the last place on earth you probably want to beart + space + audience

Performativity is a central theme for Toronto’s Nuit Blanche, taking place October 4th, from 6:52pm to sunrise. It’s not only central to a lot of the work that goes on throughout the night, but I think it’s an apt description of audience as well. On what other occasion are so many citizens out and about at all hours of the night? The drifting that Nuit Blanche inspires makes the whole event itself — along with the participating audience — a performance in its own right.

Wayne Baerwaldt, the curator for Zone B, aims for an audience-art integration that Nuit Blanche seems designed for. In the curatorial statement published in the event catalogue, Baerwaldt says that “many of the artists in Zone B produce works that demand a close proximity of artwork to the viewer. An unusual intimacy with the audience is built in a variety of situations.”

With that said, here are my recommendations for Nuit Blanche Zone B. (Click here for my Zone A recommendations).

Farah Yusuf & Alex Stephan, r u part of the art? Photo: Aubrey Arenas

My first recommendation begins with a question that is simple enough: r u part of the art? By texting “yes” to 647-989-7707, you’ll receive SMS instructions. For what? Who knows. Half Situationist, half Happening, this piece is sure to appeal to those with a sense of adventure — or at least curiousity. (Because the catalogue says “limited enrollment, I’m assuming that you can’t text “yes” until Nuit Blanche begins on October 4th at 6:52pm).

r u part of the art?

Farah Yusuf – Toronto, Canada
Alex Stephan – Toronto, Canada

Conceptual intervention

Text ‘yes’ to 647-989-7707. The public is invited to subscribe to mobile text alerts that are sent to their cell phones at regular intervals over the course of the night. The text messages are instructions that they are asked to perform — some will require acts that are social or demonstrative in nature, while other instructions are vague and introspective. By allowing the collaborative unpredictability of the user experience, the interpretation of the work is entirely in their domain. It is at once both public spectacle and private contemplation. “r u part of the art” investigates the social dimension of participation in this highly networked culture. The use of the cell phone and text messaging as the delivery medium provides an immediacy of execution that transcends spatial boundaries. Participation is a key element to the piece. Whether that participation is physical or symbolic, the goal is to blur the line between performer and audience. No premium mobile fees apply to use this service. Regular carrier charges apply as per your individual service contract. Limited Enrolment.

You can visit the Main Scotiabank Information Centre for project details at Scotia Plaza, 50 King Street West.

Noam Gonick, Commerce Court, 2008, Film projections Photo: Joe Banh

Although little about the nature of Nuit Blanche is “serious”, anything with the word “comedic” in it is probably worthy of a visit (despite it not quite fitting into the theme of audience performativity). In Commerce Court, Noam Gonick makes good use of the location for his film installation.

COMMERCE COURT

Noam Gonick – Winnipeg, Canada

Film Installation

What’s going on inside Bay Street’s corporate boardrooms? Find out in this film installation starring comedian Roman Danylo as a CEO-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown riding the waves of today’s fragile economy. [The printed catalogue also included the following, but perhaps things have changed since its publication:] This comedic quadraphonic film installation projected outdoors in the heart of the financial district, ponders that question with outrageous results. Each screen depicts a standup comedian in executive attire projected several stories high.

Commerce Court is at 25 King Street West, and Gonick’s piece can be accessed from Jordan Street.

Magnetic Laboratorium a.k.a Marisela La Grave, Business Class, 2008, Inter-Media Installation & Art Performance Photo: Image courtesy of Magnetic Laboratorium

In keeping with appropriate locations, Business Class by Magnetic Laboratorium combine video projection, performance and prop to create what seems will be a relatively large spectacle of technology and people.

BUSINESS CLASS

Magnetic Laboratorium / Marisela La Grave – New York City, USA

Performance Art, Multimedia Installation

Business Class is an inter-media installation set in a public space. The work is an investigation on contemporary issues in the fields of science, technology, art and design. The project depicts a group of contemporary leading thinkers discussing inside a futuristic aluminum air streamer carefully installed in the heart of Toronto’s financial district, while a crowd of business people line up outside waiting to have their luggage searched by agents.

Three large scale video projections on walls around the trailer show the thinkers conversing inside the capsule, close range details of the contents inside the luggage and the audience presence in space.

The Installation is time-based and highly audiovisual giving the audience the opportunity to be included visually in the spirit of the work.

Business Class will take place at the parking lot at Temperance Street and Sheppard Street.

Steve Heimbecker, Turbulance Sound Matrix, 2008

And, although it doesn’t quite fit into the idea of performativity (unless you care to philosophize whether a tree that falls in the forest when no one hears it still makes a sound) I think it’s a must to check out Turbulence Sound Matrix: Signe by Steve Heimbecker at The Gallery at the Ontario Heritage Trust.

TURBULENCE SOUND MATRIX: SIGNE

Steve Heimbecker – Montreal, Canada

Multimedia Installation, Audio Art

The Turbulence Sound Matrix (TSM), uses digital recordings of the wind created by Heimbecker’s Wind Array Cascade Machine (2003) in the form of continuous cascading wave patterns to amplify and diffuse any sound source through the powerful 64 channels of the TSM’s unique speaker array. This adaptation creates a vivid, highly articulated, and totally immersive sonic environment for the listener. For this presentation Heimbecker has created the spellbinding 64 channel composition “Signe”, a composition of unlimited duration using the wind, all 88 notes of a grand piano, and 16 recordings of the artist typing stories to himself about himself and about his making the TSM over the past 5 years. Since the early 1980’s Steve Heimbecker has been creating art works for multi channel sound systems, multi channel data representation, audio performance, installation, large scale sculpture, and video montage. Conceptually his work is based upon his fascination with the architecture of space and the measurement of time within space. For more information about Steve Heimbecker’s works go to www3.sympatico.ca/qubeassm/

This Toronto premiere of TSM at Scotiabank Nuit Blanche is presented by New Adventures in Sound Art as part of its SOUNDplay festival.

Stay tuned for Zone C recommendations.