Experience

Experience comes in many different ways. Sometimes it is hard knocks. Sometimes it is through hard work. And sometimes it comes from working with great people on a noble task.

This last weekend, I got a chance to work with Woody and Steina Vasulka, two of the most wonderful people on the planet. They were the bleeding edge of video art, interactive media art and performance art - all while building their own hardware, software and support mechanisms.

Working in conjunction with Cory Metcalf (one of the best young art dudes I've had the privilege of working with), we helped reinterpret the classic Violin Power performance, building a Steina-specific interface between a KMI StringPort and the IMX visual effects software system. The result was performed on Wednesday, and I'm proud to have been a part of this work. The IMX software crashed 3 times, but our interface software was rock-solid, and I'm pleased to say that we allowed Steina to work with the visuals in new and sophisticated ways. What a blast!

Kristin was able to join me to see the performance. This was a special pleasure, since she doesn't get to see me in action very often. It's useful to let her in on some of the work I do, simply so she sees what it is that she is helping me accomplish.

What a great experience.

[ddg]