Art: CODE & Vectorial Elevation at Vancouver Wintergames

The 2010 Vancouver Wintergames are the talk of the town. But not many people know of the interesting cultural and technological events that take place in and around Vancouver during the Wintergames. One of this events is CODE: the Cultural Olympiad’s Digital Edition.

CODE is a platform, exhibition space, cinema and musichall. It is a space in the digital and reality realm where audiences and artists can connect, create and collaborate.

“What separates 2010 right now from everything that has come before? Speed and choice – powered by technology. Individuals and cultures can connect in an instant. CODE harnesses that digital power and plugs it into art, music, film and Canadian culture. It showcases mesmerizing digital work by national and international artists and invites audiences everywhere to interact and take part. Whether it’s in person all over town or online across the country and around the planet, everybody can: Connect. Create. Collaborate.”

We cannot write about all the projects and talks that take place during CODE at once, but we are very much inspired by one very big interactive installation: Vectorial Elevation.

Vectorial Elevation- made in 1999 by Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer – is an interactive artwork that allows participants to transform the sky over Vancouver, Canada. Using a three-dimensional interface, this web site lets you design huge light sculptures by directing 20 robotic searchlights located around English Bay. A web page is made for each participant with photos of their design from four cameras located around the city.

“Every dusk, as Vancouver’s nightlife brims with flag-draped revellers and the sun finally sets over the beaches of English Bay, Vectorial Elevation’s 20 robotic searchlights quietly come to life. After just over a week of operation, the heavy beams of blue-white light have been programmed more than 11,000 times by people from 134 countries, from as far away as Japan and Germany and as close as right across the street.” (Source: Official Olympic Website)

“So far, dedicated statements have included marriage proposals, Olympic Games-related slogans and cheers, memorials to lost family members, jokes, praises for the exhibit, environmental sloganeering and even political and religious statements. There has even been a plea for snow for a city that would love at least a few inches of the stuff: “A short message to the almighty with a reminder of where we are, and where to dump the snow,”.

If you want to participate and make your own design: http://www.vectorialvancouver.net/participate.html
Watch live: http://www.vectorialvancouver.net/live.html

We made a design this morning and it was show in Vancouver after 2 minutes. Blow you can see our design and pictures of it in reality.

The interface

The result

If you want to know more about the energy and sustainability of this project please read this page.

The CODE event will run until the 28th of February 2010.