DIY / Home Made Ticino / Vico Morcote, Switzerland

Just posted on my mog some new adventures we had in Ticino, the Italian part of Switzerland, at the end of August. Again with the SGMK organised DIY events, we had a great time. Below some excerpts,

"Back in May, one of the organisers of the event told me about being nestled in the Italian-Swiss countryside - a DIY get together in summer, intimate and relaxed. Our busy estival plans happened to slow down at the right moment and here we were, undaunted by the new introductions needed to meet this group of 40+ diverse individuals who had worked hard to finally present their projects to local media and friends/family at the end of the week BBQ."

"We were so privileged to attend, even if only for two nights. We were welcomed by kindest of electronic enthusiasts, artists, friends, DIY orchestras, tupperware techno raving, terrifying microscopy specimens, arduino micro-controlled LED creations, a mega amp built with a modest microchip, ominous black scorpions used for visual display, late night playlist battles, tent camping in a storm..."





More here. Photos are all here.

- C

DIY Kinetic Sculptures / Theo Jansen "Strandbeest" / Zurich, Switzerland

I recently attended a presentation and demonstration from one of my favourite living artists, Theo Jansen. I was thrilled to see him in person and was impressed with his bare bones engineering, his thoughtful creation process and his use of everyday materials (pvc tubes, cable ties..) to create such beautiful, moving creatures.

Each Strandbeest follows an organic evolution, a natural process that makes Jansen's creatures come alive elegantly and poetically. They roam the beaches in Holland and the world now. We were treated to a live demonstration of the Animarus Umerus after two consecutive presentations, the spectators gasped with delight, applauding until the end.

The best part, he signed my latest issue of MAKE magazine.

MORE ABOUT THEO JANSEN & STRANDBEEST HERE.

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT HERE.

- C

Poolloop Festival @ ROTE FABRIK, Zurich, Switzerland / Bit Tuner, Sonic Wargames & Musical Ping Pong

Just did a write up on the Poolloop festival that was held a little while back in Zurich.

"I was having a late dinner Friday evening. The location was a government subsidised, graffiti covered venue in greater Zurich. Called Rote Fabrik (Red Fabric), this alternative enclave was fitted with several function rooms, restaurant/bar and a lovely view of Lake Zurich.

It was early evening, I was feeling a little lonely, the night before became morning too soon and I was physically drained (a recovering sprained arm and a tense 10km late night bike ride). My usual social tendencies were fragile on this 2nd day, intimidated even. I thought about the nature of traveling alone, about making conversations with new people for need, for the feeling of being part of a whole; when in fact you were a stranger, strange to all around you. As I pondered the ups and down of attending a festival by myself (which I have done numerous times before) a smile arrived at my table. He was the physicist guy that caught my eye earlier among the late afternoon crowd already soldering despite hangovers and the humid summer heat. Hooded in bright green, he had meticulously twisted and turned the knobs of a DIY tupperware housed noisemaker."

"The setting was the SGMK (Mechatronicart Society) workshop table that I have come to know quite well this past year. As he continued to make beautiful noise, calculated and seemingly comprehensive, I sidled beside him and opened my bag. In hand I had my homemade ring modulator, my recently gifted Gakken SX-150, and some homemade cables made for all required uses. We discussed for some time before I wandered through the event organisation as they prepared for another long festival night to come. Alone, I navigated to the table of where I sat now, a view of the lake and the many groups of which I did not belong. So, here he was again prepared to join me, a welcome sight and wonderful company for the downtime one has in making friends in a foreign city. We ate spaghetti, the popular reasonably priced dish of the day, and walked together to the opening subversive film screening afterwards. It began with two gay pixels in love."

You can read the rest of the entry here on my mog blog.

PHOTOS CAN BE FOUND HERE.

POOLLOOP 09 OFFICIAL SITE.

- C

Tim & Puma Mimi / Live Taping 'Musicomax' Television Show @ MAD, Lausanne, Switzerland

I've been telling everyone about Tim and Puma Mimi since the DIY Festival and was lucky enough to have Tim invite me to watch them tape a live TV program this past weekend at a local club, MAD.

Tim has been performing for a year onstage with Puma Mimi streamed into the venues via Skype in Japan. The cast and crew of Musicomax were really into the performance, as was I, despite minor technical difficulties and the almost inaudible interview because of where I sat off stage.

There's more about the taping on my mog here. It was a great weekend.

Here's a video from their YouTube channel,


-C

Do It Yourself / DIY Festival, Dynamo / Zurich, Switzerland

We attended the DIY Festival in Zurich a while back. It was the fourth year it's been held and I have to say they really did a good job and I look forward to returning. I'll have to brush up on my German for next year.





For more about our trip, visit my other blog.

- C