Thursday 25.5.2006, 8.p.m.- 8.45 p.m.
NOD Experimental Space ROXY/Prague Dlouha 33 Prague 1, Czech Republic
http://stream.node9.org/live.sdp | http://www.lemurie.cz

blind date

blind date is an audiovisual performance which aims at an artistic extension of common patterns in computer programming: rather than featuring isolated programmers, two persons at a time are working together on a single Pd patch, both using their own physical keyboard, mouse and monitor but actually operating the same logical interfaces, e.g. the same mouse pointer. Since they have to share access to the machine, the two players need to coordinate their work in order to produce a functioning patch. Rather than merely representing a technical tool, the patch therefore also becomes the primary means of communication between the programmers.

Since the performance features two computers - one for audio, one for video - four players are programming at a time. The performance starts with a blank canvas (i.e. an empty patch), and participants are exchanged at regular time intervals, so that different combinations of programmers continue the work on the patches as left by their predecessors. Besides the resulting audio and video works, the patches themselves are projected into the performance environment as well. As opposed to usual objectives of audiovisual programming, this allows for a deep insight of the audience into the processes of programming and communication among the players.

So far, blind date has been performed at two different occasions: the "musikprotokoll im Steirischen Herbst" festival and the "net community congress",
both in 2005. In the first case, an additional referee (Harald Wiltsche) had control over the exchange of the players.