What’s stopping you from being creative?

Warren Daly - calibrating the LCD

Warren Daly from Invisible Agent and Chhan Dina presented at this years TEDx in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The event combined live speakers with TED video screenings and discussions on the 15th of October 2011. Their presentation was entitled ‘The art of virtual obsolescence‘ and they displayed a working example of an interactive graffiti and painting wall constructed from recycled electronic equipment.

What is TEDx?

At a TEDx event, TEDTalks videos and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. This years event hosted 16 speakers covering topics such as global awareness, education, Khmer Unicode and more. There was live painting, spoken word and live music with participation from the audience. The event was streamed live on the web as part of the TEDx simulcast. Click here for more information regarding TEDx Phnom Penh.

Overcoming the barriers

Chhan Dina painting on a 2 meter wide digital canvas

Dina and Warren also encourage others to dream big and to overcome the barriers restricting their creativity. They shared experiences of how they overcame obstacles restricting them from creating digital art due to lack of access to resources. Chhan Dina painted live on a virtual painting wall that was made with seemingly obsolete equipment and a WiiRemote for less then $50 (US)

Build an interactive art projector using recycled equipment & a Wiimote

List of equipment

• A 15″ LCD monitor – $25
• GNU/Linux – Debian – Free
• Mypaint software – Free
• Nintendo WiiRemote – $20
• Infrared light and torch – <$3
• 3m 9100 – over head project (OHP) found on a pile of rubbish – Free

Full instructions including plans, photos and open source software coming soon!

The Team

Warren and Dina love to use their spare time teaching visual arts to underprivileged children and orphans in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. They are constantly dreaming of new and innovative ways to explore and create art and digital media.

Chhan Dina – Cambodia painter & sculptor

Dina Chhan works in a range of media, including painting and sculpture. Themes of life, music and everyday activities have captured her imagination over the past ten years.

Warren Daly – musician & visual artist

Excursions into man-machine integration has launched Warren headlong into the world of dynamic, engaging live electronics. He is always conjuring up larger and more extravagant ideas, so keep your ears and eyes peeled.  

In January 2001, about a year after myself and Donard McCabe started Invisible Agent we went to hear a band called :undermine: play in the Temple Bar Music center in Dublin. We heard them again at the Mean Fiddler a few months later and swapped numbers and email addresses. Dublin city is not exactly a sprawling metropolis so it wasn’t long before we met :undermine: band members Ian and Dara again at gigs around town. It was an exciting time in Ireland, the electronic music scene was vibrant and the attitude of punters and producers was open and enthusiastic (and still is).

:undermine:

:undermine: were a 4 piece band with influences such as Tool, The Prodigy and releases on Rephlex and Warp record labels. The band had a unique style and certainly released a lot of energy on stage. Every time I heard them play it was an intense and unusual experience. More than you can say about most bands. In 2003 Invisible Agent net-released a 4 track EP by :undermine: and some of their tracks would also be included on our first and very popular free Invisible Agent compilation CD. They were described in the Journal of Music in Ireland as “one of the best electronic acts in Ireland”. Certainly a good start.

Lakker

At the same time Dara and Ian started a project called Lakker, heavily influenced by breakcore and noise. We heard their creations and jumped at the opportunity to help promote their talents. Not only did we release a 4 track net release by Lakker in 2003 we also released (probably not many of you know this)  a 5 track net-release by Suburban Cutting Champions (another moniker of theirs). Later they would go on to release on other fine labels such as Alphabet Set, RISC, Lazybird, Acroplane, !Kaboogie and Stasis. They certainly work hard at attracting followers with their addictive, energetic and glitchy bass heavy salvos of sound. Their intricate programming and experimental mash-ups using everything from hardware loops to crazy software configurations certainly keeps even the most lethargic listener engaged and entertained. Eo and Dara have got even more attention lately, Richard D James played 3 Lakker tracks in one of his DJ sets (July 2011), it must be encouraging to get a nod from Mr James.

Resilience

So what’s the point of this little history lesson? Well, after all this time both Eo and Dara are still creating and Invisible Agent is alive and kicking (although at times we are never sure the bilge pump will keep all the water out). I think that’s pretty neat and it gives me unmeasurable pleasure to announce Ian Mc Donnell’s first solo EP on Invisible Agent entitled ‘mnk’. Keep your ears open and eyes peeled for future releases from Eomac and Lakker. Exciting times all round.

Remember, you heard it first on Invisible Agent oh, and do tell your friends.

Got your balance right?

September Equinox is a time of balance when “day and night are equal”, well almost equal. It marks the beginning of winter preparations and is a time to respect the impending dark while giving thanks to the sunlight.

Spinning some tunes in celebration

To celebrate the sun crossing the celestial equator I am playing a selection of Dub, Ragga, Dubstep, Drum & Bass at Equinox, Phnom Penh tonight. The party starts at 9pm and runs until late. So, if you’re up for getting your pagan wiggle on, spacing out to some deep bass or just kicking back and relaxing, come on down and have some fun. Big shout out to Hipparchus (Greek astronomer and mathematician), have a happy Moon festival. 中秋節

Swarm Intelligence – ‘On the edge’ EP

Originally from Ireland, Berlin based Simon Hayes has a fetish for the musically obscene. Expect a twisted mega-mash of grime, industrial Techno and jungle when he hits the Technics. On the production side his ability to fuse grimey deep bass with neck-snapping Electro and distorted Techno is second to none.

It gives us great pleasure to release this debut EP from Swarm Intelligence on Invisible Agent. Click here to go to the release page