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OSCILLATOR ASHLEY MOORE ash@monolithmagazine.co.uk GRAPHIC CONTRIBUTION: ROSS HOLDEN SAM PRICE WRITTEN CONTRIBUTION: MATT LEVER JACK PADURARIU PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTION: OSCILLATOR TANYA TRABOULSI LIZ DELEO MATTHEW WASH THANKS TO: ROB DE NIET PAUL TIERNEY HANNAH BALL LORE OXFORD MONOLITH MAGAZINE

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I WELCOME YOU TO ISSUE ONE OF OSCILLATOR MAGAZINE, MONOLITH MAGAZINE’S LITTLE BROTHER. AS THIS IS THE FIRST ISSUE OSCILLATOR SPARED NO EXPENSE WITH CONTACTING FANTASTIC MINDS TO PIECE TOGETHER A BODY OF WORK THAT IS ENTERTAINING, INTROSPECTIVE AND AT TIMES, DAUNTING. IT IS BY NO MEANS A TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE, IT IS A MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO A SCIENTIFIC AND MATHEMATICAL APPROACHES TO ART, MUSIC, CULTURE AND SOCIETAL DEBATE. IN THIS FIRST ISSUE THERE ARE INTERVIEWS WITH ROBERT AIKI AUBREY LOWE (LICHENS), ARCHITECT DAN DODDS AND ARTIST JONTY HURWITZ. THERE ARE TWO INSIGHTS INTO EXHIBITIONS AROUND LONDON, TWO SOCIETAL COMMENT FEATURES AND ONE LIVE REVIEW TO ROUND OFF. EVEN THOUGH OSCILLATOR INVITES YOU ON THIS JOURNEY, IT IS A PERSONAL JOURNEY ALSO, ONE THAT WAS FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH SUBLIME IDEAS, SINCERE GESTURES AND IRONIC CONCLUSIONS. SO PLEASE KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND GO FORTH AND OSCILLATE.

COVER DESIGN

BY ROSS HOLDEN

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repoduced in whole or part without written permission from the publishers. © 2013 OSCILLATOR magazine. The views expressed in OSCILLATOR are those of respective contributors and are not necessarily shared by the the publisher or OSCILLATOR magazine these parties cannot be held responsible for them.

This is a pilot issue.

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CONTENTS 2. LICHENS. WORDS BY ASHLEY MOORE. PHOTOGRAPHY

BY TANYA TRABOULSI AND LIZ DE LEO. 6. EXHIBITION INSIGHT: MARIKO MORI, REBIRTH. WORDS BY ASHLEY MOORE. PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED

BY THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ART. 10.EXHIBITION INSIGHT: BRUCE NAUMAN, MINDFUCK. WORDS BY ASHLEY MOORE. PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

BY THE HAUSER AND WIRTH GALLERY. 14. DAN DODDS: NEAR UNISON. WORDS BY ASHLEY MOORE. PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY DAN DODDS. 20. JONTY HURWITZ: GENERATION PI. WORDS BY ASHLEY MOORE. PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY ARTS MEDIA CONTACTS. 25. DATA TERRORISM. ALGORTHIMS PROVIDED BY NANEX. 30. OUR CYBERNETIC FUTURE: PART 1 - AN INTRODUCTION. WORDS BY ASHLEY MOORE. DIGITAL COLLAGES DESIGNED BY SAM PRICE. 36. OUR CYBERNETIC FUTURE: PART 2 - A RESPONSE. WORDS BY MATT LEVER. DIGITAL COLLAGES DESIGNED

BY SAM PRICE. 39. YEAR OF THE GUN. WORDS BY ASHLEY MOORE. 42. AMON TOBIN LIVE REVIEW. WORDS BY JACK PADURARIU. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATT WALSH. OSCILLATOR. CROW’S NEST: COMMUNICATIONS POLE DISGUISED AS A TREE. TOYOTA CONCEPT CENTRE, BURGH HEATH. COMPLETE.indd 4-5

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LICHENS LICHENS LICHENS LICHENS LICHENS

OSCILLATOR TALKS TO ROBERT AIKI AUBREY LOWE AKA LICHENS

survived to be the oldest living organism on the planet.

Lichens are everywhere and continue to thrive in conditions that would commonly be a detriment to most,’ he explained.

ABOUT IMPROVISATIONAL MUSIC

This idea was the ‘springboard’ for the endeavour.

AND THE RELATIONSHIP

Lowe became disillusioned with ‘concentrating on structured

BETWEEN THE PERFORMER AND THE AUDIENCE.

music in bands for so long.’ This spurred his exploration in ‘expansive’ and ‘out reaching’ spontaneous music and much like the actual lichens organism, the primordial instinct to span out and evolve. Every performer has their medium for expression, the instruments that come to mind when thinking

There is a bond like no other between a performer and their

of improvisational music would usually be the jazz maestros:

audience, one bound in respect, appreciation and awe. From

saxophonist, trumpet player or drummer. Lowe however

those who watch a street performer to those who witness a

insists that his voice is his instrument of choice, ‘each human

philharmonic orchestra, the scale is different but the

voice is distinct and singular. What better way to express

engagement is all the same. A performance can start a fire,

myself musically than to use an instrument no one else had?’

make a grown man cry and form a revolution. It is this special relationship and the space between performer and audience,

Prior to this was a shift through different instruments, from

which interests OSCILLATOR magazine. So much so we

acoustic and electric guitar, to polyphonic hardwired

decided to get in touch with artist/performer: Lichens,

synthesizers and finally arriving at modular synthesizers. The

formally known as Robert Aiki AubreyLowe. With a lot of

modular proving to be the most effective, as this has the

persistence we managed to get in touch with Robert, who at

‘most interesting dialogues with the voice,’ explained Lowe,

the time was on tour with the experimental stoner/sludge

‘there was quite simply a direct organic thread between

metal band Om, who Lowe considers ‘more of a sound than

the nature of the two,’ he added ‘feeling the give and

specifically leaning towards any particular genre of music.’

take between myself and the modular system, was and is, super exciting.’

Lichens is Lowe’s solo project, which was created in 2004.

The project embodied the ‘creation of sound in the moment.’

Lowe could be described as a type of shaman in performance.

With the name literally took from the organism, ‘lichens are

Comprising delicately layered chants incited by certain

sustainable entities,’ expressed Lowe, which is reflective of

‘rituals’ within the music. He uses the modular synthesizer to

the way he makes music, ‘through symbiosis lichens have

‘complete the circuit’ when in these trancelike states he tends

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COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY: LIZ DE LEO BEIRUIT LIVE RADIO PERFORMANCE PHOTOGRAPHY BY TANYA TRABOULSI

As solo music is all internal, the ‘kinetic energy must cycle

Art Theatre Guild in Japan as well as his ‘affinity’ for

through you on an infinity loop, which could lead down a

traditional African masks and wax textiles. He illuminated

different avenue than if that energy were shared with others.’

that ‘every day there is a new epiphany. The world reveals itself to you consistently.’

to ‘gravitate towards.’ We asked Lowe what were some of the

something magical,’ expressed Lowe, ‘it is important for me

What about accompaniment on performances? Does this

sensations involved in the performances, ‘there is catharsis’

to inform the atmosphere of the room.’

affect the improvisation, especially to a solo performer?

he replied, ‘that is returned to with each performance.’ He

Lowe instilled in me that ‘ego’s must be set aside,’ which is an

Other aspects of influence stem from ‘environment and

illuminated that this this expulsive process, ‘which leads to

As far as the audience is concerned, picking up on the

important step in creating a successful ‘group dynamic,’ he

circumstance’ rather than ‘a specific album or a painting,’

ecstatic music… expansion, introspection, a half waking, half

atmosphere is important but he doesn’t necessarily ‘engage

added, ‘it could only take one person to diminish the overall

explained Lowe. However he did reminisce about some peak

dreaming, state.’

with the audience, I generally cast off and push out as far as I

impact of the music.’

moments that certainly grabbed his attention and pushed

can. I don’t look back until the set is over.’ He did however

him toward a direction. For example in 1987, on the

Musical extemporization is a lot of the time, ‘misinterpreted

reveal that the space ‘should be taken over without

Improvised music is just one of the many different creative

recommendation of the store clerk, Lowe picked up a copy of

as flying off the handle, creating a racket, flexing some

question, by the artist and the patron. Why not make it

outputs that Lowe chooses to express his feelings and

I Against I by Bad Brains, ‘listening to that was a pure delight.

muscle,’ explained Lowe. The main idea of being able to

ours for the time?’

thoughts, ‘for many years’ he has concentrated on works on

It was like nothing I had heard before,’ he said. Hard to tell if

improvise is to be able to understand the ‘particular moment

paper, ‘primarily dealing in repetition of motifs, not unlike my

this informed his future work, but keeping to his ideology

and create a dialogue with, and accent that moment.’ The

Lichens is essentially a solo performance. All of the recorded

musical outings,’ he said. Film has also been a ‘specific outlet’

about day-today influences, his involvement with putting on

essence of improvisation, according to Lowe, is about a

material is also improvised, even the pieces he creates with

for him, collaborating with two artists called Ben Rivers and

music shows such as the Caspar Brotzmann Massaker show

‘deeper listening,’ to be able to take ‘what you have and

multi tracking, ‘each layer is done at that moment,’ he

Ben Russell for a year shooting a film called A Spell To Ward

when he was seventeen may have spurred his interests in

wrangle and transform that moment into something new,

explained, ‘that of course is not to say that I will give thought

Off the Darkness. He also cites Oskar Schlemmer’s 1970 film

performance, ‘the entire architecture of my body was

something fresh.’

to what has come before as I continue through,’ he cryptically

Das Triadische Ballet (1922) as an influence, ‘geometry and

rearranged by the sonic information happening in the room

concluded. So what are the parameters of performing on

movement are big in my work, as is trance,’ he assured me

during the show. I’ve not felt something like that before or

We as the audience are always on the receiving end of the

your own? Does it mean that you are restricted, or does it

and reiterated that the film is a ‘wonderfully breathtaking

since. It was in that moment that I could understand the

performance; we are never able to distinguish what the

mean you are emancipated from rigid formations? One of the

example of all three.’ Lowe also revealed his ‘fascination’ with

physicality of sound, which would drive me here today.’

musician’s personal relationship with us is, if there is any at

main problems is ‘not having others in your direct vicinity to

all. Whether the mood or atmosphere influences the

feed off as the creative process unfolds,’ he explained, ‘there

performance in anyway, ‘creating a space within a space is

is a certain kinesis that takes place when you are interacting

key, to transform the room only for that short time is

with others to achieve the same goal.’

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‘EACH HUMAN VOICE IS DISTINCT AND SINGULAR. WHAT BETTER WAY TO EXPRESS MY SELF MUSICALLY THAN TO USE AN INSTRUMENT NO ONE ELSE HAD?’ 5.

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TOM NA H-LU - 2006 .

MARIKO MORI: REBIRTH

TRANSCIRCLE - 2004 The focal point for Mariko Mori’s latest work, Rebirth, is the life cycle of a star, which is exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts. This multi-media journey is an oscillation between spiritualism and science, of East and West. A ‘seamless mix of technology and aesthetics, of science and philosophy, of Japanese artistic tradition and Western art history, of pop culture and spiritual practice,’ said the New York Times.

Mariko Mori is a New York-based Japanese artist and Re-birth is her first major exhibition in London for fourteen years. In the 1990s she was hailed, as one of the most innovative of her generation and this is still the case with her new showcase. The main piece of work exhibited is entitled Tom Na H-lu II. Created in 2006, the sculpture is a huge glass monolith filled with LED lights.

This is a representation of neutrino astronomy, a new science developed by the Japanese physicist and Nobel Prize winner Dr Masatoshi Koshiba. The giant glass totem is a real time reflection, connected to a computer at the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research at the Kamioka Observatory – the University of Tokyo, concentrating on the immense energy (neutrinos) that is created during radioactive decay, in this case, the death of a star.

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The phosphorescent light changes are the direct presence of the different types of neutrinos; forms of dark matter that are within the earths atmosphere. This sculpture is a living (or dying) work of art that is a representation of matter unbeknown to mankind. It takes that which we cannot see and makes it an aesthetic in which we stand before it, and refuge in matters that we are not directly associated with. Mariko Mori spoke about her work in an interview with the Royal Academy of Arts, where the exhibition is hosted, “The star is something we feel is quite distant to us but when a star dies all the dust that accumulates becomes part of another life.”

Another aspect of the exhibition is entitled Transcircle (2004), which represents the nine planets in our solar system, this is symbolized by a stone circle of glowing totems in a circle room. To say the piece is tranquil is an understatement; the stillness and glowing of the stone tablets are reminiscent of Celtic places of ceremony in and around the British Isles. Even in the artificial space of the RA this sublime monument of peace, tranquility and worship seemed to naturally fit into the white abyss with ease and confidence. Mori’s work is purposely

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MIRACLE - 2001

MIRACLE - 2001

situated around the winter solstice, “since 2003 I started to do a feature work on pre-historical site all over japan and also some parts in Scotland and England the culture they used to have is deeply rooted in nature the winter solstice was quite important element as well, which is almost like beginning of new life,” she said in an interview with the Royal Academy. This year’s winter solstice, according to certain ancient calendars, marks either the end of the world or the rebirth of a new world.

As you enter the exhibition, you get in free because the guy on the desk asks “have you got your ticket mate,” you reply, “oh I didn’t know you had to pay,” he reiterates, “go on in, its nearly over anyway,” which is a nice gesture, it will make you appreciate what you are about to witness even more. As always with these types of

exhibitions there are dark corridors. I guess you could say that this is done as a means to make you forget where you are, become disorientated and then sink into the visual scape.

You first stumble down a small corridor that looks as if it leads to the janitors closet, turn left and you are now within the presence of a giant glass monolith, it is so quiet that you can hear the pigeons cooing outside.

There is a slope up to it, as if stood at the foot of some kind of morphing space mountain. The pastel dulcet tones mutate from green to blue to pink and then cut out altogether. If this is dark matter (neutrinos) then it must be always moving. It seems that even though this is a static monument, the transforming glow gives it flux. There are archaic religious undertones here, 8.

COMPLETE.indd 12-13

reappropriated into a futuristic vision or representation of peace and tranquility through something as destructive as the obliteration of a star. It brings peace and tranquility to the chaos of central London. As you head further into the like cycle of the star, you come across a pile of white stones in an orange glow and on the wall is a crystal mask of what looks like a dragon face, again the heavy connotations of ancient cultures and mythologies are ever present, but like before, presented in an odd fashion as nature recreated in an artificial space.

The third room is large and on the left wall are what look like windows into different dimensions. This must be the middle of the journey. They appear like large portholes on some strange spacecraft. This piece is entitled

Miracle (2001). Could it be that this these cylindrical objects are telescopic visions of an alternative future or reality? Attached to this is a separate room to the right, you go inside to find a stone circle that you might see somewhere like Easter Island, except that these, like the first totem, glow too. Again this connotes ancient mythology and religion, but instead of the location being the British Isles, this looks as if it belongs to Venus or some distant realm. The stone circle links with the idea of the circle of life and death. The final part of the exhibition is White Hole (2008). The dark corridor before you bends toward the right, pitch black and serene. It opens up into a tear drop womb, this – like the first piece – is also LED based and is connected to the same feed at the university, the difference is this is not the death of a star but the birth of a star, which completes the cycle.

9.

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BRUCE NAUMAN:

MINDFUCK CAROUSEL (STAINLESS STEEL VERSION) 1988

Just down the road from the Royal Academy of Art, on Savile Row, is the Hauser & Wirth gallery. At the same time as the

Rebirth exhibition is Mindfuck the newest retrospective

installment by American artist Bruce Nauman curated by Phillip Larratt-Smith. From the title it is evident that this

exhibition has brash tendencies, tendencies however that are

close to home. Mindfuck explores the philosophical idea of the mind/body problem and was specifically chosen as a

slang term that is both a verb and a noun to insinuate brainwashing,

manipulation

distressing situation.

and

representational

of

a

There are many oscillations within this body of work; the first

is the oscillation between the two galleries, even though the two are not connected. It is interesting to find such contrast within the same area; the tranquility of Rebirth opposed to the harsh neon sexual nature of Mindfuck. The second is the

oscillation of the mind that is incorporated into Nauman’s

work; it is the psychoanalytical theory that is behind the neon lights, the Freudian influence. Nauman explores this by

splitting his work into two sections. The first is the cerebral

and intuitive side to his work, Good boy/Bad boy (1986 – 1987) is a series of phrases that are grouped together and displayed in neon tubing, these are pieces of the American vernacular

that are reflective of Nauman’s interests in slang, pun, phrase

and idiom. This is manifested in the sexual patterns of interrelationships, (I love, you love, we love, this is our love). At

the other end of the spectrum is the more physical side that exemplifies the body, which is represented in his installments

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these formidable features the neon glow around the corner entices you to delve further into the exhibition.

The wall to your right is a huge neon frame, upon further

inspection; there are groupings of words that illuminate in no

specific order in a spectrum of neon colours. Your eyes adjust

to a grouping that flashes in red, “I am an evil man, you are an

evil man, we are evil men, this is evil,” underneath it another grouping reads the same but for women instead, the final line is “I’m alive.”

In the middle of the room is a giant rotating steel frame. At four adjacent points, plastic and metal casts of greyhounds cut in

half, swing round in a monotonous fashion. The machine is

dragging them in an endless circle. In the top left corner is another neon installation. The words “run from fear, fun from

rear” are illuminated in neon glow, this play on words (among many

others)

suggests

that

Nauman

is

exploring

homosexuality, or so it seems from the first look. Back toward

the door on the adjacent wall to the neon groupings of phrases is another neon sculpture. It is two men in the sixty-nine

sexual position with both of their penises in the others mouth.

How does that make you feel? Are you shocked? Are you offended? Sex is not a new subject, in fact quite the opposite and neon tubing is nothing new, the film Cocktail comes to mind. So what is the gig here? Taking into consideration that

these pieces were created in the 80s, an era renowned for bright lights and harsh contrasts, but what was it doing here?

In our time and age? The final piece is situated in the middle

of the room. There is an opening to an inner sanctum, to get inside you will have to squeeze through the purposely narrow

wall where the angle gets smaller as you get closer to the opening, a phosphorescent green glow leaking from the small opening, to find a white room, empty.

GOOD BOY/ BAD BOY 1986-87

SEX AND DEATH/DOUBLE “69” 1985

In an interview with the curator of the exhibition, Phillip Larrattsuch as Carousel (stainless steel version) (1988). This is a

the scene. Nauman’s work is deeply routed in psychoanalytical

rotating steel structure where plastic and stainless steel casts

theory, particularly looking at Freud’s work on puns. Some of

to Larratt, explores ‘perception, space and the body.’

between the Floor and the Ceiling with Changing Rhythms.

Bruce Nauman born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1941, studied

The gallery itself is a daunting expedition, walking through the

from 1960-64. He then studied at the University of California

everything you own in one possession. The building itself is a

painting and moved toward making objects, performance art

the black marble that encases the structure. When inside,

that predominantly worked in sculpture and performance,

material, when asked if it’s ok to take pictures they look at you

of greyhounds are dragged around in a circle. This, according

his other work consists of films such as Bouncing Two Balls

mathematics before studying art at the University of Wisconsin

gold lined street of Savile Row. Men in suits worth more than

from 1965-66, this was a significant time as Nauman stopped

black monolith, unable to see the sun due to the dour glow of

and film. He was associated with the Los Angeles art scene

there are young gallery workers submerged in their reading

along with other artists who drastically changed and expanded

as if you just jumped ship from leper island. But apart from

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Smith, he insists that this title is not just for shock factor. ‘If it is aggressive, this is merely as it should be, because this

exhibition proposes nothing less than a radical revision of the

understanding of Nauman’s work,’ he explains, adding that he understands it is provocative but hopes it is understood as

‘thought provoking rather than merely shocking.’ It would be

understandable if this title and Nauman’s work were

considered shocking in the stuffy climate of Britain in the 80s.

However in this age, it allows the audience who are

emancipated from prudish and frigid past attitudes, to experience it subjectively. It gives the work space to breathe and allows the audience to make their own judgement.

‘I AM AN EVIL MAN, YOU ARE AN EVIL MAN, WE ARE EVIL MEN, THIS IS EVIL’

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NEAR UNISON - SAND TRACE

OSCILLATOR TOOK A TRIP TO THE KINETICA ART FAIR TO MEET UP WITH ARCHITECT AND ARTIST, DAN DODDS TO TALK WITH HIM ABOUT HIS NEWEST PROJECT: NEAR UNISON, THE DESIGNER-MAKER ROLE, ART THAT TEACHES, DOES MATH MAKE ART ABSOLUTE AND THE BURNING MAN FESTIVAL.

It was an odd feeling on a wooden swing with someone I had never met before, the difference in our weights acting as the driving force for the A-frame below us. There was an additional piece of wood attached to the point where the A-frame met, which acted almost like a pencil, drawing patterns in the sand box on the floor. It was a product of the relationship between the two of us. Here was the evidence that the connections between people, no matter how irregular, are always imminent, evidence that two strangers can create something unique and exclusive having only just met within that space and time. It was a unifying experience, noticing the oscillation in the sand.

The man to the side of me is up and coming architect Dan Dodds, the place was the bowels of the University of Westminster, which was host to the illustrious polymath convention: The Kinetica Art Fair. This is also the university where Dan is in his final year studying a Masters in Architecture. This is the path he has chosen because it lies on the boundary of the ‘arts and the sciences.’

After completing an art foundation course in Bath, Dan went on to complete an undergraduate at the Bartlett [UCL]. His study lets him explore facets in geometry, physics and computational design, within his work there are aspects of both ‘digital and analogue investigations of natural and mathematical systems,’ confessing that it will be beneficial to know a ‘little about a lot’ of

DAN DODDS: NEAR UNISON

different processes and areas within his position.

Dan’s influences spark from an interest in the beauty of mathematical patterns. His recent academic ventures directed towards ‘their analysis and synthesis.’ Dan described his perspective as ‘a curious amateur,’ adding that ‘usually the subject matter is something [he] hasn’t come across before’ and ‘comes from a desire to start to understand how it works.’

Understanding the systems involved with the projects he chooses is key in order for him to be able to play with it, when this is the case ‘the process then becomes a creative endeavour.’

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NEAR UNISON - DIGITAL HARMONOGRAPHS

I probed Dan about the significance of being a designer (or

I wanted to find out Dan’s thoughts on the convergence of

artist) and also somebody who makes these designs reality (a

mathematics, science and art and presented him with a tricky

maker, of sorts). It seems a daunting aspect for all who use

question. Did he think this convergence made the piece of art

computers in their field of work, finding they stare a screen for

absolute? The language of math is such a logical full

most of the time. Dan puts this down to the ‘encompassing’ of

vernacular, it seemed to me that a piece of artwork that used

‘digital design tools’ but insists that the ‘buildings, spaces

equations to create a visual image must be absolute in some

and objects that you are working on however exist in the

way, ‘I think that ‘absolute’ is a dangerous word to use

physical world, and its very important to maintain a strong

when talking about art,’ which instinctively made me want

connection, with, and understanding, of, the materials you are

to retract my question, ‘there is something interesting

working with.’ He asserts his hands on approach ensures his

about the purity of geometry that is very satisfying to work

‘projects are of an appropriate scale’ for him to play a role

with,’ he explained, ‘any notions of absolute purity of form or

‘physically constructing them,’ this is his way of being able to

pattern disappear with the introduction of material qualities

appropriate this at the moment.

and personal interpretations.’

The installation itself is part of a series of artworks under the

Personal interpretation is key to conceptual art. I wanted to

umbrella term Near Unison. Dan explained the title, ‘the two

understand and highlight the differences between this, and

pendulum swings are exactly the same, so that the ratio of

art that is influenced by something solid like mathematics. He

their lengths is 1:1 [Unison],’ when the two people sit on each

very bluntly explained that sometimes the ‘intended meaning

of the swings, ‘their body shapes change the effective lengths

of conceptual artworks gets lost in interpretation by the

of the pendulums,’ which in turn makes the drawings

viewer,’ commenting on the small panels of text that come

produced, ‘change for every person,’ he concluded ‘the ratio

with artworks presented in galleries. Like the logic of these

of the lengths of the pendulums with people on is always

small extracts, ‘legibility is the key to good artworks; if the

nearly 1:1, but not quite; hence the title Near Unison.’ As well

viewer can take away something from the work that they didn’t

as using sand as a material to reveal the oscillations between

have before then it is in some way successful,’ he explained.

the two people, Dan also speculates that this could be measured in light. There weren’t any provisions to do this at

As much as Near Unison isn’t a typical conceptual piece,

Kinetica, he had previously undertaken some experiments,

what I took from it was a case of existentialism, the connections

‘using an LED mounted on the ‘stylus’ and a very long

between people and the relationships that creates. I know

exposure photograph taken from above to create traces of the

everything doesn’t need some form of classification or

movement in light,’ he explained. Adding ‘[he] would like to

grandeur explanations but each piece has something to say

explore further – perhaps using UV LEDs moving over UV

and that’s what I wanted to reveal. Dan assured me that the

sensitive painted surface.’

work he creates works on two levels, ‘firstly: at a social level it allows pairs of participants time to create something beautiful

The Kinetica Art Fair is a fantastic measurement of the amount

that is unique to the two of them’ and ‘secondly: at a scientific

of scientific and polymath influences that affect contemporary

level, it allows them to observe the characteristics of simple

art today. I asked Dan whether he thought that there was an

harmonic motion in action,’ he explained. This confirmed his

increase in this, he replied he thought that mathematics and

interest in teaching, something Dan feels important, rather

science had ‘always played an important role in art, just as

than relishing in some conceptual notion, ‘education through

creativity has always been important in scientific discoveries,’

play is an interest that stems from having worked in education

adding, ‘artworks that [he] tends to find most intriguing are

building projects,’ he concluded. This was confirmed while

those that cause [him] to question [his] own perceptions and

working as an architectural assistant.

preconceptions.’ For a young guy, Dan came across

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weathered in his chosen field and was incredibly articulate

There was always an ulterior motive for Near Unison. This

about his project, it was a pleasure to be talking to someone

model is simply the prototype for a much larger scale version

so humble about what they do and this attitude was reflected

intended for the Burning Man Festival in which Dan is

in his work.

campaigning to get funding to make his vision possible.

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NEAR UNISON - SAND TRACE

PROPOSED BURNING MAN FESTIVAL INSTALLATION

“PARTICIPATION AND IMMEDIATE EXPERIENCE,’ AND WITHOUT THE INTERACTION BETWEEN THOSE ON THE SWINGS THEN THE OSCILLATED PATTERNS WOULD NOT EXIST.” 18.

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The ethos of the Burning Man of self-reliance and communal

These processes were outlined by Dan, he explained that the

nature is represented in Dan’s work, he explained that Burning

‘entire installation is modeled using open source parametric

Man is all about ‘participation and immediate experience,’

modeling software called Grasshopper,’ and as for the

and without the interaction between those on the swings then

materials used: a CNC machine cuts the timber and plastic

the oscillated patterns would not exist. The two are so

tubing and can be laid out ‘laminated and bolted together,

intrinsically linked that even the sand box at the Kinetica Art

with a schedule of tube lengths and numbered pre-drilled

Fair ‘was intended to replicate the Black Rock Playa in which

holes to make onsite fabrication as simple as possible’ he

Burning Man is situated,’ which is the arid desert in Nevada

explained. This was also the case with the prototype, the

where the festival is situated.

same process was utilised. Hopefully Dan will get the funding he needs to make his giant pendulum out in the desert, if you

As brilliant and harmonious the design, Near Unison owes its

are going to the Burning Man Festival be sure to check out

creation to the advancements in technology and software.

Near Unison, you never know you might just learn something.

19.

23/04/2013 08:06

GENERATION GENERATION GENERATION GENERATION GENERATION GENERATION

WELCOME TO THE CENTREFOLD OF OSCILLATOR. THIS IS AN INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTISTJONTY HURWITZ. JONTY’S ANAMORPHIC SCULPTURES WENT VIRAL WITHIN MINUTES. I SIMPLY HAD TO FIND OUT THE SECRET TO THIS INTROSPECTIVE AND ASTONISHING WORK. THIS LED ME TO SOMETHING ELSE ENITIRELY...

Generation Pi, according to South African Born Britain-based

to. Even when you send an SMS off you phone on the walk

artist and scientist, Jonty Hurwitz, is a generation defined by

back home, ‘all that data is being shared somewhere else,’

sophisticated algorithms that surround us at all point of our

explained Hurwitz. All these droplet information blobs within

lives. Math influences and controls everything around us,

the sea of cyberspace are currently creating a pseudo-

specifically these algorithms, which are computational

personality, or at least a personality that is outlined with all

equations that decide and work out a number of different

your information.

problems. They are embedded within our culture practically under or noses. Their grip tightens with every transaction

These ideas are embodied in his artwork. A series of sculptures

that is completed, ossifying and calcifying until they are

went viral on the 22nd of January 2013 through the visual

completely submerged within society.

arts blog thisiscollosal.com. The images depicted a series of anamorphic sculptures, from afar they look like surreal hunks

A good example of one that is widely used is Netflix’s

of metal but when reflected in a cylindrical mirrored post,

Pragmatic Chaos algorithm, which suggests the next film for

their true form is revealed. Like illustrations to a story, these

you to watch. Amazon also have an algorithm that suggests

artworks are intended as products of the Generation Pi era, a

books, clothes and other items that are similar to your recent

call to arms if you will.

purchases and this is just the tip of the iceberg of our existence in conjunction with these hidden deciders. Hurwitz insists that we are a generation represented by a series of data that is left behind us where ever we go that forms an extension of

‘THE BEAUTIFUL NATURE OF SCULPTING: A HAND POSITION OR A POSE OR AN EXPRESSION ON A FACE.’

our consciousness through something called the Meta Ego, which essentially is your online presence.

Using 3d scanning Jonty captures his subject in ‘microns of detail; the pores, the wrinkles’ he then uses digital sculpting

Hurwitz proposes that the largest evolutionary step was

through something called digital clay. This is where you have

roughly around 200,000 years ago when our predecessors

your design in a 3D model in clay, ‘you can work with it in that

picked up a piece of chalk and drew on the cave wall in which

way,’ he explained, ‘the beautiful nature of sculpting: a hand

they dwelled. This was the spark of a new era of development

position or a pose or an expression on a face.’ After capturing

and evolution of the consciousness, which is now represented

and sculpting, the mathematical aspect comes into play. This

in every thing around us. In 2013, Hurwitz offers a notion that

is where he uses animation tools to apply distortion to the

there hasn’t been a more relevant moment in art as now,

anamorphic pieces and slicing to the perspective pieces. The

‘within the last ten years, we are at that point again. I think we

perspective artworks are amazing to witness. What first looks

are at the moment of the Meta Ego.’ Wherever we are on this

like a series of fragmented images; when looking from a

planet there is always a trail left behind us. This digital

straight perspective, a straight view, they all align and reveal

footprint is a giant pool of Meta information in the cloud that

a whole image.

represents in a ‘fundamental way, who we are.’

The significance of the animation tools is the ease in which Even something as benign as leaving your house to get a

you can make 2D objects 3D and vice-versa. The 3D surreal

coffee, you are picked up on CCTV cameras; the recordings

sculpture, when reflected in the mirror post is reflected as a

are saved and kept somewhere unbeknown to you. When you

whole 2D image of the correct representation of the subject.

pay for your coffee with a bank card that information is sent

The extent of the technological advancements that go into

to the bank and is stored on a system that you have no access

the work is what sets it apart from the rest of the art world.

REJUVENATION 21.

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There are three pieces of artwork that stand out in Jonty’s collection. These three champion the idea that the human brain has limited processing power ‘we look at these objects and our brain doesn’t have the capability to do the transformation required to make sense of the information,’ explained Jonty. Rejuvenation is the piece that has been credited the most and also the piece that embodies the idea of Generation Pi and the Meta Ego the most efficiently.

It was, according to Jonty, inspired by a ‘dear friend’ who was hugely successful in the world of telecoms that committed the next phase of his life to helping the cause for the human genome research, which in layman’s terms is the research into expanding the life spans of our curious species. He illuminated that the hand in rejuvenation is to some extent about the researchers and scientists taking an ‘illusive data set of the human genome and desperately trying to make sense of this information that is at our fingertips, to find the anamorphic point where we tweak that gene or that aspect of the immune system and suddenly our cells stop dying and perishing.’

The other two pieces refer to different facets of Generation Pi. Yogi banker for example is inspired by the economic collapse of recent times and the ‘convergence of seemingly random data into probabilistic algorithms,’ expressed Hurwitz. These convergences are surveyed for risk engines of both harmless processes like dating sites to the more sinister ones such as those that propagate the stock market in Wall Street. As well as being an artist and a scientist, Jonty is also the co-founder of Wonga.com. He explained his importance of being part of that algorithm, making judgment calls in a ‘millisecond’ on the financial state of the person in question as well as highlighting that people need to understand what happens in the background. For example, using your debit or credit card to make a transaction brings up a series of ulterior motives that the said person is not aware of, ‘can this generation pyre make this transaction now?’ asked Hurwitz. These under-theskin processes look at fraud and probability and take into account the recent transactions you have made. What other information does Visa hold about your finances? All

KISS OF CHYTRID

‘IT IS A CONVERGENCE OF SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL, THE YOGI’S HAVE KNOWN FOR MILLENNIA THAT WE EXIST WAY BEYOND THE PHYSICAL AND SUDDENLY THE REALITY IS WE DO EXIST WAY BEYOND OURSELVES, ON HARD DRIVES AROUND THE WORLD.’

of this is being considered to make a probabilistic decision, Jonty claims he owes it all to the ‘engineering journey, finding

as Jonty described, ‘whether or not you’re allowed to buy

these amazing technologies.’ Technologies such as CNC

that jumper at gap.’

machines, 3D printing or even specialist manufactures ‘who make perfect mirrors for instance.’ He added that he wasn’t

On the other hand, there is Kiss of Chytrid, which is mimetic

‘shy of standing on the shoulders of giants’ giving credit

of the loss of nature within the parameters of Generation

to the ‘ingenuity of teams of amazing people who have

Pi. In the talk I attended at the Kinetica Art Fair, a gentleman

spent lifetimes honing skill sets.’

asked the question: When you die does your Meta Ego live

22.

COMPLETE.indd 26-27

23/04/2013 08:06

on and represent you? This was an important point to raise,

ourselves, on hard drives around the world.’ The most

an example (The Matrix, Terminator) and that fear is ever

tools to extend our sphere of possibility,’ explained Silva, this

what happens to our data once we die? Obviously if you have

efficient way to explain the expansion of our consciousness

present. This is a fear that Jonty also shares but insists that

coincides with what Jonty is talking about. All the roads lead

ground breaking accomplishes in your life then the will be

through our Meta Ego - which resides on the Internet - is to

we think of both mind and machine as parallel. What he

to the same place; we are speeding up our evolution

recorded within the books of history, but what about those of

compare the different sizes of storage, data and processing

presents is that we live alongside machines ‘we’re waiting

through the creation of technology that is life expanding

us who are deemed normal members of society, with mediocre

power. The Internet itself is one quintillion bytes, which is an

for the day when machines overtake humans. The way I’m

and life changing. Another fear that is instilled in the human

accomplishes but reams of data nonetheless? For example

Exabyte, in real terms that is 36, 000 years of HD-TV video.

looking at it is we’re in a pre-cyborg time, there is an

condition is that of Orwellian censorship and monitoring, in

Facebook have a policy where they are entitled to keep any

The fastest supercomputer in the world (K computer, Fujitsu)

evolution of a symbiotic relationship between machines

other words Big Brother. It seemed that if Generation Pi was

data that is put on their site, so when someone dies this data

is thirty quadrillion bytes and its processing speed is 8.2

and

dependent on the internet to form our Meta Ego’s then it

hypothetically is filed and kept somewhere out of reach, like a

billion

necessarily develop consciousness.’

photograph album kept in a secret place. In digression this

This in comparison with the human brain is quite

was a fantastic question and Jonty explained that this was

disturbing frankly, the human brain is only 3.5 quadrillion

On the 27th of February of this year, Intel (iq) composed an

look at your interests on the Internet to suspiciously find

linked with Kiss of Chytrid.

bytes and 2.2 billion megaflops in comparison with the

interview with Jason Silva, considered ‘A Timothy Leary for

them on the next dodgy page you come across in the form of

megaflops

(million

operations

persecond).

humans

where

the

processing

power

doesn’t

would be all to easy for someone to monitor our internet usage and this is a visible implementation. You only have to

K computer. These figures prove that we have created

the Viral Video Age’ he too acknowledges the fear we have of

advertisements (how else would they know that I am an Aston

Chytrid is a disease that is virulent within the world at the

a machine that is both superior in data size and

becoming consumed by the technology that makes us post-

Villa fan?) Jonty however feels that the idea of a singular

moment and is killing amphibians on a humongous scale. The

processing power.

human or what he calls ‘our cyborg future.’ In the interview

monitoring system as ludicrous.

concept behind the sculpture is the apocalyptic vision of the

he explains that we have always used tools to extend

extinction of the frog, ‘all that remains is this data that us as

It is this phantasmal horror of computers taking over

ourselves, ‘we have always been cyborgs. From the first time

His view consists of governments losing control over internet

humanity has collected on frogs and so the data presented is

humanity that has informed and influenced many directors

we used a stick that we found on the floor to extend the reach

usage, ‘everyone’s got their own systems and passwords and

almost a perfect replica of a frog,’ he continued ‘when this

and films; you only have to look past the end of your nose for

of our arm to reach a fruit [on] a high tree, we’ve been using

so your Meta Ego remains a fragmented thing, and every

gets converged into a reflection it becomes a

institution only has a part of it and therefore

memory of a Meta Ego of what a frog is.’

only have limited access to probability

When or if the frog is annihilated the data

because they don’t have all of you. So this

that we have collected over the years will be

concept of ‘they’ doesn’t exist. There’s no

all that we have left, all that will be left will be

‘they’ there are lots of little ‘they’s’ who all

its Meta Ego.

have access to aspects. There isn’t some giant Big Brother that has access to all of it,

He uses the analogy of the yogi and the

that may come in time and one hopes that

expanding of our consciousness though

humanities found a peace within itself to

meditation as a way to explain the Meta Ego,

ensure that when that happens its for the

‘It is a convergence of spiritual and physical,

good,’ he explained. He concluded that the

the yogi’s have known for millennia that we

government’s of the world are losing grip, in

exist way beyond the physical and suddenly

terms of processing power, he compares this

the reality is we do exist way beyond

to the power of Amazon and their stronger grip on cyberspace something he labels the ‘disintermediation of giant institutions’ but

‘I AM NOT SHY OF STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS.’

backtracks on himself reiterating that this is ‘set against the backdrop of giant organisations who have access to money and money equals processing

power

and

processing

equals increased probability in algorithms and

increased

probability

means

more

access to you.’

YOGI BANKER 23.

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23/04/2013 08:06

DATA TERRORISM

CARNIVAL THE KNIFE

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TWILIGHT

COMPLETE.indd 32-33

SCISSORS

23/04/2013 08:06

OUR CYBERNETIC FUTURE: PART 1. AN INTRODUCTION

There were children who were in an elite system called Gifted

once these technologies are implemented, it’s hard to see a

and Talented, they were in the top 5% of the country who

present or future without them.

were deemed so intelligent that they were lauded with extra interest from teachers, awarded gifts for their accomplishes

If Glass is integrated into schools, the powers that be will

and offered extra curricular activities. A few of these people

need to determine the best use for Glass in the classroom.

actually ended up with mediocre grades and those of us who

There will be no doubt that it will first be banned, that happens

were deemed middle of the road, cheered a muted victory

with every other technological advancement, they put the

when our grades were up to their standards. There were, of

leashes on it. But the possibilities are vast. A student will be connected at all times to an interchangeable environment

OSCILLATOR AND MATT LEVER TRY TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE NEW GOOGLE GLASS TECHNOLOGY AND WHAT ITS IMPLICATIONS MIGHT HAVE ON EDUCATION IN THIS TWO- PART DEBATE.

Google Glass is a wearable computer; it is the next step in

course, those who were doomed to the other side of the

cybernetic involvement. Hailed as post-smartphone, the

school. In smaller classrooms where they taught the younger

with interactional tools, there would be no need for text books

device has the ability to take photos, record video and make

children sometimes, these few were almost outcast from the

or any other kind of distractions because it would be simply

calls just by telling the device that’s what you want to do; this

rest of the school. Don’t get me wrong there were the few

within your view. There is also the prospect of additional apps

is just a fraction of what the possibilities are for this device.

individuals who made it harder on themselves and were at

that would allow the student to use Dropbox, email and social

They are in the form of glasses frames and have a transparent

times extremely unruly. But there were the few who were

media without even using their hands, saving, sending and

window in the top right corner, there are also options of

simply forgotten, pushed along and treated like they were

sharing information is simply a command a way.

having your prescription fitted to the frames. The functions

different. Sometimes the reason for this was because they

allow you to follow directions while having Google Maps in

were suffering from some form of disorder, sometimes

The most prominent caveat of Glass is the constant use of a

your eyesight, you can record your speech and it will turn it

because of abuse at home and school alike.

web browser in the top right hand corner. This gives the

Our inability to see past the end of our nose hinders our

any fact, anywhere, anytime using the Google search engine.

Imagine a future where something like Google Glass was a

internet at any point. Things like on the go research, searching

progression in evolution. There is no agreeing or disagreeing,

As brilliant as this sounds there is also the question of privacy

permanent addition to society and like the Iphone and other

for information, making notes and book marking important

whether it is right or wrong, that our technological

that surrounds the debate. The final feature of this device is

smart phones, readily available. Like all schools, phones are

information to recall at a later date could never be so easy

advancements are the next stop in our evolution. The reality

the ability to broadcast from well… wherever you look, which

banned and having a phone in an exam is deemed as cheating.

and simple. Like I said above, schools would need to facilitate

is that there is no ‘if’ bur rather ‘when’ our merge with

is a problem of course, sharing each and every intimate

But imagine the possibilities of something that is used day-in

its use within the classroom as well as examinations.

machine will inevitable happen. It is a daunting prospect that

moment with the world doesn’t fill me with security and only

day-out, as a necessary device, which has the magnitude of

Hypothetically it could revolutionise the way exams are taken

the loss of humanity will be so great that we will cross a point

bolsters my paranoia of being watched and recorded

Google’s search engine to be utilised at any moment. At the

and created. The government of this country, in the later part

everywhere we go. You’re pretty much signing a contract

moment Glass is extremely expensive to buy and it is also

of last year, was taking precautions in bringing about an old

with Google to insert a CCTV device in your bedroom and

only in the prototype stage. However like tablets and smart-

form of teaching and examinations. They were trying to move

This is reflected in something called the singularity, which is a

toilet that goes straight to their headquarters, not only that

phones they become more readily available as time goes on

backward and change GCSE’S into the more draconian

term borrowed from physics. Generally meaning our

but you also become like some form of agent for Google, the

and like the introduction of the Ipad and tablets into academia,

Baccalaureate certificates. For me this was simply a glimpse

technological advancements will move at such a rate,

new level in espionage.

of no return and remain cybernetic forever.

student, as long as there is a connection, access to the

into a message, It can translate your voice and you can get

humanity wont be able to keep up and we will have to physically converge with machines in order to survive. There

Wearable computation is not a new concept but the difference

was a time when machine over taking man was nothing but a

is it’s Google’s colossal search engine available at any time,

dystopian vision, especially within the cinematic industry

which is behind the device that lends it such power. The

(IRobot, Blade Runner) it’s almost surreal to the point of

extraneous aspect is now void as you’re able to wear it like

disbelief that these ideas are just around the corner. The

any other pair of prescription glasses or sunglasses, if you

truth is we are already cybernetic. Those rectangle devices in

consider that glasses are also another technological advance

your pocket attest to the possibilities of our future: pin-point

that let the blurry see, well this seems to be further

GPS from satellites in space, interaction with people on the

advancement that allows us to see straight into the cloud, our

other side of the world, being able to shop without setting

vision could never be clearer.

foot in a store. All of this is available to you on your lunch break, eating at a place where you managed to get 25% off

When a new technology is introduced, how it can influence

due to a voucher that you attained from an app store on your

education is always the first port of call. When I was at school

smart phone. We still however detest that this makes us

the smart kids were hailed as those who were good at recalling

cybernetic. One of the reasons why is because these devices

facts, or remembering processes that allowed them to solve

are separate from our persons, imagine if that search engine

puzzles. Schooling has always been measured on acute

was permanently plugged into your frontal lobe, or you could

memory and repetition, those who excelled at this were

take photographs and videos with your eyes alone.

rewarded, and non-compliance with the system was punished.

30.

COMPLETE.indd 34-35

31.

23/04/2013 08:06

‘WITH TECHNOLOGIES LIKE THIS ON THE HORIZON, EDUCATION SYSTEMS SHOULD BE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN USE THESE TOOLS TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE AND PROGRESS, FOR THIS GENERATION AND THE GENERATION AFTER THAT, NOT DISMISS THEM AS DISTRACTIONS OR CHEATING.’ of antediluvian politics trying to bully the education system

Say if that child who was in the ‘additional help’ unit had all of

back into remission. How could that be? With technologies

those facts that their differently working brain could not

like this on the horizon, education systems should be looking

retain, how would they perform then? They might have a

at how we can use these tools to bring about change and

completely different viewpoint in completing a task rather

progress, for this generation and the generation after that,

than someone who has been programmed to think a certain

not dismiss them as distractions or cheating.

way. It could raise the bar in the information age; the information poor would have a source that would make it a

There are some fantastic possibilities for Glass within the

level playing field.

classroom. Capturing video and live streaming are prominent facets of Glass and this could be utilised in certain ways. For

Dyslexia is readily linked with creativity. John Stein, professor

example, if a student was ill that day a friend or a teacher

of physiology at Magdalen College, Oxford has often

could live stream the lecture from the classroom straight to

commented on the link between the two, ‘research has shown

them at home resulting in that student not missing the

differences in the brain structure of the dyslexic, and this may

lecture. That lecture you missed? Glass can also transcribe

explain why they are more creative. Dyslexia facilitates

what the teacher is saying into text so it can be sent or shared.

intuitive and lateral thinking.’ Half of the people at the University of the Creative Arts, the university I attend, are

There is also the idea that students could shoot short videos

dyslexic, studying draining and demanding courses in fashion

and images for presentations, documenting research with

design and the like. If there was a form of cybernetic evolution

relative speed and ease while on the go. This would be a huge

that made traditional education void and allowed these

advantage for students studying journalism, being able to

people who are deemed insufficient within society to be able

capture that moment without getting your Iphone out or

to recall facts like those who are deemed intelligent, then

clunky SLR. It would also revolutionise the way we conduct

creativity might be able to have free roam.

interviews. If Glass can transcript what has been said then there is no need to do this manually, plus it could be shared as

This is a grandeur idea and may seem completely insane to

soon as the interview was complete. This does however,

some. But there is also a side to this argument that those who

impede and co-inside with the privacy issues, we wouldn’t

disagree with the above might consider this notion. It could

want a series of cybernetic journalists encroaching on

levitate creativity. In a time where the creative class and all its

people’s privacy. I don’t think Leverson would agree with that

affiliates are ever present, it could bring this to the forefront

very much.

of our information war. Human ingenuity would never be so important. A level playing field of information would mean

Another educational prospect would be learning languages.

that those striving for greatness would need to increase their

Glass allows you to translate languages; it provides real-time

thinking and it could spur on new development a lot quicker

translations in the form of text. You can ask it to write and

than it is all ready moving. I’m not saying that this technology

spell for you ‘good day’ in Thai, you simply just have to repeat

will replace schools, we need schools for secondary

the pronunciation. This is of course is a double-edged sword,

socialisation, but it could emancipate us from the archaic

what is the point of learning a language when a device can do

systems that are in place and help those who are

it for you in a split-second?

simply ostracised from the rest of the system. I for one, am hugely

excited

for

the

possibilities,

I

just

wish

I would be around for it.

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OUR CYBERNETIC FUTURE: PART 2. A RESPONSE

BY MATT LEVER

Education is big business. The UK spends just under £60bn,

free education would come true. The barriers to education

roughly, on education every year. That’s a large sum of

would be gone, knowledge would be freely available to

money. And it’s necessary, too. We don’t particularly want

everybody, and instead of focussing on the nitty-gritty we

those miniature humans with their blank slates to remain

could devote our time to creativity and innovation, with

blank when they’re all grown up and full-sized, so instead of

everybody starting off from the same level playing field. Want

using that money to bolster our ailing health service or help

to know the melting point of beryllium for some reason?

some homeless people into new digs, we have little choice but

Google has you covered. No need for school.

to keep pumping all of those billions into those expensive daycare centres that we call schools.

What if we didn’t need to send children to school, though?

THAT BERYLLIUM THING,

BY THE WAY? IT’S 1,287

Teacher-free, technology-driven education is a common subject in science fiction. In the Matrix we see that when you

I know this because, as I pointed out when all of this was first

want to learn how to, say, kick somebody in the face while

suggested to me, we already have access to the Internet at a

dressed like a Goth who works in the banking industry, you

moment’s notice. Google told me the melting point of

just plug your brain into a computer and away you go. It’s

beryllium through my laptop just now, but I could just as

instantaneous, it’s painless (except for the person you then

easily have asked it via my smartphone (which, similarly to

kick in the face with your new knowledge), and more

Google Glass, I always have at my disposal), my tablet

importantly – it’d be cheap. If we had access to technology

computer, my games console, my MP3 player, or my TV. The

like that, we wouldn’t need to support a huge infrastructure

Internet has never been closer or more pervasive, and to be

of schools anymore.

honest, I doubt it’ll get any closer until we have modems and web browsers installed in our brains. Google Glass is just a

Nor would there be any kind of ‘educational divide’ either. The

different way of accessing it.

days of one child suffering from a poor education because of the postcode he lived in, with another child in a different

And despite this unprecedented access to the World Wide

postcode going on to become a theoretical physicist because

Web, the largest repository of human knowledge ever

he had richer parents and lived in the catchment area of a

constructed, we still have teachers, schools, textbooks and

much better school, would be gone. Computers don’t care

idiots. Why is that?For one thing, having access to something

about where you live or how much money you’ve got. It was

isn’t the same as having the desire to make use of it. Give a

suggested to me the other day that we may already have that

child – or an adult, for that matter – an iPad, and you’re more

kind of opportunity. Google Glass, the new hands-free

likely to hear the sound of miffed birds being catapulted at

computing technology that you wear on your face, is the

pigs than you are a lecture on quantum mechanics.

closest we’ve come so far to having a direct line from a computer to the brain - the ultimate fantasy of

In Sugata Mitra’s “student-driven learning” virtual classroom

post-humanists everywhere.

experiment, for example, it was found that while there were some significant benefits to the notion of a virtual classroom

With such technology, the theory continued, students would

(children learning at their own pace, encouraging independent

have immediate access to the entirety of human knowledge in

curiosity) when it came to leaving them unsupervised,

the form of the Internet, and all of the benefits of a teacher

children quickly went off-task. Any fleeting motivation for

36.

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YEAR OF THE GUN

entertaining

they’re just memorising facts and figures. To continue the

diversions like video games or funny fart websites. This

Matrix example from earlier - it’s all well and good having a

probably isn’t a surprise to most people; children are

bunch of kung-fu moves implanted into your brain, but

procrastination-fuelled mischief machines by nature. But

knowing the theory behind the moves and actually being able

imagine if this same experiment were to be conducted by

to put them into practice are two very different things. I could

simply handing a child an iPad and leaving them to their own

hop online and study kung-fu moves right now, but without a

devices (so to speak)?

teacher to guide me in person I doubt I’d be winning any fights

self-education

was

supplanted

by

more

any time soon.

If children still require adult supervision to learn effectively in such an environment, why not employ a supervisor who’s

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, while the Internet

capable of educating them in tandem with the technology, i.e.

certainly does hold a huge amount of knowledge within its

a teacher?Additionally, there’s an esoteric benefit to

web of servers, a large portion of that knowledge is inaccurate

traditional schooling that technology can’t replicate, in my

or simply wrong. The World Wide Web is not peer reviewed

opinion. While Google can teach people innumerable facts

and it never will be, and there’s a danger in relying on it too

and figures, if they are so inclined to look them up, it cannot

greatly for information, particularly for naive children. Does

teach people to think for themselves and, I would suggest, it

our education system have flaws? Yes. Could technology play

actually discourages such creative thinking. It’d be like

a greater role in classrooms? Certainly. Should teachers be

replacing the curriculum with Cliff Notes; all of the answers

replaced entirely by technology? No, I don’t think so. Even if

would be presented to the student without really teaching

technology existed that could realistically replace a teacher, I

them to think things through for themselves.

still think the human element is a necessary evil in the development of fresh, delicious minds. Google Glass and its

Without a teacher to drive children forward, to engage with

ilk are interesting technological advances, but I don’t think

them, to make them question everything and to give them the

we’ve reached the next technological singularity just yet.

mental tools necessary to answer those questions effectively,

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23/04/2013 08:07

2012 was coined the ‘year of the gun’ by Helen O’ Neill of

this software and it shouldn’t be censored, he explains in the

Associated Press. It was the year where America saw many of

documentary with Vice (Click, Print, Gun) that it is more than

its states under fire, fifteen to be precise, resulting in sixteen

an argument involving the second amendment, “its more

mass shootings across America. In Newtown Connecticut,

radical for us, this is happening all over the world and we say

twenty-year-old Adam Lanza shot dead twenty children and

“good” you should have access to this, you simply should.”

six adults in the Sandy Hook element school massacre, with the AR-15 automatic assault weapon. What came after this

It is not called the World Wide Web for nothing; if Defense

was restrictions on gun laws. President Obama called for

Distributed are uploading gun parts on to the internet through

twenty-three consecutive actions to curb gun violence this

Defcad then it would be as easy to print them in other

included universal background checks as well as a ban on

countries as well as America. Gun proliferation in the UK has

automatic weapons and high powered magazines.

always been controlled. Some of the first gun laws date back to the 17th century; they have become stricter with every act

Along side this blood shed there is a man named Cody R.

that is put into place. This has resulted in one of the lowest

Wilson a twenty-five Texan law graduate self appointed

rates of gun homicides in the world. There were 0.07 recorded

‘crypto-anarchist’ who’s mission is to create and publish a

intentional homicides committed with a firearm per 100,000

CAD file for a completely 3D printable firearm, one that is

inhabitants in 2010 compared with 3.0 in the United States.

accessible to anyone who can download and have the right

The Sandy Hook massacre spurred on organisations like

tools to manufacture them, he has aptly dubbed this the

Mom’s Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, one of their

‘Wiki-Weapon movement.’ All of this is possible through his

campaigns involves Kinder Eggs. Believe it or not but these

company Defense Distributed.

chocolate eggs have been banned in America since 1938 due to a law prohibiting inedible objects inside food, which could

3D printing or additive printing is a process where a CAD

pose a hazard to young children. However children can buy

(computer aided design) is created, it is then sent to a 3D

the AR-15 assault weapon shell of the internet with relative

printer where it prints the CAD design file by starting at the

ease, it’s just ludicrous.

base and applying a series of layers. The part of the gun that he is trying to create is something called the lower receiver,

Is this purposely disruptive person showing us a vision of the

which is the mechanism that houses the trigger. The rest of

future? If the internet is to become more prolific and

the gun is an addition to this. This is the part that is serialised

potentially a permanent facet of our future, then surely

and makes the shell a firearm. The model that Wilson is using

populating it with homemade gun’s is a bad idea? It’s common

is the highly customisable AR-15 assault rifle, which is

knowledge that the internet is populated with teenagers.

morbidly the same weapon used in the Sandy Hook massacre.

Weaponry and war are marketed to children way to often and Britain is not used to firearms. Increasing popularity of games

The ATF, which stands for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,

such as Call Of Duty, which have a barrage of weapons that

Firearms and Explosives (apparently), regulate the lower

those who play these games have an interest in. If 3D printing

receiver. The rest of the weapon is not serialised and can be

becomes a commodity in British homes, who’s not to say that

bought online, a child can buy it online. This is something

those with an interest in firearms wont use the CAD designs

Wilson thinks is a ‘thing of beauty.’ Ammunition is also

to print unmarked, untraceable and unlicensed firearms. This

relatively simple to come across in America, it can be bought

is purely speculative, but the rate in which technology is

over the internet with barely any regulations, making it

moving might mean that the advanced materials and

easy for gun users – and now gun makers - to lock and load

knowledge to print guns will come sooner than we expect.

their weapons.

And what if that knowledge was to get into the wrong hands?

In December 2012 MakerBot, who create domestic use 3D

This year alone has seen three men from Birmingham found

printers and own a 3D printing search engine called

guilty on charges of conspiracy to commit terrorism, what if

Thingiverse, decided to crack down on CAD designs of guns

these individuals were to get hold of this information and

and gun parts and subsequently took down all designs that

process of manufacture? The consequences would be

were associated with firearms. Wilson’s reaction to this was to

catastrophic. And this wouldn’t stop just in the West, this

create his own 3D printing search engine called Defcad, which

could be a global problem. This world doesn’t need firearms

is a search engine focused on guns and guns parts. His

to be readily available and home made, we see the

argument for this is that everybody should have the right to

consequences of home made weapons, such as home made

40.

COMPLETE.indd 44-45

bombs, all the time. If guns are all ready being made this way,

manage micron-wide measurements are very far away from

then there is no stopping people creating parts for explosives

home printing. But do not cast this technology out as a trend

and many other destructive weapons.

or fad, this really is the future of things to come. We could even have it within our front rooms within the next fifty

On the 15th of April, also known as Patriots Day, there was a

years, but if search engines like Defcad are prominent;

succession of explosions in the uptown district of Boston. It

we will see a dystopian future unfold, anarchistic to the

was targeted at the infamous Boston Marathon. Three people

point of self-annihilation.

had died in the blast and numerous others injured. What if the people responsible had access to 3D printing? Would it have

Wilson see’s this as a right and I understand the reasons why,

made their mission easier? Like I said there isn’t the

these technologies – in his eyes – should not be censored.

technology and materials advanced enough to make this

They could be compared with censoring freedom of speech.

domestic yet. MakerBot is the closest to an affordable home

Freedom of speech does its damage, we only have to glance

printer, you can pick these up for around four hundred pounds

across at the right wing EDL nuts to see the consequences of

and like all technology; it becomes cheaper as time moves on.

verbal abuse. But one thing freedom of speech doesn’t do is

Even though 3D printing is moving in leaps and bounds, the

physically kill. 3D printing has a broad future, one doused in

stage we’re at is still very limited. It is far from able to print

both positive and catastrophic tendencies. I really believe

precessional intricate pieces such as the lower receiver, the

that we need to revise how this software will affect our

materials are expensive and the fastidiousness needed to

futures, before its too late.

41.

23/04/2013 08:07

AMON TOBIN LIVE REVIEW LIVE AT THE HAMMERSMITH APOLLO

BY JACK PADURARIU

I admire Amon Tobin for his tenacity. Over a century of

The calculated decisions of his hands operating a sampler are

countless individuals’ progression and exploration has led us

the only glimpses of his body we get, the ambiguous accidental

to an encompassing, immersive manifestation of music, as

shadow cast on to the stage curtain and his arctic deep

detached and intangible as it was before the invention of the

electronic informing the crowd about this man’s life than any

physical format. Artists keep pushing against accepted

obtuse rabble-rouser DJ ever could. When his ambient

standards, breaking out of the rigid confines of the status

persuasions lurch to an ominous close, he stands up, zips his

quo; applying philosophy first, so as to make room for artistry.

coat up, puts his laptop in his bag and climbs down the side of

But the cumulative ponderings and musings of all these

the stage, and leaves the building by the fire exit in full view

restless misfits and pioneers over a timespan of generations

of a reeling crowd. The concept of ISAM seems hilariously

makes it difficult for one human to unearth their own territory,

selfish after the muted, humble ferocity of Actress. When the

to unravel a widely regarded standard.

stage curtain is lifted, my heart sunk.

It’s one mind versus all of history’s, and for that reason, whilst

The press campaign, having gained momentum over two

Amon Tobin’s grand ISAM adventure doesn’t shake the very

years of high definition youtube videos and RA testimonies,

foundations, his attempt at orchestrating something with

swallowed whole the comparatively puny actuality of Tobin’s

little preceding it is highly commendable and sees him cross a

ISAM, which was far from towering, far from overwhelming,

creative valley with apathy flowing through it. ISAM’s heritage

far from impressive. Seeing past the sobering reality squatted

is as much tied to the hyperbolic Technicolor stage marvels

onstage, that of blown up slightly grimy lego blocks with a

that Daft Punk, Justice and Deadmau5 have employed to

pretty primitive projection device pointed at them, was

impress a crowd in to strobed submission since the turn of the

difficult to overcome. Unless you were stood directly in the

millennium, as it is to the theatrical overloads that were so

middle of the venue, the myriad of surfaces relinquished very

popular amongst pompous rock bands like Genesis, Iron

little in the way of cohesive visuals, and left the majority

Maiden, and Queen during the decade of inflated importance

preoccupied with congregating in to a tight mass of sweaty,

that was the 1980’s.

male Amon Tobin fans.

Upon reflection, these gargantuan extrapolations upon what

Tobin begins with his lengthy collection of grinding, glitching

is fundamentally just noise have been widely regarded as self-

soundscapes, leaving plenty of time for contemplation and

indulgent, and best left in the capable (?) hands of Andrew

waning interest. After his first ‘final bow’, he loses the frankly

Lloyd Webb and not third tier prog tosh like Queensrӱche.

preposterous astronaut costume, and launches in to a

There is certainly a whiff of bloated ego wafting about Tobin’s

frighteningly powerful set of eclectic drum and bass, dubstep,

endeavour, but regardless, I was so excited to watch the ‘for

ambient and everything in between with masterful tact and

one night only’ spectacle of ISAM 2.0 coming to London.

nuance. However, after being stood motionless for an hour, the crowd had were anxious to move to the unexpected

Actress manages to thoroughly unnerve the thousands

battery of cannoning, super-powered dance. A second ‘final

strong crowd, forcing them back with introspective ripples of

bow’ is undertaken, followed by two more songs of much

modified noise. The regal red warmth of the Apollo collided

the same, and it comes to an end. Once again, I admire

with the cold snaps of contortionistic snare at a staggering

his tenacity, alas, tonight was a showcase of grubby

angle, but it seems as if the London producer is revelling in

sci-fi pornography.

this, crouching behind a solitary mixing desk placed amongst the barren desert of the stage.

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