Artists Statement
We build living installations in pixels and light.
Since 2008 we have been developing a series of interactive video installations. Darkened spaces reveal beguiling & unsettling creatures, combining elements of the human and the animal. Choreographed video clips respond in a variety of life-like ways to user motion and touch. The works are driven using open source software and webcams and can be easily adapted to different locations. The creatures vary in size from the tiny Animacules to the all encompassing Mother.
Thematically we're interested in mutation and modification, polymorphism and perversity. The pull between attraction and repulsion is an important element of our grotesque creations. Our work may inspire disgust but laughter is never far behind. By creating tense experiences we ask users to question the nature of our creatures and what they have to say about human evolution. Interaction enables us to heighten an illusion of life, and create rich user driven narratives.
Biography
Nicola Schauerman graduated with an MA from the Lansdown Centre for Electronic Arts, Middlesex University in 2006. She is the founding member of the art group Genetic Moo, who have presented work at numerous British venues including the Tate Modern, Whitechapel Gallery, Exploding Cinema, Area10 and the Bargehouse, and at international film festivals in Venice, Munich and New York. Nicola has taught film and video production in Further Education since 2000.
Tim Pickup has worked in multi-media art and programming for over 10 years. He has produced short films, games and toys for the internet, electronic music and radio programmes. He received an MA in Digital Arts from Camberwell College of Arts in 2009.
Since 2006, Schauerman and Pickup have worked on a series of interactive video installations which have been presented at a number of UK venues, including the De La Warr Pavilion. One of the works, Becoming Starfish, received a John Lansdown Award for Interactive Digital Art at Eurographics 2007.
We live in Peckham and Cardiff.
CV
Residencies and Awards
- 2011 - Membership of The London Group
- 2010 (ongoing) - Artist in Residence, Exploding Cinema, London
- 2009 - The London Group Open - newcomer prize winner
- 2009 - Artist in Residence, AA2A scheme hosted by Camberwell College of Arts
- 2007 - The John Lansdown Award for Interactive Digital Art, 2nd prize, Eurographics 2007
Selected Exhibitions
- 2011
Mutoscope (pentaradial version) - London Group Open
The Fly - DeptfordX, London
Animacules + Growthlines, Papey Listskjul, Papa Westray
Animacules and Shangri-La Virus , Shangri-La, Glastonbury
Mutoscope - You are not in control, Netil House, London
Animacules: the drop of water - Microbes and Me activity day at The Wellcome Collection
Mother - Papay Gyro Nights 2011, Papa Westray
- 2010
Sea Angel - Cryptmas, St Pancras Church
It's Alive - Curiouser & curiouser, Old Vic Tunnels
Spring-heeled Jack - Peckham Open, Peckham Space
Mutoscope - Unleashed Devices, Watermans
Animacules: the drop of water - Secret Subterranea, Illumini
It's Alive! - Is It Over, Dalston bunker show
Growth Line - I Believe..., De La Warr Pavilion, Red Velvet Curtain Cult
- 2009
Mother: The Seasons - The London Group Open, The Menier Gallery, London
Mother - EMBED, The Camberwell Space, London
Mother - Transition, The Bargehouse, South Bank, London
Animacules - Collision 09, Bussey Building, London
- 2008
The Glob - FEEDBACK, House Gallery, London
Animacules - Quantifying Play Jago Gallery, London
Sea Squirts - Collision 08, Area 10 Project Space, London
Starfish - () RE | BOOT; Area 10 Project Space, London
Starfish and Urchin - Electric Blue The Bargehouse, London
Commissions
- 2011
Still Life Dreaming (video for stage projection), Spare Tyre Theatre Company, Edinburgh Festival co-produced with the Wellcome Trust to celebrate their 75th Anniversary
Once Upon A Time (digital storytelling package), Spare Tyre Theatre Company
Presentations
- 2011
Imagined Future Evolutions - Thursday Club, Goldsmiths
Genetic Moo introduction - Dorkbot, Cardiff
Reviews / Articles / Radio
- 2011 - Exploding Cinema, BBC radio 4
- 2010 - Furtherfield, Resonance Radio
- 2010 - TIME & SPACE, publication celebrating 10 years of AA2A
- 2010 - East Magazine Blog
- 2008 - Issue 4, Volume 26, Computer Graphics Forum
