the VR exhibition will be reserved for participants of the VR SALON and those who have purchased individual tickets for this event.
Artist talks: Mac Cauley - Borrowed Light Studios (US) • Avram Dodson (US) • Vincent Morisset (QC) - AATOAA • René Pinnell - Kaleidoscope (US)
Montréal VR startups: Yan Cyr & Jean-Francois Tremblay - Beam Me Up (QC) • Christian Eve-Levesque - Vimersiv (QC) • Patrice Robitaille - RetinadVR (QC) • Marc-Olivier Lepage - Vrvana (QC)
VR Demos: Vrideo • Altspace Vr • Condition One • Videostitch
Friday, October 2 | 9:00am - 9:00pm
The VR SALON CONFERENCE is a day long event exploring the myriad issues involved in VR, bringing together visionary research, innovative technologists, multimedia artistic creators and adventurous production and distribution companies.
9:00am - 12:00pm | The Creative Track: Keynote and Case Studies
Keynote: GREG J. SMITH - HOLO Magazine (CA)
Speakers: FRED CASIA - National Film Board of Canada (QC) / ANDRÉ LAUZON - Cirque du Soleil Media (QC) / ROBIN MCNICHOLAS - Marshmallow Laser Feast (UK) / DUNCAN RANSOM - The Endless (US) / LOÏC SUTY - Turbulent (QC) / PHILIPP WENNING - invr.space (DE) / SIMON WILKINSON - CiRCA69 (UK)
12:00pm - 1:30pm | Networking Luncheon
1:30pm - 4:15pm | The Technology Track: Case Studies
Speakers: FÉLIX ARGUILLÈRE - AC3 - VR Studio (FR) / NICOLAS BURTEY - VideoStitch (FR) / VANDER CABALLERO - Minority Media (QC) / CASEY HANCOCK - EEVO (US) / HUGH MCGRORY - Datavized (US) / DAVID MENARD - Autodesk (QC)
4:30pm - 6:00pm | The Industry Track: Roundtable
Moderator: FRÉDÉRIC GUARINO - Mediabiz International (QC)
Speakers: ALEJANDRO DINSMORE - EEVO (US) / SÖNKE KIRCHHOF - reallifefilm international (DE) / MARC PETIT - XPND Capital (QC) / ALEX ROSENFELD - Vrideo (US)
6:00pm - 9:00pm | Networking Cocktail
VR EXHIBITION
The MUTEK_IMG VR EXHIBITION features more than 20 films and augmented experiences mixing live action and computer animation. With thirty VR headsets on hand, visitors are invited into a universe of leading edge artistic productions: from 360˚ videos to immersive interactive works. Most of these pieces are part of the travelling exhibition curated by San Francisco's Kaleidoscope.
As part of this free program, MUTEK_IMG also offers an introduction to the fundamentals of Virtual Reality.
Thursday, October 1 | 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Presentations and discussion: VR 101: the (Re)Birth of Virtual Reality?
Thursday, October 1 | 5:00pm - 9:00pm
KALEIDOSCOPE EVENT: exclusive access to the exhibition, the artists, the technology partners, as well as a special rendezvous with various Montréal VR startups.
COMMON SPACE
Common Space? is a tour of 8 works in various public spaces in Montreal’s Quartier des spectacles, presented from October 1 to 18, 2015. Born of a creative process exploring humanity at the heart of technology, it combines the talents of 13 artists from 7 countries. Montreal is the first leg in this international interactive journey.
Common Space? is co-produced by the National Film Board of Canada, the Quartier des spectacles Partnership and MUTEK, and is part of the much larger Human Futures project produced with the support of the European Union’s Culture Programme and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
All details about the works are here.
Activites including artists of the Espace Commun? project:
> PRESENTATIONS: Interactive Art in the Public Space: The Common Space? Project
> PANEL: Black Hat, Grey Hat, White Hat: Privacy Ethics of a Hacktivist
> PANEL: Off-the-Grid: Alternative Networks in the 21st Century
> DISCUSSION: A Side Man 5000 Adventure
> WORKSHOP: The Sideman 5000 Sample Salon with Darsha Hewitt
> WORKSHOP: Wireless Forensics with Julian Oliver
> GUIDED TOUR: Common Space?