Swarming Lounge, 2018, mixed-reality installation/performance

Work commissioned by the Niet Normaal Foundation


The opposition between the physical and the virtual characterizes the work of artist duo kondition pluriel. Swarming Lounge is a participative, body-based, mixed-reality installation-performance grounded on an intelligent virtual environment. The interactive composition system allows visitors and dancer/performers to interact with virtual characters displayed on the audience’s smartphones. Combining traces of daily gestures and fragments of intimacy, a parallel world of humanoid algorithmic entities merges with the actual reality of the observing public, altering their perception. What makes these characters endearing to us? In what community can we be and become together? Swarming Lounge, which was developed especially for ROBOT LOVE, deals with affection and self-productiveness in relation to mixed realties and questions our addictive relationship with the miniaturized worlds of screens.

The Swarming Lounge application enables you to fully experience the mixed-reality scenario of the installation-performance. You can either:

  1. Borrow a ready-to-go device in exchange of an ID, or;
  2. Download the app on your smartphone by scanning the QR code or by using the following link: http://l.ead.me/swarming

Installation: open during the whole exhibition period
Durational performances with live dancers:
15 Sept. : 14:00-18:00
16 Sept. : 14:00-18:00
15 Nov. : 14:00-18:00
16 Nov. : 14:00-18:00
17 Nov. : 14:00-18:00

Work in progress

Concept and artistic direction: Martin Kusch and Marie-Claude Poulin
Choreography: Marie-Claude Poulin, assistance Audrey Rochette
Media environment: Martin Kusch, Johannes Hucek
Installation: Martin Kusch
Installation design: Institute for cultural policy
Programming and stage management: Johannes Hucek
3D modeling animation: Georg Schmidhuber
Dancer/performers: Audrey Rochette and David Campbell
With the participation of local performers
Sound environment: Alexandre St-Onge

Supported by:
Canada Council for the Arts (CCA)
Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ)

www.konditionpluriel.org

kondition-pluriel-swarming-lounge-2018
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