Mutek Digi Lab

Nocturnal City Montreal Special Edition

(Somerset House Studios Showcase)

23rd August 2017, Montreal

A collaboration with Mutek Montreal 2017 as part of the Somerset House Studios showcase. Estela was invited to co-curate a special edition of Nocturnal City on Wednesday 23rd August at Monument National.

Nocturnal City is a series of events commissioned by Somerset House Studios in London, exploring the state of international nightlife and its influence in pushing the boundaries of underground and wider culture. Curated by Studios resident Estela Oliva, each event features a programme of panels, installations, performances and parties, bringing together artists and professionals from different fields.

From algorithmic dance parties to all-female techno collectives, the first virtual nightclubs to the queer club kids and their audacious fashion; London’s underground, progressive scenes have pushed forward irrespective of spiralling rents, stringent noise restrictions and the prioritisation of property over underground culture. By connecting London with other international cities, Nocturnal City aims to create an exchange with communities around the world to share ideas on the status and development of club culture and related arts.

This special edition of Nocturnal City in collaboration with MUTEK It invites artists and festival participants in Montreal and beyond to join the conversation and celebrate the future of a vibrant culture, with contributions from Studios residents LaTurbo Avedon, Estela Oliva, Paul Purgas, and Studio director Marie McPartlin.

PROGRAMME

This special edition of Nocturnal City took place at Mutek Montreal and it interrogated the interplay between London and Montreal with a day panel discussions and installations. Read the full programme here.

Curated by Estela Oliva in collaboration with Mutek.

Supported by British Council.

[13:45- 14:45]

/ NEW SPACES /

Emerging Subcultures for Future Cities.

As spaces for artistic experimentation decrease in urban environments, where else can alternative and independent culture can thrive? Should we look to other models like community-run, crowdfunded spaces as an alternative to for-profit clubs? How can these new spaces foster diversity and inclusion?

This panel explores the role of new institutional models, independent stewards and makers of other spaces in supporting and preserving alternative artistic creation.

Panel speakers:

Marie McPartlin (Somerset House Studios Director, LDN)

Anthony Galati (Never Apart, Music Director, CA)

Oliver Baurhenn (curator and codirector at CTM Festival, DE)

+TBA

Moderator:

Will Straw (Professor of Communications, McGill University CA)

[15:00-16:00]

/ BEYOND SOUND & VISUAL EXPRESSION /

The Present and Future of Audiovisual Practices.

The Transmediale 2005 text written by artist Mia Makela redefined the term of live cinema as “the simultaneous creation of sound and image in real-time by sonic and visual artists who collaborate on equal terms and with elaborate concepts”. Since then, many collaborations have emerged and Montréal has acted as a pioneer supporting this art form through its festivals and venues. What is the current status of audiovisual art as an art form? What are the challenges and the opportunities for the future? How can new formats such as “Dome” facilitate new opportunities?

Moderator: Greg J Smith (Holo, Creative Applications, CA)

Panelists:

Paul Purgas (artist, Somerset House Studios, UK)

https://paulpurgas.com/

Myriam Bleau (artist, CA)

http://www.mutek.org/en/Montréal/2017/artists/8816-myriam-bleau

Tim Stevens (British Film Institute, UK)

http://www.bfi.org.uk/

Eliane Ellbogen

Artistic Director, Curator (Eastern Bloc, Sight & Sound Festival, CA)

https://easternbloc.ca/en

/ FUTURE REALITIES /

How will technology change the music and art experience?

With the development of new virtual spaces, the way we experience dance music and night activities might change. From virtual dancefloors to algorithmic DJs, new technologies including VR and 3D simulations in virtual worlds have the potential to redefine the way we experience culture, connecting people from any location as well as challenging the notions of identity and experience.

Moderator:

Shane Walter (onedotzero, UK)

Panelists:

Robin McNicholas (Marshmallow Laser Feast, UK)

René Barsalo (SAT, CA)

http://sat.qc.ca/fr/scenes-ouvertes#section

Paloma Dawkins (artist, CA)

+TBA