Anti-rom

Produced as an antidote to, and critique of the banality of much contempora: multi-media, "anti-rom" is a collection of randomly accessible interactive pies( stored on CD-rom.

Created by "sass", Andy Cameron, Rob le Quesne, Joe Stephenson, Andy Polaine, Luke Pendrell, Sophie Pendrell and Tom Roope, Anti-rom has been created to instigate and invite further investigations into new and more appropriate languages of representation for interactivity.

Flying in the face of the all-important "navigability", a veritable sacred co, within most CD-rom production, the artists have chosen to include mesh-works c sorts, where sounds overlap and change upon revisiting scenes, and images are hidden only to be discovered when moving the mouse.

To a background of perennial sweetness, voice overs from 50's films, lingering operatic melodies and movie nostalgia, film loops can be handled, slowed down and reversed over time, different sounds called up, and grotesque, playful an absurd mini-narratives uncovered. There is a consistent irony to many of the piece where the supposed cleanliness and sophistication of new technologies is juxtapose with images of the body, and low tech production techniques are assimilated as matter of personal choice. True cut and paste has made a come-back.

The more important aim of this CD however, which it addresses throng its extraordinary variety of formal tricks and experiments, is to create a sense potential and circularity for both viewer/user and, I imagine, creator where the di tinction between producer and spectator is blurred. Each of the pieces included seem rich enough to lead to further and enhanced interactive artworks. For further information: e-mail SASS@culture.demon.co.uk

Phone (+010 44) 0171 727 0812

Artists who are interested in collaborating with SASS during the next stage of the Anti-rom project should send a self addressed envelope to Anti-rom, c/o Andy Cameron, Digital Media,

University of Westminster, Harrow HA1 3TP

EIGEN + ART was at the IAS in London, December 1994:

Regina Frank performed "Hermes' Mistress"; collating phrases and sentences cull from the Internet's conversations and newsgroups, her reinterpretation of Hermes' role in cyberspace sets her up as his mistress and aide.

Involved in a doomed effort to make the impermanent permanent, and to document the polyphony of voices on the Internet, Hermes' mistress chooses, saves and sews, on the statements and phrases in lines of letter-beads. An infinite spiral of wor encircles her dress, which offers shelter and yet anchors her to the ground.

(i= 0001; i <= 1001; i++) Tessa Elliot & Jonathan Jones-Morris.

An aptly named residence at Camerawork Gallery and Darkroom (although I suspect there may have been a few infinite loops lurking around) by artists Tes Elliot and Jonathan Jones-Morris in collaboration with composer Andrew Deak and dancer Rebecca Skelton. The work which occurred between the 19th and 221 February investigated the audience's interaction with an 'intelligent' AI computer controlled surveillance system. The participant/spectator was invited to question through direct interaction, their relationship with the artwork. Moving around the surveillance area' would contribute to controlling the video images projected in the performance space. Sounds would also be affected, particularly with large energetic gestures. The overall effect of their final performance was reminiscent Arthur Kroker's Spasm but in a real time environment where the dancer built up the visual and aural sensation to a climax of impending technological overload. This work is the culmination of a collaboration dating back to 1990 which successfully addresses important technology related issues and proposes new forms of collaboration between artists of various disciplines.