Open Lab Egypt (OLE) – Video Interactive Projects

Open Lab Egypt (OLE) – Video Interactive Projects

Cairo workshop: October 16- 30, 2009
Alexandria workshop: 25 Nov - 4 Dec

Workshop for the production of ideas/projects around the concept of interactive image and sound, using a combination of free hardware and software platforms (PD and Arduino) to deepen in the use of electronics and programming.
The workshop is intended for art students, artists, designers and educators, contributing to development cultural production in local communities.

OLE
A long term project based on several workshop phases between Cairo and Alexandria, initiated with aims of developing the use of electronic interface within Art creation in Egypt.
The project phases will provide introduction to the technique, experimentation with tools, investigating ideas and concept evaluation.
For more information:
http://www.medrar.org\ole.html

Workshop is organized by:
Medrar and Hangar
http://medrar.org
http://hangar.org

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OLE Cairo workshop
16 october - 31 october 2009 at The Rooftop Studio
During the two weeks of workshop a space of reflection, investigation and collaborative work developed in a context of production, encounter, dialogues and collective learning where several tutors exert of technical advisers of the artists and work groups who develop each one of the proposals.

The platforms taught are all open - software and hardware.

Contents:
- Introduction to electronics and microcontrollers concepts - Using Sensors - Control of Video and Audio - Work on projects suggested by the participants

Duration: 15 days, including open seminars and demonstration of resulting works
Day 1: Introduction to Electronics and Arduino
Theory:
-Tools.
- Breadboard.
- Electronic components description.
- Basic electronic laws.
- Introduction to Arduino hardware and microcontrollers .
- Programming Arduino board.
Practice:
Install Arduino software
- Connect Arduino to computer.
- Program simple blink led example.
(Objective: Introduction to electronics and microcontrollers concepts)
Day 2: Introduction to Arduino software
Theory:
- Description of the basic instructions (reference)
- Theory of serial protocol.
- Concept of analog and digital. Sampling and bitrate.
Practice:
- Reading buttons and analog values.
- Using leds like visualizer.
- Sending data with the serial port.
(Objective: Comprension of the Arduino software and basic examples)
Day 3: Sensors and actuators
Theory:
- Explain different sensor technologies. (light, force, acceleration, infrared, ultrasonic, etc.).
- Explain different actuators technologies. (Motors, Servos, lights, solenoids, relays, etc.).
Practice:
- Reading different kind of sensors.
- Simple examples for control of different kinds of motors using extra electronics.
- Controlling complex actuators, high voltage, motion, etc.
(Objective: Comprension of basic sensors and actuators - Phisical computing tools)
Day 4: Arduino vs. Pure Data
Theory:
- Simple protocol strategies to send/recieve data to/from computer.
- How to send data from sensors to PD.
- How to control actuators from PD.
Practice:
- Basic examples and communication between Ardunio and PD.
- Controlling Arduino from Pure Data.
- Controlling a computer from Arduino.
Day 5-14: Thematic Working Groups (Practice)
The participants will form groups and work on projects proposed by themselves.

Presented by: The workshop is organized by Medrar (Cairo) and Hangar (Spain) Instruction and supervision during the workshop leaded by:

Sergi Lario
Programmer, visual experimenter, engineer in computer systems and technical development of applications. Escaping from the commercial world he has put his deep technical skills to the service of digital arts - giving workshops on interactive video, performing visuals in numerous spaces in Spain and collaborating in Pure Data development - notably the collection of Pdvjtools.
http://hangar.org/pdvjtools
Personal web page (in catalan):
http://sergilario.com/


Alex Posada
Electronic engineer, musician and digital artist, he centers his work on the search for new forms of interaction with technology. He currently directs the Interaction Lab in Hangar, Barcelona where he has developed numerous projects for artists.
http://hangar.org/wikis/lab/doku.php?id=start:hardwarelab.
With Carlos Martinez he has the group Neuronoise (http://neuronoise.org), creating live shows and installations that combine sound, image and interactivity.

More informations and videos about Cairo workshop:
http://medrarcairo.blogspot.com/2009/09/open-lab-egypt-ole-video-interactive.html

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OLE
Alexandria workshop
November 25 to 4th of December, 2009

Computer Vision Techniques for Interactive Installations
The aim of this workshop is to teach the use of the camera as a device for creating interactive audiovisual installations. Using the OpenCV library ( http://hangar.org/wikis/lab/doku.php?id=start:puredata_opencv )
Participants will learn the basics of Computer Vision Techniques and then be able to start applying them to artistic projects.

During the 10 days of workshop a space of reflection, investigation and collaborative work will be developed in a context of production, encounter, dialogues and collective learning where several tutors exert of technical advisers of the artists and work groups who develop each one of the proposals.

The platforms taught are all open - software and hardware - but may be adapted to any system.

Contents:
- Introduction to Computer Vision
- Processing Live Video
- Processing of data
- Motion Detection in a public space
- Control of Video and Audio
- Work on projects suggested by the participants

Duration: 10 days, including open seminars and demonstration of resulting works.

Tutors Yves Degoyon & Lluis Gomez i Bigorda
Day 1: Introduction to Computer Vision
Theory:
- Image and Video Format Concepts ( RGB, YUV, ... )
- Static and Dynamic processing of images and video frames.
- Movement Detection example - Simple Tracking example - Tracking using Pattern recognition.
- Pattern recognition using a Statistical approach.
Practice:
- Conversion of videos to a format suitable for analysis.
- Simple Movement detection example.
- Simple Tracking example.
(Objective: Showing a panorama of existing computer vision techniques )
Day 2: Processing Live Video
Theory:
- Which camera to use? What to expect?
- The importance of lightning and contrast.
- Noise removal and filtering.
- Advanced filtering and pre-processing of video.
Practice:
- Using simple examples using different kind of inputs.
- Measure and see the importance of filtering.
- Use of video pre-processing techniques.
(Objective: Stabilize the first examples with a more precise detection and tracking)

Day 3: Processing of data
Theory:
- Connecting analysis data to media processing.
- Smoothing data to get more stable results.
Practice:
- Process incoming data to produce interaction.
- Connect first examples to a media production unit (sound and/or video)
- Calibrating inputs to get the expected result.
(Objective: Using incoming data and process it to produce interaction)
Day 4: Choose the right technique in the right context
Theory:
- Outdoor/Indoor context.
- Camera/Lighting setup for a ‘Darkroom’.
- Importance of background and contrast.
Practice:
- Using basic examples in different context (outdoor, dark room)
- Playing with contrast and background (Objective: Determine the best technique and setup for different contexts)
Day 5-10: Thematic Working Groups ( Practice )
- Motion Detection in a public space
- Tracking in the context of dance and theater.
- Augmented reality.
- Interactive sound instruments.
(Objective: Realize a few prototypes using computer vision techniques for different kind of applications, towards a real application).

Presented by:
The workshop is organized by Medrar (Cairo) and Hangar (Spain)
Instruction and supervision during the workshop will be leaded by:

Lluis Gomez i Bigorda:
A programmer specialized in free technologies applied to artistic creation and real time internet communication. He has developed applications, libraries and objects for Pure Data (for performances, installations, VJs etc.) He is a member of the visual arts collectives R3 and T4 as well as the GISS.TV developers group. He currently works in Hangar, centre for production in contemporary art. http://www.hangar.org/wikis/softwarelab



Yves Degoyon:
A musician/performer and a free software developer/dealer. A living legend in the free software community, he has worked on numerous artistic and community projects promoting self-mediation and inventive ways of communicating and organizing. Currently he is the main developer of giss.tv and collaborates with Lluis Gomez on the openCV library for PD. He's practising copyleft philosophy under the name of d.R.e.G.S : http://ydegoyon.free.fr





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OLE - Open Lab Egypt at The Rooftop Studio - 1st day & 2nd day



Open Lab Egypt (OLE), 3rd Day



Open Lab Egypt (OLE), 4th Day



Open Lab Egypt (OLE), 5th Day




Open Lab Egypt (OLE),6th Day

PICK 4 : بشاير ٤

The Pick 4
Townhouse Gallery of Contemporary Art
June 28–July 22, 2009

The fourth edition of “The Pick,” Townhouse’s biannual exhibition of young artists, opens this June in both the first-floor and factory spaces. Introducing the latest generation of artists, the show features work by students and recent graduates. “The Pick 4” is organized by Medrar for Contemporary Art, an artist-run initiative based in Cairo.

Most of the work on view in “The Pick 4” will be new, developed through close discussion with the curators. In this way, the exhibition serves not only to promote and encourage young artists but also to expose them to the curatorial process and critical collaboration.

Artists:
Ahmed El Azma
Amr Ali
Esraa El Feky
Asmaa Kolaly
Hend Kolaly
Aya Tarek
Dalia Abdel Aziz
Dalia Mahdy
Ramy Abdo
Sarah Hamdy
Shereen Lotfy
Abdallah Sabry
Aliaa Abo Ouf
Kareem Lotfy
Mohamed Alaa
Mohamed Keshk
Mai Hamdy
Norhan Mohamed
Wessam Quresh
Wensh
Walaa El Sayed

Curator: Mohamed Allam
Assistant: Aliaa Abou Ouf

ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ
بشاير 4
تاون هاوس جاليرى
من 28 يونيو الى 22 يوليو 2009
يأخذ معرض بشاير دورته الرابعة بالتاون هاوس جاليرى ويعرض تجارب وأعمال فنانين شباب من مصر وتقديمهم كجيل جديد، بشاير4 بتنظيم "مدرار للفن المعاصر" مبادرة فنية بالقاهرة.
نظم الحدث ليحوى مشاريع جديدة للفنانين المشاركين بعضها طورت من خلال تبادل المقابلات والمناقشات مع منسقوا المعرض، كذلك لقاءات التعارف بين الفنانين وتبادل الخبرات والآراء، وعلى هذا النهج لم يكن المعرض مجرد عرض لإنتاج الفنانين وتشجيعهم ولكن ايضأ تفاعلهم مع عملية التنظيم والمشاركات النقدية.

المشاركين:
أحمد العظمة
إسراء الفقى
أسماء القللى
هند القللى
آيه طارق
داليا عبدالعزيز
داليا المهدى
رامى عبدو
سارة حمدى
شيرين لطفى
عبدااله صبرى
علياء أبو عوف
عمرو على
كريم لطفى
محمد علاء
محمد كشك
مى حمدى
نورهان محمد
وسام قريش
ونش
ولاء السيدد

منسق المعرض: محمد علام
مساعد: علياء ابوعوف

Aida Nadeem in Cairo عايدة نديم بالقاهرة

الموسيقية عايدة نديم فنانه عراقية تقيم بالدنمارك، تعرض وتقدم أعمالها فى اوروبا، والآن هى تستعد لتلتقى بالجمهور العربى، يستضيف مركز كرمة ابن هانىء بمتحف أحمد شوقى الفنانة عايدة نديم لتقدم نفسها للجمهور وتعرفهم بإسلوبها الغير تقليدى فى الموسيقى والغناء والأداء أيضاً.


عايدة نديم

مطربة وشاعرة وموسيقية ولدت ببغداد، درست الموسيقى الكلاسيكية واستكملت دراستها فى الدنمارك، تعمل عايدة نديم بالحقل الغير تجارى او ما يسمونه بالموسيقى البديله كذلك تبتكر فى موسيقاها وتبحث دائماً عن الجديد، تمتزج فى أعمالها نزعة الفلكلور والتراث بالحداثة واستخدام التقنيات الرقمية.

www.aidanadeem.com :للمزيد

اللقاء بتظيم مدرار للفن المعاصر

The musician Aida Nadeem is a Denmark based Iraqi artist. She has always presented her work in Europe and is currently preparing to meet with the Arab Public. The Karma Ibn Hane Center in Ahmed Shawki Museum will play host to the artist where she will present her self to the audience and acquaint them with her unique style in music, singing and performance as well.

Aida Nadeem

Singer, musician and poet, born in Baghdad, studied classical music and completed her studies in Denmark. She works in the field of non-commercial or the so-called alternative music. She is an innovative character always on the look for new ideas. She enjoys folklore, heritage and the use of modern digital techniques in her music.

for more info: www.aidanadeem.com

Organized by Medrar for Contemporary Art

Medrar's 15th Open Meeting لقاء مدرار الخامس عشر

يوم الاربعاء الموافق:20/5/2009، يعرض الفنان مجدى مصطفى أعماله وتجربته فى مناقشة مفتوحة مع الحضور، وذلك بمقر
مدرار للفن المعاصر، الساعة 7 م
سوف يبدأ اللقاء بعرض صوتى لمدة 15ق

يعمل مجدي مصطفى في مجال المالتيميدا منذ عام 2000، , ويهتم بعلاقة الصوت بالفراغ. له عدة مشروعات رائدة في مجال الصوت الالكتروني وتوظيفه داخل الفراغ بداية من عام 2002 وحتى الآن، منها (حديث الحوائط)، (مدينة)، و (خلايا صوتية). حصل على الجائزة الكبرى لصالون الشباب عام 2007 وجائزة الصالون عام 2009. وله ايضا عدة عروض صوتيه بصريه حيه بالتعاون مع ( 100 نسخه) والفنان محمود رفعت. عرض صوتي حيّ (مسـار) - مهرجان 100لايف 2008 - 2009 القاهرة والإسكندرية. مهرجان 100ووركس، ممر 35(عرض صوتي بصري) - مقطوعات صوتية (تعازيم) كجزء من عرض 100نسخة في برلين بألمانيا 2008.

http://www.myspace.com/magdimostafa


On Wednesday 20\5\2009 the artist Magdi Mostafa will presents his art works and his experience in open discussion with the audience, at Medrar for Contemporary Art, at 7 pm.
presentation will start with a LIVE SOUND SESSION


Magdi S. Mostafa Involved in the field of multimedia since 2000, and interested in the connection between the sound and the space, he has some sound installations like (madena) & (sound cells). Participated in 100 Live electronic music festival 2008-2009. Cairo / Alexandria – 100worx at passage35 2008 - Exorcism (soundtracks) part of 100COPIES showcase Berlin - Germany 2008.

http://www.myspace.com/magdimostafa

Medrar's 14th Open Meeting لقاء مدرار الرابع عشر

يوم الاربعاء الموافق:13/5/2009، يعرض الفنان جنزير أعماله وتجربته فى مناقشة مفتوحة مع الحضور، وذلك بمقر
مدرار للفن المعاصر، الساعة 7 م

جنزير يعمل بمجالات الرسوم، تصميمات الجرافيك، الكتابة، والفيديو. من حين لآخر يحب اللعب فى مجالات لا يعلم عنها شيئاً. لقد عرضت أعماله المختلفة فى مصر، دبى، هولندا، ألمنيا، وبولندا، كما نشرت أعماله فى العديد من المجلات والكتب و على بعض المواقع الإلكترونية، مع العلم أنه من خريجى كلية التجارة.
وسوف يكون ايضاً اصدارين من اعمال جنزير متاحين للبيع "من الاخر" اصدار مستقل من 28 صفحه وكذلك "اطلال المستقبل" روايه رسوم مسلسلة من 80 صفحه مع جورج عزمى وانتجها مركز الصورة المعاصرة
www.ganzeer.com
* المرفقات من تصوير: أدهم بكرى


On Wednesday 13\5\2009 the artist Ganzeer will presents his art works and his experience in open discussion with the audience, at Medrar for Contemporary Art, at 7 pm.

Ganzeer does illustrations, graphic design, writing, and video. From time to time Ganzeer will play around within a medium or venue he knows nothing about. His work has been shows in Egypt, Dubai, Holland, Germany, and Poland, and has also been published in a variety of books and magazines as well as a few good sites on the internet. And just for the record, he’s a business graduate.

there will also be two publications available for sale "min
el akher" an independently produced 28 page publication, as well as "atlal el mosta2bal," the 80-page graphic novel co-created with George Azmy and published by CiC
www.ganzeer.com

* The event photograph was shot by Adham Bakry

Medrar's 13th Open Meeting لقاء مدرار الثالث عشر

يوم الاربعاء الموافق:6/5/2009، يعرض الفنان حسام هدهد أعماله وتجربته فى مناقشة مفتوحة مع الحضور، وذلك بمقر
مدرار للفن المعاصر، الساعة 7 م

حسام هدهد
مواليد القاهره 1978 خريج كلية التربيه الفنيه 2001 بدأ المشاركه بالحركه الفنيه عام 1998 كمصور
وفى عام 2000 قام بأول تجربة برفورمانس بمحض الصدفه، فى عام 2001 انتج أول تجاربه بالفيديو
وكان البرفورمانس عنصر اساسى فى جميع اعماله منذ ذالك الحين، تنصب اهتماماته بالقضايا الاجتماعيه
ومشاكل المجتمع المصري، شارك هدهد فى العديد من المعارض من عام2000 الى2008 وايضأ حصل على جائزة صالون الشباب لفنون الميديا 2007

Within the Region at CIGE 2009

للغة العربية اسفل الصفحة


Dear Friends of Medrar,
We have the pleasure to announce that our touring video program "Within the Region" is to be shown in China.
After starting the tour on October 2nd 2008 in Spain at the Bienniale of Contemporary Arts in Seville (Biacs 3), Bejing Art Fair in China will see the second tour stop of “Within the Region” at the China International Gallery Exposition CIGE 2009 on the 15th and 16th of April.
The tour is to be continued in other countries around the world until it returns to the Arabic region and stops in Egypt.
You can check our page in the CIGE web site, http://www.cige-bj.com/news_en/09311420B7.html


Within the Region
A touring program of contemporary videos from the Arab Region

Identity, individuality, politics and regional issues have all come to the foreground of the art scene in the Arab region, which has lent the region its distinctiveness.
Within the Region is a program that approaches such concepts while striving to represent or depict different fragments of the reality of its existence that often lie in contrast to the ways in which it is perceived outside of the region.
As a contemporary medium, the featured videos manifest how contemporary artists from Arab countries examine these matters with subtlety, wariness and sensibility, while striving to give rise to various questions about the diversity involved in practicing video arts.
Within the Region is a selection of high-concept/ low-budget videos produced by emerging video artists from Arab countries.
One of main aspects of the program is that it offers up-and-coming Arab artists a chance to exhibit their work in the international as well as the local arena.
As a touring program this selection will be shown in various art spaces around the world starting 2009, and will be brought to a close by 2010 in Egypt, where a publication documenting all the activities that will have surrounded the event at each tour stop will be created and distributed around all venues that hosted the screenings.

Videos:

Kekh
Hosam Elsawah - Egypt - 6 min

Don't Resign
Ahmed Elshaer - Egypt - 3min

Play
Waheeda Malullah - Bahrain - 3min



Interview
Ahmed Sabry - Egypt - 1min

Soup Over Bethlehem (Mloukhieh)
Larisa Sansour - Palestine - 9min

On The Pointed Stick
Hosam Hodhod - Egypt - 3min

4 Seasons
Rania Rafei - Lebanon - 4 min

In the Fridge
Asmaa kolaly - Egypt - 2 min



Documentaries:

Full Bloom
Sandra Madi - Jordan - 46min

Lemon Flowers
Pamela Ghonimeh - Lebanon - 35min

First Picture
Akram Al Ashqar - Palestine - 26min

Among Ourselves
Ibrahim Abla - Egypt - 18min

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اعزائى أصدقاء مدرار يسعدنا ان نعلمكم ان برنامج الفيديو الجوال "داخل المنطقة" والذى تنظمه مدرار سوف يأخذ جولته الثانيه الى الصين فى بيكين آرت فير CIGE 2009 فى 15 و16 ابريل 2009

http://www.cige-bj.com/news_en/09311420B7.html

علماً بأن الجولة الأولى للبرنامج كانت فى الثانى من اكتوبر 2008 بأسبانيا فى بينالى اشبيلية الثالث
http://www.fundacionbiacs.com/biacs3/fichaartista.php?id=124

داخل المنطقة
برنامج فيديو جوال من داخل المنطقة العربية

مجموعة فيديو نسقت من بعض ممارسي فنون الفيديو من المنطقة العربية ، يهدف البرنامج إلى تدوير عجلة انتقال صياغات التفكير لدى ممارسي الفيديو اليوم من الشباب وانتقالها عن طريق جولة عبر أقطار مختلفة حول العالم.

يهدف البرنامج إلى خلق مساحة جيدة لرؤية ممارسات معاصرة عن كثب لفانين يعملون بمجال الفيديو في العالم العربي بإنتاج منخفض التكاليف.

تم اختيار مجموعة الفيديو لمعايير وثيقة الصلة بالمضمون الجغرافي والبيئي وكل ما يعبر عن الهوية الثقافية أو العرقية أو الاجتماعية أو السياسية وسوف يتم تغطية البرنامج بإقامة حلقات نقاش ومقالات نقدية ، وسيدعم ذلك بإصدار منشور بنهاية الرحلة يحوى كل ما كتب في كل محطاته.

البرنامج مقترح جولته بدول مثل ألمانيا، بلجيكا، سويسرا، النمسا ، السويد، أسبانيا، أمريكا، وبعض الدول في شرق آسيا والعالم العربي خلال 2009،2010 .

الافلام :

كخ
حسام السواح - مصر - 6ق

لا تتنحى
أحمد الشاعر - مصر - 3ق

إلعب
وحيدة مال الله - البحرين - 3ق

مقابلة
أحمد صبرى - مصر - 1ق

ملوخية
لاريسا سنسور - فلسطين - 9ق

الخازوق
حسام هدهد - مصر - 3ق

أربع فصول
رانيا رافع - لبنان - 4ق

فى الثلاجة
أسماء القللى - مصر - 2ق

قمر14 (تسجيلى)
ساندرا ماضى - الأردن - 46ق

زهر الليمون (تسجيلى)
باميلا غنيمة - لبنان - 35ق

الصورة الأولى (تسجيلى)
أكرم الأشقر - فلسطين - 26ق

مننا فينا (تسجيلى)
ابراهيم عبلة - مصر - 18ق