Approaching the Nanofax Singularity
April 24th & 25th
Version fest/NFO XPO
Benton House, 3052 S. Grattan
Chicago IL
Approaching the Nanofax Singularity is a symposium and exhibition pavilion curated and organized by Tom Burtonwood. The exposition centers on artists using the latest digital fabrication and open source technologies such as 3-d printing, laser cutting, bio-printing and so forth. The title of the event is derived from idea of the “Nanofax” coined by author William Gibson in his 1999 novel All Tomorrow’s Parties:
“Nanofax AG offers a technology that digitally reproduces objects, physically, at a distance. Within certain rather large limitations, of course. A child’s doll, placed in a Lucky Dragon Nanofax unit in London, will be reproduced in the Lucky Dragon Nanofax unit in New York-”
This notion of infinite reproduction, coupled with the idea that the machine become self replicating is a powerful metaphor – one that artists and engineers alike are currently experimenting with. Whether it’s making the tools to make the art, or making the art with the tools we’ve made, or making the art with someone else’s tools there exist many possibilities and options for designers and artists to interact with new digital fabrication techniques. Approaching the Nanofax Singuarity (ATNS) seeks to show case some of these artists currently working in this field here in Chicago.
Margarita Benitez works with fiber, sound and technological components in her practice, she will talk about her new project osloom an open source jacquard loom she is currently developing. DIYLILCNC is a collaborative project by artists Chris Reilly and Taylor Hokanson. Their project is a low cost open source DIY 3 axis CNC mill. Chris and Taylor will demonstrate the machine and talk about CNC technology in general, some of the shortcomings of the present state of CNC and how those are addressed by open-source hardware projects like the DIYLILCNC. We’ll also go over the specs of the DIYLILCNC, giving details about how it is built and its functions. (f)utility projects are a collaboration between Paola Cabal, Michael Genge and Christopher Grieshaber. Previous projects include Depth of Field currently on view at SubCity Projects in Chicago. (f)utility projects will be producing the ATNS pavilion at the NFO XPO. The pavilion will host exhibited projects by ATNS artists. Claudia Hart produces designs for sublime landscape gardens often containing expressive and sensual female bodies meant to interject emotional subjectivity into what is typically the overly-determined Cartesian world of digital design. Mik Kastner and Brian Matthew are members of the Bio Art Network they will talk about their “bio printer” a rapid prototyping machine that will produce organic sculptures from plant and animal cells. Patrick Lichty is a technologically-based conceptual artist, writer, independent curator, animator for the activist group, The Yes Men, and Executive Editor of Intelligent Agent Magazine. Lichty will exhibit his Pixelbox series, laser cut LED pieces whose simple appearance belays an experiment in emergent behavior. Dan Price combines sculpture, performance and experimental documentary practice. His current project Tentacle Shelter will be a wearable “shelter” for a child – like a costume/cape/tent produced in thick felt. For ATNS Price will exhibit a laser cut model and prototype for the shelter. Ben Stagl investigates urban space through a variety of mediums including sculpture, performance, video, and installation. Stagl is largely concerned with how human beings continue to address and experience shared spaces. Many of his projects explore ideas of inclusion through object, often involving collaboration and elements of participation.
