E-textile sounds!

Mika Satomi & Magdalena Ågren are planning to work on a collaborative music performance project. Mika is an e-textile costume maker and Mag is a musician. Mika will make an e-textile costume for Mag that controls her analog synthesizers and other effects when she plays. Mag will shout through her trombones and megaphones. The eclectic duo is curious to experiment if the e-textiles tame or unleash the performer!

They hope to end the camp with a new performance by Mag with her new costume. They are open to collaborate or get inspired by other campers at the PIFcamp. Join them!

Solder & Synonyms by Dirty Electronics

Join our node holder John Richards aka Dirty Electronics on a DIY circuit-bending journey!

Solder & Synonyms is a call to action that draws on sense of place and the picturesque surroundings of the Soča Valley and combines circuit building, writing text and critical thinking. Each day participants will spend time developing texts – for example, stories, poetry, manifesto, schemas, and abstract expressions – and building a DIY artwork circuit board where the text is stored on a microprocessor and “playedback” on a LCD. The text also forms the basis for digital wave-table sound synthesis. The writing part of the workshop offers a counter balance to focused indoor soldering and being tethered to mains electricity. Take inspiration from the natural environment. Wanderlust!

Statement

In 2017, I was first invited to Slovenia to give a workshop that brought together my interests in DIY circuit building and electronics and writing, which by chance took place at the birthplace of celebrated Slovene poet Valentin Vodnik. The circuit was prototypic, being assembled using wire-wrapping techniques and the frame of a wire coat hanger, and a LCD was used for scrolling text written by participants. In the build up to this workshop I’d discussed my interest in both writing music and text, and the semiotics of machines. I wanted to combine these interests with the creation of a singular object. Following this workshop, I’ve continued to explore alternative forms of publication: fanzines, booklets, text embedded on microchips, risograph printing, DIY printers and unorthodox printing formats. I’ve repeatedly stated that my next publication will take the form of one of my synths. Solder & Synonyms will make this happen. An artwork circuit board specially designed for the camp will become, not only a tabula rasa for my next publication, but also for PIFcamp attendees.

The wave-table sound synthesis and the circuit board will build on recent Dirty Electronics’ projects: 57mm, Radical Chip (with Max Wainwright) and Polytik synth.

MOTHeremin 2.0 by Staša Guček

We are announcing the first PIFcamp project MOTHeremin 2.0, and it coincides with our yamamai graphical identity! MOTHeremin is an analog electronic instrument for the blind and visually impared for learning about endagered lepidopterans of Slovenia developed by Staša Guček.

MOTHeremin, analog electronic instrument arose from the emerald waters of Soča Valley during PIFcamp Nature &Nerdture in 2018, surrounded by forests, mountains and night creatures – moths.

Electronic circuit of MOTHeremin, which is designed as a thorax of the moth, is based on the first electronic musical instrument called theremin. It was invented by a Russian physicist Leon Sergeyevich Theremin in 1920s. This is an unique instrument, because it can be played without touching it and only with changing the distance of users’ hands from two electrodes – antennas or sliding with fingers over the copper lines.

With a wish to spread awarness about rapid decline of insects (so called “windshield phenomen” – 2.5% rate of annual loss over the last 25-30 years, especially butterflies, moth and bees), Staša Guček is going to design an upgraded version of MOTHeremin with electronic circuits replicating patterns of the most endagered lepidopterans in Slovenia. Etched circuits on copper plates form a relief, therefore analog electronic instrument will become a learning sonic tool for the blind and visually impared. Sliding through the copper lines, patterns they will get to know the most endagered butterflies and moths of Slovenia not just through touch, but also through sound. Beside that users will be able to learn the basics of electricity flow and electronic components.

Along with this Staša will introduce you the world of fascinating and peculiar science facts, mythology, notes from literature, soundscapes and other stories about the multi-pattern flying creatures.

Last call for PIFcamp #5!

Before we close the open call for applications on May 20th we’d like to share this year’s node holders!

Kersikova bio hackers will once again join forces with Dario Cortese, our wild edible plant guru, and work on food fermentation. Dario also expressed some interest in hacking the borreliosis – he’s planning to provide an overview of making preparations for its treatment.

Lynne Bruning will continue to host daily Wandering Cafe in the mornings and e-textile workshops in the afternoons. She also wants to do explore various techniques of block printing on fabric.

Scott Kildall is a new media artist who works with datasets related to natural sciences and how they interact with human civilization, transforming these into sculptures and interactive installations. Scott’s involvement at PIF will be extension of his PIFresidency (Artist-in-Residence programme as part of Feral Labs Network) projects called Unnatural Language. He will use the Soča surroundings to make a dynamically-synthesized soundscape by setting up electronic sound sculptures across the meadows and trees and make them communicative with each other.

Last but not least – all the electronics and DIY synth enthusiasts can join a project Solder & Synonyms by John Richards aka Dirty Electronics which is combining circuit building, writing text and critical thinking.

And there is much more to come! DITOxicate yourself and APPLY NOW!

PS: Those who already applied – expect your answer on Tuesday May 21th.

PIFcamp #4 sound projects

It seems like the latest PIFcamp, well, its amazing participants, produced more  sound related projects than we anticipated! We are re-posting some of them so you can all take a sound trip down the Soča memory lane.

Juan Manuel Escalante: Sounds of Soča (Zvoki Soče)

Photo by J. M. Escalante

Zvoki Soče is a one week project made in the Julian Alps during PIFcamp 2018, featuring field recordings, electronic sounds and visual scores.

Photo by J. M. Escalante

Alexander Phleps: “Create one piece of sound every day”

Alexander made an audio collage of various sound & field recordings (also featuring jam sessions) during PIFcamp and turned them into 7 tracks – each for every day. Listen to them here:

Ina Thomann (Lino Leum): Sonance Garden

Listen the 2-minute recording from Ina’s installation Sonance Garden in which 3 sensors influenced the sound of the PIFcamp environment:

https://hearthis.at/lino-leum/sonancegardenfinal/

Aleš Januš Luznar (Yanoosh): Ictus Cordis

During PIFcamp Yanoosh was working on an audiovisual project where his hearth is used as an instrument. In Ictus Cordis the artist explores the application of the biofeedback method or a mutual heart reaction to the stream of a sound composition as an artistic inspiration. The project was presented in Ljubljana on 24, 25 & 26 November.

PIFcamp 2018 – Images and Sounds!

The envisioned and realizable PIFprojects are about to be completed. Another contribution to the long list is the Library of Missing Parts and Inclusive Circuits, a humorous database of missing graphic representations, which illustrate our relationship to technology. The sensor building workshop led by Hannah and Vaclav is going along nicely. We managed to build several sensors from textiles, which will sonify our work through modular synthesis.

Klemens Kohlweis is another artist who made it possible to listen to our immediate surroundings. He used several parabolic microphones to isolate and amplify selected sounds at great distances. The sound of wind takes center stage in Juan Duarte’s project Aeolian Artefact. Januš Aleš Luznar (Yanoosh, Ohm Fat) is also fast approaching the rhythm of his heart with the help of two stethoscope-looking  microphones he built at the camp.

Two participants, both working at the intersection of sound and visual art are Connor Haynes, an audiovisual artist from UK and Juan Manuel Escalante, best described as a nomad. Both were making field recordings in places around PIFcamp, manipulating them and producing accompanying visuals. Escalante envisioned a graphic album and created a series of refined artwork, which reveals various locations where he made the recordings. He considers releasing the project in a fanzine form.

The Slovenian visual artist Tisa Neža Herlec focused on the sonification of her drawing table, which she managed to accomplish with a few contact microphones. Music and sound also drive the Sonance Garden interactive installation by Ina Thomann, an Austrian artist working under the artist name Lino Leum. She will be able to manipulate the sound in the installation by changing the degree of light, moisture and temperature.

We are also trying to grasp the concept of time. For Anna Sircova, a psychologist working and living in Denmark, time has been the subject of intense research. An enticing glimpse of the future is provided by Jakob Scheite and his Fortune Telling Machine. A sample of a donor’s urine is used to measure concentrations of the donor’s hormones and these measurements collectively are used to predict an individual’s future.

Open Saturday 2018!

PIFcamp is nearly finished, which means the grand finale is at hand – the traditional Open Saturday! Join us, meet this year’s participants and check out the projects we were developing during the past week.

The programme will start around 1 PM, and will continue late into the night. Food and drinks will be available – for a small contribution you won’t be hungry or thirsty, but we would kindly ask you to find your accommodations else where.

See you!

Programme:

Urška Alič (SI) – silk printing “PIFish” workshop

Luka Frelih (SI) Distributed Sensing Dome – 3D scanning of big objects

Lynne Bruning (USA) The Wandering Cafe – morning chat in a pop-up cafe down the Soča river bank

Hanna Perner-Wilson (AT) Sense Yourself Making – performans & tattoo session

Václav Peloušek (CZ) – sonification of skateboarding using wireless shoe pressure sensors

Bernhard Rasinger (AT) – laser show

Dmitry Morozov ::vtol:: (RU) Hot Ninja – performative Wi-Fi action

İpek Burçak & Eren İleri (TR) Secure Shell – multimedia installation

Jakob Scheithe (AT) Fortune Telling Machine – A bio-hacked urin fortune teller

Juan Manuel Escalante (MEX/USA) Sounds of Soča – immersive listening session

Juan Duarte (MEX) Aeolian Artefacts –  sound installation on the bridge

Kleemar (SI) – live act

Inna Thomann (AT) Lino Leum: Sonance garden – interactive sound installation

Klemens Kohlweis (AT) – parabolic directed microphone presentation

Anna Lerchbaumer (AT) – sound installation

Connor Haynes (UK) ­– AV installation

Lavoslava Benčič (SI) – Audible Healing Pressure Points + introductory workshop of e-textiles

Maggie Kane (USA) – presentation of the smart jacket prototype (MIDI controller)

Sanja Hrvaćanin & Eva Pondrk (SI) – presentation of the smart jacket prototype for cyclists

Anna Sircova (DK) – lecture Psyhology of time & installation Space of Futurisation

Danilo Ivanuša Knedl (SI) cooking workshop for kids

Kristijan Tkalec, Ahac Meden, Dario Corteze (SI) – fermented goods tasting

Lio Novelli & Jurij Podgoršek (SI) – presentation of Daktyl keyboard

Lovrenc Košenina (SI) – setting up a permanent DIY weather station

Jani & Niko Pirnat (SI) – Rock & roll ball

Tisa Neža Herlec (SI) – hands-on presentation of a sound instrument