Gold

Our favorite New York DIY art technology collective are throwing a big party tomorrow. Tomorrow… and the day after that too, and many more days until April 20th, that’s way too many parties right?

The thing is that influential NY “Lab” Free Art & Technology (F.A.T.) are celebrating their fifth anniversary starting tomorrow with a “night of thug life, pop culture, and R&D” at the always tireless centre Eybeam (who at the same time are celebrating their 15th anniversary with a series of expos).

Curated by Lindsay Howard “GOLD” is presented as an exhibition & a gathering of all those international crazy collaborators (artists, hackers, engineers, musicians, graffiti writers…). An expo which will feature significant works from 2007 to the present, including new projects to be launched on opening night.

The influential group—who’ve collectively and independently received prestigious honors such as the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, Transmediale Award or Prix Ars Electronica will be onsite daily during the week of April 1, participating in panels, hackathons, collaborative pieces and a long list of events they’ve prepared for us (full schedule on their page).

One great thing for those not being able to attend is that Eyebeam & F.A.T. will be streaming “Public Access”, an audio-visual program produced by F.A.T. Fellows Jamie Wilkinson and Bennett Williamson conceived as a show and which will include interviews with the artists and guest collaborators, YouTube show & tell, visual effects, jam sessions…….. and which will be able to be livestreamed @ www.gold.fffff.at/live.html. Enjoy!

In the next installment in the lead up to Essex producer Joshua Harvey’s upcoming Hervé release Art of Disappearing, out on his own Cheap Thrills label on March 4, aqnb favourite, Maria Minerva (aka Maria Jurr) lends her distinct vocals to ‘Gold’. This time, the Estonian producer doesn’t shy away from letting the meloncholy romanice of her vocals bleed through as Harvey’s downbeat motion privileges a voice that by no fault of her own, is really underrated.

This second album by Hervé follows last year’s debut Pick Me Up, Sort Me Out, Calm Me Down and already features vocals by the likes of Austra’s Katie Stelmanis and Niki and the Dove. Jurr, on the other hand, will be adding to her slew of releases since making a mark not more than two years on the LA-based Not Not Fun. She has another EP, BLESS, coming out on sister label 100% Silk and performs at London’s Shacklewell Arms tonight, February 6 nearly a year since her first live UK performance at the same venue and moving to the US shortly thereafter. **

Header image by: Marek Chorzepa.

Five Years of Free Art & Technology

Hervé – ‘Gold (feat Maria Minerva)’