Alchemy of Light

Performance (2010) Alchemy of Light melds 19th century illusionism with current interactive technologies to depict the life of the legendary magician Torrini as a parable from a time when our lives first became mediated by machines. In the 19th century, Torrini, always at the forefront of technological development, was renowned for his astonishing illusions. One evening during a performance he accidentally killed his own child. He spent the rest of his life vainly struggling to conjure back his lost family. Alchemy of Light guides the audience through a series of 7 interactive installations which use live and virtual encounters with the Torrini family to explore the seduction and limits of technology.

Please also see: Magic Box, Boo!

Performers: Luigi Coppola, Johanna Levy, Clara Palavesin Cello: Erik Friedlander Contributing artists + designers: Jordann Baker, Loren Bevans, Magnus Pind Bjerre, Sean Blue, Jude Calder, Jon Cottle, Paul DiPietro, Laura Doggett, Justin Downs, Erik Friedlander, Pamela Griffiths, Will Hanza, Richard Harkness, Kate Hartman, Josh Higgason, Lucia J. Lee, Nathan Lemoine, Mark Mitton, Michael Montes, Jeff Morey, Rory Nugent, Mareike Opeña, Scott C Parker, Randi Rivera, Peter von Salis, Eva von Schweinitz, Claudia Sidoti, Karolina Sobecka, Keena Suh, Paul Weathered. Alchemy of Light was developed through residencies at the Digital Performance Institute, the Here Arts Center & Squeaky Wheel. We are grateful for the generous support of the New York State Council on the Arts, the Schindler Stiftung Foundation, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Swing Space program; space at 14 Wall Street is donated by Capstone Equities and public funds from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. We could not be creating Alchemy without the wonderful resources of Materials for the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs/NYC Department of Sanitation/NYC Department of Education. Thank you to Suzanne Epstein, Pierre Epstein, Dorée Epstein, Jane Bevans, Kevin Cunningham and 3LD Art & Technology Center, Ursula Scherrer, Minsoo Lee, Paul DiPietro, Brian Buck, Gladys Rivera, Baby Arianna Rojas, Mark Krasnov, Anni Bergman and Shlomit Lehavi. Thanks to Garrett Young & Miles Dudgeon of RevEAL Lighting, Charles Kirby of Thematic LightBox and Bridget Nohalty of Vincent Lighting Systems – we couldn’t be doing this without you! Collaborators from earliar incarnations of Alchemy include: Seth Abramson, Juliette Boulois, Sara Bremen, Valerie Ellithorpe, AC Harkness, Aichen Lin, Pete McCabe, Carolina Vallejo.

Video projected from ‘magic lantern’ during performance of Alchemy of Light.

Alchemy of Light was developed through residencies at Here Arts Center (NYC), Digital Performance Institute and Squeaky Wheel. Work-in-progress showings were held at Here’s Culturemart and as part of LMCC’s Swing Space program. Funding from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Schindler Stiftung.

Ethel

Interactive Documentary | Performance (2007)

Created with Ethel Greenbaum, 89 years old.

Viewers enter a room where Ethel sits quietly at a dining table. Raising her hand, the table becomes a projection surface. Ethel moves her hand to trigger short video clips about her life. She then invites the audience to use their hands to reveal more of her story.

The memorabilia of Ethel’s life fades away. Ethel stands & for the first time directly addresses the audience:

We’re all human beings. We’re all one. You have to keep your spirits up. Without love a person cannot live. Its just beautiful to be here and see this crowd of people. Young ones and an old one like me and a middle-aged one and a baby that is the most precious thing of all. I see every color here, every nationality here, and that’s what this world needs. Love in many many ways. You can love a husband. Partners can love each other. You can love an animal but the basic thing of a life is to love and be loved by a human being and to love them in return

Ethel thanks the audience for attending and passes out chocolates and copies of a love letter she wrote to her late husband.

Please also see Belle, Al, Turing Machine