Learning to draw with LASERS and CRT MONITORS using sound

Probably as a consequence of the renewed interest towards analog circuitry and modular synthesizers, in the last few years, analog video synthesis has become increasingly popular in the community of electronic musicians and multimedia artists. An easy first approach is through vector graphics: one can start experimenting with Oscilloscopes and Lasers in a very intuitive way within just a couple of hours with easy to find and cheap hardware. This is an excuse not only to diverge attention from the energy-consuming widespread digital projectors, but also an excuse to talk about recycling technology, laser energy which is much more efficient, engaging the participants to reflect on the sociopolitical impact of technology in a retrospective on technologisation: what ‘old’ means, and what value the ‘new’ really adds.

The appeal of vector graphics may derive from the seemingly infinite resolution, the line-based aesthetic, and the intrinsic impermanence of the display. Other motivations lie in repurposing obsolescent hardware, reimplementing historical devices, or simply diverging from mainstream approaches to video.

In this workshop the participants will learn how to control powerful laser projectors and the beam of a CRT monitor using sound. This is a multidisciplinary workshop that brings together expertise from different theoretical fields: media archaeology, analog electronics, graphic design, optics, computer vision, coding and early 3d modeling for ’80s gaming.

Through digital prototyping, the workshop will show possible hardware configurations to setup an analog video-synthesis workstation, build several mathematical modules to achieve different aesthetic results (from Lissajous curves, to 3d modeling and raster video), while learning about the history of video art. We will also discuss possible solutions on how to setup an all analog audiovisual live show using laser and vector monitors.

Please contact me for more information about price and technical details about the workshop.