"Feedback: New Works by Sandor Ajzenstat and Jessica Field"
2004-09-09 until 2004-10-16
InterAccess Media Arts Centre
Toronto, ON, CA Canada

InterAccess Electronic Media Arts Centre is pleased to present Feedback, an exhibition featuring new works by Sandor Ajzenstat and Jessica Field. Both pieces – Ajzenstat’s Cumulative Interplay and Field’s Semiotic Investigation into Cybernetic Behaviour – are outstanding examples of today’s electronic media art. Each work takes an innovative look at cybernetics: the theory of communication between biological, mechanical, or electronic entities. Cumulative Interplay is an interactive soundsculpture in the form of a table and control panel. While its internal coding is rooted in technically abstract and complex concepts, the external display is a graceful pattern of 400 lights whose movement is dictated by gallery visitors at the control panel. A single musical note for every pattern change accompanies the interplay between the lights, producing an elegant audio-visual reflection on the sculpture’s behaviour.

Semiotic Investigation into Cybernetic Behaviour is comprised of four machines, constructed from scratch by Field herself. Each machine – named Alan, Brad, Clara, and Daphne respectively – is responsible for interpreting and demonstrating a specific human function used in observing surrounding environments. The result is a humourous presentation of (mis)communication between the machines as they attempt to determine the location and movement of gallery visitors.

Sandor Ajzenstat is a Canadian artist living in Toronto. His artistic focus is soundsculpture, and the design and application of computer technology to art. Cumulative Interplay was exhibited at the Durham Art Gallery (Durham, Ontario) in spring 2004.

Jessica Field’s artistic practice focuses on creating a parallel between the artificial intelligence of machines and behaviour of humans. She previously exhibited at the 401 Gallery in Toronto and has done performance work using a robot entitled Stumbling Robot, which roams unattended in public spaces. Semiotic Investigation into Cybernetic Behaviour was produced with the financial assistance of The Daniel Langlois Foundation for Art, Science, and Technology.

Sandor and Jessica are both graduates of the Ontario College of Art and Design where they studied under renowned electronic artist Norman T. White.

InterAccess is a centre for electronic media arts that enables artists and the general public to explore the intersections of art and technology. It is Ontario’s only gallery and production facility devoted exclusively to electronic and new media art.

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