Trondheim Matchmaking part 3, 2002:

Program


photo: day time / evening

The seminar and project series Trondheim Matchmaking is organised in conjunction with the 2002 foundation of the Trondheim Electronic Arts Centre. The purpose is to initiate a network of resources within electronic arts and new technology in the Trondheim region. The seminar is financed by PNEK.

Part 3 was held on 22 November at BLÆST. After the first matchmaking seminar in April this year, which was an incredible kick start for the network, we were anxious to see what this seminar would bring.

As before, the attendance exceeded expectations: 130 participants at the day seminar and 200 at the evening event. This was double the attendance for Matchmaking part 1. The participants represented a majority of the established technology, research and art communities in Trondheim, spanning three generations.

Trondheim Matchmaking is a place for innovative thaughts and ideas in electronic arts and new technology. We continued the strategy from part 1 by presenting a variety of new projects and strategies within the field. In addition, we had two guest speakers: techno artist Natalie Jeremijenko, who travelled from New York specifically for this event, and director Ingvar Sjöberg from SmartStudio, Interaktiva Institutet in Stockolm.

The day programme was packed full of presentations, including Frode Heggelund's upgraded version of his remote controlled ball first presented in Matchmaking part 1. In part 1, the ball (a globe) could not be controlled without a wire, but in part 3 it could. Both Jeremijenko and Sjöberg expressed a strong interest in using this technology in collaborative projects in the future.

"The Machine project" club version," a robot project by Thomas Kvam and Frode Oldereid, was commissioned by TEKS and was one of the highlights of the evening. As was Øyvind Brandtsegg's "Improsculpt" project, with Brandtsegg himself on improsculpt (a digital instrument developed by Brandtsegg), Mirella Pendolin on vocals, and Ole Thomas Kvam on drums. See the full listing as well as photos from the event on the TEKS web site.

Trondheim Matchmaking part 3 was a liberating and eventful happening. The feedback from the participants was overwhelmingly positive. It is particularly satisfying to see that the interest for the interdisciplinary idea behind the project is growing in those communities the seminar addresses.

Trondheim Matchmaking has provided TEKS and the local network a good basis from which to develop further. We believe that the potential in such events is nowhere near exhausted, and will therefore keep organising Trondheim Matchmaking in the future.

09-12-02
Espen Gangvik
TEKS