Error Benders Call for Submissions

Audio/Video Object Exhibition and Performance Series

Saskatoon/Regina March 28 - April 4 2011

Curated and performed by Give & Make

Presented by Regina-based audio art organization Holophon

The title for Error Benders refers to a technique of modifying electronic circuitry (circuit-bending) and to the acceptance/celebration of unwanted or unintentional sounds that may result. As a point of departure, this aesthetic of exploration and acceptance challenges traditional paradigms of music composition, control, and parameter, as well as the relationship between composer and performer. Error Benders engages with these ideas through exhibition and performance of, and its goals include:

To curate objects in the form of modified or rebuilt musical or visual instruments from artists across Canada, and to present these objects in performance.

To present the instruments and the artists’ methods and technologies, including a consideration of physical objects as musical score and modes of composition.

To design and deliver hands-on workshops for building simple electronic or electroacoustic musical and visual instruments.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Holophon is now accepting submissions for Error Benders: a performance-based exhibition with home-made, modified and/or rebuilt electronic audio or visual instruments. Selected artists will be paid an honorarium in exchange for the “borrowing” of their instrument, and all shipping costs will be covered. Selected artists will also receive documentation of their instrument in performance and as part of workshops and artist talks in Saskatoon and Regina, in which audiences will see and hear their work, methodology and technical approach. Unfortunately, funding for travel is not available for selected artists. To participate, artists are required to submit a digital photo or video of the instrument and a brief description of technique and practice. Please see below for submission instructions.

Give & Make tread unpredictable territory with performances and installations that encourage outside participation and exploration. They welcome glitches and other errors in their works, feeding off the irregular and not always palpable control. In the current project, Error Benders, the duo will perform with and present the work of artists across Canada who build unique and fascinating electronic media instruments.

Prairie artists Jeff Morton and Leeane Berger formed the duo Give & Make in 2009 during a collaborative exhibit in Saskatoon, as part of Z-Axis, at PAVED Arts, curated by Carrie Gates. Their installation piece was a neon twilight environment of circuit-bent electronics and generative video built from hackable consumer electronics and make-able software, a visually tangible array of sound controlled by the participation of the public. Z-Axis also featured Leeane Berger and Jeff Morton in a series of workshops on tools and techniques for live electronic media performance and collaboration.

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Submission Instructions

To submit your instrument for consideration as part of Error Benders, please provide the following items in an email:

(1) Photos and audio samples, or video of your instrument being played
(2) Short description of the technique(s) used to build the instrument
(3) Short bio including a description of artistic/creative practice.
(4) Dimensions (width, height, depth) and approx. weight of the object



Artists should consider size, durability, and feasibility of shipping the instrument, because this attribute will play a part in the selection process. Only Jeff Morton and Leeane Berger will handle the instruments, and with proper care and respect. Selected artists may also attach a sale price to their instrument, and if sold the entire fee would be forwarded to the artist.

Email submissions are due by Feb 10, 2011.

Contracts and shipping forms will be forwarded to selected artists shortly thereafter.

Please submit proposals and questions to:

Give & Make, ℅ holophon3@gmail.com