Franz XAVER + Taro + Martin HOWSE + Shu Lea CHEANG + global network nodes
Mycelium Network Society (MNS) investigates the unique abilities of mycelium, the collective name given to thread-like networks of fungal cells, to share and process information. Launched at the Ecologies excursion of transmediale 2017 in Berlin, in 2018 MNS takes on a franchise mode—inviting alternative art spaces and bio-hack labs to become nodes within a mycelium network, and to host workshops, residencies and exhibitions investigating mycelium, fungus and spores. Mycelium is henceforth used as a structure through which to connect co-habitants across borders, to develop channels for constant communication, to construct political tactics and contest economic collapse. The network currently comprises six nodes across France, the UK and USA, and most recently four sites in Taiwan.

Art of the Cell

Beneath our everyday world there is a miniature universe of cells, trillions of tiny worlds, unseen and beautiful. Here is our latest 3D medical demo reel, including clips from many of the projects we’ve worked on, such as “Biology:How Life Works”, and “The Inner Life of the Cell”. We hope that you enjoy this two and a half minute tour of the Art of the Cell.

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Art de la cellule

Sous notre monde quotidien, il y a un univers miniature de cellules, des trillions de mondes minuscules, invisibles et beaux. Voici notre dernière démo médicale en 3D, comprenant des extraits de nombreux projets sur lesquels nous avons travaillé, tels que «Biologie: comment fonctionne la vie» et «La vie intérieure de la cellule». Nous espérons que vous apprécierez cette visite de deux minutes et demie de l’Art de la cellule.

Morphogenetic Creations
Created by a mathematician, digital artist and Emmy award winning supervisor of computer generated effects – Andy Lomas, Morphogenetic Creations is a collection of works that explore the nature of complex forms that can be produced by digital simulation of growth systems. These pieces start with a simple initial form which is incrementally developed over time by adding iterative layers of complexity to the structure.The aim is to create structures emergently: exploring generic similarities between many different forms in nature rather than recreating any particular organism. In the process he is exploring universal archetypal forms that can come from growth processes rather than top-down externally engineered design.Programmed using C++ with CUDA, the series use a system of growth by deposition: small particles of matter are repeatedly deposited onto a growing structure to build incrementally over time. Rules are used to determine how new particles are created, and how they move before being deposited. Small changes to these rules can have dramatic effects on the final structure, in effect changing the environment in which the form is grown. To create these works, Andy uses the GPU as a compute device rather than as a display device. All the data is held in memory on the GPU and various kernel functions are called to do things like apply forces to the cells, make cells split, and to render the cells using ray-tracing. The simulations and rendering for each of the different animated structures within this piece take about 12 hours to run, Andy explains. By the end of the simulations there are over 50,000,000 cells in each structure.The Cellular Forms use a more biological model, representing a simplified system of cellular growth. Structures are created out of interconnected cells, with rules for the forces between cells, as well as rules for how cells accumulate internal nutrients. When the nutrient level in a cell exceeds a given threshold the cell splits into two, with both the parent and daughter cells reconnecting to their immediate neighbours. Many different complex organic structures are seen to arise from subtle variations on these rules, creating forms with strong reminiscences of plants, corals, internal organs and micro-organisms.

Futuristic Sustainable Mountain Pod
A Futuristic Smart Sustainable Mountain pod designed to utilize solar power using a petals mechanism that allows it to open up and close down to charge up the pod using photovoltaic cells mounted on the petals. Inspired by a flower motion, the petals when open allows for a 360° view of the surrounding, the mechanism could also potentially allow the pod to collect rainwater to be self-sufficient and of the grid hide out.

Blueprint
Blueprint embraces the relationship and parallels between art and science, creating compositions through the mathematical principles of logic that underpin life. Exploring analogies between DNA and computer code, UVA have created the Blueprint series; works that pair genetics and code as the blueprints of artificial and natural systems. As the work slowly changes over time, patterns fluctuate between varying degrees of complexity. Blueprint uses the basic concepts of evolution to create an ever-transitioning image. With cells literally transferring their genes to their adjoining others, colour flows like paint across the canvas. Drawing up a unique colourful composition every minute, Blueprint presents the unlimited outcome that results from a single algorithm; a single set of rules.

My Whale
There is an impressive space at the front of the ship, with panoramic windshield and hexagonal pattern on the vaulted ceiling, remained from the 80-s, the time, when “Brusov” was constructed in Austria. Standing there gives you the feeling of floating through the reflections of the Krymsky bridge lights on the river, inside a giant whale head. Looking through its eyes, listening to its songs that flow across the brain made of hexagonal cells by the wires hanging down here and there.
With some light and sound we brought this whale to life.
Each piece of the projection onto the cells was cloned from the previous one with a random changes. So each cell behaved differently, pulsating to the rythm of the whale songs. To interract with the whale the visitor could place the phone screen above the black box in the center of the room.

BODY TEXTURES

“The textural work Body Textures by Signe Lykke is a beautiful sonic journey into the human body’s different cells. Cross-sectional images of cell types such as fat, protein and connective tissue form the basis of this orchestral work, and have served as an inspirational source for the different texture areas and movements. Morten Ryelund conducts the Danish Youth Ensemble.”

Silent Barrage

Silent Barrage has a “biological brain” that telematically connects with its “body” in a way that is familiar to humans: the brain processes sense data that it receives, and then brain and body formulate expressions through movement and mark making. But this familiarity is hidden within a sophisticated conceptual and scientific framework that is gradually decoded by the viewer. The brain consists of a neural network of embryonic rat neurons, growing in a Petri dish in a lab in Atlanta, Georgia, which exhibits the uncontrolled activity of nerve tissue that is typical of cultured nerve cells. This neural network is connected to neural interfacing electrodes that write to and read from the neurons. The thirty-six robotic pole-shaped objects of the body, meanwhile, live in whatever exhibition space is their temporary home. They have sensors that detect the presence of viewers who come in. It is from this environment that data is transmitted over the Internet, to be read by the electrodes and thus to stimulate, train or calm parts of the brain, depending on which area of the neuronal net has been addressed.

Gravicells
Gravicells puts the senses on edge. This installation produces a visualization and sonification of the force of gravity acting upon the visitor. Interconnected sensors continuously measure the visitor’s weight, movements and speed. The resulting data are converted into physical audio-visual experience by various media systems.

Phonotube
Phonotube are experimental instruments for live audio visual performance, constructed as Luminous instruments and sound sequencers, that use fluorescent lamp tubes and LED strips, as light sources. The tubes are covered with negative ofsset, printed with sound patterns that spin at variable speed. The oscillation from the light emitted by these patterns is transduced to sound, processed by light excitation, a variety of electronic circuits as pre-amps with photo-cells and phototransitors, voltage control oscillators, relays, Filters, 1bit attiny85 micro controler. The technological principle is based on the photophone, patented by Graham Bell and inspired by audio visuals experimenters as Norman Mclaren,that used the optical sound technology of Film. In the history of the invention of electronic sound instruments, the study of light and its behavior as a particle or wave, and its application to sound processes, had a relevant position and is currently, one of the areas of scientific research with the greatest potential in human communication.