System 1.6 was produced in 2001 during our ACE funded International Artist Fellowship Residency at The Banff Centre for the Arts, Canada. Exhibited at Electrohype, Sweden (2002), Theatre of Restless Automata solo exhibition (2006) & Chasing Stillness solo exhibition [DAM]Berlin (2009).

The computational system uses artificial life algorithms to construct a live sound composition. It is a tank that contains 13 digital species that interact with each other in a brightly coloured electronic world. We designed a plethora of electronic species before deciding upon the 13 used within System 1.6. Like balancing the ecology of an aquarium, it was important to find the right combination of hunters and prey to ensure that the audio composition would shift between moments of franticness and tranquillity. When the digital species interact, they spark off an explosion of sound. Every time System 1.6 is re-launched, the species reconfigure. No two performances will be the same and the action will never repeat, no matter how long the system runs.

Links:

System 1.6 web version

ACE International Artist Fellowship documentation