MIF 2019
MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: ATMOSPHERIC MEMORY Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer presents Atmospheric Memory, a technologically advanced immersive art environment, as part of this year’s MIF
Bringing together a broad range of artists from myriad disciplines, Manchester International Festival 2019 saw innovative artworks, films and music take centre stage at venues across the city. One of the festival’s most talked-about pieces came from Mexican Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. “Atmospheric Memory is a project five years in the making and possibly the most ambitious I have ever undertaken,” Lozano-Hemmer said of his creation. “It is the result of research on disparate fields from robotics to fluid dynamics.” Staged in an extraordinary custom-built structure made with shipping containers next to the museum’s 1830 Warehouse, Atmospheric Memory explored the beautiful tumult of the air we breathe – and ultimately celebrated the transience of the sounds that fleetingly live within it. Utilising technologies such as computerised surveillance, biometrics and automation, and working with a team that includes programmers, designers, scientists and architects, it was clear from the start that such an ambitious project would require specialist technical support. One of those charged with making sure the exhibit ran smoothly was Stage Technician,
Tom French. It was no mean feat, but when TPi caught up with him at the festival, he was typically modest. “The guys from Canada came over and installed the art, and we just installed the infrastructure around that,” he began. “Everything in the room is run over networks and is being monitored in real time from Canada, so we’re just babysitting really. We’re managing what they have built.” Panasonic projectors and Datapath Fx4s were among the visual kit specified. Four custom-built media servers ran TouchDesigner and MadMapper software. Atmospheric Memory proved to be a nice change of pace for French, who is more accustomed to working on theatrical productions. “I’m a big fan of modern art so it’s nice to get into a new world and experience something slightly different.” French went on to explain how his stage experience was a big help to the artist: “This is the first time that they have ever put some much stuff in one space,” he said. “That’s why they got a technical theatre team behind it – because it’s a show in its own right.” tube uk Sound Engineers Dan Steele and Adam Taylor devised and delivered the complex sound scheme which entailed some nifty and out-ofthe-box QLab programming. Cloud Display comprised a substantial wall 6m x 2.5m tall with which guests engaged by talking to into the intercoms with their words appeared 70
