Rogue Two: Reflections on the Creative and Technological Development of the Audiovisual Duo—The Rebel Scum

Authors

  • Ryan Ross Smith SUNY Oneonta
  • Shawn Lawson Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Keywords:

Live Coding, Collaboration, EDM, Audiovisual, Star Wars

Abstract

This article examines the development of the audiovisual duo Obi-Wan Codenobi and The Wookie (authors Shawn Lawson and Ryan Ross Smith respectively). The authors trace a now four-year trajectory of technological and artistic development, while highlighting the impact that a more recent physical displacement has had on the creative and collaborative aspects of the project. We seek to reflect upon the creative and technological journey through our collaboration, including Lawson’s development of The Force, an OpenGL shader-based live-coding environment for generative visuals, while illuminating our experiences with, and takeaways from, live coding in practice and performance, EDM in general and algorave culture specifically.

Author Biographies

Ryan Ross Smith, SUNY Oneonta

Ryan Ross Smith is a composer based in Fremont Center, NY. Smith has performed throughout the US, Europe and UK, including performances at MoMA and PS1 [NYC] and Le Centre Pompidou [Paris, FR], has had his music performed throughout North America, Iceland, Australia and the UK, and has presented his work at conferences including NIME, ISEA, ICLI, ICLC, and TENOR. Smith earned his MFA in Electronic Music from Mills College and his PhD in Electronic Arts at RPI in Troy, NY. He is an Assistant Professor of Audio Arts at SUNY Oneonta. http://ryanrosssmith.com

Shawn Lawson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Shawn Lawson is an experiential media artist creating the computational sublime.  As Obi-Wan Codenobi, he live-codes, real-time computer graphics. He has performed or exhibited across Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. He has received grants from NYSCA and the Experimental Television Center, and artist in residencies at CultureHub and Signal Culture. Lawson studied at CMU, Pittsburgh and ÉNSBA, Paris, with MFA in Art and Technology Studies from SAIC, Chicago. He is the Graduate Program Director and Professor in the Department of Art at RPI, Troy. http://www.shawnlawson.com/

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Published

23-Nov-2018

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2018): Algorithmic EDM

Section

Feature Articles

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