Afasia

source: marceliantunez

Marcel.lí Antúnez Roca (Moià, 1959) is well-known in the international art scene for his mechanotronic performances and robotic installations.

In the nineties his avantguard mechatronic performances combined such elements as Bodybots (body-controlled robots), Systematugy (interactive narration with computers) and dresskeleton (the exoskeleton body interface).

The themes explored in his work include: the use of biological materials in robotics, as in Joan l’home de carn (1992); telematic control on the part of a spectator of an alien body in the performance EPIZOO (1994); the expansion of body movements with dresskeletons (exoskeletical interfaces) sed in the performances AFASIA (1998) and POL (2002); involuntary choreography with the bodybot REQUIEM (1999); and microbiological ansformations in the installations RINODIGESTIO (1987) and AGAR (1999). He is currently working on the spatial and utopian artwork TRANSPERMIA

In the early nineties his performance EPIZOO caused a commotion in the international art scene. For the first time a performer’s body movements could be controlled by the audience. By operating a videogame, a spectator interacts with the bodybot worn by Antúnez, moving his buttocks, pectoral muscles, mouth, nose and ears. This performance stresses the ironical, and even cruel, paradox rising from the coexistence between virtual digital iniquity and the performer’s physical vulnerability.

Since the eighties, Antúnez’s work has been based on a continuous observation of how human desires are expressed and in what specific situations they appear. First in the tribal performances ofLa Furadel Baus and later, on his own, he expressed this interest by creating complex, in many cases hybrid, systems hard to classify. Antúnez’ works belong to the fields of both visual and scenic arts.

From the early nineties, the incorporation and transgression of scientific and technological elements in Antúnez’ work, and their interpretation by means of unique and specific devises, have produced a new cosmogony – warm, raw and ironic – of traditional themes such as affection, identity, or death. In his works these elements take on an extremely human dimension that causes a spontaneous reaction in the audience.

Hi was also founding member ofLa Furadels Baus, he worked in this company as art co-ordinator, musician and performer from 1979 to 1989, and presented the group’s macro-performances ACCIONS (1984), SUZ/O/SUZ (1985) and TIER MON (1988).

Antúnez has presented his work in numerous international venues includingLa Fundación Telefónicain Madrid, the P.A.C. in Milan, the Lieu Unique in Nantes, the I.C.A. in London, SOU Kapelica Ljubljana, Cena Contemporanea in Rio de Janeiro, the Barcelona MACBA and the DOM Cultural Center of Moscow. He has performed at the International Festivals EMAF Osnabruc Germany, Muu Media Festival Helsinki, Noveaux Cinema Noveaux

Medias Montreal, DEAF Rotterdam, Spiel Art Munich, Ars Electronica Linz Austria, DAF Tokio Japan among others.

Antúnez’s work has appeared in the following publications: Il Corpo Postorganico by Teresa Macrì, ed. Costa&Nolan Milano; Body Art and Performances by Lea Vergine, ed. Skira, London; Marcel.lí Antúnez Roca performances, objetos y dibujos by Claudia Giannetti, ed. MECAD Barcelona, and the catalogue Epifania published by Fundación Telefónica, Madrid, among others.

Antúnez has received the following awards and distinctions: First Prize at the Festival Étrange, Paris 1994; Best New Media Noveaux Cinéma Noveaux Médias Montreal 1999; Max New Theatre award, Spain 2001; FAD Award Barcelona 2001, Honorary Mention at Prix Ars Electronica 2003 and Premi Ciutat Barcelona 2004, multumedia.

At this moment Marcel•lí is working on what he call’s Arsenal Della Aparrazione and it’s include the three latest works from Antúnez, thefirst called Cotrone (2010) is a performance, the second El Peix Sebastiano a medium-length film presented in Sitges film festival and the most recent staging Pseudo (2012) presented in the Grec Festival of Barcelona.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: marceliantunez

INTERACTIVE MECHATRONIC PERFORMANCE. ONE PERFORMER WEARING A DRESKELETON (AN EXOSKELETAL BODY INTERFACE) NARRATES A MYTH ACCOMPANIED BY FOUR MUSICAL ROBOTS, INTERACTIVE SOUND, VIRTUAL IMAGES AND VIDEO.

The onstage action takes place in a rectangular space, with a large overhead projection screen at the back. At the front of the stage there are four musical robots inspired by a guitar, a drum, a set of bagpipes and a violin. Marcel.lÌ Ant·nez Roca, the sole performer, wears an exoskeletal body interface (dreskeleton) made of metal and plastic fitted to his body. This orthopaedic mechanism enables the digital reading of body movements and also of the network of switches measured to the body. Thanks to software written specifically for this work it is possible to process and control the images projected onto the screen in real time, as well as the robots and the music, in other words all the aspects that make up this work.

Aphasia is a term meaning an inability to understand thought as expressed in spoken or written word by reason of some brain disease. This title sums up Marcel.lÌ’s remarkable interpretation of Homer’s Odyssey. The plot of this classical myth has been refashioned into a series of images and sounds that Marcel.lÌ controls by means of the dreskeleton. A sequence of non-verbal situations creates a broken and disturbing narration. The original verse has been substituted by a wide-ranging interactive landscape. The spectator is situated, for example, on a psychedelic island of lotus-eaters, or watches Circe in an animated cartoon version or yet again, the sirens consummating an orgiastic ritual.

This performance has been awarded many prizes: the Best New Media in Montreal in 1999, the Aplaudiment Arts Parteatrals FAD in Barcelona 2000, the Premio Max for alternative scenic arts Spain 2001. To date it has been performed in cities in Spain, Norway, Italy, Sweden, France, Canada, Portugal, Holland, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Russia, Switzerland and Korea.
CREDITS

Direction & performer: Marcel ·lí Antúnez Roca
Music: Alain Wergifosse con Sergi Jordá & Ian Briton.
Robot & stage design: Roland Olbeter
Deskeleton (exoskeleton interface): R. Olbeter, N. Ramos,R. Rey, C.Konn
Computer grafics: Marcel ·lí Antúnez Roca, Paco Corachán
Software & Interaction design: Toni Aguilar,Sergi Jordà
Ligths & Tecnical Design: Ramón Rey
Sound Director : Alain Wergifosse
Film Photographer: Toni Anglada
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: fileorgbr

Abstract:
Afasia is a surreal robotic performance that evolves Greek myths, and brings up the tragedy onto-machinal
Biography:
Marcel.lí Antúnez Roca (Moià, 1959) is well-known in the international art scene for his mechatronic performances and robotic installations. In the 90′s his vanguardist mechatronic performances combined elements such as Bodybots (body-controlled robots), Systematurgy (interactive narration with computers) and Dresskeleton (the exoskeleton body interface). The themes explored in his work include: the use of biological materials in robotics, as in JoAn? l’home de carn (1992); telematic control on the part of a spectator of an alien body in the performance EPIZOO (1994); the expansion of body movements with dresskeletons (exoskeletical interfaces) in the performances AFASIA (1998) and POL (2002); involuntary choreography with the bodybot, REQUIEM (1999); and microbiological transformations in the installations RINODIGESTIO (1987) and AGAR (1999). He is currently working on the spatial and utopian artwork TRANSPERMIA. In the early 90′s his performance EPIZOO caused a commotion in the international art scene. For the first time a performer’s body movements could be controlled by the audience. By operating a videogame, a spectator interacts with the bodybot worn by Antúnez, moving his buttocks, pectoral muscles, mouth, nose and ears. This performance stresses the ironical, and even cruel, paradox rising from the coexistence between virtual digital iniquity and the performer’s physical vulnerability. Since the 80′s, Antúnez’ work has been based on a continuous observation of how human desires are expressed and in which specific situations they appear. First in the tribal performances of La Fura dels Baus and later, on his own, he expressed this interest by creating complex, in many cases hybrid, systems, hard to classify. Antúnez’ works belong to the fields of both visual and scenic arts. From the early 90′s, the incorporation and transgression of scientific and technological elements in Antúnez’ work, and their interpretation by means of unique and specific devices, have produced a new cosmogony – warm, raw, and ironic – of traditional themes such as affection, identity, or death. In his works these elements take on an extremely human dimension that causes a spontaneous reaction in the audience. He was also a founding member of La Fura dels Baus, he worked in this company as art coordinator, musician and performer from 1979 to 1989, and presented the group’s macro-performances ACCIONS (1984), SUZ/O/SUZ (1985) and TIER MON (1988). Antúnez has presented his work in numerous international venues, including La Fundación Telefónica in Madrid, the P.A.C. in Milan, the Lieu Unique in Nantes, the I.C.A. in London, SOU Kapelica in Ljubljana, Cena Contemporânea in Rio de Janeiro, the Barcelona MACBA and the DOM Cultural Center of Moscow. He has performed at the International Festivals EMAF Osnabruc Germany, Muu Media Festival Helsinki, Noveaux Cinema Noveaux Medias Montreal, DEAF Rotterdam, Spiel Art Munich, Ars Electronica Linz Austria, DAF Tokyo Japan, among others. Antúnez’ work has appeared in the following publications: Il Corpo Postorganico, by Teresa Macrì, ed. Costa & Nolan Milano; Body Art and Performances, by Lea Vergine, ed. Skira, London; Marcel.lí Antúnez Roca performances, objetos y dibujos, by Claudia Giannetti, ed. MECAD Barcelona; and the catalogue Epifania published by Fundación Telefónica, Madrid, among others. Antúnez has received the following awards and distinctions: First Prize at the Festival Étrange, Paris 1994; Best New Media Noveaux Cinéma Noveaux Médias Montreal 1999; Max New Theatre award, Spain 2001; FAD Award Barcelona 2001; Honorary Mention at Prix Ars Electronica 2003 and Premi Ciutat Barcelona 2004, multimedia.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: fileorgbr

Abstract:
Afasia é uma performance surreal robótica que envolve mitos gregos trazendo à tona a tragicidade onto-maquinal.
Biography:
Marcel.lí Antúnez Roca (Moià, 1959) é conhecido no cenário artístico internacional por suas performances mecatrônicas e instalações robóticas. Nos anos 90, suas performances mecatrônicas vanguardistas combinavam elementos como Bodybots (robôs controlados pelo corpo), Sistematurgia (narração interativa com computadores) e Dresskeleton (a interface esqueleto-corpo). Os temas explorados em seu trabalho incluem: o uso de materiais biológicos na robótica, como em JoAn? l’home de carn (1992); controle telemático por parte do espectador de um corpo estranho na performance EPIZOO (1994); a expansão dos movimentos corporais com dresskeletons nas performances AFASIA (1998) e POL (2002); coreografia involuntária com o Bodybot, REQUIEM (1999); e transformações microbiológicas nas instalações RINODIGESTIO (1987) e AGAR (1999). Atualmente ele trabalha na obra espacial e utópica TRANSPERMIA. No início dos anos 90 sua performance EPIZOO causou comoção no cenário artístico internacional. Pela primeira vez os movimentos físicos de um performer puderam ser controlados pelo público. Operando um videogame, o espectador interage com o bodybot usado por Antúnez, movendo suas nádegas, músculos peitorais, boca, nariz e orelhas. Essa performance salienta o paradoxo irônico e até cruel que surge da coexistência entre a iniqüidade digital virtual e a vulnerabilidade física do artista. Desde os anos 80 o trabalho de Antúnez se baseou numa constante observação de como os desejos humanos se expressam e em que situações específicas eles surgem. Primeiro nas performances tribais do La Fura dels Baus e mais tarde por conta própria, ele expressou seu interesse pela criação de sistemas complexos, em muitos casos híbridos, difíceis de classificar. O trabalho de Antúnez pertence tanto ao campo das artes visuais quanto ao das artes cênicas. Desde o início da década de 90, a incorporação e a transgressão de elementos tecnológicos e científicos na obra de Antúnez, e sua interpretação por meio de dispositivos únicos e específicos, produziram uma nova cosmologia – quente, crua, irônica – de temas tradicionais como afeto, identidade ou morte. Em suas obras esses elementos assumem dimensões extremamente humanas, o que causa uma reação espontânea do público. Ele também foi um dos fundadores do La Fura dels Baus, trabalhou na companhia como coordenador artístico, músico e performer de 1979 a 1989 e apresentou as macroperformances do grupo ACCIONS (1984), SUZ/O/SUZ (1985) e TIER MON (1988). Antúnez apresentou seu trabalho em diversos eventos internacionais, incluindo La Fundación Telefónica em Madri, P.A.C. em Milão, Lieu Unique em Nantes, I.C.A. em Londres, SOU Kapelica em Ljubljana, Cena Contemporânea no Rio de Janeiro, MACBA em Barcelona e DOM Cultural Center de Moscou. Apresentou-se nos festivais internacionais EMAF Osnabruc Alemanha, Muu Media Festival Helsinque, Noveaux Cinema Noveaux Medias Montreal, DEAF Roterdã, Spiel Art Munique, Ars Electronica Linz Áustria, DAF Tóquio, entre outros.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: hamacaonlinenet

Documento de la performance mecatrónica interactiva del mismo título, este vídeo sintetiza el desarrollo de la misma y refleja, mediante un montaje entrecortado de tomas obtenidas a lo largo de varias ejecuciones que tuvieron lugar entre 1994 y 1997, los distintos elementos que intervienen en la performance. En primer lugar el propio artista, Marcel•lí Antúnez Roca, provisto de un “exoesqueleto” que altera la apariencia de diversas partes de su cuerpo, puesto bajo el control de los espectadores/participantes. Éstos, mediante una interfaz informática y como si de un videojuego se tratara, modelan y abusan de este cuerpo biomecanizado como si fuera un robot insensible o una criatura cibernética. Otros elementos incluyen las imágenes proyectadas en una pantalla trasera de proporción vertical (animaciones digitales y tomas en circuito cerrado), los ambientes sonoros –que también fluyen de manera interactiva– y el fuego que asoma en el clímax de la función.

La ficha de la obra precisa: “La ortopedia robótica se sostiene al cuerpo a través de dos moldes metálicos, cinto y casco, donde están ensamblados los mecanismos neumáticos. Estos pueden mover la nariz, las nalgas, los pectorales, la boca y las orejas de Marcel.lí que permanece de pie sobre una plataforma circular rotatoria. Los mecanismos neumáticos están conectados a un sistema de electroválvulas y relés que, a su vez, dependen del ordenador. Los once entornos interactivos incluyen diversas infografías animadas que recrean la figura del artista e indican la posición y el movimiento de los mecanismos. De este modo el usuario puede controlar gracias al ratón la luz, las imágenes, el sonido y el cuerpo del artista. […] Es un ejemplo temprano de la aplicación de la tecnología informática concerniente al cuerpo humano. Esta performance es probablemente, el primer dispositivo que ha permitido el control telemático del espectador sobre el dispositivo escénico, incluyendo el cuerpo del performer.”

Como sucede con otras obras de Antúnez, se trata de un trabajo de equipo que en este caso incluyó las aportaciones de Sergi Jordà en cuanto a la música y el diseño informático, de Roland Olbeter para el dispositivo escultórico-mecánico, de Paco Corachán como coautor de las secuencias animadas, y de Ramón Rey en el diseño luminotécnico.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
source: nonsolocinema

Afasia, “performance meccatronica interattiva” di Marcel.lí Antúnez Roca. L’artista catalano – noto a livello internazionale per le sue performance tecnologiche e interattive oltre che per essere stato membro fondatore de La Fura dels baus all’interno della quale ha lavorato come coordinatore artistico, musicista e interprete tra il 1979 e il 1989 – proporrà una originale rilettura dell’Odissea.

L’azione scenica ha come sfondo un’enorme retroproiezione, mentre il limite del palco è occupato da quattro robot ispirati a strumenti musicali. Marcel.lì Antúnez Roca, unico attore, indossa un’interfaccia esoscheletrica (dreskeleton) in metallo e plastica che consente di tradurre in ordini al computer i movimenti del corpo e gli impulsi provenienti dagli interruttori applicati al corpo stesso. Grazie a un software apposito, gli è possibile elaborare e controllare in tempo reale le immagini proiettate sullo schermo, i robot e la musica; sostanzialmente tutti gli elementi che compongono la performance.

Il termine Afasia, che indica l’alterazione del linguaggio parlato o scritto prodotta da una disfunzione cerebrale, riassume l’interpretazione che Marcel.lì dà dell’Odissea di Omero avendone rimodellato la trama in una successione di immagini e suoni controllati per mezzo del suo dreskeleton. I versi originali vengono sostituiti da un dispositivo interattivo che colloca lo spettatore, ad esempio, su di una sorta di isola psichedelica di mangiatori di loto, oppure di fronte a una Circe in versione cartone animato o, ancora, di fronte a sirene in un rituale orgiastico.

Afasia è una produzione Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (Barcelona), MECAD\Media Centre d’Art Disseny (Sabadell-Barcelona), Festival de Teatre Visual i de Titelles (Barcelona), Institut del Teatre de la Diputació de Barcelona. Lo spettacolo ha vinto numerosi premi tra i quali: Best New Media in Montreal, Aplaudiment Arts Parteatrals FAD – Barcellona, Premio Max per arti sceniche alternative Spagna.