Events

Blast Theory: Can You See Me Now? Oldenburg

04. July 2003, 00:00 - 03. August 2003, 00:00
Workshop programm

Blast Theory: Can You See Me Now?

Game from July 4 - 6, 4 to 6 and 8 to 10 p.m.

 
Calling all adventurers! From July 4 - August 3, 2003, the British artist group Blast Theory and their project "Can You See Me Now? Oldenburg" will be guests at the Edith Russ House for Media Art. It offers the chance to participate in a game with which Blast Theory won this year's Ars Electronica "Golden Nica" for Interactive Art. Opening is on Friday, July 4 at 3:45 p.m., start of the online game is at 4 p.m.. Starting July 9, an installation related to the game will be on view at the Edith Russ House for Media Art.
www.canyouseemenow.de

For three days, players from all over the world can compete against the members of Blast Theory via the Internet. While sitting comfortably at home or at the Edith Russ House for Media Art, players simultaneously move through virtual Oldenburg, develop common tactics with other online players, and try to escape Blast Theory's runners who are searching for you in the streets of real Oldenburg. GPS technology determines the exact positions of runners and online players. From the computer, players see what their opponents see: the city, the runners, themselves and the game. Eavesdropping on runners through the audio stream of their walkie talkies gives them an extra edge over your pursuers, who, with clever tactics, leave them sweating, lost and completely out of breath in the streets of Oldenburg.

"Can You See Me Now?" is the merging of real and virtual space to explore aspects of presence and absence and demonstrate the multiple possibilities of interaction in electronic space. It is a plea for the nuances of these "encounters between worlds" and their positive reassessment. For already, the cell phone, for example, represents the victory of uncomplicated and unlimited communication technology over intimacy, interpersonal encounters, and traditional space-time.

Blast Theory gives these aspects a 'playful' framework and thus makes them directly experienceable. By sharing the same 'space', the online players and the runners on the streets enter into a relationship with each other. Through the game situation, it is initially of a playful, adversarial nature, and there is loud encouragement, insults, ribaldry, and engaged combat. At the same time, the gameplay also brings moving moments. When two players place their avatars together, suddenly face each other in their computers' screen settings and look at each other, this silent first "encounter" may well become a very intimate moment. In addition, online players also develop empathy for runners who are tired and struggling with the environment. As one Seattle player who participated in a Sheffield or Rotterdam version of the game wrote: "I experienced a moment of cardiac arrest when my concern suddenly switched from desperately trying to escape to desperately hoping that the runner chasing me didn't get run over by a truck backing up (it sounded like that's what happened)."

Blast Theory is one of the most interesting British artist groups in the fields of performance, installation, video and mixed reality projects. They combine precise investigations and developments with leading alternative technologies that allow them to create projects with a wide range of media and within a wide range of disciplines; risks accompany their projects, as do encouraging critical debates. Based in London since 1991, Blast Theory consists of a creative three-person team as well as numerous co-actors needed for each project. "Can You See Me Now?" is a collaboration between Blast Theory and Mixed Reality Lab.

Blast Theory present their work in international exhibitions and conferences, e.g. during the Banff Television Festival, the Basel Art Fair (list 2001), the Biennale in Sidney 2002, the International Festival for Experimental Theater in Cairo, the Dutch Electronic Arts Festival in Rotterdam, the Mediamatic in Amsterdam and in "Mixed Reality Boundaries" at the ZKM in Karlsruhe. Their work Desert Rain received an honorable mention at the Transmediale award ceremony in Berlin in 2001 and was subsequently presented in the UK, Central and Eastern Europe, and Australia. Since the beginning of 2002, they have been participating in the Banff New Media Institute Fellowship Program in Canada. "Can You See Me Now?" was nominated for a BAFTA award in 2001 and has just been awarded this year's Ars Electronica "Golden Nica" for Interactive Art.