hola todxs! I am still on a bit of an erratic schedule, but wanted to get something out this week especially bc there’s a cute event at Wonderville today! (see below).
how are u all doing? I am finally making some of my own stuff again, tho slowly amidst lots of other work. I have been playing with biopolymers mostly! I was feeling kind of down about making sculptural works, because a lot of the materials I love to use are pretty wasteful (resin, silicone, leather, acrylic, etc). I have been experimenting w/ making some alternatives that can be composted, etc., and I’m not in love with the results yet (my best material is made of potato flour and smells pretty gross even after a week of drying 😭), but I’m optimistic!
I’ve been playing with recipes I’ve been finding via various groups and designers working with biopolymers, but my starting point has been materiom. check it out if you’re interested in exploring making some bio-materials (and stinking up ur kitchen a lil).
resource roundup!
Processing Foundation Press still has a handful of physical copies available of the p5.js 1.0 Contributors Zine, with all proceeds from the sales being donated to Afrotectopia and POWRPLNT, Black-led organizations who work in technology and the arts. you can grab a copy for $40 here, and you can check out a digital version here.
speaking of Processing, Golan Levin has been teasing an upcoming Processing library for embroidery via computer-controlled machine, and is looking for beta-testers. check it out:
Shapes is a new vector graphics library for Unity by Freya Holmér, and it’s now available via her Patreon for supporters at the $10 or higher level. I haven’t tried it out yet myself but I am dying to. you can learn more about the project and subscribe to her Patreon here.
open source design collective Collletttivo has a new font this week that looks ideal for that sci fi visual novel you are working on (is anyone else clinging to the new Dune adaptation as some entertainment to look forward to???). you can check it out and download it here.
here’s a big ol’ list of resources on the top of digital morphogenesis (creating form via code). articles, code repos, projects, books, software, u name it u got it. bookmark this one for later.
open calls & residencies!
note: a lot of open calls are still optimistically planning for events and residencies to be held normally starting Fall 2020. be sure to stay up to date as circumstances may change.
Contemporary Arts Alliance Berlin is awarding an art prize for virtual reality in the field of visual arts with an institutional exhibition in Germany. the prize focuses on exploring the artistic potential of new technologies, seeking to explore and critically reflect on how they impact individuals and society. this open call is open to visual artists based in Germany and runs til June 30, so apply ASAP (applications will be accepted in English and in German. learn more here.
the BFI London Film Festival will have a new XR and Immersive program this year, and there’s an open call for submissions running until June 29:
This new strand will feature a variety of new pieces from bold, innovative creators from around the world who use fiction and non-fiction, as well as a range of creative techniques to communicate with audiences. We’re particularly keen to see works from artists who have a strong interest in storytelling and are exploring the creative culture that exists in the connections between moving image, creative technologies, fine art, music, gaming, theatre and fashion.
learn more here.
WINGS invests in indie games made by women and diverse teams. their selection committee meets every 2 weeks to review pitches, and they primarily fund PC and console games with up to $500k in investment. learn more here!
education opportunities
did u hear that friends-of-the-newsletter School of Machines, Making & Make-Believe received an honorary mention in the Ars Electronica Digital Communities category? why not check out some of their upcoming programs for this summer? upcoming courses include subjects like art, medicine and the human body, making personal games, and art and animals in the age of AI and bio-engineering. rad! you can learn more here.
📅 upcoming events!
today June 20! 4PM GMT -4: Wonderville is teaming up with LiveCodeNYC for a Minecraft Algorave! players can buy tickets to the server for $5 or watch for free on the Wonderville Twitch channel. cute! learn more here.
June 23! 6PM GMT -4: Pioneer Works technology resident Johann Diedrick will lead a collaborative workshop on creating soundscapes. participants will be invited to make their own recordings in their home and then learn how to compose with the open-source audio editing software Audacity. learn more here.
also June 23! 5PM GMT -4: Harvestworks will present a broadcast of viral symph0ny by post-conceptual artist Joseph Nechvatal via their Twitch channel. it was created between the years 2006 and 2008 using custom artificial life C++ software based on the viral phenomenon model. learn more here.
also also June 23! 12PM GMT -4: the New Centre will air the fourth episode of our public program Sheltering Places, titled “Computational Risk & Algorithmic Horizons” with guests Lawrence Abu Hamdan and Nora Khan, moderated by The New Centre Researcher Martina Cavalot. the topic of discussion will be on machine-vision & machine-speech, software neutrality, algorithmic violence. learn more here.
recommendations!
did u buy the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality on Itchi.io the other week? if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of exploring 1741(!!!) games and experiences, here’s a lil site that will either pick a random game for you or let you browse the collection with an array of filters.
just for lulz!
*~housekeeping~*
if you have anything in the works that you are excited about (an event, a workshop, a new project), please send me all the details.
also the Facebook group is officially DEAD! NO MORE! it has CEASED TO BE! if you wanna share links or chat, there is now a Discord server that you can use here.
I’m also gonna be bringing back creator features next week, so if u already submitted your work don’t fret, and if you want to and haven’t, fill out this form here.
